prey

In our previous articles, which you can read on the “blog” page for those who haven't yet consulted them, we took an in-depth look at the effectiveness of protection and the many factors that can influence or impact it, far beyond the statistics of annual losses due to wolves, which is just one factor among many. The reality is that today, if we really wanted to assess the effectiveness of protection in our country, it would be mandatory to take into account all the factors mentioned in our previous articles, especially the evolution of means of protection on each farm. We're talking here about changes made over the course of the year or compared with previous years (increase, stagnation or decrease in the methods used), but also those affecting the so-called live protection, i.e. the guardian dogs (abilities and interest in protection, physiological and psychological state, possible health problems in the form of illnesses or injuries, female in heat within a pack requiring the removal of individuals, concerns linked to potentially advanced age, etc.). And, of course, everything to do with the wolf and the pack present in the summering areas (territory management, evolution/modification of numbers, human intervention through regulation, character/personality of individuals, understanding of the territories and buffer zones by the authorities, etc.). But there's one element that we don't talk about enough, yet which is of enormous importance in everything to do with protection : the human being !

Many people still think that a wolf pack spends its time together, or that the hunt is conducted with all members present. We're going to give you some explanation about two spexplain to you, very simply, two very important key points about packs at this time of year - summer and the education of cubs. We need to know and understand them because, as we see in the field and when political decisions are being made, the way a pack functions is still poorly understood and, in some cases, even ignored, so that we can shoot as quickly as possible, particularly when it comes to reactive and proactive control shots. Errors are common, especially when it comes to evaluating a pack. The most frequent problem is that interpretations aren't based on a compilation and in-depth analysis of all the data collected, with the benefit of hindsight and knowledge.

We're finally back to tell you about a predation attempt we witnessed by a wolf from the Arsene's pack on a herd of deer. Let's go !

We continue our articles series about the wolf and the way he hunts his prey, the tactics, organisation and physical assets/abilities. You'll find plenty more details on how wolves hunt their prey.

Let's continue discovering how wolves hunt, their skills, techniques, behaviors and strategies, as well as those of their prey...

A lot has been said about the wolf, circulating in various human circles and and across the generations. Sometimes he's seen as a killing machine, practicing sadism, cruelty, enjoying killing like a bloodthirsty beast, and sometimes he's intelligent, organized, observant, capable of strategizing, and its hunting skills are highlighted. So it all depends on our interest in, and opinion of the predator. But it also depends on the proven knowledge we've been willing to acquire, without relaying hearsay or fantastic but unproven stories. So, in reality, what kind of hunter is the wolf? How does he select and predate his prey? Let's shed some light on this subject, which has been studied for decades and now contains verified data leading to a true understanding of the Canis Lupus hunter...

Here are three videos taken less than 1h15 apart to show you how wolves and their prey use territory and how inter-species relations work.