Urine-marking and Ground-scratching by Free-ranging Arctic Wolves, Canis lupus arctos, in Summer
Urine-marking and ground-scratching were observed in an Arctic Wolf (Canis lupus) pack on Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada, during 16 summers between 1986 and 2005. All previously known urination postures and ground-scratching by breeding males and females were seen, and incidence of marking and sc...
Published in: | The Canadian Field-Naturalist |
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Main Author: | |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
The Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club
2006
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.canadianfieldnaturalist.ca/index.php/cfn/article/view/356 https://doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v120i4.356 |
Summary: | Urine-marking and ground-scratching were observed in an Arctic Wolf (Canis lupus) pack on Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada, during 16 summers between 1986 and 2005. All previously known urination postures and ground-scratching by breeding males and females were seen, and incidence of marking and scratching was greatest when non-pack wolves were present. Observations of urine-marking of food remains supported the conclusion from a captive Wolf study that such marking signals lack of edible food. |
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