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Abstract
We investigated patterns of winter wolf predation, including prey selection, prey switching, kill rates, carcass utilization, and consumption rates for four wolf packs during three different study periods (March 1989, March 1990, and November 1990) in Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Wolves killed predominantly caribou (165 caribou, seven moose, and five Dall sheep) even when moose and sheep were more abundant. Prey selection varied between study periods. More moose were killed in march 1989, a particularly deep snow year, and more sheep were killed in November 1990 than during other periods. Overall kill rates ranged from 0-8 days/ungulate killed (x̅ = 2.0, SD = 1.6) and did not vary between study periods. Pack size and species killed explained significant variation in the length of time intervals between kills. Although caribou density varied nearly 40-fold between pack territories, it had little influence on predation characteristics except at low densities, when kill rates may have declined. Caribou distribution had marked effects on wolf predation rate.
| Publication type | Conference Paper |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Conference Paper |
| Title | Winter wolf predation in a multiple ungulate prey system, Gates of the Arctic National Park, Alaska |
| Series title | Occasional Publication of the Canadian Circumpolar Institute |
| Series number | 35 |
| ISBN | 0-919058-92-2 |
| Year Published | 1995 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Canadian Circumpolar Institute, University of Alberta |
| Publisher location | Edmonton, AB |
| Contributing office(s) | Alaska Science Center |
| Description | 8 p. |
| Larger Work Type | Book |
| Larger Work Subtype | Conference publication |
| Larger Work Title | Ecology and conservation of wolves in a changing world: Proceedings of the second North American symposium on wolves: Occasional Publication 35 |
| First page | 223 |
| Last page | 230 |
| Conference Title | Second North American Symposium on Wolves |
| Conference Location | Edmonton, AB |
| Conference Date | 25-27 August 1992 |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Other Geospatial | Gates of the Arctic National Park |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |