Speed and actual distances travelled by radiocollared wolves in Bialowieza Primeval Forest (Poland)

• Published in: Acta Theriologica
• Main Authors: Musiani M., Okarma H., Jedrzejewski W.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 1998
• Subjects: Canis lupu; Movement; Radiotracking; Snowtracking; Travel speed; Canis lupus
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/11585/901633; https://doi.org/10.4098/AT.arch.98-51

The relationship between the straight line distances (SLD), obtained from telemetry locations, and actual distances travelled by wolves Canis lupus (ADT), measured by snowtracking, was investigated in Bialowieza Primeval Forest, E Poland, in winter 1995/96. Radiolocations determined at 15-min time intervals approximated the ADT by wolves reasonably well. If wolves were relocated at 0.5- to 2-h intervals, SLD can be multiplied by a correction factor of 1.3 to obtain ADT. Within the range of SLD from 1 to 10 km, they could also be converted into ADT using a regression equation: ADT = 0134 + 1.19(SLD), with standard errors of prediction 0.13 to ± 0.3 km. The average travelling speed of wolves was 3.78 km/h (SD 1.23, range 1.6-6.1 km). Wolves walking the forest trails, roads and frozen rivers moved significantly faster than in the forest. Also, individuals travelling with other pack members moved faster than those walking singly.