25.06.2013 Views

Walia Special Edition on the Bale Mountains (2011) - Zoologische ...

Walia Special Edition on the Bale Mountains (2011) - Zoologische ...

Walia Special Edition on the Bale Mountains (2011) - Zoologische ...

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

2.1 and 5.5 km² ± 1.3 in Web and Sanetti, respectively (n = 7 packs). In Helichrysum dwarf-scrub<br />

home ranges were twice as large, and explained by <strong>the</strong> different density of prey species (Table 1).<br />

On <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand, <strong>the</strong> home ranges of three n<strong>on</strong>-resident females in Web overlapped widely with<br />

o<strong>the</strong>r packs and ranged from 8.5 - 18.7 km², <strong>the</strong>ir mean range being significantly larger than those of<br />

resident dominant females. These floater females disperse and occupy narrow ranges between pack<br />

ranges, awaiting a breeding opportunity (Sillero-Zubiri et al. 1996a).<br />

A follow up study added a populati<strong>on</strong> recovery period after <strong>the</strong> 1992 rabies epizootic and<br />

showed similar home range sizes overall, but <strong>the</strong> packs that survived attained significantly larger<br />

territories than before at high density, or than any new packs during <strong>the</strong> recovery (Marino 2003b).<br />

Tallents (2007) recorded similar results to those of Sillero-Zubiri and Gottelli (1995b) after a rabies<br />

outbreak in 2003, but with somewhat larger home ranges and greater variati<strong>on</strong>. Small ranges,<br />

particularly those recorded in <strong>the</strong> grasslands and herbaceous communities of Web and Sanetti, are<br />

a reflecti<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> great density of <strong>the</strong> food resources available in some Afroalpine habitats. The<br />

ranges observed are am<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong> smallest, and density am<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong> highest, reported for all eight Canis<br />

species (Sillero-Zubiri 1994). Established relati<strong>on</strong>ships between metabolic rate, body weight and<br />

size of home range in mammals would predict home ranges of 42 km², (Carb<strong>on</strong>e et al. 1999), nearly<br />

eight times <strong>the</strong> mean values observed in Web and Sanetti.<br />

Different factors drive <strong>the</strong> numbers of <strong>the</strong> different age-sex classes in a pack. Home range<br />

size is correlated with group size (Sillero-Zubiri and Gottelli 1995b; Marino 2003b) and <strong>the</strong> number<br />

of adult males (Tallents 2007) and territories were enlarged whenever a reducti<strong>on</strong> in group size in<br />

a neighbouring pack allowed it, which is indicative of an ‘expansi<strong>on</strong>ist strategy’ (sensu Kruuk and<br />

Macd<strong>on</strong>ald 1985). A sec<strong>on</strong>d adult female was more likely to be found in territories with a greater<br />

proporti<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> best molerat habitat, and more subadults were found in higher quality territories<br />

(i.e. with a greater prey density). The advantage of <strong>the</strong> expansi<strong>on</strong>ist strategy is apparent in <strong>the</strong><br />

greater areas of high-quality foraging habitat, and greater per capita prey density, in larger territories<br />

(Marino 2003b; Tallents 2007). Under intense competiti<strong>on</strong> for rodent-rich grasslands, pack group<br />

size may determine <strong>the</strong> outcome of territorial boundary clashes and <strong>the</strong> maintenance of a high quality<br />

range may be <strong>the</strong> greatest advantage of group-living (Sillero-Zubiri and Macd<strong>on</strong>ald 1998).<br />

Marking and territoriality<br />

Studies of scent-marking behaviour and inter-pack aggressi<strong>on</strong> in Ethiopian wolf packs provided<br />

additi<strong>on</strong>al evidence of territoriality (Sillero-Zubiri and Macd<strong>on</strong>ald 1998). Movements and activity<br />

at <strong>the</strong> periphery of ranges was characterised by ‘border patrols’ during which groups of pack<br />

members of both sexes trot and walk al<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong> territory boundary. In 167 km of border patrols<br />

totalling 68 hours, 1,208 scent marks were deposited at an overall rate of 7.2/km. Raised-leg<br />

urinati<strong>on</strong>s were <strong>the</strong> most frequently deposited scent mark (4.7/km), followed by ground scratching<br />

(2.3/km). Defecati<strong>on</strong>s and squat urinati<strong>on</strong>s during border patrols were rare (0.23/km and 0.04/km<br />

respectively). Scent-marking rates were highest al<strong>on</strong>g or near territory boundaries (mean number of<br />

scent-marks deposited per kilometre significantly greater (F = 6.40, P = 0.012) during patrols<br />

(1,313)<br />

than at o<strong>the</strong>r times) where wolves vigorously over-marked neighbours’ scent-marks. Most direct<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>Walia</str<strong>on</strong>g>-<str<strong>on</strong>g>Special</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Editi<strong>on</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Bale</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> 66

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!