Co-author Irina Rotenko
In Naliboki Forest adult lynxes particularly males are known as killers of the vulnerable categories of wolves such as pups, lonely living subadults and heavily pregnant females (Sidorovich et al., 2019). Also, lynxes may be a valuable competitor for wolves in their exploiting of the roe deer and beaver populations. Study on the interference of wolves and lynxes in Naliboki Forest suggested that wolves disagree with presence of lynxes in the habitats, and they behave aggressively towards lynxes, too. Lynxes feel safe in forest habitats, whereas they mainly avoid openings, when wolves are common in the habitats and where they may be killed by a wolf pack, because there are no trees to escape.
One of the aggressive features of wolf behavior towards lynxes is erasing off lynx marking points by them. An outstanding example of this wolf behavior we (the authors and Wild Naliboki team) documented in Naliboki Forest during this winter (2018-2019) at one of the numerous forestry poles.
There different lynxes (at least 6 different individuals) marked numerically by urinating, scratching and rubbing as well as they investigated the marks. Afterwards wolf adult male was registered, while it was trying to extirpate the lynx marks on the forestry pole.
Wolf tries to extirpate the lynx urine marks on the forestry pole
Вельмі цікава, дзякуй за гісторыю!