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Contrary to popular belief, wolves are not a threat to humans. They are actually
elusive, shy creatures that will avoid confrontation if at all possible!
Wolves kill to eat, and will usually take down the sick, young or the ill, enhancing the overall strength of moose, caribou, and deer populations. Unlike humans, they rarely fight among themselves, and will usually end arguments with snarling and growling.
Wolf pups are protected by the whole pack, even providing "babysitting" care for each other when neccessay, and will often lovingly play with thier young. Each has his/her place within the pack, and they are very protective of each other, and have a strong sense of family community.
The wolf has a very complex communication system consisting of facial expressions, tail stances, body language, and verbal expressions of howls, yips, growls and yaps. Howls are used to help locate pack members, establish territorial boundaries, and to promote unity.
As many as 750,000 wolves once roamed North America. Native American tribes admired the wolf for its endurance, intelligence, and thier hunting skills. Gray wolves once ranged from the Arctic Circle to as far south as Mexico City. It took a 70 year campaign-funded by the government and livestock producers, to extirpate wolves from Colorado. Today in the U.S., the wolf pack is, sadly, only in a handful of states.
There has never been a verified case of a healthy wild wolf killing a human in North America.
With rare exceptions, wolves kill only in order to eat.
The wolf is adept at outwitting enemies. He fights for survival of himself and his pack, but would rather not fight if it can be avoided.
The wolf is a shy creature which would prefer to have little to do with humans.
Like humans, wolves live in a communal structure.
They run together in packs which are usually made up of their family.
Wolves live in packs of 8 to 30, and are highly intelligent and socially evolved.
Pack size is usually determined by two factors: there must be enough animals to locate and kill prey, but the pack must be small enough to allow each animal to obtain sufficient nourishment from the victim.
Wolves hunt in a cooperative technique that served as a model for many "primitive" tribes who watched them. Pack members take turns chasing the prey, in a "tag team" manner so that they can exhaust their prey long before themselves.
By preying on weak, diseased, and injured animals, wolves enhance the overall strength of moose, caribou, and deer populations.
The wolf has been hunted, trapped and killed to the point of extinction, many of these majestic animals are gone forever — their breeds and blood lines never to be seen again.
In 1972 the Department of Defense ordered 277,502 parka hoods trimmed with wolf fur. Conservationists and elected officials protested like crazy. The Department cancelled the order. The Department of the Interior pointed out the amount of fur involved would affect all the gray wolves of the continent!
Wolf cubs are born at the end of winter or the beginning of spring after a gestation period of some 63 days.
Pups are protected by all the members of the pack and are treated with tolerance and affection. If for whatever reason the pups' parents are unable to care for it, another member of the pack will adopt them. They even provide babysitting services for one another when the need arises.
A wolf can It can lope, without pause, at a steady speed for 20-25 miles at close to ten miles per hour.
The wolf mates for life.
Domestic and wild dogs, wolves, jackals and foxs are all members of the Canidae - the dog family - and apart from the more highly-bred domestic varieties, all share the same general features: pointed muzzles, large erect ears, long legs, well-muscled bodies and long, bushy tails.
ORGANIZATIONS/FOUNDATIONS:
North American Wolf Association: NAWA
T.W.I.N. Timberwolf International Network
MISC SITES:
The Wolf Pack Picture Gallerie
The Total Yellowstone Page
NOVA: wild wolves.
The Searching Wolf
Great!!
Includes the wolf/dog connection
An extensive site, has everything!
