ABC 2022, 9(1):72-79 Animal Behavior and Cognition DOI: https://doi.org/10.26451/abc.09.01.06.2022 ©Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) Are Wild Wolves Southpaws? Including Potential Conservation Implications Shannon Michelle Barber-Meyer U. S. Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, 8711 37 th St. SE, Jamestown, North Dakota, 58401 United States Email: sbarber-meyer@usgs.gov Citation – Barber-Meyer, S. M. (2022). Are wild wolves southpaws? Including potential conservation implications. Animal Behavior and Cognition, 9(1), 72-79. https://doi.org/10.26451/abc.09.01.06.2022 Abstract – Lateralization, or a left-right bias in behavior (e.g., handedness), was originally thought to exclusively exist in humans, but is now known to be widespread. Lateralization can exist at the individual or group level. In dogs (Canis lupus familiaris), tests of paw preference have produced inconsistent results. Because wolves (C. l.) differ genetically, morphologically, and behaviorally from dogs, I was interested in assessing them for lateralization. I examined lateralization (right versus left) of the foot captured (a step test analog) of wild wolves (n = 93) trapped for radiocollaring purposes in the Superior National Forest, Minnesota from 2011 – 2017 and 2019. No support was found for lateralization, and sex and age class were not significant predictors of which foot was captured. Because many mammals demonstrate lateralization, and because population-level lateralization is thought to convey increased social cohesion, it is surprising that wild wolves did not demonstrate population level lateralization. This step test analog may not have been an appropriate measure (as lateralization is task dependent) and / or wolf lateralization may exist at the individual level, but not the population level. Future work on wolf lateralization at both the individual and population levels examining pawedness via multiple tasks while accounting for potential confounding factors (such as different rearing conditions and methods) could provide clarification. Examining potential trade-offs between the costs and benefits of lateralization that these highly social animals may incur would be very interesting in terms of evolution and in comparison with dogs. Furthermore, because lateralization has been connected to emotional functioning and animal welfare, baseline lateralization data from wild wolves may inform captive wolf management and conservation, including the captive breeding programs for endangered Mexican wolves (C. l. baileyi) and red wolves (C. rufus) and other programs (e.g., educational facilities). Keywords – Canis lupus, Foot-hold trapping, Gray wolves, Handedness, Laterality, Paw preference, Pawedness _____________________________________________________________________________________ Lateralization, or a left-right bias in behavior (e.g., handedness), was originally thought to exclusively exist in humans (Halpern et al., 2005). Now, it is understood to be widespread and possibly even a universal characteristic of vertebrates (Reddon & Hurd, 2009). There are even reports of lateralized behavior among invertebrates (see Halpern et al., 2005 for review). Some examples where lateralization has been documented include visual scanning for prey in common wall lizards (Podarcis muralis) (Bonati et al., 2008), motor responses in lab rats (Rattus norvegicus) related to whisker sensations (Aggestam & Cahusac, 2007), jaw movements in ruminating sheep (Ovis aries) (Versace et al., 2007), aggressive responses in domestic chicks (Gallus gallus domesticus) (Vallortigara et al., 2001) and sheepdogs (Canis lupus familiaris) (Siniscalchi et al., 2019), agnostic responses and vigilance in feral horses (Equus caballus) (Austin & Rogers, 2012) and Przewalski horses (E. przewalskii) (Austin & Rogers, 2014), and turns in shoaling fish (multiple species) (Bisazza et al., 2000).