Abstract
Terrestrial mammals are in many ways connected to waterbodies, although studies on habitat selection within anthropogenic landscapes often overlook the importance of water. The recolonization of grey wolves (Canis lupus lupus) across parts of Europe, together with technological advancements, has offered opportunities to study spatial patterns of large carnivores in human-influenced landscapes, yet our understanding of wolf interactions with waterbodies remains limited. We hypothesized that wolves utilized frozen water during winter as travel corridors, and kept close proximity to water during hot periods in summer for hydration and thermoregulation.
We used integrated step selection analyses with data from 10 GPS-collared adult individual wolves in 5 territories in Scandinavia to investigate habitat selection in relation to waterbodies, time of day, and seasonal changes. The study included >32,000 GPS positions taken at 4-hour intervals between 2018 and 2022.
In winter, wolves selected for frozen lakes and rivers during ice periods, especially at night. Wolf travel speed increased on ice, suggesting that they likely used frozen waterbodies as travel corridors or for hunting. Moreover, wolves decreased their use of forest roads while simultaneously selecting for frozen water, suggesting a trade-off between human encounter risk and travel efficiency. In summer, wolves kept closer distances to streams and rivers during hot periods, likely for drinking hydrated or seeking cooler environments while active or resting. Lactating wolves showed no increased selection for close proximities to water.
This study shows the adaptive, seasonal utilization of water by wolves in an anthropogenic landscape, highlighting the importance of water in the wolf’s life-history. Our findings suggest more intricate interactions with water influence the way wolves use water, such as for hunting or during the denning period.
Keywords: Habitat selection, Integrated step selection analysis, Wolf, Canis lupus lupus, Frozen waterbodies, Water proximity, Scandinavia, Roads
