The Eastern Part Of Inner Mongolia, Dalai Lake Region Wolf (canis Lupus) Diet Analysis

Hulunbeier is more pasturing area in China. Presently, wolf-livestock conflict has become increasingly important in this area. Diet investigation will apply important basic ecology knowledge.From July 2004 to June 2005, 546 wolf scats were collected in and near the Dalaihu Natural Reserve of China. The wolf food habit was determined using two scat-analysis methods: frequency of occurrence and the ingested biomass obtained with the linear regression models of Weaver (1993). The relative biomass method was limited to mammalian prey.1. There was no significant difference between ecotone and highland. Livestock was primary prey in two areas: frequency was 69.9% and relative biomass was 92.8% in eco tones, frequency was 76.7% and relative biomass was 95.1% in highland. Frequency of sheep and goat was most in wolf diet(F_e = 33.9%, F_h - 56.7%). Relative biomass of cattle was most in wolf diet (B_e = 56.8%, B_h = 57.7%). Frequency of lagomorphs and small rodents in ecotones is slightly higher than in highland.2. There was no significant difference between plant green period and plant withering period in ecotones(X~2 =7.124, p = 0.523). Sheep and goat were steady prey in all year (F_g = 34.8%, F_w= 33.4%). Relative biomass of cattle was most in wolf diet in all year (B_g= 70.3%, B_w= 49.6%). Frequency of horse was varied between plant green period and plant withering period(F_g = 12.1%, F_w = 4.5%).3. Calculating frequency of occurrence was facile and requires little time. Calculating relative biomass was a more biologically meaningful method of diet analysis. Interpretation of scat-analysis data in order to assess the diet of wolves, would be greatly enhanced by comparing results obtained with frequency data and relative biomass data.4. Wolf predation was mostly affected by profitability. Wolf selected to kill prey that profitability was most.5. Predation on livestock was associated closely with availability of wild prey and husbandry of livestock. Wolf prey livestock was mostly because of low abundance of wild prey in this area. This was also because of free ranging.6. There were abundant birds in Dalaihu Natural Reserve. There were more birds in wolf diet (7.8%).