• Jo Miran@lemmy.ml
    ·
    23 days ago

    Wyoming resident here. We actually do have a "zombie moose" problem and its persistence is in part due to a lack of wolves. No, I am not kidding.

    https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/zombie-deer-disease-spreading-and-scientists-are-concerned-it-could-jump-humans

  • RBG@discuss.tchncs.de
    ·
    edit-2
    23 days ago

    One wolf killing a moose is a very difficult feat. But when that wolf succeeds he gets more than half of the meat still.

    Six wolves will have a much easier time killing a single moose. They will have almost all meat for themselves, but now have to divide it among them. If that would be done fairly every wolf would only get a third of what they would get if they killed a moose alone.

    I don't think what's said in the screenshot is as straightforward as they think it is. I'd be more convinced hunting in packs has a lot more to do with being able to tackle stronger prey. A moose isn't defenseless.

  • infuziSporg [e/em/eir]
    ·
    23 days ago

    How is one wolf killing a moose solo? I feel like the wolf would need to catch the moose sleeping to do that.

  • D61 [any]
    ·
    23 days ago

    Im glad somebody was thinking of the unkillable moose in that thread.

  • Xavienth@lemmygrad.ml
    ·
    23 days ago

    But wait, if a lone wolf gets 53% of the moose, but a pack of six gets 83% of the moose, then per-wolf that's 13.8% of the moose. Why would an individual opt to hunt in a pack then?

    • huf [he/him]
      ·
      23 days ago

      this is meaningless since we dont know how often they try and how often they succeed. it's the monthly moose ration that matters, not how much they can eat from a single kill.

      • Xavienth@lemmygrad.ml
        ·
        23 days ago

        Which would conversely strengthen the idea that wolves hunt in packs due to the difficulty of hunting.

    • D61 [any]
      ·
      23 days ago

      Family groups. Kids old enough to hunt but not old enough to strike off on their own.

      A single wolf may be able to kill a moose but a pack can definitely kill a moose. A single wolf might have to limit themselves to smaller moose while a pack can successfully take on a larger moose. A pack might have an easier time separating a single moose from the rest of the ... mooses? ... meece? ...moose herd.

  • mayo_cider [he/him]
    ·
    23 days ago

    Show

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    So the single wolf is eating multiple times its bodysize before giving up?