Diet composition of wolves (Canis lupus L.) in Lithuania

• Main Authors: Bačkaitienė, Špinkytė Renata, Pėtelis, Kęstutis
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: Wolf; Diet; Scat; Lithuania; Alces alces; Canis lupus
• Online Access: http://asu.lvb.lt/ASU:ELABAPDB2848295&prefLang=en_US

The wolves (Canis lupus L.) diet was studied during the period from 2004 to 2012 by examining food remnants at locations of prey kills and consumption, through stomach analysis and through analysis of scats. Having 225 samples, 14 types of wolf food source were identified: moose (Alces alces L.), red deer (Cervus elaphus L.), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.), wild boar (Sus scrofa L.), beaver (Castor fiber L.), brown hare (Lepus europaeus P.), racoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides G.) and mousses (Muridae spec.), as well as small birds (Aves spec.), beetles (Coleoptera spec.), fruits and herbs and, in scats, remnants of cattle and objects of anthropogenic origin (plastic products). Using data obtained from 200 samples examined (wolf scats, vomit and stomach contents) it was determined that the remnants of ungulate animals prevailed (76.4% of samples examined). Wolf diet in the researched territory consisted mainly of Cervidae (roe deer and red deer) 43.4%, wild boar 33.0% and beaver 18.1%. %. A proportion of Cervidae in consumed biomass was calculated to be 56.4%, wild boar 27.0% and beaver 12.8%. It was found that wolves’ diet in Lithuania differed from that half century ago.