Project Background

• Research History:


• Current Research:


• Media


• Publications

Research History:

The research on wolves in the Central Forest Nature Reserve was started by Viktor Bologov in 1974. His son, Vladimir Bologov, continued his work in the reserve from 1984 and as a researcher from 1993. He is studied wolf ecology, wolf control methods and aspects of the wolf/human conflict. Vladimir set up volunteering opportunities in the reserve to help raise funds and gain assistance with data collection. The research is now carried out at ‘Biological Station Chisty Les’, a satellite site of the Central Forest Nature Reserve, approximately 150km from the original research base.

Current Research:

Research regarding wolf movement, population dynamics and wolf/human conflict are ongoing, as all traces of wolves, as well as livestock predation in the region, are recorded. However, the main aspect of the wolf research and activity on the reserve is the rearing and reintroduction of wolf pups into the wild. In the Tver region of Russia, a bounty of R1500 (US$50) is offered for every hunted wolf, whether pup or adult. After the application for the bounty has been submitted the hunter can do what he wants with the pups, and usually sells them to zoos, circuses or people who want a pet wolf. Those that cannot be sold are killed. Vladimir buys several wolf pups each year, raises and returns them to the wild. The following principles are applied during rearing;

1. The wolves must not adapt to humans in any way.


2. The contact with humans must be limited to the absolute minimum necessary.


3. There must be no association with humans and the provision of food.


4. The time in human care must be as short as possible.

The pups are released at the end of their first winter (between April and August). They are then almost one year old and strong enough to support themselves in the forest. At the time of writing, 10 pups have been successfully returned to the wild. As radio-collars are not used, their whereabouts and movements can only be deduced through prints, and an encouraging lack of reports from hunters. If money for radio collars can be raised, factors such as survival, territory, migration, diet and wild wolf interactions could be deduced more accurately.

Media

1. ‘Planet Wolf’
   CNN, USA, 1998


2. ‘The wolf man of Russia’
   National Geographic Society, 2002


3. ‘He who understands wolves’
   ARD, Germany, 2002


4. ‘Werewolf’
   Actual Films, Russia, 2003

Publications:

1. Traditional Methods and Findings of Wolf Research in the Tver Region of Russia.
   Vladimir V. Bologov & Jessica A. Wiegand. - December, 2004.


2. Wolves in Russia - A Grey Area.
   Vladimir V. Bologov & Jessica A. Wiegand. - November, 2004.
3. Wolves in Russia – situation and problems.
   Vladimir Bologov, Kristina Vogt. - November, 2003
4. Thesis of World Wolf Congress, Banf, Canada, 2003:
   
   • ‘Wolf depredation on domestic dogs in Central European Russia’ Vladimir Bologov, Daniela Miltner, Munich University, Germany
   
   
   • ‘Wolves in the Central Forest Nature Reserve’
     Vladimir Bologov, Daniela Miltner, Munich University, Germany
   
   
   • ‘Can hand-reared wolf pups survive in the wild?’
     Vladimir Bologov, Nikita Ovsyanikov, Wrangel Island State Nature Reserve, Russia
5. ‘Wolves in the Russian countryside- diet and range use during the winter’.
   V. Bologov, A. Asdol, V. Kragset and O. Hjeljord as part of the proceedings of the 3rd International Symposium of the Karelian Research Centre of RAS and the Finnish Game and Fisheries Institute 2003
6. Wolf Depredation on domestic Dogs in Nelidovsky District of Tver Region, Russia.
   Vladimir Bologov, Daniela Miltner. - 2001