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Bears cut wolf killings
Bears cut wolf killings

Video: Bears cut wolf killings

Video: Bears cut wolf killings
Video: What kind of coin is this? №8 2024, November
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An international team of scientists has shown that Scandinavian and American wolves kill less often in the presence of brown bears. The results of the work were published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

Gray wolves (Canis lupus) and brown bears (Ursus arctos) often occupy the same territory. At the same time, wolves are typical predators that can feed on plant food and carrion, bears are omnivorous, but in the north of the range they also tend to hunt. Previously, it was assumed that in the presence of bears, wolves tend to kill more prey in order to compensate for the activity of the former.

In the new work, scientists from the Swedish Agricultural University and other universities tested how wolves and bears that live in North America and Scandinavia interact with each other. To do this, the authors observed the number of killings of elk (Alces alces) and European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) by wolves and the tendency to eat fell by bears in Sweden and the United States.

The results showed that wolves kill less prey in the presence of bears. In winter, when the former tend to hunt adults, there is enough food for representatives of both families. At the same time, unlike, for example, pumas (Puma concolor), wolves do not abandon their prey when the bear approaches, but wait until it is full. In summer, bears are more likely to hunt moose calves and are more competitive.

According to the authors, it is premature to disseminate data to wolves and bears in other regions. Scientists do not exclude that the detected trend is characteristic only for the indicated territories. The fact is that the hunting frequency in both families considered depends significantly on seasonality, climate, and other factors. Further research will help clarify this.

See also unique film:

Living with wolves

For centuries, wolves have been characterized as bloodthirsty beasts, enemies of ranchers and killers of helpless livestock. Determined to overcome this misunderstanding, naturalist cinematographers Jamie and Jim Dutcher spent six years in a tent camp in the wilderness of Idaho, living with a pack of wolves, listening to them and earning their trust.

The full-length popular science film reveals the deepest details of the life of wolves in a pack - its unique social composition, the maturation of wolf cubs within the group and their further maturity. Overcoming forest ridges, cold winters and the dangers of encountering a cougar, Dutchers and wolves, these highly intelligent animals, show us an example of the spiritual and unique cooperation between man and predator.

We highly recommend watching another wonderful film on this topic: "The Lord of the Wolves"

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