WoLvEs!!
Hello and welcome to all who visit
here....This page is dedicated to wolves...I
have much respect and admiration for these
graceful,cunning,and intelligent animals...I
hope you enjoy reading the facts that I have
gathered about the wolf and I hope you find
it very informative..So kick back, Get
comfortable, and read on if you care to...Let
The Fun Begin!!
FACTS
First let me start with some facts
about the wolf that I myself found very
interesting...
Canus Lupus~~Or better known as the
Gray wolf is the largest of about forty one
species in the dog family. With the exception of the redwolf-The wolf is considered one
species.The Gray Wolf was officially listed as an endangered species in nineteen seventy
six by the endangered Species Act of nineteen seventy three as amended. The purpose of this act is twofold: #1. to conserve threatened
and endangered species and #2. To conserve
the ecosystems upon which they depend! The
policy that all Federal Agencies "shall
utilize their authorities in furtherance of
the purposes of this act". It also requires
the Secretary of Interior to develop and
implement plans...for the conservation and
survival of endangered species.
CHARACTERISTICS
All wolves come in different sizes
depending on the location they live in. The
Gray Wolf is about five to six and a half
feet long from nose to the tip of their tail
and can weigh anywhere from forty to one
hundred and seventy five pounds!! WoW! Thats
a big dog wouldn't you say!! Their coats vary from pure white, which is most common in the
far north regions, to drab gray brown or
black. They are very beautiful though
regardless of color or size I think!
HABITATS
Wolves live in a variety of habitats ranging from the arctic tundra to forests and prairies. Absent for good from deserts and the northern hemisphere such as North Africa, and South Asia. Most wolves now inhabit Canada and Alaska instead of where they used to such as: Asia, Eastern Europe, Western Europe and Scandinavia in small groups. A small population still inhabit Mexico but they are few and far between. Out of fifty states only Minnesota has a wolf population in the wild to maintain itself. Wolves have been reported to have been spotted in scattered areas like Isle Royale in Lake Superior, and in Michigan, Montana, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The governments plans to re-introduce wolves into their natural habitats have been met with opposition from hunters as well as ranchers. Well if we really think about it...who was here first? The Wolf or the man? The den or Lair of a wolf varies and can be a cave, a hollow tree trunk, a thicket, or a hole dug in the ground by a wolf.
SOCIAL BEHAVIOR
I am sure that most people know that
the basic unit of a wolf is a pack.
Consisting of a mature male and female who
lead the pack and offspring of one or more
years of age. Pack size can reach up to
thirty six wolves, but usually two to eight
individuals exist within the pack. By
individuals I mean those that are not
offspring of the lead male and female. Each
pack runs over its own area of land or
territory. Which can vary from fifty to five
thousand square miles and will defend all or
much of this area against all intruders.
Members of the pack form a very strong and
special bond that promotes cohesion. Order is maintained by a dominance of hiarchy. The
pack leader is almost always male and is
referred to as the Alpha male. The top
ranking female is referred to as the Alpha
female and is dominate over all other pack
members. When two wolves meeet each other
each shows its relationship to the other by
dominance or submission through facial
expression and posture. Howling is another
form of communication for wolves, with other
vocalizations also such as: growling,
whining, barking, and scent marking. One
function of howling is to find out position
or to assemble the pack. Another is to
advertise territory to neighbors.
MATING, BREEDING, AND CARE FOR PUPS
The Alpha male and female in a pack are usually the only two that breed. Breeding season can vary from January in low latitudes to April in high latitudes. Pups are born approximately sixty three days after breeding. An average litter is up to six pups. The mother wolf stays very close to the pups for the first two months. While other pack members bring back food. Pups are weaned at about their fifth week. Pups approach adult size by autumn or early winter. Sexual maturity is usually obtained at two years of age. During the course of each year the packs have two phases-one is called a stationary phase-This occurs during spring through summer which involves caring for the pups at a den or homesite. This is when the adults travel and hunt alone. The other or second phase is called the nomadic phase-By autumn the pups are ready to travel extensively with adults. So until the next stationary phase the wolves usually travel in a unit across their territory or range.
FOOD
Major prey for wolves include large hoofed mammals including deer, moose, elk, carribou, bison, musk-oxen, mountain sheep and beaver when available. In the summer a variety of smaller foods such as: small rodents and berries which supplement the diet. Animals hunted and killed by the wolf are usually young, old, or weaker members of their own populations, Only because they are the easiest to capture. Wolves that are healthy rarely if ever attack humans--Mortality factors affecting wolves include persecution or killing by humans, killing by other wolves outside of their own pack, diseases, parasites, starvation, and injuries by their prey. Few wolves rarely live more than ten years in the wild. Isn't that sad? It makes me want to cry just thinking about that.
MY OWN THOUGHTS
In conclusion to this page I would like to add my own thoughts about the destruction of these animals. I believe that wolves have always been badly misunderstood and still are...because of folklore and stories about them...They are not the blood thirsty savages that people have made them out to be..There was a time when these graceful four-legged animals were cherished and respected by my ancestors the Indian...I wonder what happened to those beliefs and that respect? I know that I have mine and I will always cherish these creatures and all creatures...Wolves are desperatly trying to survive in a fast growing and ever destroying over populated human world. Think about the damage people do everyday to our lands and waters and ecosystems...If we destroy these beautiful, graceful, and spirited creatures that we call wolves it could upset the balance of nature drastically. As with all living things...God put them here to exist and co-exist not to be destroyed and to become extinct!! For the sake of the wolf and for our let no one destroy the wolf or ne other animal for that matter....There are sooo many out there that we are destroying...And for what?? Nothing but pure pleasure and misconception of how we look at these animals....So please before you do ne thing else....THINK BEFORE YOU ACT!!! Thanx for takin the time to come and read my page and I hope that you have learned something that you didn't already know :-))
