Quantifying prey selection of Northern and Southern European wolves (Canis lupus)

摘要: Wolf (Canis lupus) diet is determined by several ecological factors which can differ with latitude and human impact on the environment. Here we aim to compare Northern Southern Europe respect wolf feeding habits. Scats were collected analysed for nine years in South-central Scandinavia four Tuscany, Italy, where prey density, predator-prey size relation habitat heterogeneity, compared different perspectives. Consumption followed density but not Tuscany main species, moose wild boar respectively, more seasonally age diversified than Tuscany. Most likely, risk of injury was an important factor selection, especially Diet composition showed a negligible variance while temporal spatial variation clearly recognised. The underlying mechanism most likely related limited diversity landscape contrasted higher variability South European landscapes resulting abundance consequently choice.