RELATING WOLF SCAT CONTENT TO PREY CONSUMED

• Main Authors: Floyd, Theodore J., Mech, L. David, Jordan, Peter A.
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln 1978
• Subjects: Animal Sciences; Behavior and Ethology; Biodiversity; Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Environmental Policy; Life Sciences; Recreation; Parks and Tourism Administration; Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology; Canis lupus
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usgsnpwrc/341; https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/usgsnpwrc/article/1355/viewcontent/Mech_JWM_1978_RELATING_WOLF_SCAT_CONTENT.pdf

In 9 trials, captive wolves (Canis lupus) were fed prey varying in size from snowshoe (Lepus americanus) to adult deer (Odocoileus virginianus), and the resulting scats were counted. collectible scats were distinguished from liquid, noncollectible stools. In collectible scats, the small prey occurred in greater proportion relative to the prey's weight, and in lesser proportion to the prey's numbers, than did the remains of larger prey. A regression equation with an excellent the data (r2 = 0.97) was derived to estimate the weight of prey eaten per collectible scat for With this information and average prey weights, the relative numbers of different prey eaten calculated.