![]() The researchers chose four distinct study areas, all near the small town of Republic, Washington. Keeping these known escape tactics in mind, the research team focused on the “flight behavior” of deer living in areas where wolves have returned and in areas without wolves. This bounding gait helps them negotiate all types of terrain and can give them an agility advantage over predators in rocky, uneven areas where it might be hard to run.īy contrast, white-tailed deer sprint away from predators and rely on spotting them early enough to try to outrun them. When chased, mule deer “ stot,” a quick bound with all four legs touching the ground at the same time. ![]() White-tailed deer are smaller animals, boasting an unmistakably long tail with a white underside that stands straight up when alarmed.Īside from their physical characteristics, the two species differ in how they escape from predators. While they might look similar to an untrained eye, white-tailed deer and mule deer are very different animals: Mule deer are bigger, with large, dark ears and a black-tipped tail. The latest estimates now show about 200 wolves in packs across eastern Washington.īoth white-tailed and mule deer are important food for gray wolves. Wolves were completely wiped out from Washington early last century, but began returning to the state from Idaho, Montana and Canada about a decade ago. Their results were published in December in the journal Oecologia. “We show that wolves don’t have a uniform effect on different deer species.” “In any particular ecosystem, if you have a predator returning, prey are unlikely to all respond similarly,” said senior author Aaron Wirsing, an associate professor in the UW School of Environmental and Forest Sciences. ![]() They found that mule deer exposed to wolves, in particular, are changing their behavior to spend more time away from roads, at higher elevations and in rockier landscapes.Īn adult gray wolf is caught on a wildlife camera in eastern Washington in 2015. To help answer this question, researchers from the University of Washington and other institutions monitored the behavior and activity of wolves and deer in Washington for three years. How these two deer species respond to the threat of being pursued by wolves in the early years of this predator’s return could shed light on changes to their behavior and numbers. Wolves will chase deer great distances - sometimes upwards of 6 miles (10 kilometers) - in search of a satisfying meal. White-tailed deer and mule deer, two distinct species common in Washington, are among wolves’ favorite catch. University of WashingtonĪs gray wolves continue to make a strong comeback in Washington state, their presence can’t help but impact other animals - particularly the ones these large carnivores target as prey. Two white-tailed deer seen in 2015 on a wildlife camera in eastern Washington.
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