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Daily Departure and Return Patterns of Wolves,
Canis lupus, from a Den at 80° N Latitude

by

David L. Mech1 and Samuel B. Merrill2

We report on daily patterns of Wolf (Canis lupus) departures from, and returns to, their den on Ellesmere Island, Northwest Territories, Canada (80° N) during summers between 1988 and 1996. Based on 1759 h of observation, the Wolves departed more often than random during 2200 to 0400 h. There was no darkness during summer, so any sun-based temporal cues must have come from sun position.

Key Words: Wolf, Canis lupus, arctic, activity, behavior, circadian rhythm, den, foraging, Northwest Territories

Wolves generally attend their dens during the day and depart at dusk to forage (Murie 1944; Kolenosky and Johnston 1967; Haber 1977; Ballard et al 1991; Vila et al. 1995; but cf Harrington and Mech 1982). Studies of Wolf departures from den areas have been conducted at latitudes of 42-64° N, where the summer sun dips below the horizon for at least 4 h each night. Thus Wolves might gain temporal cues from this darkness or associated dusk. This evening departure pattern, along with Folk's (1964) finding that, at 70° N where summer light is continuous, captive Wolf circadian day begins at about 2100 h, beg the question as to whether wild Wolves in high latitudes would also depart dens mostly during evening. We tested this question at 80° N where the sun shines continually during the Wolf denning season.

This study was conducted on Ellesmere Island, Northwest Territories, Canada (80°N, 86°W). There, Wolves prey on Arctic Hares (Lepus arcticus), Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus), and Peary Caribou (Rangifer tarandus pearyi). During 1986, the senior author habituated a pack of Wolves to his presence and reinforced the habituation each summer (Mech 1988, 1995). The Wolf pack frequented the same area each year and generally used the same den (Mech and Packard 1990) or nearby dens (Mech 1993) each summer. The habituation allowed observers to remain with the Wolves each day and observe them regularly.

This resource is based on the following source (Northern Prairie Publication LDM0161): 
Mech, L. David, and Samuel B. Merrill.  1998.  Daily Departure and Return 
     Patterns of Wolves, Canis lupus, from a Den at 80°N Latitude.  
     Canadian Field Naturalist 112(3):515-517.

This resource should be cited as: 

Mech, L. David, and Samuel B. Merrill.  1998.  Daily Departure and Return 
     Patterns of Wolves, Canis lupus, from a Den at 80°N Latitude.  
     Canadian Field Naturalist 112(3):515-517.  Jamestown, ND: 
     Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Online.  
     http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/mammals/dendepar/index.htm 
     (Version 21APR2000).

Table of Contents

1 Biological Resources Division, U. S. Geological Survey, Midcontinent Ecological Science Center, 4512 McMurry Avenue, Fort Collins, Colorado 80525, USA
Mailing address: North Central Forest Experiment Station, 1992 Folwell Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108, USA

2 Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Training Site Environmental Office, P. O. Box 150, Little Falls, Minnesota 56345, USA

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