Most carnivore species are in constant competition with one another on common resources; their protection hinges upon identifying which mechanisms and to what degree they alleviate competition and facilitate coexistence between them. This study aimed at investigating niche overlap and divergence between two sympatric species, i.e. Rüppell’s fox (Vulpes rueppellii) and sand cat (Felis margarita) in Rig-e-Jen area, Central Iranian desert. Totally, 73 and 61 scats were analysed belonging to Rüppell’s fox and sand cat, respectively. Mammals were the most frequent food in the diet of both sand cat (86%) and Rüppell’s fox (56%). Rüppell’s fox tended to be a more flexible and opportunistic species with a more diverse diet. The niche breadth of the sand cat obtained by the standardised Levin’s index (0.08) and Shannon-Wiener (0.36) was narrower than that of the Rüppell’s fox (0.37 and 0.70, respectively). The trophic niche of sand cat and Rüppell’s fox showed an overlap of 92%. Our findings in Rig-e-Jen area suggest that the larger diversity of prey type and size can promote sympatric living of sand cat and Rüppell’s fox in Central Iran.
