Wolf scat points to a more varied diet as ungulate signs decline

Wolf diet in Estonia is becoming more diverse, while signs of ungulates in wolf droppings are declining, ERR reports. The trend may reflect changes in ungulate numbers, said Sharon Jõesaar, a junior researcher in theriology at the University of Tartu.

Wolves in Estonia mainly prey on ungulates, especially roe deer and wild boar, as well as other deer species such as moose and red deer. When these prey become less available, wolves must turn to what else they can find in the forest.

Jõesaar studies what wolves eat and how their diet changes by season and year. Her team collected more than 200 droppings in research areas in eastern and western Estonia, mainly on forest roads and at road junctions. Genetic testing confirmed 133 samples were from wolves.

The researchers examined the samples under a microscope after processing them through a sieve. They found increasingly frequent traces of small rodents, including mice, and plants such as grasses, fruit and berries. The samples also contained evidence of other predators, including raccoon dogs, foxes and mustelids.

The occurrence of ungulates in the samples showed a downward trend. The researchers did not identify any domestic animals through morphological examination, though Jõesaar said later genetic analysis could still detect some.

Understanding changes in wolf diets can help assess when pressure on alternative prey or risks to domestic animals may increase. That information can guide preventive measures to reduce conflict between people and wolves, including cases in which wolves kill livestock or threaten pets.