BUFFER ZONES OF TERRITORIES OF GRAY WOLVES AS REGIONS OF INTRASPECIFIC STRIFE

The locations of 22 territorial gray wolves (Canis lupus) killed by co nspecifics in northeastern Minnesota were analyzed in a study involvin g radio-telemetry from 1968 through 1992. Twenty-three percent of the wolves were killed precisely on the borders of their estimated territo ries; 41%, within 1.0 km (16% of the radius of their mean-estimated te rritory) inside or outside the estimated edge; 91%, within 3.2 km insi de or outside (50% of the radius of their mean-estimated territory) of the estimated edge. This appears to be the first report of intraspeci fic mortality of mammals along territorial boundaries.