Parameter estimates (±SE) in the models that test the null hypothesis of equal use of supplementary food by sexes and age classes in the Iberian lynx.

<p>The levels “Male”, “Adult” and “Season 3 (August-November)” are included in the intercept.</p><p>*Significant at <i>P</i><0.05; ** Significant at <i>P</i><0.01; *** Significant at <i>P</i><0.001.</p

Location of the four lynx areas (circles) with resident lynx exposed to supplementary food within the Doñana region.

<p>Shaded area: protected area. Open circles: high lynx density (37.5–50 ind/100 km²). Black circles: low lynx density (7.3–15.8 ind/100 km²).</p

Predicted probability of daily visit for different sex and age classes against the number of available feeding stations (FS).

<p>Predicted probability of daily visit for different sex and age classes against the number of available feeding stations (FS).</p

Monitoring of individual lynx in four areas (A1–A4) with feeding stations (FS) within the Doñana region.

<p>Blue-shading indicates age class: juvenile (light), subadult (intermediate), and adult (dark). The first blue-shaded cell represents the month when the individual was first detected in a FS. The last blue-shaded cell indicates the month when the lynx died or abandoned the area, or when our study ended (April 2007). Black dots represent camera operation inside FS. Two adult males, one in A1and A4, that were detected only once are not shown.</p

Number of feeding stations (FS) and monitoring effort in four areas of the Doñana Natural Reserve, SW Spain.

<p>The number and identity of lynx recorded with cameras inside FS matched those identified by independent methods. We show the composition of the lynx population in each area obtained from pictures at FS. Age classes are categorized as juvenile (J; <1 yr), subadult (S, 1–2 yr) and adult (A, >2 yr).</p><p>* We identified the same adult male in A1 (November 2002–September 2005) and in A2 (November 2005–March 2007).</p><p># Four individuals used the supplementary food at different age classes (all of them in A1).</p

Differences in the pattern (number, position, size and shape) of spots in the flanks of two Iberian lynx.

<p>Spot patterns allow unambiguous identification of individuals from photographic records.</p

Test of predictions from different hypotheses about ecological mechanisms of asymmetrical use of supplementary food by the Iberian lynx. n = number of lynx.

<p>Test of predictions from different hypotheses about ecological mechanisms of asymmetrical use of supplementary food by the Iberian lynx. n = number of lynx.</p

Variation in dog handling behaviour across types of substrates and baits.

<p>For substrates, Tukey contrasts for pairs of means were indicated by shared superscripts: ^a<i>P</i><0.001, ^b<i>P</i> = 0.023, ^c<i>P</i> = 0.084, ^d<i>P</i> = 0.002.</p

Species identification success across different classes of DNA concentration in saliva extracts.

<p>Species identification success across different classes of DNA concentration in saliva extracts.</p