Decline and Recovery of a High Arctic Wolf-Prey System

Authors

  • David L. Mech

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14430/arctic432

Keywords:

arctic hares, Canis lupus, climate change, Ellesmere Island, High Arctic, Lepus arcticus, muskoxen, Ovibos moschatus, wolves

Abstract

A long-existing system of wolves (Canis lupus), muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus), and arctic hares (Lepus arcticus) in a 2600 km2 area of Canada’s High Arctic (80° N latitude) began collapsing in 1997 because of unusual adverse summer weather but recovered to a level at which all three species were reproducing by 2004. Recovery of wolf presence and reproduction appeared to be more dependent on muskox increase than on hare increase.

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Published

2010-01-29