Animated films summarise wolf research
The SKANDULV project at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) has brought together findings from many years of wolf research in five short animated films. Together, they tell a story of extinction, return and a fascinating ecology.
Public debate about wolves is often polarised, and misconceptions persist despite decades of research. The films aim to address this by presenting the research findings in an accessible way.
Based on research
The series describes the history, re-establishment, and ecology of the Scandinavian wolf population, based on decades of research and monitoring.
The Scandinavian Wolf Research Project SKANDULV was launched in 2000, and today we have extensive knowledge of how wolves live. Among other things, researchers have followed wolves using GPS collars, providing data on for example how they move, establish territories, and where they reproduce.
Molecular methods also make it possible to analyse DNA from prey remains in wolf scats, providing a more detailed picture of what wolves eat. Annual monitoring carried out by the County Administrative Boards in Sweden and their Norwegian counterparts have contributed to make the Scandinavian wolf population one of the most extensively studied animal populations in the world.
Each episode of the series Wolves in Scandinavia is five minutes long. For those who want to learn more, each episode is accompanied by a comprehensive reading list.
Episode 1. Population development
How a few immigrants from the Finnish-Russian population established the Scandinavian wolf population and which factors shaped wolf distribution.
Episode 2. Territory establishment
Discover the social life of Scandinavian wolves, from birth to when they leave their natal territory and set out on their own journey.
Episode 3. Relatedness and inbreeding
Explore the genetics of Scandinavian wolves, including how high levels of inbreeding affect their reproduction and how rare immigrants influence the population.
Episode 4. Impact on prey and moose harvest
The wolf prey selection and predation rate on moose, and how humans adapt their hunting strategies in response to the return of this apex predator.
Episode 5. Mortality and territory turnover
The most common causes of death and how wolf territories disappear and are re-established by other wolves.
About the films
The films can be used by a wide range of audiences, including schools, government agencies, nature guides, non-governmental organisations and interested members of the public. They were funded by WWF through a call for projects focusing on collaboration and communication about large carnivores.
The scripts were developed by Camilla Wikenros, Håkan Sand and Mikael Åkesson. Roberto Lo Monaco was responsible for direction, graphics and editing, while the illustrations were created by artist Giovanna Della Torre.
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Contact
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PersonCamilla Wikenros, ForskareS, Wildlife Ecology Unit
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