and Other Carnivores in the Great Lakes Region
Adrian P. Wydeven
Mammalian Ecologist/Conservation Biologist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 875 South 4th Ave., Box 220,
Park Falls, WI 54552; (715) 762-4684 x107; (fax) (715) 762-4348; wydeva@dnr.state.wi.us
David J. Mladenoff
Department of Forest Ecology and Management; University of Wisconsin Madison; 1630 Linden Drive; Madison, WI 53706
Theodore A. Sickley
Department of Forest Ecology and Management; University of Wisconsin Madison; 1630 Linden Drive; Madison, WI 53706
Bruce E. Kohn
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Highway 17 S., Box 576; Rhinelander, WI 54501
R. P. Thiel
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Sandhill Wildlife Area; Box 156; Babcock, WI 54413
Jennifer L. Hansen
Land Information and Computer Graphics Facility; University of Wisconsin Madison; 550 Babcock Drive, B102 Steenbach
Library; Madison , WI 53706; (608) 263-5534; (fax) (608) 262-2500; jlhanse3@facstaff.wisc.edu
Abstract
Although wolves
(Canis lupus) and many other carnivores are habitat generalists, certain landscapefeatures can be used to predict suitable habitat. Thiel examined the concept of road density
as an important factor in the persistence of wolf populations in Wisconsin prior to the 1960s and
found a relationship with the disappearance of breeding wolf populations when average road
density exceeded 0.58 km/km
2 . Mladenoff and colleagues examined road density in the early1990s as a factor in predicting favorable habitat of wolves colonizing Wisconsin between 1980
and 1992, and found that areas with road densities less than 0.45 km/km
2 had greater than a50% probability of being colonized by wolf packs. Mladenoff and colleagues updated this work
in the late 1990s by examining 23 packs colonizing Wisconsin between 1993 and 1997; 78%
continued to occupy areas with road densities below 0.45 km/km
2 . In a recent examination ofradio-collared wolves in Wisconsin, a total of 60% of human-induced mortality occurred at road
densities above 0.63 km/km
2 . Although road density may become less of a factor as humantolerance changes, and wolf populations increase, it continues to be an important factor in
habitat selection by wolves and probably other carnivores.