engleski

Wolf diet and prey selection in Croatia

Tensions between humans and wolves have led to intensive worldwide studies of wolf feeding habits and their relative preference for domestic and wild ungulates. The aim of this study was to provide further insight into the diet composition of wolves in Croatia, based on stomach contents of dead wolves. We examined spatial variation in wolf diet and prey selection relative to availability of wild and domestic animals. Furthermore, we aimed to determine selectivity in feeding habits in relation to wolf gender and age. The study was conducted on the stomach contents of 42 grey wolves (18 females, 24 males). Samples were collected from three regions of Croatia with different ratios of domestic and wild prey availability. The density ratio of domestic to wild ungulates increased gradually from north- west (5.8), through central (11.6) to south- east (134) Croatia. Wolf diet followed this pattern with the ratio of domestic animals increasing from 0.7, to 1.3 and 5.3, respectively. The relative share of wild ungulates in wolf diet was significantly higher in all three regions of wolf range in Croatia, even where livestock availability was high. Female wolves ate birds, rodents and dogs more than males and in the south, where wild ungulates were scarce. This study showed wolves’ selectivity for wild ungulate, rather than for abundant, but well-guarded livestock. The European idea of coexistence of humans and wolves in human-dominated landscape, seems possible with some effort and understanding from humans’ side.

Canis lupus ; food habits ; diet preferences ; Croatia

nije evidentirano