Abstract

SERVIN, Jorge. Duration and frequency of chorus howling of the mexican wolf (Canis lupus baileyi). Acta Zool. Mex [online]. 2000, n.80, pp.223-231. ISSN 2448-8445.

The Mexican wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) is an endangered species but remains poorly studied. I report the Mexican wolf chorus howling frequency through the year, from a pack with five adults (three males and two females) in captivity in "La Michilía" Biosphere Reserve at the Western Sierra Madre in Durango, Mexico. These is the first quantitative howling data reported for the Mexican wolf. Two hundred and eighty six chorus howls were recorded between January and December. Chorus howling was most common during the breeding season (January/February), and trends to listen at the dusk and sunrise, likely in wolves from northern populations. Daily howling chorus varied significantly in frequency between months (p<0.005); in February, chorus occurred 2.3 per day and duration of 59.2 ± 6.6 sec, whereas in August 0.9 chorus per day and duration of 26.7 ± 3.5 sec was recorded. The mean duration of chorus were 41 ± 9 sec for this wolf pack, were shorter than those reported from wolves packs of the northern United States and Canada.

Keywords : Canis lupus baileyi; duration; fequency; howling; Mexican wolf.

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