Wolf (Canis lupus) predation on Moufflon (Ovis gmelini) and Chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) in the Mercantour mountains (southeastern France)

Since the beginning of the 1990's a small population of wolf Canis lupus, is permanently living in France. Four packs settled since the species arrival. They are located in Mercantour mountains (Maritime Alps, south-eastern France) which are characterised by a high availability of wild ungulates. Six species are present: Chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra (common), Moufflon, Ovis gmelini (introduced), Red deer, Cervus elaphus, Roe deer, Capreolus capreolus, Ibex, Capra ibex and wild boar, Sus scrofa. The wolf diet was studied through the analysis of 441 seats collected from April 1994 to March 1996 in the pack 1's territory Furthermore the sex and/or the age of 152 wild ungulates killed by wolves in the pack 1 and pack 3's territories was determined through the analysis of their carcasses (the analysis only concerned > 3 monthes individuals). The Chamois and the Moufflon composed the bulk of the diet. From autumn to spring, the main prey was the Moufflon despite the fact that the Chamois was ten times more abundant. Wolf selectivity for moufflon seemed to be primarily due to the fact that this ungulate cannot escape easily when the snow cover is deep. Preliminary data showed that the predation by the wolf on this species concerned as many females as males and that victims often belonged to the 5-10 years age class. On the opposite, the wolf predation on the Chamois seemed to be focused on male and to concerned all the > 3 monthes age classes. These preliminary data needed to be completed by further analysis.