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Wolves are known as lazy hunters. They will always choose the easiest prey, young, sick or old animals. This preference for easy prey has a significant influence on population dynamics and prey composition such as deer and wild boar. When a disease occurs, the wolf plays a crucial role in limiting the number of infected animals. Slovak data highlight important role of wolf as desert doctor
Natural selection wards off swine fever
African swine fever spread from Africa to Europe , the first cases having been recorded in Central Europe in 2007 established. Wild boar populations have been infected throughout Europe and, in some countries, domestic pigs have also been infected. EFSA's research has failed to confirm the link between the number of outbreaks of ASF reported in domestic pigs and the reported cases of infected wild boar, but the virus is spreading in Europe by direct contact with blood and other body fluids from infected animals. This means that distribution takes place via contaminated trucks, clothing, tools and equipment from hunters and farmers.
A recent study by the German Friedrich-Löffler Institute (pdf) estimated the probability of wild boar contamination. Although this research shows that intensive wild boar hunting has little or no influence on the spread of African swine fever, farmers and hunting associations are demanding a massive reduction in the wild boar population. It is mainly human activities that cause the spread of the disease on large surfaces in Europe and Africa.
In addition to import bans and population control, passive surveillance has proven to be the most effective measure to prevent the virus from entering. keep. Passive control involves natural selection by predators. It's the wolf in most European countries. Boar is one of the wolf's main sources of food (pdf). Wolves are easy prey and will therefore mainly hunt the sickest and weakest animals. Since the virus does not harm other wildlife, the wolf can play a vital role in the fight against this type of disease. Research in Slovakia highlights the important role that the wolf plays in the fight against swine fever epidemics.
Slovak wolves protect their territory from swine fever
Several studies show the wolf's far-reaching effects on the ecosystem. The control of wild boar and deer populations are just two examples. Two Slovak studies from 1990 to 2000 show that Slovak wolf newborns maintain their territory largely or totally free of swine fever. Superimposed maps of wolf ventricaria and swine fever epidemics underlined it
"Wolf distribution in Slovakia and sites presenting a case of classical swine fever in wild boar (wild boar) in 1994 -1998 "Blue: areas where no wolves. White: areas with wolf axes. Small black circles: wolf signatures. Black spots: places with outbreaks of classical swine fever. Classical swine fever occurred 93% outside areas where there was a pack of wolves (blue). Only 7% of classical swine fever cases have occurred in areas with wolves (white). "
Source: Vlk lesoochranarske zoskupenie
Infected animals show symptoms of the disease in a few days and are therefore slower and lower than healthy animals. The killing of infected animals reduces the outbreaks of infection and thus reduces the risk of spread.
Although hunters have attempted to take on this task, both studies show that wolves in general and wolves are particularly successful in banning disease, which emphasizes the important role of the wolf in a healthy ecosystem, which is why we call the wolf the wilderness doctor.
Number of wolves in Slovakia and sites with outbreaks of classical swine fever (PSC) 2001-2003 "In green: Wolf pack areas. White: areas where no wolf lives. Blue dots: places where classical swine fever broke out in 2003 Green dots: places where classical swine fever broke out in 2002 Red dots: places of classical swine fever broke out in 2001
Source: Vlk lesoochranarske zoskupenie
Article translation originally published by the European Wilderness Network
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