Alaska’s Pleasant Island was originally wolf-free and home to deer and the once-threatened sea otter. But starting in 2013, wolves have been there for extended periods, and they are thought to have swum across from a nearby continent. The researchers believe the wolves wiped out the island’s deer, which may have left or starved to death. They analyzed the DNA of 689 wolf feces collected and found that the wolves’ diet had shifted from deer to sea otters, which live in water. After the deer became extinct, their DNA was no longer present, and the island’s vegetation flourished. How do wolves catch sea otters? Based on GPS collar data and the location of the kill, the researchers believe the wolves attacked when the otters were on land or in shallow water. Deer are the biggest losers, and wolves are amazing at adapting.
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