Title: Data on mammal abundance and large carnivore diet in a plantation-rainforest landscape in the Anamalai Hills, Western Ghats Authors: #1 Name: Swati Sidhu email: swati@ncf-india.org Institute affiliation: Nature Conservation Foundation, Vijayanagar, Mysore 570 017, Karnataka, India #2 T. R. Shankar Raman email: trsr@ncf-india.org Institute affiliation: Nature Conservation Foundation, Vijayanagar, Mysore 570 017, Karnataka, India #3 Divya Mudappa email: divya@ncf-india.org Institute affiliation: Nature Conservation Foundation, Vijayanagar, Mysore 570 017, Karnataka, India Abstract: This dataset contains abundance data on large carnivores and their prey species, using direct and indirect sign surveys along line and belt transects, respectively, as well as data on remains of prey species in large carnivore scats. This dataset is part of a study (published paper under Related works) on leopard ecology in a landscape containing commercial plantations of tea and coffee, and rainforest fragments and protected area. These data were collected between 2008 and 2010 in Valparai plateau and Anamalai Tiger Reserve in the Western Ghats, India. The dataset contains following files: 1) Transect_details.csv 2) Transect_repeats.csv 3) Mammals_Direct_signs.csv 4) Mammals_Indirect_signs.csv 5) Large_carnivores_Indirect_signs.csv 6) Large_carnivore_Diet.csv More details regarding the above files can be found in ReadMe_Data_ColumnNames.txt. Options fields .............. Keyword(s): Leopards, Panthera, pardus, large carnivore diet, prey abundance, plantation, tropical rainforest Methods: Sign surveys: Direct surveys for mammal were conducted using line transects (2-km-long) and indirect sign surveys using belt transects (2 km long and 2 m wide) in four different habitat types: continuous forest as control site, coffee plantation, forest fragment, and tea plantation. Diet analysis: Scats were analysed for predator diet using indigestible remains of prey species, particularly hairs, bones, quills and feathers. Hairs were identified based on external morphology, cuticular and medullary patterns, and ratio of medulla to cortex in cross-section, with the help of a microscope and comparing with photographs of reference slides. Please see the paper (under Related works) for more details on methods. Usage Notes : Funding Information: This work was supported by Rufford Small Grant ref. RSG 38.03.09 and Netherlands Committee of the IUCN, Tropical Rainforest Programme. Related Works: Sidhu, S., Raman, T. R. S., and Mudappa, D. (2015) Prey abundance and leopard diet in a plantation and rainforest landscape, Anamalai Hills, Western Ghats. Current Science 109: 323–330. Location information: Valparai plateau and Anamalai Tiger Reserve (10°12'–10°35'N and 76°49'–77°24'E) in Western Ghats, India