Food habits and livestock depredation of two Iberian wolf packs (Canis lupus signatus) in the north of Portugal

Two Iberian wolf Canis lupus signatus packs were studied in the north of Po rtugal during spring and summer 1996. The study areas are located in two mo untainous areas close to the Spanish border. Both regions presented a very low density of wild ungulates and intensive livestock production. The food habits and the livestock depredation of the wolves were considered. The stu dy material included 87 dropping samples, interviews with shepherds, carcas s investigation and government reports of livestock depredation. Prey prefe rence was measured in both areas. Wolves fed exclusively on livestock, espe cially goats. Wolf attacks on goats affected mostly large flocks of > 100 h eads, but where there were horses, wolves preyed preferentially on horses. In both study areas, sheep was recorded as a regular prey by the government reports but never appeared in the seat analysis results. This apparent con tradiction will be discussed. The wolf's dependence on livestock can be exp lained by the scarcity of wild prey and the high density of livestock. Cons ervation of wolves in such impoverished areas depends on an efficient lives tock depredation management plan and the reintroduction of native prey spec ies.