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Wolf diet and prey selection in Croatia

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Abstract

Tensions between humans and wolves have led to intensive worldwide studies of wolf feeding habits and their relative preference for domestic and wild ungulates. The aim of this study was to provide further insight into the diet composition of wolves in Croatia, based on stomach contents of dead wolves. We examined spatial variation in wolf diet and prey selection relative to availability of wild and domestic animals. Furthermore, we aimed to determine selectivity in feeding habits in relation to wolf gender and age. The study was conducted on the stomach contents of 42 gray wolves (18 females, 24 males). Samples were collected from three regions of Croatia with different ratios of domestic and wild prey availability. The density ratio of domestic to wild ungulates increased gradually from north-west (5.8), through central (11.6) to south-east (134) Croatia. Wolf diet followed this pattern with the ratio of domestic animals increasing from 0.7 to 1.3 and 5.3, respectively. The relative share of wild ungulates in wolf diet was significantly higher in all three regions of wolf range in Croatia, even where livestock availability was high. Female wolves ate birds, rodents, and dogs more than males and in the south, where wild ungulates were scarce. This study showed wolves’ selectivity for wild ungulate, rather than for abundant, but well-guarded livestock. The European idea of coexistence of humans and wolves in human-dominated landscape seems possible with some effort and understanding from humans’ side.

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Acknowledgments

This study was approved by the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Ethics Committee, University of Zagreb, Republic of Croatia (640-01/14-17/19; 251-61-01/139-14-2). We thank all inspectors for assessment of damage on livestock, members of the Large Carnivores Emergency Team of Croatia, game wardens, and all others who helped collecting bodies of dead wolves. Special gratitude goes to Peter Haswell (Bangor University School of Natural Sciences, Wales, UK) and Natarsha Babic (PhD candidate at Monash University) for improving the English of the manuscript.

Funding

Furthermore, this study was undertaken with the financial aid of the Croatian Agency for Nature and Environment, Croatian Environment Fund, Bernd Thies Foundation, UK Wolf Conservation Trust, EURONATUR, “Northern Velebit” National Park, “Velebit” Nature Park, and “Plitvice Lakes” National Park.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Daria Octenjak & Valentina Šilić

  2. Department of Physiology and Radiobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Lana Pađen

  3. Department of Veterinary Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Slaven Reljić & Josip Kusak

  4. Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary, Medicine University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Tajana Trbojević Vukičević

Authors
  1. Daria Octenjak
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  2. Lana Pađen
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  3. Valentina Šilić
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  4. Slaven Reljić
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  5. Tajana Trbojević Vukičević
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  6. Josip Kusak
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study design, sample collection, and processing. Sample analysis were performed by Daria Octenjak, Valentina Šilić, Slaven Reljić, and Tajana Trbojević Vukičević. The first draft of the manuscript in English as well as further statistical analysis was written and done by Lana Pađen. All authors commented on versions of the manuscript. Supervision and final editing were done by Josip Kusak. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lana Pađen.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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“All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.”

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Communicated by: Krzysztof Schmidt

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Octenjak, D., Pađen, L., Šilić, V. et al. Wolf diet and prey selection in Croatia. Mamm Res 65, 647–654 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-020-00517-8

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