Wolves

Basic Facts

Wolves have been around for millions maybe even billions of years, the first signs that us humans have found of there existence though was that they could have been found in the last Great Ice age in Asia. Since then though they have spread across the world and become many different sub-species (decedents) such as mans best friend. The domestic dog.

There are not many wolf breeds that are still around. But there are some, there is the White Wolf, more commonly referred to as the Arctic Wolf, this wolf is probably the least common, a truly endangered species. There is the Red Wolf is probably the closest to the White Wolf on the endangered species list, going extinct in the wild by 1980 a population has been successfully reintroduced into the wild, but there is still very little. Then there is the Gray Wolf, most common, found is north and south America (although in some other places around the world too) it is still highly endangered as all wolves seem to be.

The wolves, being mainly meat eaters, diet mainly consists of large animals such a deer, elk and moose. But they will also eat small berries, earthworms, mice, voles, and grasshoppers. When in desperation, such as being maimed or an abandoned pup, a wolf may eat carrion, this may also happen if they pack is migrating.

Wolves speak mainly with body language and facial expressions, such as drawing up it lips when disgusted or angry, putting its tail between its legs when it is scared. Also a subordinate wolf will, when approaching the dominant, will cringe towards him or her with tail low and bent legs. This is almost the exact opposite in the dominant male or female whom will look directly into other’s eyes to show it is the leader and is not afraid to make the other wolf angry because he or she is superior and can take them on in battle.

Wolves are also very territorial mammals and mark their territory by leaving scent marks (urination) on things around their territory such as rocks, stumps, bushes and logs. This is usually done by the dominant wolves usually the alpha male.

The Structure of The Pack

Wolves are extremely social animals, and exist in a social unit called a Pack. Wolves travel and hunt together in a group and perform almost all things in the company of a fellow wolf. A pack is usually a family group, a group made up of ties by blood, affection and mutual aid. The core of the pack is a mated male and female that have bred and produced the pack with new life.

Pack sizes vary, most packs have up to six or seven members, but some may include even 15 members. This depends greatly on the surroundings, the available amount of food and social factors within the group. In a wolf pack there is an elaborate hierarchy, it may consist of a single breeding pair, usually the Alpha male and female, and a lower group consisting of non-breeding adult wolves, each with its own ranking. Some of the younger wolves in the pack may leave to fins new territory and to find a mate. The alpha male and female of a pack are usually the oldest ones with the most experience in hunting, defending their territory, and other important activities. The other members of the pack respect the pair and follow in usually everything this pair does.

Wolves and Humans

As you may be able to guess wolves and humans have always had a bumpy relationship, in the early 1500’s wolves were wiped out completely in England, Scotland killed off it’s last wolves near the early 1700’s, and most European countries finished off their wolf populations there after. It was once thought by farmer’s that wolves had been killing their live stock and eating them at night, they blamed the wolves for eating their cattle and sheep, when they only real reason a wolf would have for doing so was if it was sick or that the prey had all been run out of their hunting grounds by humans.

The First Nations were probably the only humans in history that had learned to get along with these magnificent creatures, knowing when to back off, finding where the wolves were and not going there, not killing the wolves and they seemed to know when they did not do this they in turn received the same mutual respect from the wolves. The wolves did not move into their village’s at might and scavenge their items or kill their livestock.

Groups of Eskimo’s lived the same kind of nomadic life as the wolf, they and the wolf hunted the same prey, lived in the same land. The Eskimos and wolves had a great respect for the wolves, and in turn if the Eskimo’s did not kill the wolves or invade on their hunting ground, the wolves would have to do nothing in return. Although sometimes wolves were killed by the Eskimo’s it was for the extra warmth when the prey was low, but this also helped the pack in many ways by giving them less mouths to feed, although that sounds horrible it is true. And when a wolf was killed by the Eskimo’s they believed the were taking the life of an equal not of an enemy.

Wolves and humans have very much indeed have a bumpy relationship though for when the European’s came to Canada they killed the wolves for their fur for no reasons other then needed warmth, they killed them for fashion, for extra meat they did not necessarily need, and because the moved in on the wolves hunting ground thus forcing the wolves to hunt there and in turn the European’s though they had done nothing wrong and when a wolf was spotted it was usually killed on the spot.

Wolves and human’s do still not in some regions coexist peacefully, but in others there is still that deep rooted respect of these magnificent creatures.