Wolves
Wolves belongs to the dog family Canidae,which also includes the Coyote and the Jackals. There are three types of wolves that are native to the United States.
Gray wolf(canis lupus):
The gray wolf,also called the timber wolf, is the largest member of the canine family. It measures between 26 and 32 inches at the shoulders and is 6 to 6and a half feet from head to tail. The weight is usually between 80 and 175 pounds. Gray wolves are rarely a solid color, they usually are a mixture of black,gray and white. The pattern of coloring varies from one wolf to another. Their territory originally ranged throughout the continental United States, but now they only occupy one percent of their previous range.
Mexican Wolf(canis lupus bailyi):
The Mexican wolf(also referred to as the Lobo), is a subspecies of the gray wolf. At one time, Mexican Wolves range included the Sierra Madre and the surrounding regions of western Mexico and extended northward into southeast Arizona, southwestern New Mexico and western Texas. There is currently no evidence of the Mexican Wolf living in the wild.
Red Wolf(canis rufus):
The Red Wolf is the smallest wolf. It weighs between 45 and 66 pounds. It has a cinnamon or tawny coat with gray and black highlights. Their original range was as far north as Pennsylvania, and as far west as central Texas. The Red Wolf have been considered extinct in the wild by the 1980's. Unlike other wolves, Red Wolf cubs are raised exclusively by their mother.
GENERAL WOLF INFORMATION
Social Behavior
The social unit is called a pack, and usually have at least six to eight members. Each pack has its own territory, which can vary from 25 to 1,000 square miles, and the pack will defend all or most of its territory from intruders. Members of a pack form strong social bonds. Order is maintained by a dominance hierarchy. The pack leader is referred to as the alpha male.The alpha female is subordinate to the alpha male, but is dominant over all other pack members.The wolf is a very social animal and depends on pack cooperation for its survival. Each member of the pack has a definite role. The wolf pack is a family unit, with all adult members helping in the feeding and care of the young, once the cubs are weaned..It is believed that wolves mate for life.
Wolves seldom bark, and when they do it is a quiet, quick bark, and not constant like some dogs.A bark is prompted when a stranger approaches or if they are taken by surprise. Howling is a form of communication, which is used to reunite their pack, to great other wolves, to mark their territory or for the pure enjoyment of howling. The gray wolf's howl is very distinct and can be heard up to 10 miles away.
Life Cycle
Usually only the alpha male and the alpha female of the pack will breed. The breeding season varies from January to April, depending on the location.The cubs are born about 63 days after breeding. The average litter size is four to six cubs. The cubs are born blind, deaf and helpless. Their eyes and ears open about fourteen days after birth.Their eyes are a deep blue and will change to brown or yellow/amber by eight weeks of age.Wolf cubs are born in a den which has been selected by their mother. The mother wolf will dig her own den if one is not available.The young are totally depended on their mother for the first month of their lives.The mothers mate brings her food during this time.After the cubs first month, the other pack members help with the feeding and raising.The cubs approach adult size by late autumn or early winter.
The major prey of wolves are deer, moose, caribou, bison. musk-oxen, mountain sheep and when available, beaver. During the summer, they will supplement their diet with small foods, such as rodents and berries.Usually the young, old or weaker members of prey are captured by wolves.Mortality factors affecting wolves usually include persecution by humans. killing by other wolves,diseases,parasites,stravation, and injuries by prey. Chances are that few wolves live more then ten years in the wild.
The decline of the wolf.
European American settlers had seriously depleted wild populations of bison,elk,moose and deer by the 19th century. Since wolves relied on these animals as their primary food source, they turned to sheep and cattle in the absence of their natural prey. Ranchers and government agencies then launched a massive campaign to exterminate the wolves from the land to protect their livestock.Bounty programs,where individuals were rewarded for trapping.hunting,poisoning and killing wolves lasted as late as 1965. At the same time, the wolves were facing loss of habitat due to land clearing,drainage projects,logging,mining and road development.
By 1930, the predator control programs and loss of habitat in the lower 48 states had caused near extinction of all three species of wolves. Over 80,000 wolves were killed under the congress extermination program in Montana alone.
Wolves current status
The gray wolf population in Canada and Alaska is stable.Of the 48 continental states, only the gray wolf population in Minnesota is large enough to maintain itself.Ther are some wolves in scattered locations around the United states. They are currently found in small numbers in Michigan,Momtana,Wisconsin,Idaho and Wyoming.. Presently there are about 2,600 gray wolves in the lower United states, with 2,000 of them in Minnesota. The approximate 2,.000 wolves in Minnesota are currently still listed as threatened., while the other approximate 600 wolves in the other states are still listed as endangered.
The Mexican wolf is currently listed as endangered. There is about 11 or so Mexican wolves in Arizona, which were released there in 1998.
The Red wolf is also still listed as endangered. They have an approximate population of 80., after being released in the early 1990's.
Never has there been a documented case of a healthy wolf attacking or killing a human being. These beautiful and shy animals still need our help and protection!
Wolves-Defenders of Wildlife-wolf recovery
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