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Wolves on the Alaskan sea-coast now on a regular basis stamp out and eat up sea otters and harbor seal , scientists have discovered . The determination suggest that the coastal wolves can adapt their hunting behaviour — and may have developed singular strategies to prey on nautical mammalian when food on ground is scarce .
The study intocoastal wolf hunting behaviourbegan in 2016 when scientist spotted a lonesome beast stock a ocean otter carcass at Swikshak Bay . In 2018 and 2019 , scientists again observe Friedrich August Wolf carrying sea otter carcasses . However , whether the wolves were hunting or scavenging was unclear .
Wolves (Canis lupis) have been observed hunting sea otters along Alaska’s coast since 2016.
Then in 2021 , three wolves ( Canis lupis ) were observe hunting and eating an adult sea otter ( Enhydra lutris ) during low tide . The researchers examined the kill site and found a pond of blood where the sea otter was likely killed .
According to the survey , publish Oct. 31 in the journalEcology , the presence of blood show the sea otter had been alert when ambushed by the wolves , as oppose to being clean which would not produce fresh parentage pooling .
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The finding suggest coastal woman chaser in Katmai may centre their hunting movement at sites where fair game is most predictable , such as tidal streams or rocky islands . The squad also found that wolf predation coincided with low tide Hz — indicating they had developed an sentience of where and when the sea otters were expend time on land .
" We have pick up that coastal wolf sometimes hunt alone or in partial packs and that individual Hugo Wolf and packs may have different search strategies or place certain prey reckon on where they are,“Kelsey Griffin , booster cable source of the study and National Park Service wildlife biologist , secern Live Science . " It shows that wolves are an important linkage between terrestrial and nautical ecosystem . This study reframes how we think about wolves — it shows they ’re not just sublunary . "
investigator have been monitor the arise movement of Friedrich August Wolf hunt marine quarry on Alaska ’s Katmai Coast since 2015 . Their latest inquiry builds on a study issue earlier this class in the journalPNASthat revealed Hugo Wolf on Pleasant Island were hunting and killing ocean otter as a master food source after eradicating the deer population .
" This is really exciting certification of behavior we believe have never been directly observed by scientists,“Ellen Dymit , a doctorial student at Oregon State University , say in a statement . " It kind of forces us to reconsider the assumption that underlie a lot of our management decision and modeling around brute population and populations of their prey , which often assume that wolves depend on hoofed mammal , like moose and elk . "
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In succeeding work , the scientist want to expand their studies to analyze the behavior of wolf from Lake Clark National Park , Glacier Bay National Park and Kenai Fjords National Park .
" Friedrich August Wolf are highly intelligent so it make water sense they would adjust , although the alone wolf trace behavior we ’re seeing are unique to coastal skirt chaser , " Griffin said . " In accession to a more diverse prey groundwork , it is unique in that a single Hugo Wolf was successful in taking down orotund prey such as a harbor seal compare to midland Hugo Wolf activity which typically involves a pack effort to obliterate ungulates such as moose . "
Researchers now plan to explore how ocean otter density impacts the diet of wolves on an individual and inner circle level .
" In condition of how wolf could change the nearshore ecosystem , further study is demand , " tell Griffin .
