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In summer the wolf is a nocturnal animal and is most active between sunset
and dawn. However during the cooler months (late September - early April)
wolves can often be seen walking in the valleys and lower slopes during the
day. The need to hunt forces them into the open ground. If you wish to see
wolves late September is an excellent time. The weather is cool enough to
prompt wolves to hunt during the day but not so cold as to discourage hiking.
You can sit on the edge of a forest and listen to the red deer bellowing while
keeping an eye out for wolves on the tracks in the valley.
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In Hustai National Park wolves mainly hunt alone, though small packs
form in the winter. Their diet varies with the seasons. In summer they
prefer marmot but will also take sheep and goats from flocks in the bufferzone.
In autumn as the marmots begin hibernation, the wolves start to hunt deer.
Throughout winter deer remain the favoured prey. In spring the wolves
will try to take Takh foals or yearlings. When threatened by wolves Takhi
mares will form a circle around the foals and yearlings while the stallion
will charge at the wolves to drive them off.
About sixty wolves are believed to permanently inhabit the park, which is
a relatively large population. They are forced into the park to escape hunting.
In the park the size of the wolf population is regulated by prey availability
and monitoring suggests that the current population is not a threat to the
Takh population. Wolves do occasionally kill young Takh but such natural selection
is vital to ensure the long term health and genetic fitness of wild Takhi.
Creating a balance between the different species in the ecosystem is a key
issue in the management of Hustai National Park. The park is dedicated to
maintaining a healthy ecosystem where both predator and prey have their place.
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Wolf dens are generally sited in dense cover, between rocks or in forests.
Mating takes place around February. In April, after a gestation of approximately
63 days, the cubs are born. A she-wolf may give birth to up to eight cubs.
Both parents take care of the cubs and the young remain with the parents for
at least one year. They reach sexual maturity at two years.
© Wobbygong
Design 2001
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