Wolves choose ambushing locations to counter and capitalize on the sensory abilities of their prey
Abstract Comprehensive knowledge of ambush behavior requires an understanding of where a predator expects prey to be, which is generally unknowable because ambush predators often hunt mobile prey that exhibit complex, irregular, or inconspicuous movements. Wolves (Canis lupus) are primarily cursoria...
Published in: | Behavioral Ecology |
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/beheco/araa147 http://academic.oup.com/beheco/article-pdf/32/2/339/36737694/araa147.pdf |
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croxfordunivpr:10.1093/beheco/araa147 2024-04-07T07:51:43+00:00 Wolves choose ambushing locations to counter and capitalize on the sensory abilities of their prey Gable, Thomas D Homkes, Austin T Johnson-Bice, Sean M Windels, Steve K Bump, Joseph K Quinn, John Voyageurs National Park National Park Service University of Minnesota Van Sloun Foundation Bell Museum Thomas H. Shevlin Fellowship Voyageurs Conservancy Northern Michigan University Rainy Lake Conservancy Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund 2021 http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/beheco/araa147 http://academic.oup.com/beheco/article-pdf/32/2/339/36737694/araa147.pdf en eng Oxford University Press (OUP) https://academic.oup.com/journals/pages/open_access/funder_policies/chorus/standard_publication_model Behavioral Ecology volume 32, issue 2, page 339-348 ISSN 1045-2249 1465-7279 Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics journal-article 2021 croxfordunivpr https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/araa147 2024-03-08T03:02:03Z Abstract Comprehensive knowledge of ambush behavior requires an understanding of where a predator expects prey to be, which is generally unknowable because ambush predators often hunt mobile prey that exhibit complex, irregular, or inconspicuous movements. Wolves (Canis lupus) are primarily cursorial predators, but they use ambush strategies to hunt beavers (Castor canadensis). Terrestrial beaver activity is predictable because beavers use well-defined, conspicuous habitat features repeatedly. Thus, studying where wolves wait-in-ambush for beavers provides a unique opportunity to understand how predators choose ambush locations in relation to prey activity. We searched 11 817 clusters of GPS locations from wolves in the Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem, International Falls, MN, and documented 748 ambushing sites and 214 instances where wolves killed beavers. Wolves chose ambush locations: 1) with olfactory concealment to avoid detection from the highly developed olfactory senses of beavers and 2) close (generally <5 m) to beaver habitat features to take advantage of beavers’ inability to visually detect motionless predators. Our work describes in detail the ambush strategies wolves use to hunt beavers and continues to overturn the traditional notion that wolves rely solely on cursorial hunting strategies. We also demonstrate that ambush predators can anticipate the movements and behavior of their prey due to a fundamental understanding of their prey’s sensory abilities. Wolves, therefore, and likely ambush predators in general, appear capable of simultaneously accounting for abiotic and biotic factors when choosing ambush locations, ultimately allowing them to counter and capitalize on the sensory abilities of their prey. Article in Journal/Newspaper Canis lupus Oxford University Press Behavioral Ecology 32 2 339 348 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Oxford University Press |
op_collection_id |
croxfordunivpr |
language |
English |
topic |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
spellingShingle |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Gable, Thomas D Homkes, Austin T Johnson-Bice, Sean M Windels, Steve K Bump, Joseph K Wolves choose ambushing locations to counter and capitalize on the sensory abilities of their prey |
topic_facet |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
description |
Abstract Comprehensive knowledge of ambush behavior requires an understanding of where a predator expects prey to be, which is generally unknowable because ambush predators often hunt mobile prey that exhibit complex, irregular, or inconspicuous movements. Wolves (Canis lupus) are primarily cursorial predators, but they use ambush strategies to hunt beavers (Castor canadensis). Terrestrial beaver activity is predictable because beavers use well-defined, conspicuous habitat features repeatedly. Thus, studying where wolves wait-in-ambush for beavers provides a unique opportunity to understand how predators choose ambush locations in relation to prey activity. We searched 11 817 clusters of GPS locations from wolves in the Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem, International Falls, MN, and documented 748 ambushing sites and 214 instances where wolves killed beavers. Wolves chose ambush locations: 1) with olfactory concealment to avoid detection from the highly developed olfactory senses of beavers and 2) close (generally <5 m) to beaver habitat features to take advantage of beavers’ inability to visually detect motionless predators. Our work describes in detail the ambush strategies wolves use to hunt beavers and continues to overturn the traditional notion that wolves rely solely on cursorial hunting strategies. We also demonstrate that ambush predators can anticipate the movements and behavior of their prey due to a fundamental understanding of their prey’s sensory abilities. Wolves, therefore, and likely ambush predators in general, appear capable of simultaneously accounting for abiotic and biotic factors when choosing ambush locations, ultimately allowing them to counter and capitalize on the sensory abilities of their prey. |
author2 |
Quinn, John Voyageurs National Park National Park Service University of Minnesota Van Sloun Foundation Bell Museum Thomas H. Shevlin Fellowship Voyageurs Conservancy Northern Michigan University Rainy Lake Conservancy Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Gable, Thomas D Homkes, Austin T Johnson-Bice, Sean M Windels, Steve K Bump, Joseph K |
author_facet |
Gable, Thomas D Homkes, Austin T Johnson-Bice, Sean M Windels, Steve K Bump, Joseph K |
author_sort |
Gable, Thomas D |
title |
Wolves choose ambushing locations to counter and capitalize on the sensory abilities of their prey |
title_short |
Wolves choose ambushing locations to counter and capitalize on the sensory abilities of their prey |
title_full |
Wolves choose ambushing locations to counter and capitalize on the sensory abilities of their prey |
title_fullStr |
Wolves choose ambushing locations to counter and capitalize on the sensory abilities of their prey |
title_full_unstemmed |
Wolves choose ambushing locations to counter and capitalize on the sensory abilities of their prey |
title_sort |
wolves choose ambushing locations to counter and capitalize on the sensory abilities of their prey |
publisher |
Oxford University Press (OUP) |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/beheco/araa147 http://academic.oup.com/beheco/article-pdf/32/2/339/36737694/araa147.pdf |
genre |
Canis lupus |
genre_facet |
Canis lupus |
op_source |
Behavioral Ecology volume 32, issue 2, page 339-348 ISSN 1045-2249 1465-7279 |
op_rights |
https://academic.oup.com/journals/pages/open_access/funder_policies/chorus/standard_publication_model |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/araa147 |
container_title |
Behavioral Ecology |
container_volume |
32 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
339 |
op_container_end_page |
348 |
_version_ |
1795666765119750144 |