Impact on other species
One part of the research conducted by SKANDULV deals with the effect of wolves on other species including humans. Other studies worldwide have shown both direct (predation) and indirect (behavioral changes) effects after large carnivore recovery.
After the return of wolves to Scandinavia, we expected changes in prey behavior and regulation of prey numbers. A reduction in prey populations may lead to competition between wolves and other carnivores, and between wolves and humans through hunting, when they target the same prey. Prey remains of wolf-killed moose may also affect the food base of many scavenging species. However, most studies of the impact of large carnivores on other species have been carried out in large protected areas with low human impact on animal densities and their habitats. In Scandinavia, humans have a major impact on wild species through hunting and forestry. This could either reduce the effects of wolves on other species or lead to outcomes that differ from those observed in previous studies.