Urine-marking and Ground-scratching by Free-ranging Arctic Wolves, Canis lupus arctos , in Summer

• Main Author: Mech, L. David
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln 2006
• Subjects: Arctic Wolf; Canis lupus arctos; ground-scratching; odor; scent-marking; territoriality; urine-marking; Ellesmere Island; Nunavut; Canada; Animal Sciences; Behavior and Ethology; Biodiversity; Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Environmental Policy; Life Sciences; Recreation; Parks and Tourism Administration; Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology; Arctic; Canis lupus
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usgsnpwrc/366; https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/usgsnpwrc/article/1330/viewcontent/Mech_CFN_2006_Urine_marking_and_Ground_scratching.pdf

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.