Longevity and Productivity of Three Wolves, <em>Canis lupus</em>, in the Wild

Abstract

Wolves (Canis lupus) are a relatively long-lived species, with individuals in captivity commonly reaching 9+ years, and occasionally living up to 17 years. (Young and Goldman 1944;Goodwin and Ballard 1985;Okarma and Koteja 1987;Mech 1988;Landon et al. 1998;Mech and Boitani 2003). Mech (1988) stated that wild Wolves rarely exceed 13 years of age, and Peterson (1997:13) We document longevity and productivity of three Wolves (Canis lupus) in the wild in Montana and Idaho, USA. Two male Wolves each attained ages of at least 13 years, while a female was 12.2 years old. All three Wolves in our study were older at the time of their last known reproductive events than others reported in the literature.

Estudio comparativo de diferentes métodos de determinación de la edad en el lobo ibérico, Canis Lupus Signatus: técnicas imaginológicas, histológicas, biométricas y de apreciación visual = Comparative study of different methods of age determination in the iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus): imaginological and histological techniques

“…Peterson (1997), refiriéndose a la población del Parque Nacional de la Isla Royal, coincide con los valores aportados por Mech (1988), describiendo edades entre los 10 a 12 años y algún valor de 14. Holyan et al (2005), a su vez, revisaron en un trabajo de campo los datos aportados por los autores mencionados con anterioridad, encontrando un valor promedio de 12,2 años de expectativa de vida.…”