A she-wolf from Mercantour fitted with a GPS collar

This study is part of a scientific program implemented by the National Office for Hunting and Wildlife, the National Center for Scientific Research, the Hunters Federation of the Alpes Maritimes, and the Mercantour National Park. The study plans to equip three wolves from the same pack, located in the Haute Tinée valley, with transmitter collars, including one previously marked female wolf.

The primary goal of this program is to understand how the wolf selects its prey and whether its choices are always sick or weak animals. The information transmitted by the collar will be used to track the exact movements of the wolves within the same pack. During the day, the GPS collar will send the location of the female wolf every 4 hours, while at night, the collar will record her position every half hour. The objective is to more easily locate the carcasses of the prey, which will then be studied to determine their initial health condition.

But why choose wolves from the Mercantour Massif? The reason is simple. Since wolves reappeared in the Mercantour in 1992, the effects of their predation have become more observable over time. Thus, the data gathered will be more significant. It is also a place where the four wild ungulates (deer, roe deer, chamois, and mouflons), the preferred prey of wolves, are all found.

Thanks to this initiative, several results are expected by 2010, aiming to better understand the wolf and its environment. Over time, it will be possible to compare the survival and reproductive success of the predatory species that is the wolf. It also involves observing the behavior of ungulate populations subject to wolf predation. For this, the natural selection of the predator concerning its prey must be studied. The impact is different if the wolf preys on weakened animals or primarily attacks healthy ones. In the latter case, hunters might disagree with a predator killing a large portion of the species that humans are accustomed to hunting. This plays a crucial role in the relationship between the wolf and its significant rival: man.