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Article: Possible use of foresight, understanding, and planning by wolves hunting muskoxen.
- Article from:
- Arctic
- Article date:
- June 1, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 Arctic Institute of North America of the University of Calgary. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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ABSTRACT. On Ellesmere Island in 2006, arctic wolves (Canis lupus arctos) were observed making a two-pronged approach to a herd of muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) and, on another occasion, ambushing muskoxen. Both observations seemed to provide evidence that the wolves were using foresight, understanding, and planning. Although the possible use of insight and purposiveness has been documented in captive wolves, the present report is one of the few to document the possibility that free-ranging wolves use these other three mental processes.
Key words: Canis lupus, cooperative hunting, foresight in wolves, muskoxen, Ovibos moschatus, planning in wolves, strategy, ...