Date of Award

12-2024

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Biology

Program

Biology (MS)

First Advisor/Chairperson

John Bruggink

Abstract

Knowledge of how and why the vital rates of wildlife populations change through and over time is crucial for understanding wildlife population dynamics. Because estimating gray wolf pup survival is challenging, our understanding of pup survival and the factors influencing survival and recruitment is limited. I used a combination of litter counts and video observations from a large remote camera array to estimate annual wolf pup survival and recruitment and to evaluate intra-annual patterns in pup survival and recruitment within the Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem, MN, USA. Mean annual pup survival during 2019–2023 was 0.24, and the mean annual recruitment rate was 1.31 pups per pack. Annual wolf pup survival and recruitment rates were highly variable among years and packs, while intra-annual pup survival and recruitment followed a clear pattern. Intra-annual patterns of decline coincided with periods of reduced prey availability and increased energetic demands of dependent wolf pups. This indicates that starvation due to reduced prey availability is likely a primary cause of mortality among wolf pups and the driving force behind intra-annual patterns of change in survival and recruitment. Prey abundance appears to be the primary driver of variations in annual pup survival and recruitment rates and may influence the rate of decline of intra-annual survival and recruitment. The findings, that prey abundance and availability are the primary factors limiting wolf pup survival, and therefore wolf population growth, may have implications for future research and wolf management strategies.

Access Type

Open Access

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Biology Commons

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