Functional Changes to the Slate Islands Provincial Park Ecosystem with Successive Arrival of Wolves, Canis lupus, from the Lake Superior Coast

2021 ◽  
Vol 134 (4) ◽  
pp. 342-352
Author(s):  
Arthur T. Bergerud ◽  
Brian E. McLaren ◽  
William Dalton ◽  
Lo Camps ◽  
Heather Butler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Canis Lupus ◽  
Indirect Effects ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Red Fox ◽  
Castor Canadensis ◽  
Direct And Indirect Effects ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Functional Changes ◽  
Snowshoe Hares ◽  
Provincial Park

Observations from 1974-2016 of Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) on the archipelago that comprises Slate Islands Provincial Park allowed us to infer direct and indirect effects of the arrival of Wolf (Canis lupus) pairs in winters of 1993-94 and 2003-04. Wolves created conditions that led to the near demise of Caribou from the islands, including some, but not all, behavioural changes in Caribou consistent with avoiding predators. Caribou on SIPP did not appear to return to calving locations near shoreline areas, nor use them to escape from Wolves by entering water. Shorelines and locations of Patterson Island near a Wolf-occupied Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) den were the most common Caribou kill locations. Wolves also functionally shifted the ecosystem in Slate Islands Provincial Park via direct and indirect effects on North American Beavers (Castor canadensis), Red Foxes and Snowshoe Hares (Lepus americanus).

scholarly journals Diet of Grey Wolves (Canis lupus) During Calving in a Moose– Caribou System in Northern Ontario

2018 ◽  
Vol 131 (3) ◽  
pp. 215-220
Author(s):  
Rob Found ◽  
Ashley A. D. McLaren ◽  
Arthur R. Rodgers ◽  
Brent R. Patterson
Keyword(s):  
Canis Lupus ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Castor Canadensis ◽  
Northern Ontario ◽  
Southern Limit ◽  
Proximate Cause ◽  
Declining Populations ◽  
Dietary Component ◽  
A Minor ◽  
The Impact

Grey Wolves (Canis lupus) are a leading proximate cause of declining populations of Woodland Caribou (Rangifer tarandus), a threatened species. Although predation on adult caribou has been well documented, less is known about predation on neonatal calves. We used scat analysis to examine the diet of wolves in an area of Ontario overlapping the receding southern limit of caribou occurrence. Wolves consumed mostly Moose (Alces americanus; 82.7%), followed by American Beaver (Castor canadensis; 10.9%), caribou (3.1%), and Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus; 1.5%). This low use of caribou is consistent with other evidence suggesting that caribou are a minor dietary component of wolves in this system; however, because most caribou consumption consists of calves, the impact on this slowly reproducing species may still be significant.

Antipredator strategies of caribou: dispersion along shorelines

1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (6) ◽  
pp. 1324-1329 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. T. Bergerud
Keyword(s):  
Canis Lupus ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Alces Alces ◽  
Lake Superior ◽  
Lepus Americanus ◽  
Lynx Lynx ◽  
Lynx Canadensis ◽  
Antipredator Strategies ◽  
Habitat Features ◽  
Snowshoe Hares

A small herd of 15–31 caribou (Rangifer tarandus) inhabited a shoreline strip of habitat along Lake Superior from 1972 to 1983. By remaining near the shoreline, they were spaced away from the major distributions of wolves (Canis lupus) and lynx (Lynx canadensis) that hunted mainly inland for moose (Alces alces) and snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus), respectively. Lake Superior also provided a means of escape from wolves, and offshore islands constituted safe parturition sites. The persistence of this herd is consistent with the hypothesis that viable caribou populations cannot survive on ranges frequented by high numbers of wolves (maintained mainly by moose prey) unless there are special habitat features providing escape for cows with young calves.

Prey selection and habitat partitioning in sympatric coyote and red fox populations, southwest Yukon

1989 ◽  
Vol 67 (5) ◽  
pp. 1285-1290 ◽  
Author(s):  
John B. Theberge ◽  
Chris H. R. Wedeles
Keyword(s):  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Red Fox ◽  
Canis Latrans ◽  
Prey Selection ◽  
Lepus Americanus ◽  
Habitat Partitioning ◽  
Alternative Prey ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Snowshoe Hares ◽  
Selection Of

Sympatric coyotes (Canis latrans) and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in the southwest Yukon, studied across the peak of a snow-shoe hare (Lepus americanus) cycle, differed little from one another in prey selection, and both were heavily dependent on snowshoe hares. After the hare crash, however, foxes turned more to alternative prey than did coyotes. Foxes and coyotes differed in their selection of habitat patches and use of edge. Coyotes exploited edges, where hares were most abundant, and open communities, whereas foxes showed no significant use of edge and used brushy communities. The coexistence of red foxes and coyotes in the southwest Yukon may be facilitated by balancing competitive abilities: foxes persist because of elasticity in their choice of prey and coyotes persist by dominating edges.

Antipredator tactics of calving caribou: dispersion in mountains

1984 ◽  
Vol 62 (8) ◽  
pp. 1566-1575 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. T. Bergerud ◽  
H. E. Butler ◽  
D. R. Miller
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Canis Lupus ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Ursus Arctos ◽  
Unit Area ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Capture Success ◽  
Plant Associations ◽  
Provincial Park

The caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in Spatsizi Provincial Park, northern British Columbia, seek high south slopes in mountains as calving locations as an antipredator tactic. By being dispersed in heterogeneous and rugged mountains and away from moose (Alces alces), they force wolves (Canis lupus) and bears (Ursus arctos) to search large areas, reducing their capture success. By remaining at high elevation for 2–3 weeks in June, females with calves had to forego foraging in plant associations with high phytomass and nutrient concentrations. The antipredator tactic of dispersion in mountains was only relatively successful in 1976 and 1977; 90% of the calves still died prior to 6 months of age, largely from predation. The relatively recent invasion of moose into northern British Columbia in the early 1900's has resulted in more wolves per unit area than formerly and their combined searching has reduced the utility of leaving valley bottoms and being dispersed in mountains as a tactic to increasing the searching effort of predators.

Distinguishing characteristics of the hairs of wild and domestic canids from Alberta

1982 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
pp. 536-541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan. J. Kennedy
Keyword(s):  
Cross Section ◽  
Canis Lupus ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Red Fox ◽  
Canis Familiaris ◽  
Domestic Dog ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Distinguishing Features ◽  
Region Size ◽  
Band Number

Dorsal, ventral, and lateral guard hairs were examined from 12 wolves (Canis lupus), 14 coyotes (Canis latrans), six domestic dogs (Canis familiaris), and six red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) to determine distinguishing features. Wolf and coyote hairs are not separable using present techniques. However, wolf–coyote hair can be identified by its total length, band number and size, and distinctive basal cuticle scale pattern. Red fox hair is characteristic in its length, color, tip region size, basal cuticle scale pattern, and medulla cross section. Domestic dog hair is identified by its length and basal cuticle scale pattern. Several macroscopic and microscopic hair characteristics of Alberta canids are different from those of eastern canids.

scholarly journals Pathology of Urinary Bladder in Pearsonema spp. Infected Wildlife from Central Italy

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 474
Author(s):  
Claudia Eleni ◽  
Alessia Mariacher ◽  
Goffredo Grifoni ◽  
Elena Cardini ◽  
Sara Tonon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Canis Lupus ◽  
Red Fox ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Meles Meles ◽  
Pathological Examination ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Eosinophilic Cystitis ◽  
Wildlife Species ◽  
Domestic Carnivores

The genus Pearsonema, in the nematode family Capillariidae, includes several species that parasitize the urinary bladders of wild and domestic carnivores. The infection has been reported worldwide from several wildlife species, including canids, mustelids, and felids, but the pathological aspects have seldom been investigated. In order to assess the presence and severity of the lesions in Pearsonema-infected wildlife, we performed a parasitological and pathological examination of urinary bladders from 72 animals, belonging to the families Canidae (red fox Vulpes vulpes, n = 28, and wolf Canis lupus, n = 29) and Mustelidae (beech marten Martes foina, n = 3; pine marten Martes martes, n = 2; and European badger Meles meles, n = 10). A greater prevalence of infection for canids (64.91%; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 52.52–77.30%) than for mustelids (13.33%) (p < 0.001) was recorded. The prevalence of infection in red foxes was 75.0% (95% CI, 58.96–91.04%), in accordance with other reports from European countries, supporting the role of this species as a reservoir for infection. Eosinophilic cystitis was observed in 34 out of the 72 examined animals (47.22%). The influence of Pearsonema sp. infection on the occurrence of eosinophilic cystitis was statistically significant in wolves (p < 0.01), which were also affected by more severe histological lesions compared to foxes.

Direct and indirect effects of dynamic social impact

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana M. Binder ◽  
Martin J. Bourgeois ◽  
Christine M. Shea Adams
Keyword(s):  
Indirect Effects ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Direct And Indirect Effects
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