Scholarly Article- What Drives Wolves: Fear or Hunger? Humans, Diet, Climate and Wolf Activity Patterns

The scholarly article “What drives wolves: Fear or hunger? Humans, diet, climate and wolf activity patterns,” by Jorn Theuerkauf, discussed certain factors that may influence wolf behavior and activity patterns. It seems no one had previously tried to define factors that could universally affect wolf behavior, so Theuerkauf looked at and used data from eleven separate studies (ranging from Alaska to Israel) when making his analyses. This study compared the effects of seven distinct factors on wolves’ nocturnal activity and movements: (1) public road density, (2) human population density, (3) human-caused mortality, (4) proportion of domestic animals in wolf diet, (5) proportion of forest, (6) latitude and (7) mean annual temperature on nocturnal wolf activity and movements.

In the introduction, Theuerkauf mentions optimization models and the basic economic principle of maximizing benefit while minimizing costs. As man is the wolf’s only predator, it is most likely that natural selection has favored those wolves who avoid humans. It’s suggested that wolves living in open spaces would probably be more likely to hunt and move at night, as there is nothing to hide them from humans in the daylight. There is a wide variety of factors that could influence wolf behavior, and since wolves are spread over so many different climates and conditions, any of these factors could vary with location—this is why Theuerkauf reviewed and compared the results of 11 studies which were undertaken in different geographic areas. As the studies were all slightly different, Theuerkauf standardized the results so they were more easily comparable.

relaxing in the sun

While wolf activity has previously been explained by human or prey activity, Theuerkauf found some different results. It seems latitude is actually the variable that correlated most with nocturnal wolf movement, and proportion of domestic animals in the diet was most highly correlated with nocturnal activity. So these results ended up refuting the earlier suggestion that wolves may reduce daytime movements just to avoid humans. Nocturnal movements were in fact minutely correlated with human-related factors (public roads, population, and mortality), suggesting the reason may actually be the fact that wolves need shelter from sun when travelling (especially in open areas). This means that the main factor restricting the movement of wolves is daytime heat, not human interaction.  

The results of this study seem to reinforce the general tendency we have to overestimate the impact of humans on wolves, as well as underestimate the impact of heat. Theuerkauf suggests further studies of wolf activity patterns should be standardized, so that more reliable meta-analyses can be made. Studied from many different areas must be taken into account before making definite conclusions about the behavioral ecology of wolves.

come back for more awesome info on wolves!

Source: 

Theuerkauf, J. (2009). What drives wolves: Fear or hunger? Humans, diet, climate and wolf

activity patterns. Ethology, 115(7), 649-657. Retrieved May 13, 2012, from the PsycINFO database.

For the full article:

http://0-web.ebscohost.com.sally.sandiego.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=6bfbf797-2a69-4d73-bb85-b2f4829972c0%40sessionmgr13&vid=5&hid=15

images:

http://philipdavis3.com/final/History.html

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-23677831/stock-photo-grey-wolves-resting-in-the-early-morning-sun.html

http://howlingforjustice.wordpress.com/2009/10/

Predatory Behavior of Wolves

One of the most important things to know about wolves is that they are not violent creatures! Wolves only kill to eat—they will literally only kill what they need to survive. While wolves are often made out to be scary, dangerous creatures to us, they actually want nothing to do with humans most of the time. In the wild, they are shy around humans and will generally try to avoid them at all costs—sometimes even if it means abandoning a kill. Humans are actually the wolf’s only predator.

see, friendly wolf!...OK, so maybe this is a scene from
the 2003 movie Wolf Summer..but you get the point, they're not violent

A cub, being snatched up by an eagle!
A scene like this would never happen with an adult wolf.

So, wolves are at the top of the food chain. While wolf cubs sometimes become prey to large bears or birds, adult wolves have virtually no predators—top of the food chain! They eat mostly large, hoofed mammals known as ungulates, such as deer, elk, caribou, and moose. While these large mammals are their main prey source, wolves are opportunistic animals and so have also been known to eat smaller animals, like hares and beavers, and even some plants and berries occasionally.

Wolves need, on average, about three to ten pounds of meat per day. However, interestingly enough, wolves do not actually eat every day. Since hunting cannot always be successful, wolves live a “feast or famine” lifestyle. This basically means that wolves are able to eat nothing for a period of time, and then eat a lot all at one time. They can go several days without eating and then gorge on more than 20 pounds of meat when a kill is made!

by hunting in a pack, these wolves are able to
attack a huge bison!

Wolves have various hunting tactics which increase the likelihood of catching their prey. As they hunt mostly large animals, wolves will generally hunt together as a pack—this allows them to easily surround their prey, as well as ‘test’ a herd for signs of weakness. Since wolves are not naturally violent and are opportunistic creatures, they often go after vulnerable (weak, ill, very young, or very old) individuals of a herd. Wolves most often search for weaker individuals, but will also go for healthy animals—especially in circumstances where the healthy prey is at a disadvantage; for example, a deer in especially deep snow. The fact that wolves will choose to hunt vulnerable animals can actually benefit the prey population. By killing the “inferior” animals of a population, wolves are increasing the health of their prey. This also ensures that the animals able to reproduce will be healthy and strong—over many years, this selection can help the prey population become better adapted to survival. By eradicating the weak members, wolves help keep the ecosystem in balance for many other species.

two wolves, clearly killed for sport and no other reason :(

As I said before, humans are the only true predators to wolves. Wolves present virtually no danger to humans without provocation, yet we still mercilessly attack them. While many hunters poach wolves for sport or for their skins and fur, some say they kill to protect their livestock. Regardless of reasoning, killing wolves is still illegal. Wolves are not naturally aggressive creatures, and they are an essential part of keeping the eco system in balance. For more information on the prevention of wolf poaching and wolf conservation efforts, refer to our blog post called “The Conservation Status of Wolves in North America.” Stop killing these beautiful creatures!

Come back soon for more awesome info on wolves!

sources: 

http://www.wolfcountry.net/information/WolfHunting.html

http://www.defenders.org/press-release/wolf-kill-policies-illegal-groups-charge

http://www.defenders.org/press-release/wolf-kill-policies-illegal-groups-charge

images:

http://www.myspace.com/therpproject/photos/16432304#%7B%22ImageId%22%3A16432304%7D

http://coyotes-wolves-cougars.blogspot.com/2012/04/efforts-to-curb-wolf-numbers-in-yukon.html

http://www.listal.com/viewimage/969414h

http://www.inzanaoutfitters.com/wolfhunting.html

The Story of Lobo

Lobo was a wolf from Currumpaw, New Mexico who was hunted by Ernest Thompson Seton, a wolf hunter in the Southwestern U.S. during the 1890's.

During this time in the valley Lobo and his pack, co-led by his beloved mate Blanca, began eating the settlers livestock after the settlers killed or scared all of their natural prey away. Consequently, the settlers began trying to kill the wolves to save their livestock. After trying several times to kill the wolves with poisoned meat, which the clever Lobo and his pack mates ate after pulling out the poisoned pieces, the settlers turned to traps and hunting parties which also failed. Finally, the settlers put out a $1,000 bounty on Lobo's head, which attracted the bounty hunter Ernest Thompson Seton in 1893.

Seton made the journey to the canyons of New Mexico and began formulating a plan to kill the wolf. He tried to capture Lobo by using five poisoned baits, which he set out around Lobo's territory. After they disappeared Seton assumed Lobo to be dead, but later found the baits all gathered in one pile and obviously left by Lobo and his wolves. Next, after realizing Lobo to be much more clever than originally presumed, Seton bought a bunch of specialized traps to capture the witty wolf. However, again he was foiled when he failed to catch Lobo and found his tracks leading from trap to trap, exposing them all. Weeks turned to months and Seton was becoming increasingly frustrated.

Blanca, Lobo's mate

One day, while following Lobo's trail in the snow Seton realized his weakness: Lobo was ardently attached to Blanca. Seton now set his traps in attempts to catch Blanca and this time he succeeded. When he came to check the traps he found Blanca stuck and  howling with her mate Lobo guarding her side. After running Lobo off the hunters snapped Blanca's neck while he watched from a distance. Seton reported hearing Lobo's howls for days, howls that were no longer strong and defiant but rather howls that were characterized by "an unmistakable note of sorrow" and represented his impending doom.

Lobo, after his capture

Seton, although feeling guilty and having some second thoughts about the mission, continued his plan to capture and kill Lobo. Lobo, undaunted by the danger of following the humans, followed the scent of his beloved mate back to Seton's camp. Seton had set up several traps and covered them in Blanca's scent, knowing that would attract Lobo. In January of 1984 Lobo was found with all four legs captured in Seton's traps. When Seton approached him he stood up despite the pain of his injuries and howled a long howl of acceptance. Seton, now utterly connected to Lobo and his bravery and love for his mate, could not kill the amazing wolf. Seton and his men tied Lobo to a horse and carried him back to their ranch. Secured by a chain all Lobo did was stair out across the prairie to the land that had once been a home to his entire family. The next morning Seton found him dead and knew that despite his injuries he had died of a broken heart.

Touched by his experiences with Lobo and given new value of the wild Seton was forced to accept his position as a naturalist rather than a hunter. He went on to found the Woodcroft Indians (a group dedicated to preserving wildlife) and spread the story of Lobo and his mate Blanca to inspire in others a love of the wild. Seton also helped begin the Boy Scouts of America and the Leage of Woodcroft Indians came to merge with it into one group.

"Ever since Lobo, my sincerest wish has been to impress upon people that each of our native wild creatures is in itself a precious heritage that we have no right to destroy or put beyond the reach of our children" -E. T. Seton towards the end of his life

E.T. Seton

To watch Lobo's entire story click HERE for the abc video link; the video below shows the end of Lobo's life and is definite motivation to watch the entire story.

Come back soon for more awesome info on wolves!

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobo_the_King_of_Currumpaw
http://www.pineapplefish56.net/Setons_Lobo.html
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/the-wolf-that-changed-america/video-full-episode/4414/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodcraft_Indians

Wolves in Native American Tradition

For centuries, the wolf has been held in high regard by many Native American tribes. Many tribes had such respect for the wolves, they actually compared themselves to the pack, both in characteristics and lifestyle.

one of many native myths involving wolves

a chief, with a howling wolf by his side

Native Americans have often respected the wolf for its deep devotion to family. Native Americans hunted for their families and the entire tribe, just as wolves hunted for the entire pack. Wolves never kill more than necessary to survive, and neither did the tribes. Native American hunters even tried to imitate the hunting tactics of a wolf—being compared to a wolf was considered the highest form of praise for a hunter. While the Native Americans were not naturally aggressive, they would fight to the death to protect their own and their territory, just as wolves do. Some tribes even went so far as to mimic the wolves’ migration habits—if food became scarce in their home territory, tribe leaders would move the tribe to an entirely new territory.

a modern piece of  Native American
jewelry

This extreme respect also led to the Native Americans repeated use of the wolf as a symbol in religion and mythology. Many Native American religions regarded the wolves as magical creatures. Some religious beliefs say wolves were involved in the creation of the world. Several tribes also believe that wearing the skin of a wolf could possess magical powers, and increase the success of a hunt or bring a chief’s son back to life. In the Navajo tradition, members of the tribe believed donning a wolf skin allowed that person to transform into a wolf. Wolves are also featured in native jewelry as well artwork. They are generally portrayed as howling at the moon, and this image is often used in totems or amulets.

We should all take note of the Native American view on wolves, and learn to respect them for their redeeming characteristics.  

Come back soon for more awesome info on wolves!

http://www.wolfsongalaska.org/wolves_in_american_culture.html

http://www.helium.com/items/1707340-native-americans-and-wolves

http://www.indians.org/articles/timber-wolves.html

*images found on google

Welcome to My Crib: Wolf Territorial Behavior

welcome to our crib...now get out

Many animals have both a “territory” and a “home range”; a ‘territory’ being the area they will defend against other members of their species, and a ‘home range’ being the area an animal lives in, but does not defend.  Some wolves can have a home range of up to 1,000 miles! On average, it will generally be about 77 square miles. Since this is such a large area for one wolf pack to take over, several packs will often have overlapping territories.

By nature, wolves are very territorial creatures. However, studying territorial habits and behaviors in wolves is something researchers often struggle with. Research in this area would require them to observe the movement of an entire pack for an extended period of time, as well as determine how the pack may react to other wolves in its territory. Although some territories may overlap, it is uncommon for these wolf packs to ever actually come into contact. This is due to the low number of wolves in a pack, as well as their rapid style of movement. These factors are what make observing wolf territorial behavior so difficult.

more than 90% of deaths among wolves in conflicting
packs are a result of territorial issues

Several different factors determine the place and size of a pack’s territory. For example, when prey animals are abundant wolves tend to live in small, well-defined areas and will stay there year-round. On the other hand, when prey is less abundant or is more likely to migrate, a pack will have a larger territory. This explains why many packs have larger territories during the winter than the summer. Other factors that determine pack territory are the nature of the terrain, and the presence of large predators. Where there is a high density of people, wolves will tend to have smaller territories.

Wolves use several different methods to define and mark their territory. As seen in our Fun Fact post, wolves have actually been known to respond to human howls. Howling can serve as a declaration of territory, and when a wolf responds to a human it may be because the wolf hears the human howl as a “rival” individual. The most important of these methods is “scent marking.” They use urine and feces to mark their territory, and can actually distinguish the scent of their own pack-mate’s urine from an unfamiliar wolf’s. Scent marking urination, which is known as “raised leg urination” is different than a wolf’s normal urination. Normally a wolf will squat to urinate, but when scent marking it will raise one of its hind legs and squirt a small amount of urine onto a “scent post,” which is generally a raised object like a tree or rock.  

a wolf using raised leg urination to scent mark a post

Generally, only the alpha wolves (both the male and female) of the pack will mark territory. These higher ranking wolves will sometimes leave scent marks every 350 meters, which helps define the outsides of their territories. Wolves also tend to mark the same post over and over again as well.

humans' way of "leaving their mark"

Wolves will often place scent marks on places where other wolves, coyotes, foxes and other animals have left marks of urine. This is something that domestic dogs do as well, and it seems that the scent of any other animal on a spot can stimulate a wolf to add its own mark. Humans do this quite often as well, just not with urine. For example, if one person engraves their name on a tree, other people are then inclined to do this as well. It seems humans too feel the need to “add their mark” to any spot where other humans have. 

Come back soon for more awesome wolf facts!

sources:

http://www.wolfcountry.net/information/WolfPack.html

http://www.wolfworlds.com/wolf-territorial-behavior-and-dispersion.html

http://www.freewebs.com/alphawolfsabrina/theterritory.htm

image sources:

http://courses.moodleshare.com/mod/resource/view.php?id=7387

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-51179317/stock-photo-engraved-tree-with-graffitis.html

http://www.freeforpsp.com/free-wallpaper/anilams/201011/23706.html

http://www.freeforpsp.com/free-wallpaper/anilams/201011/23706.html

WOLFMAN

Shaun Ellis is an British animal researcher whose main passion is wolves. He spent a two years living with a wild pack and has adopted a pack of abandoned North American timber wolf pups! Ellis spent a lot of time infiltrating captive packs to learn their language and behavior at Dartmoor Wildlife Park in England and at a wolf research center in Idaho. He has learned all about wolves and tried to get as much hands on experience as possible.

After learning that a wild wolf pack had moved into an area between Idaho and Canada Ellis set out to live in the wild in the hopes of befriending a wild wolf pack with little previous human experience. After months of living alone he finally met the wolves and slowly (and painfully) worked his way into their good graces. Ellis became a full pack member, living and eating with the wolves, and was even allowed to guard the newborn pups. Once, one of his pack brothers even saved his life from a grizzly bear! After two years with the pack, Ellis was forced to return home due to malnourishment from living the diet of wolves. Back home, he used all of the knowledge he gained to improve the lives of captive wolves and help increase our understand (or lack thereof) of wolves an their behavior.

 

After finding three abandoned North American timber wolf pups at near the Combe Martin Wildlife Park Ellis decided to raise them for the wild, but he decided to do this in an unconventional way – by living with the pups and pretending to be one of them! Ellis lived with his wolf pups for 18 months, teaching them all they needed to know about being a wolf and surviving in the wild. The pups names are Yana, Tamaska and Matsi and as far as I can tell Ellis was successful at raising them for the wild and they have been released.

The video below shows Shaun Ellis teaching one of his pups to howl for the first time!

Sources:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1243709/My-life-wolf-British-naturalist-dared-infiltrate-pack-wilderness.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaun_Ellis_(wolf_researcher)

http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/newsforyou/pdfs/newsforyou066-download.pdf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1gxa-Dij3k

The Evolutionary History of Wolves

The animal that most canids are
descended from is the tomarctus.

Kingdom - Animalia 


Phylum - Chordata (animals with notochords)


Subphylum - Vertebrata (animals with a skeleton of bone or cartilage)


Class - Mammalia


Subclass - Eutheria (placental mammals)


Order - Carnivora


Family - Canidae


Genus - Canis


Grey Wolf - Canis Lupis 


Red Wolf - Canis Rufus 


Domestic Dog - Canis Familiaris

Dingo - Canis Familiaris Dingo 


Coyote - Canis Latrans

The canidae family evolutionary lineage
is represented by the color blue.

The wolf is a product of 63 million years of carnivore evolution, and is well adapted to its environment. Nearly all canids are descended from is the tomarctus, which is an animal that lived somewhere between 16-20 million years ago. The canis edwardii, which evolved in the early Pleistocene period about 1.5 million years ago, is the first canid clearly identifiable as a wolf. Some of the most recent evolutionary ancestors are the Dire Wolf (canis dirus) and a large wolf that lived throughout North America (canis ambrusteri). Some of the closest relatives of the wolf are domestic dogs, coyotes, and foxes. In the mid Pleistocene period (around eight hundred thousand years ago) the Dire wolf came about.

Within the canis genus, unfortunately the dire wolf did not survive the mass extinctions of the most recent ice age (nearly 10,000 years ago), which the gray wolf and coyote did survive. Each of these three lineages, although very close, comes from a very different evolutionary background. None of the three is the direct ancestor of the others, although they all come from the same area. The grey wolf was well was established in North America by the time the first Native American and Inuit Peoples came across the Beringia, about eighteen thousand years ago. There is some genetic evidence that the domestic dog is a descendant of the wolf, although the issue is much debated. It has even been recommended that the domestic dog be reclassified as a new subspecies of wolf, Canis lupus familiars.

Come Back Soon for More Awesome Info on Wolves!

Sources:

http://wolfevolution.webs.com/wolevo.html

http://www.wolfcountry.net/information/WolfOrigins.html 

http://www.freewebs.com/stormtrooper444/

Wolves Hunting Caribou

After all that information about wolves hunting habits, 

check out this awesome caribou hunt caught on tape by BBC! 

The nature section of the BBC website has some great information on all kinds of wildlife!

Come back soon for some more awesome info on wolves!

Sources:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0E6geAq1k8

Wolf Eating Habits

Wolves are infamous for their eating habits. They live and hunt in their packs, always working together. The pups depend on their parents, who regurgitate the meat into the pup’s mouths. The alphas lead the hunts, eat first, and exclude whom ever they want from the meal. The pack hunts within the borders of its territory, which is large enough to contain all the food the pack needs (and if the pack grows, they increase their territory). Sometimes the wolves spend as much as eight hours a day (moving at five miles per hour) in search of food, and the majority of their prey escapes them. Regardless of the fact that wolves spend most of their time walking and sleeping instead of savaging large prey animals, they still have gained the reputation of vicious killers.

Wolves hunt as a group and are very good judges of what they can handle – which is a lot! They capture and kill, with nothing more than their teeth, animals that are 10 times their size! Wolves purposefully attack the vulnerable nose and rump of their prey, trying to hang on and injure them so that they slow down and can be brought to the ground (usually, once down, the animals die from shock or blood loss) and feeding can begin. They are carnivores, eating mostly meat, but they will eat other foods too. They eat varying types of game, from elf and moose to earthworms and grasshoppers; they will also eat different types of berries, fish, birds, and mice.

Wolves have amazing stomachs, able to digest almost anything. They eat quickly (so as to avoid their food being stolen or being attacked by other predators) and can consume everything, about 80%-100% of each kill, but the large bones and some hair (the bones they cannot digest are wrapped up in hair in their stomachs and so they do not injure their insides). The wolves are not wasteful at all, and will come back to finish off a meal after hiding it. After they eat they sprawl out on the ground and sleep, regaining the massive amounts of energy lost on the hunt and kill. They can eat every 5-6 hours if the food is available, but are able to go 2 weeks without food if need be.

The most common misconception about wolves is that they are a danger to humans (by hunting people and eating their livestock). This is not true at all though. Wolves do not eat humans and are not a threat to us, they are actually very shy around people and, like any wild animal, will only attack if threatened. They are helpful to the environment because they try to save energy by attacking the weakest member of a group, which allows natural selection to strengthen that species. They also have been observed practicing some kind of herd maintenance, in which they hunt from one herd and then travel to others before returning so as not to decimate a population. In reality, wolves are very helpful and important to the ecology of our environment.

Come back soon for some more awesome info on wolves!

Sources:

http://isleroyalewolf.org/overview/overview/wolves.html

http://www.wolfweb.com/diet.html

 http://www.whitewolfpack.com/2011/08/whole-truth-about-wolfs-eating-habits.html

http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/516962.html

Wolves as Mans Best Friend?

Wolves are, in rare cases, kept as exotic pets and working animals. However, they are very different from the common household dog (who is thought to be an ancestor of the wolf that split from the same line 10,000 to 100,000 years ago) and requires much more training to become domesticated.

Wolf pups, because they require so much socialization, cannot be taken from their mother any later than 21 days (and preferably no later than 14). Four the first four months they need to be kept isolated from all adult canines, except for short weekly visits, so that they develop a strong imprint on humans. As pups wolves easily accept dominance from human caretakers, but as adults they are largely unpredictable. The aggression in them is genetic and can never be trained out of them, which means adult wolves can never be fully trusted with children or small animals. They also instinctively feel the need to rise up the pack hierarchy, and so they will try to challenge their owners in order to gain a higher position in what they see as their pack.

Wolves are trainable, however, they are much less responsive than dogs are to fear or force techniques, and consequently they require much more effort to train. They respond best to positive reinforcement and rewards, but simple praise is not enough (as it would be for dogs). It is common for trained wolves to get bored and begin ignoring commands they have responded appropriately to before. There have been mixed results in using wolves as working animals. An attempt has been made to form a wolf sled dog team, which was a complete failure as the wolves would not follow the commands. Another training attempt is being undertaken to establish wolves as tracking animals due to their wonderful sense of smell (which is considerably better than dogs commonly used as tracking animals) and establish a wolf team in the police force.

Although many people would like to adopt exotic pets, and the wolf is often thought of as a big dog, they are wild animals who need (and deserve) to be in the wild. Regardless of how domesticated they may seem and how much their owners love them, their mental and physical needs can only be met out in the wild.

Old Russian proverb: 

"You may feed the wolf as much as you like, but he will always glance towards the forest." 

Sources:

http://www.springwolf.com/wolves/nature/pets.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolves_as_pets_and_working_animals

General Reproductive Behavior of Wolves

The majority of wolves are monogamous, with mated pairs usually remaining together for life (unless one of the wolves dies, then the remaining wolf quickly re-establishes with another mate). In general, males are predominate in the wolf population and so it is not common for a female to be unpaired. Both incest and polygamy are very rare in wolf communities, majorly occurring in captive situations (in which either lifestyle may be necessary for survival). Wolf females are capable of producing a litter of pups every year, and the age of first breeding usually depends on environmental factors (in captivity wolves may begin breeding around 10 months, in the wild the first breeding age is around 2 years). Wolves are capable of breeding every year until death; in other words, they never reach reproductive senescence (or menopause).

The annual breeding season of wolves is in the winter (from late December until February/March), so that the pups are born in the spring when food is more abundant and the weather less harsh. The majority of this time (known as estrus) is used in preparation for mating; towards the end of this time the pack tends to temporarily dissolve until the mating season is over. Prior to the flirtatious period of estrus (in which the wolves tend to frequently touch one another, rest their heads on the others back, bond by sleeping close together, and “dance” with each other) the pack goes through a short period of increase in dominance 

within the hierarchy. The alpha-male and alpha-female begin to severely display their dominance towards the submissive members of the pack in order to reestablish their position as alpha pair and claim their breeding rights (this period of time prior to breeding season is when the majority of hierarchy changes occur), then the rest of the pack acknowledges their relationship and backs off from mating with “flirting” with either alpha. The ultimate act during the flirtatious period of estrus occurs when the female averts her tail to expose her genitalia to the male, indicating that the actual mating portion of breeding season will soon occur.

During this time the rest of the back tends to avoid the alpha pair and watch from a distance (other mating pairs within the pack are uncommon because the male involved may be chased out by the alpha male, and the alpha female is prone to infanticide of a rival females pups). The actual mating occurs multiple times a day from anywhere between two days and two weeks, with each copulatory “tie” lasting somewhere between 5 and 35 minutes. When the mating season ends (with the end of ovulation in females) the pack reconnects and the hierarchy goes back to normal while the wolves await the birth of the pups in April or May (as the gestation period lasts an average of 65 days). The alpha female tends to be the most dominant in the pack at this time, as she chooses the den and is brought food by her mate and the other pack members for herself and the pups.

There are few differences in reproductive behavior in different wolf breeds, most being due to environmental factors. For example, the grey wolf tends to have litter sizes of about 5-6 (with litters of 14-17 occurring 1% of the time) while the arctic wolf gives birth to an average litter size of 2-3 pups (with a 1% chance of a larger litter containing 12 pups). The arctic wolf also has a gestation period that tends to last one month longer than the grey wolf, presumably due to food scarcity and the need for the pups to grow stronger before birth. Another difference caused by environmental factors can be seen in areas like Yellowstone, in which there is a high abundance of prey and packs are able to support multiple breeding females. In this situation “Casanova wolves” (young males having failed to secure mates/territories of their own after leaving their natal pack) mate with daughters of established breeding pairs in other packs, and do not remain to pair bond with the female and help 

raise the pups.

Come Back Soon for Some More Awesome Info on Wolves!

Sources:
http://www.wolfcenter.org/breeding-behaviors.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray_wolf#Reproduction
http://www.wolfcountry.net/information/WolfReproduction.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_Wolf#cite_note-3

The Conservation Status of Wolves in North America

Background: 

Mexican Gray Wolf Pup

In 1973 when the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was first implemented several species of wolves were the first species placed under these federal protections. Under the protections of the ESA, wolf populations have begun to increase in areas of the lower 48 states; with gray wolves in the northern Rockies and Great Lakes, Mexican gray wolves in the Southwest and red wolves in the Southeast. While significant progress has been made in recovering the wolf, there is still suitable habitat remaining in many areas of the United States that do not have wolves. Several realistic possibilities have been examined in which it is believed that wolf recovery would be successful in increasing the wolf populations of the US. Currently, gray wolves are listed as endangered in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, New Mexico and portions of North Dakota, Utah, South Dakota, Ohio, Oregon and Washington. 

To view the Endangered Species Act of 1973 visit http://www.fws.gov/laws/lawsdigest/ESACT.HTML

Where wolves stand now: 

In mid 2011 the US Fish and Wildlife Service announced that it would be initiating a status review (which is required every five years for species listed under the Endangered Species Act) of the endangered grey wolves in the pacific northwest. In the USFWS’s surveyed region of the Pacific Northwest there is only one confirmed breeding pack: the Lookout Pack in Washington. 

The Original Lookout Pack of 2008

The Lookout Pack has been all but decimated by illegal poaching. When the pack was discovered around 2008 there were about 10 wolves, since then the wolves have been reduced to only two individuals! At least two of the wolves were killed by poachers in Methow Valley, and a third wolf (assumedly from the Lookout Pack) was illegally murdered and found dumped on the side of Highway 20 in Washington. Furthermore, it is believed that the disappearance of the pregnant alpha of the Lookout Pack in 2010 is due to poachers. Today the wolves are slowly returning to these areas, with the newest pack (the Smackout Pack) living in the Selkirk Mountains. As of the beginning of 2012 there are 27 wolves in the area of Washington and three pairs have been reported as successful breeding pairs.

To learn about wolves in other regions of North America visit http://www.defenders.org/programs_and_policy/wildlife_conservation/imperiled_species/wolves/wolf_recovery_efforts/index.php

The importance of taking action and how to get involved: 

Gray Wolf Abandoned for Sport

Poaching has become an epidemic and has significantly slowed the comeback of wolves in the Northwest. Hunters murder wolves mainly for sport, skins, and protecting livestock, but regardless of their reasons the hunting of wolves is still illegal. Although we only have one confirmed pack, several other wolves have been spotted in the Pacific Northwest, and their protection is fundamental to our planet. Wolf restoration efforts are incredibly important for our world because they help to ensure the long-term survival of wolves and contribute to a healthy ecosystem. Predatory behavior is fundamental in ensuring our ecosystem remains balanced and healthy. Wolves prey mostly on animals that are young, old, sick, injured, weak, or unfit, which keeps the prey populations 

The Results of Wolf Poaching

healthy, strong, and robust. The destruction of wolves in large areas of the US in the 19th and early 20th centuries altered the natural relationships among the animals ecologically connected with wolves. This disruption led to increases in some species and declines in others, significantly affecting biological diversity. This is an example of the “circle of life” connecting all species to each other. When the wolves disappear, the animals they prey on (in this example we will use coyotes) experience a population boom and consequently, another animal population experiences a significant, and possibly dangerous, population reduction because the number of animals they are threatened by has increased (e.g. the wild turkey experiences a population decrease after the amount of coyotes preying on them increases). 

To learn more about getting involved please visit http://www.defenders.org/programs_and_policy/wildlife_conservation/imperiled_species/wolves/take_action.php

Come back soon for more awesome info on wolves!

Sources:
http://www.defenders.org/index_v2.html
http://www.conservationnw.org/
http://www.fws.gov/laws/

Welcome to Wolf Tales!

Welcome to Wolf Tales! A blog all about wolves and their awesomeness.

Here are some fun facts about the history and behaviors of our furry friends:

  

  

1. Wolves do not make good guard dogs because they are naturally afraid of the unfamiliar and will hide from visitors rather than bark at them.^a

protective paws

  2.    Wolves run on their toes, which helps them to stop and turn quickly and to prevent their paw pads from wearing down.^b

  3.    A male and female that mate usually stay together for life. They are devoted parents and maintain sophisticated family ties.^c

Wolf Love! 

  4.    A hungry wolf can eat 20 pounds of meat in a single meal, which is akin to a human eating one hundred hamburgers.^d

  5.    A wolf pack may contain just two or three animals, or it may be 10 times as large. ^b

  6.    Wolves can swim distances of up to 8 miles (13 kilometers) aided by small webs between their toes. ^d

  7.    Biologists have found that wolves will respond to humans imitating their howls. The International Wolf Center in Minnesota even sponsors “howl nights” on which people can howl in the wilderness and hope for an answering howl. ^d

yep, if you howl you just might get a response!

  8.    A wolf can run about 20 miles (32 km) per hour, and up to 40 miles (56 km) per hour when necessary, but only for a minute or two. They can “dog trot” around 5 miles (8km) per hour and can travel all day at this speed. ^a

  9.    Unlike other animals, wolves have a variety of distinctive facial expressions they use to communicate and maintain pack unity. ^c     

  10.    The Vikings wore wolf skins and drank wolf blood to take on the wolf’s spirit in battle. They also viewed real wolves as battle companions or hrægifr (corpse trolls). ^e

be the wolf!

   11.  Wolves evolved from an ancient animal called Mesocyon, which lived approximately 35 million years ago. It was a small dog-like creature with short legs and a long body. Like the wolf, it may have lived in packs ^a

Look, they're playing! ...sort of

 12.  Where there are wolves, there are often ravens (sometimes known as “wolf-birds”). Ravens often follow wolves to grab leftovers from the hunt—and to tease the wolves. They play with the wolves by diving at them and then speeding away or pecking their tails to try to get the wolves to chase them ^a

  13.  The Greeks believed that if someone ate meat from a wolf-killed lamb, he or she ran a high risk of becoming a vampire. ^e

Remus, shown in his human and wolfy forms

  14.  Werewolf (wer “man” + wulf “wolf”) trials (which can be distinguished from witchcraft trials) led to hundreds of executions during the 1600s. Men, women, and children—many of whom were physically and mentally handicapped—were put to death. ^e

  15.  In the Harry Potter universe, werewolf Remus Lupin’s name is directly related to the Latin word for wolf (lupus) and suggests an association with one of the founders of Rome, Remus, who was suckled by a wolf. The dual nature of Lupin’s werewolf nature suggests that in the Potter realm, there are two sides to everything ^e

^{Come back soon for more awesome info on wolves!}

Facts found at: http://facts.randomhistory.com/interesting-facts-about-wolves.html

Sources:

^a Reid, Mary E. 2005. Wolves and Other Wild Dogs. Chicago, IL: World Book, Inc.

^b Leach, Michael. 2003. Wolf: Habitats, Life Cycles, Food Chains, Threats. New York, NY: Raintree Steck-Vaughn Publishers.

^c Dutcher, Jim and Jamie Dutcher. 2005. Living with Wolves. Seattle, WA: Braided River.

^d Brandenburg, James and Judy Brandenburg. 2008. Face to Face with Wolves. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society.

^e Ménatory, Anne. 2005. The Art of Being a Wolf. New York, NY: Barnes & Noble Books.