
doi: 10.1111/btp.70135
ABSTRACT In tropical rainforest ecosystems, where prey is widely dispersed and difficult to detect, predictable congregation sites offer rare and valuable hunting opportunities. Mineral licks represent such hotspots, attracting a diverse array of herbivores seeking mineral‐ and clay‐rich soils. Here, we report observational data on predator–prey interactions and hematophagy at mineral licks, based on 5693 trap‐days across 19 mineral licks using 56 camera traps. We documented 75 predator–prey interactions and 22 cases of hematophagy involving a diverse array of taxa. Predation events mainly recorded non‐terrestrial prey species—particularly bats, followed by arboreal mammals and birds. All confirmed successful predation events involved these taxa, suggesting that mineral licks may function as significant mortality factors for volant and arboreal species descending to the ground. Hematophagy was exclusively carried out by the common vampire bat ( Desmodus rotundus ), primarily targeting lowland tapirs ( Tapirus terrestris ). This species may be especially vulnerable due to its large body size, slow movements, and prolonged periods of immobility while engaging in geophagy. Among the observed predators, reptiles—particularly Amazon tree boas ( Corallus hortulanus )—were the most frequently observed, while ocelots ( Leopardus pardalis ) exhibited the broadest prey spectrum. These findings highlight mineral licks as focal points of predator–prey activity in Amazonian forests, revealing poorly documented patterns of antagonistic interactions.
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