Anthropogenic environmental traps: where do wolves kill their prey in a commercial forest?

摘要: Abstract Selection of kill sites is an important part predation. In human-modified habitats, anthropogenic landscape features may increase or decrease hunting efficiency predators. We investigated which habitat attributes predation success in wolf Canis lupus for ungulates intensively managed forest western Poland. used GPS telemetry and snow-tracking to locate sites. Habitat characteristics 66 differed from those non-kill Proximity edges, waterbodies watercourses, forestry fences increased the probability a successful kill. Kill-site between two main prey species. Red deer Cervus elaphus were killed mostly near edges water (81% 36% sites, respectively), younger stands. Roe Capreolus capreolus primarily (43% sites). conclude that management influence vulnerability selection by wolves. Management practices create environmental traps (e.g. fences, edges) help wolves their prey. This knowledge can be applied facilitate ungulate-damage prevention, instance small instead large-scale clear-cuts. Our results also suggest keeping some natural elements such as swamps, ponds fallen trees positively correlate with possibly add ungulate control commercial forests. Therefore, presence forests situation benefits conservation.