0. 1996. The feeding habits of wolves in relation to large prey availability in northern Italy. -Ecography 19 287-295.We investigated wolf feeding habits in relation to the abundance of wild and domestic ungulates to test the hypothesis that large prey are preferred and that their abundance affects the use of other food categories and diet breadth. We determined diet composition by scat analysis from December 1987 to December 1992. The research was carried out in three study areas located in northern Italy and characterised by marked differences in wild and domestic ungulate abundance. In study area A (low wild and domestic ungulate availability) fruits. livestock. other vertebrttes and wild ungulates made up the bulk of the diet (71% in volume). In area B (high availability of livestock) wolf diet was mtinly based on sheep and wild boars (80% in volume). In study area C (high availability of wild ungulates) wild ungulates were the main food of wolves ( W h in volume). Significant differences were found among study areas in the mean percentage volume of all food categories and in particular for wild ungulates, livestock, other vertebrates and fruits (p < 0.0oOI in all cases). Diet breadth decreased in areas with high availability of large wild and domestic herbivores. The use of livestock species was lower where there was high abundance, richness and diversity of the wild ungulate guild. Selection for wild ungulate species was partially affected by their abundance: however other factors as prey social behaviour. adaptability to the habitat (for introduced species), and body size could have an important role in species selection by wolves. In particular in area C wild boars were selected for, roe and red d m avoided, and fallow deen and mouflons used as available. Livestock species were used in relation to their abundance and accessibility. in particular sheep were selected for and cattle avoided; but if calves born in the pastures were considered as the only available cattle, they were selected for and sheep were used as available. Large and in particular wild herbivores were found to be of great importance for the wolf population maintenance in northern Italy, one of the most important recovery areas of Mediterranean wolves. A . Meriggi (correspondence). A . Brangi and 0. Sacchi,

. 1991. Habitat use and diet of the wolf in northern Italy. Acta theriol. 36: 141 -151.Habitat use and diet of wolves Canis lupus were examined in a mountainous area in the northern Apennines (northern Italy) from December 1987 to March 1989. Wolf signs were looked for along 22 transects representative of the different habitat types of the study area in order to define seasonal differences in habitat use. Scats were collected and analysed to identify the main food items used by wolves in each season. Changes in range surface area were recorded in different seasons in relation to food availability and territoriality of the wolves. Pastures and bushy areas were selected in all seasons, while mixed woods were used only in autumn and conifer reafforestations in winter and spring. Beech woods and arable land were avoided all year round. The main food items of the wolves were fruit (Rosaceae), livestock and wild boar. Fruit was above all in winter and spring, livestock (sheep and calves) mainly in summer during the grazing period and wild boar all year round. The presence of the wolves in northern Italy is only partially dependent on food sources of human origin but these arc of fundamental importance during the period of pup rearing.

0. 1996. The feeding habits of wolves in relation to large prey availability in northern Italy. -Ecography 19 287-295.We investigated wolf feeding habits in relation to the abundance of wild and domestic ungulates to test the hypothesis that large prey are preferred and that their abundance affects the use of other food categories and diet breadth. We determined diet composition by scat analysis from December 1987 to December 1992. The research was carried out in three study areas located in northern Italy and characterised by marked differences in wild and domestic ungulate abundance. In study area A (low wild and domestic ungulate availability) fruits. livestock. other vertebrttes and wild ungulates made up the bulk of the diet (71% in volume). In area B (high availability of livestock) wolf diet was mtinly based on sheep and wild boars (80% in volume). In study area C (high availability of wild ungulates) wild ungulates were the main food of wolves ( W h in volume). Significant differences were found among study areas in the mean percentage volume of all food categories and in particular for wild ungulates, livestock, other vertebrates and fruits (p < 0.0oOI in all cases). Diet breadth decreased in areas with high availability of large wild and domestic herbivores. The use of livestock species was lower where there was high abundance, richness and diversity of the wild ungulate guild. Selection for wild ungulate species was partially affected by their abundance: however other factors as prey social behaviour. adaptability to the habitat (for introduced species), and body size could have an important role in species selection by wolves. In particular in area C wild boars were selected for, roe and red d m avoided, and fallow deen and mouflons used as available. Livestock species were used in relation to their abundance and accessibility. in particular sheep were selected for and cattle avoided; but if calves born in the pastures were considered as the only available cattle, they were selected for and sheep were used as available. Large and in particular wild herbivores were found to be of great importance for the wolf population maintenance in northern Italy, one of the most important recovery areas of Mediterranean wolves. (correspondence). A . Brangi and 0. Sacchi, A . Meriggi