These lecture notes are the final notes (tenth) in a series from the module biodiversity: exploiters and exploited. This lecture covers everything about wolves from their hunting, to reintroductions and species. A great way to start your understanding in this module (or help you get out of the lect...
Lecture:
Wolf (Canis lupus – only species?)
o Mammalia w/ order: Carnivora
o Generalist carnavor (large stomach = fast intake for fast digestion)
Bites w/o precision and shallow bites
Cannot lock jaw (dislocate) because shallow indent for jaw)
Cats/weasels can lock bc similar ball/socket joint
Teeth
Pointed molars for crushing bones
Incisors for grasping prey
Canines = slash hide and muscles
o 10 mya = vulpine (wolf ancestor)
o 30 mya = Bering land bridge from America to Eurasia = spread of colony
From new world (America) to old world (Eurasia) and then back to new
world (700kya)
Wolf ancestor = dire wolf (unable to chase faster herbivores in dense
landscape?)
o 5-7 mya = Modern lineage
o Wolves and Coyotes (C. latrans) = can (fertile) interbreed so what is a species?
Coyote could have evolved from the wolf (100kya)
o Widely distributed mammal, most adaptable, inhabits all of N hemisphere and preys
on all large mammals
In North America = mostly feed on large ungulates (2 toed)
In Europe = mostly feed on domestic (humans killed ungulates) = conflict
o Hunting
Bold, speedy, endurance
Preys are damaging to wolf
Hunting strats (mostly in winter bc no young)
Stalking = alpha male leads
o Using stiff limbed trot = rhythmical
Encounter
The rush (get larger animals moving)
The chase (singled out and worn out)
o Only a few larger alphas are involved
o Seasons
Hunt in winter
Mating in Feb-March
Cubs born April-May
Secure breeding area (cave)
Blind for 2 weeks
Leave the nest @ 6 weeks
Weaned at 9 weeks
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