Timber wolf pack survival depends on fire-maintained prey habitat across large territories.

Evidence

Eastern timber wolf. This endangered subspecies is the largest carnivore in the Canoe Country’s ecosystem. Its principal prey are the deer, moose, beaver, and formerly caribou. This strongly social and highly territorial animal has pack territories that may encompass 50-125 sq miles. Packs are family groups and typically contain 3-15 individuals (Mech, 1970; Mech and Frenzel, 1971). Enough area of early postfire or postlogging plant communities must exist within a pack’s territory to sustain a surplus of the prey species that depend on such communities (deer, moose, beaver). Formerly caribou may have been common in mature forests too, giving the wolf available prey in both old and young forests. But today, old stands contain few prey animals, and the wolf is not common there. Pack sizes may be decreasing (Mech, in press). Further declines in populations can be expected if fire exclusion continues! especially if caribou are not reestablished. — Miron L. Heinselman, Fire in the Virgin Forests of the…, 432

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Beaver depend on fire-created aspen-birch stands within reach of waterways. — Miron L. Heinselman, Fire in the Virgin Forests of the…, 427; The entire BWCA ecosystem was fire-dependent — Miron L. Heinselman, Fire in the Virgin Forests of the…, 1; Fire-prone-habitat animals sense fires through infrared, smell, and smoke cues. — Almo Farina, Soundscape Ecology: Principles,…, 350 (+2 more)

Related

• Beaver depend on fire-created aspen-birch stands within reach of waterways. (similarity 0.81)
• Fire-prone-habitat animals sense fires through infrared, smell, and smoke cues. (similarity 0.79)
• Fire suppression restructures the whole ecosystem and reduces overall wildlife diversity (similarity 0.78)

Broader Connections

• Fire suppression restructures the whole ecosystem and reduces overall wildlife diversity #expands (0.75) — Miron L. Heinselman, Fire in the Virgin Forests of the…, 442
• Fire-prone-habitat animals sense fires through infrared, smell, and smoke cues. #corroborates (0.70) — Almo Farina, Soundscape Ecology, 350
• Tree species evolved distinct reproductive adaptations to fire #exemplifies (0.70) — Miron L. Heinselman, Fire in the Virgin Forests of the…, 44