An observation of incest avoidance in Gray Wolf (Canis lupus)
May 31, 2024
Free-ranging Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) tends to avoid inbreeding, but there is no information about how they manage this avoidance. Our observation of a female wolf in Yellowstone National Park actively rebuffing her father’s sexual advances but then copulating with a distantly related male is the first and only report of one means by which wolf pack members avoid inbreeding.
Citation Information
| Publication Year | 2024 |
|---|---|
| Title | An observation of incest avoidance in Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) |
| DOI | 10.22621/cfn.v137i3.2971 |
| Authors | L. David Mech, Rick McIntyre |
| Publication Type | Article |
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Series Title | Canadian Field-Naturalist |
| Index ID | 70283302 |
| Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
| USGS Organization | Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center |