Wolf (Canis lupus)

[TheNormalGuy]

Dietary spectrum in Himalayan wolves: comparative analysis of prey choice in conspecifics across high‐elevation rangelands of Asia

S. Balajeid Lyngdoh B. Habib S. Shrotriya

First published: 10 August 2019 doi.org/10.1111/jzo.12724

Abstract

The Himalayan wolf (Canis lupus chanco) is one of the most basal among wolf lineages in the world today. It inhabits mostly the high elevations, northwards from the Himalayas (1500–5000 m) in the Asian region. We conducted a meta analysis to understand the dietary habits of Himalayan wolves and wolves of the high rangelands of Asia from seven countries (n = 22). We found 39 different prey items reported across the distribution of the Himalayan wolf from a total of 2331 scats (average of 105.95 ± 20.10 scats per study). Comparison of the relative frequency of occurrence of different prey species shows that domestic prey consumption (48.21 ± 5.61%) across the zones or continent was similar to wild prey consumption (42.94 ± 5.25%). Small wild prey species constituted approximately (24.53 ± 3.77%) of the total wolf diet. Wolves of the Asian Highlands consumed relatively more large prey (40.01 ± 5.42%) than small prey (25.19 ± 3.85%) or medium‐sized prey (23.17 ± 3.78%). Wolves consumed a larger proportion of domestic (54.92 ± 5.94%) than wild prey (36.13 ± 6.12%) in areas that had regular livestock grazing and vice versa. East, west and central Himalayan and Central Asian wolves consumed mostly large wild and domestic prey. On the contrary, wolves in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, Inner Mongolia and the Karakoram consumed a relatively higher proportion of smaller‐sized prey and livestock. Overall, wolves utilized mostly domestic livestock and marmots (Ivlev’s index, 0.22–0.77). High localized utilization of Przewalski’s horse (Equus ferus przewalkskii, 0.94) was recorded, whereas Goral (N. goral) and Pika (Ochotona spp) were particularly underutilized (−0.99 and −0.92) in wolf diet. A landscape or trans‐boundary approach is advocated to restore natural large wild prey, for such a relic lineage species and reduce human‐wolf conflicts.

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Figure 2

Dietary spectrum for collated data across 22 studies. Graphs indicate the percentage mean relative frequency of occurrence with a standard deviation of prey in wolf diet.

Link : Dietary spectrum in Himalayan wolves: comparative analysis of prey choice in conspecifics across high‐elevation rangelands of Asia

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*Note* : The "T" (small bar over the blacks rectangles) represent the how there is variation in across the 22 studies. Exemple, the frequency of roe deer being is on average of the 22 studies [Black rectangle] but in some of these 22 studies, they occupied the "first place" or in other words, they are the primary prey of wolves in that (those) particular(s) study (ies). Reply