Conflicts with wolves can originate from their parent packs

Liere, Diederik van (author), Siard, Nataša (author), Martens, Pim (author), Jordan, Dušanka (author)

Transmission of experience about prey and habitat supports the survival of next generation of wolves. Thus, the parent pack (PP) can affect whether young migrating wolves (loners) kill farm animals or choose to be in human environments, which generates human–wolf conflicts. Therefore, we researched whether the behavior of loners resembles PP behavior. After being extinct, 22 loners had entered the Netherlands between 2015 and 2019. Among them, 14 could be DNA-identified and linked with their PPs in Germany. Some loners were siblings. We assessed the behavior of each individual and PP through a structured Google search. PP behavior was determined for the loner’s rearing period. Similarity between loner and PP behavior was significant (p = 0.022) and applied to 10 of 14 cases: like their PPs, three loners killed sheep and were near humans, five killed sheep and did not approach humans, while two loners were unproblematic, they did not kill sheep, nor were they near humans. Siblings behaved similarly. Thus, sheep killing and proximity to humans may develop during early-life experiences in the PP. However, by negative reinforcement that can be prevented. New methods are suggested to achieve that. As a result, new generations may not be problematic when leaving PPs.

• Language: English
• Keywords: human–animal conflict, wolf behavior, migrating wolves, sheep killing, early-life experiences, bold wolves, learning, depredation, deterrence
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2021
• Number of pages: 18 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 11, iss. 6, art. 1801
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-129733
• UDC: 591.5
• ISSN on article: 2076-2615
• DOI: 10.3390/ani11061801
• COBISS.SI-ID: 68052995
• Publication date in RUL: 07.09.2021

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Animals
• Shortened title: Animals
• Publisher: MDPI AG
• ISSN: 2076-2615
• COBISS.SI-ID: 519120409

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 16.06.2021

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: volkovi, obnašanje živali, etologija, učenje, plen, ovce, bližina ljudi, konflikti