A new study shows wolves follow their stomachs during the migratory season of their favorite prey, even if they have newborns to look after. Some packs moved pups from den sites along elk migration routes.
“Our findings counter years of assumptions by researchers that migratory hoofed mammals can escape predation in spring because are tied to dens and immobile offspring,” Arthur Middleton, senior study author and University of California, Berkeley, professor, told phys.org.
The study took place in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, where researchers saw wolves travel 12 miles or more, carrying their young in their mouths. The research marks the first time such behavior was documented outside the Arctic.
“In Yellowstone, research has shown how a lot of wolf mortality can come from other packs coming in and killing pups, because there’s a lot of packs competing for space and food,” researcher Avery Shawler told phys.org. “It’s pretty wild that this risky behavior of moving young pups is even occurring when that’s happening next door.”
The scientists say their findings help identify migration patterns and challenges that factor in the conservation of both species.
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation supplied funding for the study.
(Photo credit: Wyoming Game & Fish Department)