Movement of Wolves during winter

Deep snows inhibit the movement and foraging efficiency of moose, and even increase the rate at which wolves prey upon moose. Conversely, shallow snows favor moose and disadvantage wolves. During winters with little snow cover, wolves are less able to kill moose. Reduced rates of predation can lead to reduced reproduction and increased mortality for the wolf population. If the influence of climate on predation is general and applicable to other ecosystems, then global climate change could have important and difficult to anticipate consequences for the balance of predators and their prey world wide.

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