Prey Use Strategies of Sympatric Wolves and Coyotes in Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba

Allopatric distribution of wolves (Canis lupus) and coyotes (C. latrans) in some areas of North America can be explained by competitive exclusion of coyotes by wolves. However, in Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba, the potential for competition between the two species was minimized by differen...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of mammalogy 1992-05, Vol.73 (2), p.337-343
Main Author: Paquet, Paul C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal behavior
Animal feeding behavior
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Autoecology
Biological and medical sciences
Canis latrans
Canis lupus
Deer
Ecological competition
Elks
Foraging behavior
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Mammalia
Mammalogy
Mammals
National parks
Scavenging
Ungulates
Vertebrata
Wildlife ecology
Wolves
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Summary:Allopatric distribution of wolves (Canis lupus) and coyotes (C. latrans) in some areas of North America can be explained by competitive exclusion of coyotes by wolves. However, in Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba, the potential for competition between the two species was minimized by differential use of nonlimiting food resources. Wolves primarily preyed on elk (Cervus elaphus) and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), and secondarily on moose (Alces alces). Coyotes preyed on deer and rarely, young elk. Although wolves occasionally killed coyotes, coyotes followed wolves and scavenged at their kills. The benefits accrued from scavenging apparently compensated for the associated risk of being killed by wolves.
ISSN:0022-2372
1545-1542
1545-1542
0022-2372
DOI:10.2307/1382067