Of these herbivores, the Chital, Sambar, Gaur, Wild pig, Muntjak and Common Langur are preyed upon by the Tiger, Leopard and Wild
Dog. These herbivores are classified as principle prey species and occur at a estimated mean density of 91 animals per sq km. The prey species can be further
divided on the basis of body weight into small (Langur,young Chital and young pig ), medium (yearling and adult Chital, adult pig, yearling
and young Sambar and young Gaur), and large (adult Sambar and adult Gaur) and studies show that Tigers preferentially selected large prey, Leopard
medium and small prey and the Wild dog medium prey. Because the availability of prey in the appropriate size class is not a limiting resource in Nagarhole, selective
predation has facilitated large carnivore co-existence in the park.
The principal reasons for large carnivore coexistence in Nagarhole as opposed to the African savanna are ecological factors
such as adequate availability of appropriate sized prey, dense cover and tree density which is absent in the African savanna and the fact that behavioral factors
such as habitat specificity, choice of hunting sites or inter-specific dominance play a relatively minor role in Nagarhole.
