Wolf Population Size and Composition in One of Europe's Strongholds, the Romanian Carpathians.

ABSTRACT: Strategies of coexistence with large carnivores should integrate scientific evidence, population monitoring providing an opportunity for advancing outdated management paradigms. We estimated wolf population density and social dynamics across a 1400 km² area in a data-poor region of the Romanian Carpathians. Across three consecutive years (2017-2018 until 2019-2020), we collected and genotyped 505 noninvasive DNA wolf samples (scat, hair and urine) to identify individuals, reconstruct pedigrees, and check for the presence of hybridization with domestic dogs. We identified 27 males, 20 females, and one F1 wolf-dog hybrid male. We delineated six wolf packs, with pack size varying between two and seven individuals, and documented yearly changes in pack composition. Using a spatial c

SUBMITTER: Iosif R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12000540 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature