Abstract
Wolves (Canis lupus) primarily provision pups by catching mammalian prey and bringing remains of the carcass to the pups at a den or rendezvous site via their mouths or stomach. In August 2017, we observed an adult wolf regurgitating wild blueberries (Vaccinium spp.) to pups at a rendezvous site in the Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem, Minnesota, USA, which is the only known observation of wolves provisioning pups with wild berries. This observation, in combination with other evidence from the Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem, suggests wild berries might be a more valuable food source for wolves in southern boreal ecosystems than previously appreciated.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 221-223 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Journal | Wildlife Society Bulletin |
Volume | 44 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 1 2020 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2020 The Wildlife Society
Keywords
- Canis lupus
- Minnesota
- Vaccinium
- blueberry
- gray wolf
- parental care