A wolf without a paw

In August one of our photo-traps recorded a wolf without a rear left foot.

The registered individual belongs to the family of the wolf Bartek, who settled in the Niekłańskie Forest last year and raised 6 pups with a female of unknown origin (notes June 15, August 25 and November 4, 2021). The foot may have been damaged during the hunt, but this is probably the result of a gunshot or the wolf getting caught in a poaching trap.

The wolf moves quite efficiently, and the fact that the wound did not lead to infection of the entire body (sepsis) and death of the animal shows how effective the immune system of wild animals is. The foot succumbed to necrosis and fell off over time, while the animal is alive and doing quite well.

Will it survive? It all depends on whether fellow wolves will share food with it, as it is difficult to expect such a mutilated wolf to be able to hunt successfully on its own.

Author: Roman Gula, Marcin Mandziak