Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Decline and recovery of a high Arctic wolf-prey system

January 1, 2005

A long-existing system of wolves (Canis lupus), muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus), and arctic hares (Lepus arcticus) in a 2600 km2 area of Canada’s High Arctic (80° N latitude) began collapsing in 1997 because of unusual adverse summer weather but recovered to a level at which all three species were reproducing by 2004. Recovery of wolf presence and reproduction appeared to be more dependent on muskox increase than on hare increase.

Publication Year 2005
Title Decline and recovery of a high Arctic wolf-prey system
DOI 10.14430/arctic432
Authors L. David Mech
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Arctic
Index ID 1016589
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center