Comprehensive knowledge of ambush behavior requires an understanding of where a predator expects prey to be, which is generally unknowable because ambush predators often hunt mobile prey that exhibit complex, irregular, or inconspicuous movements. Wolves (Canis lupus) are primarily cursorial predators, but they use ambush strategies to hunt beavers (Castor canadensis). Terrestrial beaver activity is predictable because beavers use well-defined, conspicuous habitat features repeatedly. Thus, studying where wolves wait-in-ambush for beavers provides a unique opportunity to understand how predators choose ambush locations in relation to prey activity. We searched 11 817 clusters of GPS locations from wolves in the Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem, International Falls, MN, and documented 748 ambushing sites and 214 instances where wolves killed beavers. Wolves chose ambush locations: 1) with olfactory concealment to avoid detection from the highly developed olfactory senses of beavers and 2) close (generally <5 m) to beaver habitat features to take advantage of beavers’ inability to visually detect motionless predators. Our work describes in detail the ambush strategies wolves use to hunt beavers and continues to overturn the traditional notion that wolves rely solely on cursorial hunting strategies. We also demonstrate that ambush predators can anticipate the movements and behavior of their prey due to a fundamental understanding of their prey’s sensory abilities. Wolves, therefore, and likely ambush predators in general, appear capable of simultaneously accounting for abiotic and biotic factors when choosing ambush locations, ultimately allowing them to counter and capitalize on the sensory abilities of their prey.

中文翻译：

---

狼选择伏击的位置来对抗和利用猎物的感觉能力

对伏击行为的全面了解需要了解捕食者期望猎物在何处，这通常是不可知的，因为伏击捕食者经常猎取表现出复杂，不规则或不起眼运动的移动猎物。狼（Canis lupus）主要是捕食性的食肉动物，但是他们使用伏击策略来捕食海狸（蓖麻加拿大蓖麻。）。陆地海狸的活动是可以预测的，因为海狸会反复使用定义明确，明显的栖息地特征。因此，研究狼在哪里等待海狸的伏击提供了一个独特的机会，以了解捕食者如何选择与猎物活动有关的伏击位置。我们在明尼苏达州国际瀑布的大旅行者生态系统中，从狼中搜寻了11 817个GPS定位簇，并记录了748个伏击现场和214个狼杀死海狸的实例。狼选择了伏击的位置：1）隐蔽的嗅觉以避免从高度发达的海狸嗅觉中检测到； 2）靠近（通常<5 m）海狸栖息地特征，以利用海狸无法目视检测到静止的捕食者的优势。我们的工作详细描述了狼用于狩猎海狸的伏击策略，并继续推翻传统观念，即狼仅依赖于游标狩猎策略。我们还证明，由于对猎物的感觉能力有基本的了解，因此伏击捕食者可以预测猎物的运动和行为。因此，在选择伏击地点时，狼以及通常可能是伏击天敌似乎能够同时考虑非生物和生物因素，最终使它们能够反击并利用猎物的感官能力。我们还证明，由于对猎物的感觉能力有基本的了解，因此伏击捕食者可以预测猎物的运动和行为。因此，在选择伏击地点时，狼以及通常可能是伏击天敌似乎能够同时考虑非生物和生物因素，最终使它们能够反击并利用猎物的感官能力。我们还证明，由于对猎物的感觉能力有基本的了解，因此伏击捕食者可以预测猎物的运动和行为。因此，在选择伏击地点时，狼以及通常可能是伏击天敌似乎能够同时考虑非生物和生物因素，最终使它们能够反击并利用猎物的感官能力。