Grey wolf (Canis lupus) is the most widespread and the second largest carnivore in Europe. It mostly feeds on wildlife ungulates, but occasionally also on livestock. Causing damage puts it in a constant conflict with humans and consequently its abundance drastically declined across the entire distribution range. For successful management and conservation of wolfs, monitoring of its populations is absolutely necessary. Non-invasive genetic methods proved very useful in this respect. As a source of genetic material we use non-invasive samples (scat, urine, hair, saliva) that are obtained without direct contact with animals. DNA isolation and genotypization enable individual identification, gender determination, pedigree reconstruction, differentiation of wolf from other canids, and population size estimation. From the beginning of July 2015 till the end of June 2016 we collected non-invasive genetic samples of wolves in Slovenia. We recorded 11 wolf packs, 4 of which were cross-border packs. We estimated that between 54 and 76 wolves lived in Slovenia and partly in the border area with Croatia, and that between 42 and 64 wolves lived in Slovenia alone. The wolf population size remains stable and has a positive trend in the long run. Almost three quarters of detected wolves were detected for the first time. Such a high population turnover exceeds the expected population dynamics and is a result of a two-year interruption of sampling. We reconstructed pedigrees of individual packs and investigated their spatial dynamics across multiple years. Spatial expansion into the pre-Alpine area and to the west of Slovenia was detected. Permanent national monitoring is crucial for a proper management of the grey wolf population in Slovenia.
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