Carcasses attract invasive species and increase artificial nest predation in a desert environment

In addition to feeding on animal remains, many scavengers also function as predators. Carcasses may therefore affect local animal communities by attracting facultative scavengers and increasing predation risk for other species in the vicinity of the carcasses. This risk may be elevated in low productivity environments, especially where humans increase carcass production and where facultative scavengers include invasive species. In June and October 2018, we monitored experimentally placed red kangaroo (Osphranter rufus) carcasses and artificial bird nests in two different habitats in the Simpson Desert, Australia, to identify the nest predators attracted to the carcasses, and to determine how carcasses affect overall and predator-specific nest predation. We modelled our nests to approximate those of the ground nesting little buttonquail (Turnix velox) and the endangered night parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis). Native Corvus spp. and then invasive red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) were the top carc...