51 research outputs found
Geographic isolation reduces genetic diversity of a wide-ranging terrestrial vertebrate, Canis lupus
Get PDFGenetic diversity is theorized to decrease in populations closer to a species’ range edge, where habitat may be suboptimal. Generalist species capable of long-range dispersal may maintain sufficient gene flow to counteract this, though the presence of significant barriers to dispersal (e.g., large water bodies, human-dominated landscapes) may still lead to, and exacerbate, the edge effect. We used microsatellite data for 2421 gray wolves (Canis lupus) from 24 subpopulations (groups) to model how allelic richness and expected heterozygosity varied with mainland–island position and two measures of range edge (latitude and distance from range center) across >7.3 million km2 of northern North America. We expected low genetic diversity both at high latitudes, due to harsh environmental conditions, and on islands, but no change in diversity with distance to the range center due to the species’ exceptional dispersal ability and favorable conditions in far eastern and western habitats. We found that allelic richness and expected heterozygosity of island groups were measurably less than that of mainland groups, and that these differences increased with the island’s distance to the species’ range center in the study area. Our results demonstrate how multiple axes of geographic isolation (distance from range center and island habitation) can act synergistically to erode the genetic diversity of wide-ranging terrestrial vertebrate populations despite the counteracting influence of long-range dispersal ability. These findings emphasize how geographic isolation is a potential threat to the genetic diversity and viability of terrestrial vertebrate populations even among species capable of long-range dispersal
Wild canine viruses in the news. Better understanding multi-host transmission by adopting a disease ecology species community-based approach
No full textExtension of Coyote, Canis latrans, Breeding Range in the Northwest Territories, Canada
Get PDFCoyotes (Canis latrans) have resided in the Northwest Territories for several decades but have only rarely been sighted north of Great Slave Lake (>62° N. latitude) in the Taiga Shield ecozone. Records show Coyotes have been seen since the 1960s. Prior to 2000, evidence of Coyotes breeding in the Taiga Shield has been anecdotal. In 2000, a Coyote was repeatedly seen at the Yellowknife airport and in 2001, a pair of Coyotes was observed with two pups. Since then, Coyote pups have been observed annually at the airport and adult Coyotes are seen regularly within the city of Yellowknife, an urban island within the Taiga Shield ecozone. Unlike in most regions occupied by Coyotes, medium-sized prey are rarely seen. Recently, Coyotes have become a potential hazard to aircraft at the Yellowknife airport. Although Coyotes appear to have established themselves within the city of Yellowknife, maintaining a presence beyond the urbanized area remains uncertain
Movements of wolves at the northern extreme of the species' range, including during four months of darkness.
Get PDFInformation about wolf (Canis lupus) movements anywhere near the northern extreme of the species' range in the High Arctic (>75°N latitude) are lacking. There, wolves prey primarily on muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) and must survive 4 months of 24 hr/day winter darkness and temperatures reaching -53 C. The extent to which wolves remain active and prey on muskoxen during the dark period are unknown, for the closest area where information is available about winter wolf movements is >2,250 km south. We studied a pack of ≥20 wolves on Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada (80°N latitude) from July 2009 through mid-April 2010 by collaring a lead wolf with a Global Positioning System (GPS)/Argos radio collar. The collar recorded the wolf's precise locations at 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. daily and transmitted the locations by satellite to our email. Straight-line distances between consecutive 12-hr locations varied between 0 and 76 km. Mean (SE) linear distance between consecutive locations (n = 554) was 11 (0.5) km. Total minimum distance traveled was 5,979 km, and total area covered was 6,640 km(2), the largest wolf range reported. The wolf and presumably his pack once made a 263-km (straight-line distance) foray to the southeast during 19-28 January 2010, returning 29 January to 1 February at an average of 41 km/day straight-line distances between 12-hr locations. This study produced the first detailed movement information about any large mammal in the High Arctic, and the average movements during the dark period did not differ from those afterwards. Wolf movements during the dark period in the highest latitudes match those of the other seasons and generally those of wolves in lower latitudes, and, at least with the gross movements measurable by our methods, the 4-month period without direct sunlight produced little change in movements
Long Daily Movements of Wolves, Canis lupus, During Pup Rearing
Get PDFWolves, Canis lupus, on Ellesmere Island traveled a daily round-trip distance of 40.2 km from their den to a landfill during July 2008, plus an undetermined distance hunting after leaving the landfill. Although long travels by Wolves are well known, this appears to be the first documentation of long daily movements by Wolves rearing pups
Long Daily Movements of Wolves, \u3ci\u3eCanis lupus\u3c/i\u3e, During Pup Rearing
Get PDFWolves, Canis lupus, on Ellesmere Island traveled a daily round-trip distance of 40.2 km from their den to a landfill during July 2008, plus an undetermined distance hunting after leaving the landfill. Although long travels by Wolves are well known, this appears to be the first documentation of long daily movements by Wolves rearing pups
Prolonged Intensive Dominance Behavior Between Gray Wolves, Canis lupus
Get PDFDominance is one of the most pervasive and important behaviors among wolves in a pack, yet its significance in free-ranging packs has been little studied. Insights into a behavior can often be gained by examining unusual examples of it. In the High Arctic near Eureka, Nunavut, Canada, we videotaped and described an unusually prolonged and intensive behavioral bout between an adult male Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) and a male member of his pack, thought to be a maturing son. With tail raised, the adult approached a male pack mate about 50 m from us and pinned and straddled this packmate repeatedly over 6.5 minutes, longer than we had ever seen in over 50 years of studying wolves. We interpreted this behavior as an extreme example of an adult wolf harassing a maturing offspring, perhaps in prelude to the offspring's dispersal
Prolonged Intensive Dominance Behavior Between Gray Wolves, \u3ci\u3eCanis lupus\u3c/i\u3e
Get PDFDominance is one of the most pervasive and important behaviors among wolves in a pack, yet its significance in free-ranging packs has been little studied. Insights into a behavior can often be gained by examining unusual examples of it. In the High Arctic near Eureka, Nunavut, Canada, we videotaped and described an unusually prolonged and intensive behavioral bout between an adult male Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) and a male member of his pack, thought to be a maturing son.With tail raised, the adult approached a male pack mate about 50 m from us and pinned and straddled this packmate repeatedly over 6.5 minutes, longer than we had ever seen in over 50 years of studying wolves. We interpreted this behavior as an extreme example of an adult wolf harassing a maturing offspring, perhaps in prelude to the offspring’s dispersal
Long foraging movement of a denning tundra wolf
Get PDFABSTRACT. Wolves (Canis lupus) on the Canadian barrens are intimately linked to migrating herds of barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus). We deployed a Global Positioning System (GPS) radio collar on an adult female wolf to record her movements in response to changing caribou densities near her den during summer. This wolf and two other females were observed nursing a group of 11 pups. She traveled a minimum of 341 km during a 14-day excursion. The straight-line distance from the den to the farthest location was 103 km, and the overall minimum rate of travel was 3.1 km/h. The distance between the wolf and the radio-collared caribou decreased from 242 km one week before the excursion to 8 km four days into the excursion. We discuss several possible explanations for the long foraging bout. Key words: wolf, GPS tracking, movements, Canis lupus, foraging, caribou, Northwest Territories RÉSUMÉ. Les loups (Canis lupus) dans la toundra canadienne sont étroitement liés aux hardes de caribous des toundras (Rangifer tarandus). On a équipé une louve adulte d’un collier émetteur muni d’un système de positionnement mondial (GPS) afin d’enregistrer ses déplacements en réponse au changement de densité du caribou près de sa tanière durant l’été. On a observé cette louve ainsi que deux autres en train d’allaiter un groupe de 11 louveteaux. Elle a parcouru un minimum de 341 km durant une sortie de 14 jours. La distance en ligne droite de la tanière à l’endroit le plus éloigné était de 103 km, et la vitesse minimum durant tout le voyage était de 3,1 km/h. La distance entre la louve et le caribou muni du collier émetteur a diminué de 242 km une semaine avant la sortie à 8 km quatre jours après la sortie. On commente diverses explications possibles pour ce long épisode de recherche de nourriture
Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada and vicinity with 554 locations of a pack of ≥20 wolves.
No full text<p>This pack was monitored by a global-positioning system radio collar 9 July 2009 through 12 April 2010. The dotted line is the 99% probability contour, the dashed line is the 95% contour, and the solid line, the 60% probability.</p
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