The process of a wolf pack splitting in Biaowie¿a Primeval Forest, Poland
8-year-old alpha female ceased breeding. The two sister-packs subdivided their original territory, but their ranges overlapped extensively (49%) for one year after the split, except for May–June, when both new packs reared pups. We propose that food related factors could have been the ultimate cause...
Main Authors: | , , , |
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Other Authors: | |
Format: | Text |
Language: | English |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.603.990 http://www.zbs.bialowieza.pl/g2/pdf/1420.pdf |
Summary: | 8-year-old alpha female ceased breeding. The two sister-packs subdivided their original territory, but their ranges overlapped extensively (49%) for one year after the split, except for May–June, when both new packs reared pups. We propose that food related factors could have been the ultimate cause of splitting of a large pack. In European temperate forests, pack size of 5–6 wolves is optimal for the consumption of the red deer Cervus elaphus. |
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