Another brown bear attack on wolf pups discovered

Co-author Irina Rotenko

In late April of this year, we discovered a wolf den where the pups had been extirpated by a brown bear. Just yesterday, a new incident was recorded – another brown bear attacked wolf pups.

On a sandy island, we observed pups from two separate litters – one group approximately three months old and another around two months old (double breeding in the pack). The area featured three distinct sandy playgrounds and two adjacent burrows constructed by the adult wolves, where these young pups took refuge. At least three adult wolves (two mothers and one father) guarded them.

Based on activity signs such as tracks, the ruined structure of the wolf burrow dens, hair, and traces of blood, it appears that a large male brown bear attacked the pups while they were on the playground. Although several pups managed to escape into the burrows, the bear destroyed one burrow and killed the pups inside. At least two pups were lost – one in each burrow. The remains were either fully consumed or carried away by the bear, leaving only some hair and traces of blood behind.

The destroyed wolf dens.

The pup playground.

After the bears’ attack the wolf family has relocated for the distance of 6.6 kilometres. Then only in a month the wolf family came to the recent place back, when the bears left.