Feeding habits and economic impact of grey wolf
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56617/tl.3976Keywords:
Canis lupus, large carnivore, predation, diet composition, damage, deer, livestockAbstract
Nowadays, the grey wolf (Canis lupus) is spreading again in Hungary. The assessment of the species is controversial, as in addition to its beneficial ecological effects, it can also cause economic damage to the populations of wild game and grazing domestic ungulates. In our publication we give an overview of the scientific knowledge gained so far about the feeding habits of the wolf, on the basis of which we can make the nature conservation management of the species more effective and reduce the species-related conflicts. Literature information gathered from many countries on three continents suggests that for the wolf population expanding in the North Hungarian Mountains, wild ungulate populations are likely to be the primary source of prey, as has been observed in many parts of Europe or North America. Based on previous studies, red deer may be the most frequent food source, and killing of wild boar and roe deer, or even mouflon, may be common. Consumption of grazing domestic animals may increase if the density and diversity of wild ungulate communities decline significantly or if livestock farming occurs in large areas without adequate protection. The presence of the wolf as a top predator in the Hungarian fauna ensures important ecological regulatory roles, which e.g., can mitigate the strong local effects of large herbivorous species. However, the natural predatory behavior of the wolf can have a significant adverse economic effect on the populations of wild and domestic ungulates. Thus, it is important to explore these interactions in more detail in Hungary as well, so that the conflicts that arise at the same time as conserving the wolf population can be better managed.
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