Tag: wolf breeding

Study on wolf reproduction in Naliboki Forest in 2023: a short report

Co-author Irina Rotenko

During 2023, we continued our long-term studies on the wolf reproduction in Naliboki Forest (see Sidorovich and Rotenko, 2019 and other posts in this blog for details and more information). An outstanding feature of this year for the reproduction of wolves in Naliboki Forest was the relatively low number of lynxes (15-20 individuals). This is 4-5 times lower than that in 2016-2018. Lynx is one of the hostile species for wolf pups (Sidorovich and Rotenko, 2019; Sidorovich, 2022), and presumably killing of wolf pups by lynxes can nullify the breeding efforts of wolves. However, there are other hostile animals to wolf reproduction such as brown bear, bison, elk and red deer, sometimes wild boar and even red fox (Sidorovich and Rotenko, 2019; Sidorovich, 2022). Therefore, we still could not test the hypothesis of which of these antagonistic species plays the main role in killing of wolf pups. This year gave us a unique opportunity to examine the role of lynxes.

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Results of our study on wolf reproduction in Naliboki Forest in 2022

Co-author Irina Rotenko

This year we studied the question of wolf reproduction in Naliboki Forest in the area of about one thousand square kilometres. In the spring of 2022, there were present two breeding groups of wolves in the study area: a couple and an adult male with two pregnant females. All five adult wolves were recognisable, and we knew them from the previous years.

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Wolf vandalizes badger sett with badger cubs inside

Co-author Irina Rotenko

In Belarus wolves visit badger setts rather often. Frequently the aim of such visits is to catch a badger that slacked near the burrow. During the breeding season of wolves, quite usually they try to get rid of badgers and occupy their sett. They use such burrows to leave pups inside. Normally wolf breeders enlarge the entrances of such a badger sett.

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Brown bear attack on a wolf den in Naliboki Forest, central-western Belarus

Co-author Irina Rotenko

Every May we continue our long-term study on behaviour and ecology of denning wolves. Since 2004 the terrain of Naliboki Forest (the central-western part of Belarus) has been the main study area for the question. Since 2018 the brown bear has become more or less common there. It appears possible to investigate the interspecific interactions of brown bears and wolves and particularly during denning period in wolves.

Continue reading “Brown bear attack on a wolf den in Naliboki Forest, central-western Belarus”