Uzroci smrtnosti vukova u Hrvatskoj u razdoblju od 1986. do 2001.

We recorded a total of 92 dead grey wolves (Canis lupus) in Croatia during the period1986-2001: 60 (65.2%) were shot, 18 (19.6%) died as a result of traffic accidents, while the cause of death of 6 (6.5%) wolves remained unknown, 5 (5.4%) suffered from rabies, and one each was killed by axe, by hay-fork, and by other wolves. Among dead wolves the share of females was 56%, mean age was 1.9 years, and the mean mass of adult wolves was 31.4 kg. We analyzed separately the 10 years (1986-1995) preceding, and the first 6 years (1996-2001) after the legal protection of the species (15 May 1995), when 30 and 62 wolves died, respectively. Annual mortality rose from 3.0 prior to protection to 10.3 after protection (3.4 times). This increase in mortality indicates no enforcement of the legal protection, as well as an increase in animosity by local people; it was also partly influenced by wolf population growth and it would appear that the recorded mortality is sustainable. We propose to adapt the legislation to permit the controlled hunting of wolves. This would in all likelihood lead to decreased animosity and would keep the wolf population safe from uncontrolled hunting.Od 1986. do 2001. zabilježena je smrt ukupno 92 siva vuka (Canis lupus) u Hrvatskoj: 60 (65.2%) su ustrijeljena, 18 (19.6%) je poginulo u prometnim nezgodama, za 6 (6.5%) vukova je uzrok smrti ostao nepoznat, 5 (5.4%) je imalo bjesnoću, a po jedan su ubijeni sjekirom, vilama ili od drugih vukova. Udio ženki među mrtvim vukovima je bio 56%, prosječna dob je bila 1.9 godina, a prosječna masa 31.4 kg. Posebno je analizirano posljednjih 10 godina (1986-1995) prije, te prvih 6 godina (1996-2001) nakon zakonske zaštite vrste (15. svibanj 1995.), a u kojim je razdobljima stradalo 30 odnosno 62 vuka. Godišnja smrtnost je porasla sa 3.0 prije zaštite na 10.3 nakon zaštite (3.4 puta). Ovaj porast pokazuje da se zakon ne provodi, kao i porast neprihvaćanja vuka od lokalnog stanovništva. Porast smrtnosti dijelom je povezan i s porastom populacije vuka te se čini da je veličina zabilježene smrtnosti podnošljiva za populaciju. Predlaže se prihvaćanje propisa koji bi omogućavali ograničeni i kontrolirani lov vukova. To bi moglo dovesti i do smanjenja mržnje prema vuku i posljedičnog smanjenja rizika za populaciju od nekontroliranog ilegalnog ubijanja