Research on Prince of Wales Island (Alaska) has shown that local populations of gray wolves have included sea otters in their diet. This may indicate a restoration of historical predator-prey relationships after the near-total extermination of otters during the colonial period.
Scientists are using stable isotope analysis in the annual layers of wolf teeth, which allows them to track the dietary dynamics of individual animals and the population as a whole. Additionally, they are setting up camera traps to document for the first time the hunting tactics used on such agile aquatic prey.
This behavior has far-reaching ecological consequences. Wolves, acting as "ecosystem engineers" on land, are now able to similarly impact coastal marine communities, forming a previously unexplored connection between terrestrial and aquatic food chains.
However, this new dietary behavior also carries hidden threats. Sea otters accumulate significant amounts of methylmercury, leading to toxic effects on wolves. In the bodies of coastal individuals, the concentration of this metal in the liver is 278 times higher than that of their relatives living inland. This can negatively affect the reproductive function and overall health of the predators.
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