Sammendrag
Human harvest is the main mortality factor of the moose Alces alces
population in Scandinavia. Since 1991, the Scandinavian wolf Canis
lupus population has increased continuously and the wolf may be an
important mortality factor of local moose populations in south-central
parts of the Scandinavian Peninsula, especially inside the territory
boundaries of established wolf packs. However, the size of the wolf
packs (3-11) and the wolf pack territories vary, and so does the
variation in the local moose population productivity and density. The
presence of alternative prey species like the roe deer Capreolus
capreolus is also highly variable. Thereby, on a local scale, the wolf
predation on moose is suspected to have highly variable effects on the
moose population and the human moose harvest in Scandinavia. As a case
study, we have analyzed such differences by rough comparisons of data
from two well-established wolf pack territories in southeastern
Norway. Each winter, the annual wolf pack and territory sizes were
estimated by ground tracking unmarked wolves on snow. The local moose
population statistics were estimated by using moose hunter
observations, harvest statistics and CERCIM. Compared to the northern
territory, the moose density was about five times higher in the
southern wolf pack territory. Contrary, the average wolf density in
the southern territory was one third of the other. We conclude that,
dependent on moose- and wolf densities, the local effects of wolf
predation on moose populations could vary substantially in
Scandinavia.
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