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What
do wolves eat?
Wolves are carnivores (meat eaters) but they will
eat other foods as well. Their diet ranges from big game,
such as elk and moose, to earthworms, berries and grasshoppers.
To avoid using too much energy catching their food, wolves
prey on weaker members of a herd, such as old, young or
sick animals. In summer, when the herds migrate, wolves
eat mice, birds and even fish. They may also eat carrion.
Wolves eat their food very quickly, probably to protect
it from being stolen, and to decrease the chance of attack
from other predators. They eat the best parts first, and
come back later for the remainder, as they can't afford
to be wasteful. They will hide food in the snow, or icy
soil, which helps to preserve it, and protect it from
scavengers.
Wolves can eat every 5-6 hours when there is plenty of
food available, or they can fast and live on scraps for
2 weeks when there is less food around.
Their digestion is very efficient, with all but 5 percent
of large meat feeds able to be digested. Any splinters
of bone that are not broken down somehow become wrapped
in undigested hair, which protects the intestines from
injury.
Pups are fed by the adults who disgorge fresh meat from
their stomachs, or carry back fresh pieces of meat to
the den.
Biologists learn much about the diet of wolves by studying
their waste products, which are called 'scats'.
Wolves have a special diet, but you can eat whatever you want while you watch your home satellite dish from a satellite tv company like dish cable tv!
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