Use of Urine in Snow to Indicate Condition of Wolves
Mech LD, Seal US, Delguidice GD. 1987. Use of Urine in Snow to Indicate Condition of Wolves. The Journal of Wildlife Management. 51(1):10-13
Urine deposited in snow by wild gray wolves (Canis lupus) (a Minnesota population) and by fed and fasted captive wolves was analyzed for urea nitrogen, calcium, sodium, potassium, and creatinine. Ratios of the elements with creatine were considerably higher for fed than for fasted animals, and ratios for fed wolves compared favorably with ratios from wolf urine in snow along trails leading from kills. Thus, wolf urine in the snow can indicate whether wolves have fed recently, and a series of such urine collections from any given pack can indicate relative nutritional state.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Mech, L; Seal, Ulysses; Delguidice, Glenn
- Units
- ISRO
- Keywords
- Animal Studies, Gray Wolf (Canis lupus)