VARIATIONS IN HUNTING PATTERNS AND SPATIAL BEHAVIOUR OF CANIS LUPUS (LINNAEUS, 1758) GRAY WOLF IN RELATION TO SOCIAL STRUCTURE IN A MEDITERRANEAN AREA.

The wolf's social structure significantly influences predator-prey dynamics. Initial colonization typically involves a solitary individual establishing itself in a new area. Subsequent arrival of an opposite-sex individual can lead to the formation of a reproductive unit. We examined changes from the initial colonization phase of San Rossore Estate (2016-2020), characterized by a stable solitary wolf (DEL FRATE et al,2023), to a subsequent phase (2021-2024) where the same wolf became the reproductive male of a pack in the area. Environmental characteristics of hunting sites were evaluated, comparing conditions during solitary versus pack presence. Prey health body condition was assessed through bone marrow analysis, comparing fat percentages with reference samples from management activities. Spatial behaviour was analysed using standardized camera trapping data. Analysis of hunting site characteristics revealed that 95.1% of lone wolf predations occurred in open areas near abandoned fences. Fallow deer in these areas benefit from abundant hight quality forage, which guarantee a better body condition, as shown comparing their carcasses with the randomly culled individuals (T-Student: t=2.159, p=0.033). Conversely, when a pack was established there was a decrease to the 65.4% in the selection of open areas with fences as hunting sites, possibly as a well-structured pack can successfully hunt in obstacle-free areas. As consequence, with a change in hunting areas and hunting tactic, the body condition of the prey was found to be poorer compared to the population average (T-Student: -3.1153, p=0.0021).,. Spatial analysis based on a fix net of 37 camera traps indicated differences: in the initial colonization phase, areas with higher human presence were avoided, contrasting with the second phase, where pack members utilized the entire area, as shown by heatmaps. Summer home ranges were larger before pack formation compared to the second phase (U-M.W.<0.050). Similarly, daily activity rhythms recorded before reproductive events showed lower daytime activity than after pack formation (ANOVA: F=39.074; p<0.001) because they are influenced by the presence of pups exhibiting increased daytime activity (ANOVA: F=18.219; p<0.001). In conclusion, social structure significantly influenced wolf behaviour in terms of spatial utilization, activity rhythms, and hunting patterns, aligning with nutritional and reproductive needs.