Individual and population-level impacts of sarcoptic mange (Sarcoptes scabiei) on gray wolves (Canis lupus) in Yellowstone National Park

Emily Almberg, Penn State

October 13, 2010 @ 01:20 pm to 02:10 pm

10 Tyson

Sarcoptic mange was introduced into the Northern Rockies in 1909 by state wildlife veterinarians in an attempt to help eradicate local wolf and coyote populations. With the successful extirpation of wolves from the Northern Rockies, the mite is thought to have persisted among regional furbearers such as coyotes and foxes._ In the winter of 2006/2007, eleven years after the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park (YNP), mange was detected inside YNP s wolf population._ Mange rapidly spread across the park, and by 2009, 8 of 16 packs/groups were afflicted with mange._ Using longitudinal data from infected and uninfected radio-collared wolves, we have proposed to examine the impacts of sarcoptic mange on individual survival, reproduction, and social behavior._ These data will be used to help evaluate the past claim that mange-related mortality is compensatory and unlikely to cause adverse population-level impacts._

Contact

Dan Grear
ecologyservice@psu.edu