Anthropogenic effects on the feeding habits of wolves in an altered arid landscape of central Iran

Tourani, Mahdieh; Moqanaki, Ehsan M.; Boitani, Luigi; Ciucci, Paolo

doi:10.1515/mammalia-2012-0119

Cited by 25 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 13 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Open-air disposal of livestock carcasses to some extent supports wolves that can scavenge on carcasses when live prey is not available (Blanco and Cortés 2007). These carcasses may also attract wolves to areas near livestock and could encourage livestock depredation (Morehouse and Boyce 2011, Tourani et al 2014). The authors observed numerous openly disposed carcasses around Sarikamiş area and once in broad daylight wolves could be observed scavenging on a cattle carcass abandoned on the roadside a few kilometres from Sarikamiş village.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As proposed for other areas where wolves largely depend on anthropogenic resources, appropriate management of garbage dumps and of livestock carcass disposal Brought to you by | Utah State University Authenticated Download Date | 2/6/18 10:56 PM sites could reduce wolf-livestock conflicts and minimise the chances of human-wildlife conflict and consequent wolf mortality (Hosseini-Zavarei et al 2013, Tourani et al 2014. Such interventions should be realised in conjunction with actions for improving habitat suitability, for example, the current efforts of the KuzeyDoğa Society to improve habitat by increasing protected area coverage in the region and to reforest the newly designated wildlife corridor.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Wolf diet in an agricultural landscape of north-eastern Turkey

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In this study, we investigated wolf feeding ecology in Kars province, north-eastern Turkey, by analysing 72 scat samples collected in spring 2013. Ongoing camera trap surveys suggest that large wild ungulates are exceptionally rare in the region. On the contrary, livestock is abundant. Accordingly, scats analysis revealed that livestock constituted most of the biomass intake for wolves, although small mammals were the most frequent prey items. Wild ungulates were occasional prey, and although wolves make use of the main village garbage dump as a food source, garbage remains were scarce in scat samples. Wolf dependence on anthropogenic resources, primarily livestock, generates human-wildlife conflicts in the study area. Uncontrolled carcass disposal seems to boost this wolf behaviour. Synanthropy enhances the probability of wolf-human encounters and thus increases the risk of direct persecution, vehicle collisions, and hybridisation with dogs. When livestock is not available, small mammals are an important alternative prey for wolves. This may increase interspecific competition, particularly with lynx, which is also lacking natural prey in the area. Our preliminary results contribute to wolf ecology and conservation in the Anatolian-Caucasian range, where further studies are urgently needed to generate baseline data.

show abstract

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Wolf diet in an agricultural landscape of north-eastern Turkey

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The practice of placing carcasses in centralized vulture feeding stations is controversial and has demonstrated several ecological problems, as to promote non-natural behaviour in avian scavengers, and potential to alter communities (Fielding et al 2013). Proper carcass disposal is one of the management strategies often recommended for decreasing wolf attacks on livestock (Hosseini-Zavarei et al 2013;Tourani et al 2014). Although the effect of carcass disposal as a factor predisposing wolf predation on cattle remains equivocal (Mech et al 2000;Bradley and Pletscher 2005), wolf use of boneyards in the neighbourhood of other livestock facilities brings wolves in contact with the stock and could result in further depredation events (Morehouse and Boyce 2011).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, this is a controversial hypothesis. The abandonment of dead livestock on pastures is considered to attract wolves to farms, which may increase wolf depredation on livestock and hence lead to human-carnivore conflict (Mech et al 2000;Bradley and Pletscher 2005;Hosseini-Zavarei et al 2013;Tourani et al 2014). Nevertheless, the latter effect has not been confirmed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

EU Sanitary Regulation on Livestock Disposal: Implications for the Diet of Wolves

Lagos

Bárcena

2015

Environmental Management

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Sanitary and environmental regulations may have indirect effects on the wildlife and ecosystem services beyond their regulatory scope. To illustrate such effects, this paper examines how EU sanitary measures, in conjunction with additional regulations and socio-economic changes, have caused wolf diet to shift in Galicia, northwestern Spain. Prior to the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) crisis in Europe in 2000, livestock carcasses used to be left on the field and were eaten by scavengers and carnivores. As a result of the BSE crisis, sanitary regulations regarding the disposal of livestock carcasses were introduced. These regulations affected the populations of avian scavengers. We hypothesize that wolf ecology has also been affected by the aforementioned regulations. We analysed wolf diet for the period 2003-2006 and compared the results with those of a previously published study (1974-1978). We found a shift in wolf feeding habits following the implementation of these EU regulations. A decrease in carrion consumption was registered, and wolves increased their feeding on the rising population of wild ungulates, especially on roe deer, and on wild pony. Future regulations should assess their potential indirect effects in the early stages of drafting to allow for the design of proper mitigation measures.

show abstract

“…Obligate carnivores, including felids like Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) and caracal (Caracal caracal), rely on intact habitat and a sufficient natural prey base, making them particularly susceptible to these threats. However, many other carnivore species can utilize modified habitats and anthropogenic food sources to supplement or sustain their ecological needs (Bateman and Fleming, 2012;Tourani et al, 2014;Kavčič et al, 2015). Preliminary work in Turkey suggests that some large carnivores may exhibit synanthropic behavior, relying on human activity (e.g., livestock, garbage) as a major food source (Capitani et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human–wildlife conflict as a barrier to large carnivore managementand conservation in Turkey

Chynoweth¹,

Çoban²,

Altin³

et al. 2016

Turk J Zool

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Large carnivorous mammals are wide-ranging animals and thus frequently come into contact with human settlements in agrarian landscapes. This often generates human-wildlife conflict; carnivores potentially damage livestock, agricultural products, or human well-being. In Turkey, the cooccurrence of eight medium-large carnivore species combined with a burgeoning human population and unsustainable consumption of natural resources increasingly threatens carnivore populations. To better understand human-wildlife conflict in Turkey and provide potential solutions, we conducted 959 human opinion surveys in 2006, 2010, and 2014 in 58 distinct settlements surrounding the Sarıkamış-Allahuekber Mountains National Park in Kars, Ardahan, and Erzurum provinces. Results show that respondents regularly interact with large carnivores and 77.2% experience harm from wildlife, typically in the form of damage to agricultural fields and livestock. Farmers and shepherds are more likely to have a negative perspective of carnivores than students, shopkeepers, and laborers. However, human perceptions of carnivores and the desire to be involved with ecotourism are improving over time. These results suggest that human perceptions of wildlife are a barrier to conservation and management of wildlife populations. The research, education, and outreach framework outlined here can be used to address human-wildlife conflict across Turkey and guide ongoing conservation efforts of Turkey's existing, and increasingly threatened, large carnivores.

show abstract

Anthropogenic effects on the feeding habits of wolves in an altered arid landscape of central Iran

Cited by 25 publications

References 13 publications

Wolf diet in an agricultural landscape of north-eastern Turkey

Wolf diet in an agricultural landscape of north-eastern Turkey

EU Sanitary Regulation on Livestock Disposal: Implications for the Diet of Wolves

Human–wildlife conflict as a barrier to large carnivore managementand conservation in Turkey

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About