Rehabilitation and post‐release monitoring of two wolves with severe injuries

Abstract

Injured free-ranging wolves (Canis lupus) are often rehabilitated and released into the wild, but there is limited data on their post-release survival and behavior. We used global positioning system telemetry to document movements and spatial overlap with resident packs of 2 wolves in northern Portugal that were released following rehabilitation from severe traumatic injuries and were kept in captivity for 10-12 weeks in 2012. A yearling female, with a complex fracture on the thoracic limb, traveled 2,709 km over about 643 km 2 , during the 12 months post-release before being illegally shot. During the first 8 months, it was located frequently around 3 different pack territories, but afterwards its movements were restricted to a single pack territory. We tracked a yearling male with an amputated hind limb for 5 months and it traveled 922 km over about 574 km 2 before dying in a road casualty. It visited 4 different pack territories in succession but also spent time outside known territory boundaries. Our findings suggest that rehabilitated wolves can recover their locomotor activity and survive in the wild for several months, even after suffering severe injuries and spending 3 months in captivity. Ó

Insights into the spatial ecology of severely injured free‐living felids: Iberian lynx, bobcat, and snow leopard

“…Movement is fundamental to carnivores' ability to find and capture food, avoid competitors or predators, find mates, scent mark, and otherwise communicate with conspecifics (Powell, 2012). One of the best methods to document movement is by fitting a tracking device to the individual (e.g., GPS telemetry collar, Rio‐Maior et al., 2016; VHF radio collar, Adania et al., 2017; ear tag radio transmitter, Jeong et al., 2021).…”

“…To evaluate the success of released carnivores recovered from severe injuries, investigation of at least the post-release survival and movement patterns is essential (Rio-Maior et al, 2016).…”

“…To evaluate the success of released carnivores recovered from severe injuries, investigation of at least the post‐release survival and movement patterns is essential (Rio‐Maior et al., 2016). Movement is fundamental to carnivores' ability to find and capture food, avoid competitors or predators, find mates, scent mark, and otherwise communicate with conspecifics (Powell, 2012).…”

Outcomes for an arboreal folivore after rehabilitation and implications for management

“…Although significant resources are invested in wildlife rehabilitation, there is limited research on the rates, and drivers, of success of rehabilitated animals after they are released back into the wild 6 , 18 – 22 . Definitions of success after rehabilitation can vary, and understandably often consider survival rates of released animals, though generally only over relatively short time periods.…”

Does the Wolf (Canis lupus) Exhibit Human Habituation Behaviours after Rehabilitation and Release into the Wild? A Case Report from Central Italy

“…Injured wolves are rehabilitated and released into the wild when clinically possible [ 11 ]. However, very little attention has been given to the behaviour of these wolves when released into the wild after a period of veterinary isolation, treatment and non-agonistic experience with humans [ 11 , 17 , 18 ]. The topic deserves attention, since unnatural behaviours could increase the risk of post-release mortality, as well as be transferred by imitation both to the members of the pack and to subsequent generations, increasing the frequency of direct interactions and determining a further exacerbation of conflicts.…”