Wolves Flashcards
9 Wolf behaviour and group dynamic
Social structure
Hierarchy
Dominance
Pack size
Litter size
Mating season
Body language
Effect of human presence
Physiology
6 affects affiliate and agonistic behaviours
Season
State of arousal
Initiator and dyad
Third party support
Emotion
Others
How does this link with the ecology of the species?
Aggression directed at conspecific groups is common among gregarious, territorial species and for grey wolves intraspecific strife is the leading cause of natural mortality
Overall wolves were more likely to chase rivals if they outnumbered their opponent
Grey vs black coloured wolves
Males were more likely than females to chase rival packs and grey coloured wolves were more aggressive than black- coloured wolves
Male wolves and grey-coloured wolves also recorded higher cortisol levels than females and black coloured wolves
Chasing behaviour was influenced by the sex of lone intruders, with males more likely to chase male intruders
Division of labour in packs
Division of labour between pack members concerning resource and territory. Defence suggest selection for specific traits related to aggression is adaptive response to intensify competition between groups of conspecifics
Nine systems of emotions
Seeking system
Panic system
Rage system
Pain system
Fear system
Lust system
Care system
Grief system
Play system
What is seeking behaviour?
Appetitive functions
Solitary play
Predation
What is rage system?
Territoriality
Frustration= mismatch in outcome
The power of control
Ecology of European wolves
1681 wolves
Approximately 10% of the known wolf population of dispersed annually
Fewer dispersed males reproduced than females
59% of all disperses of known age were adults, 37 were yearlings and 4% were pups
Main age of dispersal was 32 months
Dispersals generally increase in the fall and peaked in January
Mean straight-line distance for dispersing was around 90 km
Dispersal behaviour
Wolves that formed new packs were >11 times more likely to reproduce than those that join parks and surround impact density has a negative effect on successful dispersal
Dispersal behaviour seems to be innate in sexually mature, wolves and thereby assures that genetic diversity will remain high
Population levels are an incomplete indicator of species fitness, which may depend on how hunting policies impact underlining group ecology
Human effects on wolf behaviour
Humans created linear features such as seismic lines, pipelines and roads increases movement, resulting in higher kill rates
Wolves move faster and further on human created linear features can inform mitigation strategies intended to decrease predation on Woodland caribou (a threatened species)
Agricultural habitats was selected over forested habitats
Transients
Transient showed stronger selection for edges and roads then resident red wolves
Transiency is likely an important life, history strategy for red wolves that facilitate metapopulation dynamics through short and long distance movements and eventual replacement of breeding residence loss to mortality
What is aggression?
Aggression as a biological phenomenon but also form of communication
Evolutionary reason
Neutral influences
Genetic influences
Blood chemistry
Factors of aggression
Genetics
Early experience
Maturation
Sex
Age
Hormonal status
Psychological status
External stimuli
What is fear system?
Body posture
Easily seen?
Makes up the majority of cases in practice
Previous experiences
Coping mechanisms
Role of body language
