(5)

Researching the grey wolf got me thinking about how they once had the largest distribution of any mammal except for human beings ofcourse (1). And this led me to ask the question: Is it possible sometime in the future for the grey wolf to reclaim this record?

The alpha pair in a grey wolf pack are the only ones that breed (3).  However when one alpha individual dies, a new alpha male or female will become the new mate. Female grey wolves choose their mates (3). The time of season when wolves mate is towards the end of winter, and the pups are born after 9 weeks (1). The pups are born in groups ranging from 2 to 10 pups (1). They are born into a den that the female grey wolf digs to raise her young (3). When the pups are first born, they are helpless, weak, and blind, but they grow very quickly (2). After 9 days, the pups eyes open and they grow fur. Also, the female grey wolves are sexually mature when they reach 2 years of age, whereas the male grey wolf matures about a year later (2).

We must also never forget the economic importance of these grey wolves! They are incredibly important in maintaining populations of their prey animals (3). Also, many people believe the wolf symbolizes the spirit of wilderness, so the grey wolves are very significant to our culture (3). 

Here is a short clip I found of some grey wolves in their natural habitat. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beyvV02cFqg&NR=1

(3)

Diet for Canis Lupus:

Grey wolves are carnivores. The diet of a grey wolf varies geographically. Grey wolves mostly hunt in packs for large prey such as moose, elk, bison, musk oxen, and reindeer. Wolves are able to control prey populations by hunting the weak, old, and immature (3). A wolf can eat up to 9 kg of meat during one meal. Wolves that are hunting alone normally hunt smaller prey such as beavers, rabbits, and other small mammals. Wolves can also eat livestock and rubbish when it is within range (1, 3).

Lifespan:

Grey wolves can live up to 13 years of age in the wild. However, the average lifespan of the grey wolf is about 5 to 6 years. As grey wolves reach adulthood, the more likely they are to meet die from gaining injuries through hunting and fighting other wolves. In captivity they may live to be 15 to 20 years of age (1, 3).

Behavior:

Grey wolves usually live in packs, and they are led by an alpha pair (5). The pack usually consists of the some of the alpha pair's offspring and some unrelated wolves. These packs range from about two to twenty members (1). The pack is highly organized and always sticks together. Also, the alpha wolf is normally female and rules over the rest of the pack (1). A pack's territory can be as large as 13,000 square km (5). It is said that howling allows the grey wolf to mark its territory. When offspring are first born, the mother stays with them for the first few weeks while the rest of the pack bring her food (5).

Sadly, grey wolves have suffered to great extents from direct human persecution, habitat disturbances and diseases which have been spread by domestic dogs (1). 

Wolves are very important in the ecosystem because they maintain natural prey populations. However, the belief that livestock was endangered by wolf populations increased and led to the severe hunting of grey wolves. The populations were nearly wiped out. Currently in the lower 48 United States, about 2,600 gray wolves exist, with nearly 2,000 in Minnesota (3). 

Some recovery plans have been formed to evaluate the populations of grey wolves. The main cause of the severe decline of grey wolves has been habitat destruction and persecution by humans. But the reintroduction of gray wolves into protected lands has greatly increased their survival rates in North America (3). Populations in Alaska and Canada have remained steady and are fairly numerous. Currently the State of Alaska manages 6,000 to 8,000 gray wolves and Canada's populations are estimated at about 50,000 (3).

In the state of Michigan, the people have dedicated themselves to protecting the grey wolf. There was an annual "Michigan Wolf Awareness Week" for the month of October which began in 1992. There is a "Michigan Gray Wolf Recovery and Management Plan" which was signed on December 15, 1997 (4).

Michigan Gray Wolf Population, 1989-2004

 

    (4)

Habitat:

Grey wolves are very adaptable to different terrain. They  can live in: tundra, steppe, open woodland and forest (1).

Geographic Range:

The original range of the grey wolf was located in most of the Northern hemisphere. However, due to various inhibiting factors to the growth of the grey wolf population, they are now found in only some areas of the United States, Alaska, Canada, Mexico, and Eurasia (3).

"Few animals have ever haunted our dreams or fired our imaginations more than the wolf. Unfortunately, by the early part of this century, man had almost exterminated the wolf from the lower 48 states. The recovery of the wolf is becoming an impressive conservation success story and a gift to future generations" (Bruce Babbitt, Secretary of the Interior). (3)



Welcome! I hope you find this blog interesting as it will enrich your minds with interesting facts about the grey wolf.


Body length: 100-160cm (1)
Tail length: 30-50cm (1)
Standing height: 50-100cm (1)
Weight: 15-80kg. (1)
Fur color: primarily grey or brown, but can range in color from white to black.
The color of the belly and throat are lighter, and the legs, snout and ears range from light brown to cinnamon.
Also, the male is usually 20 per cent bigger than the female. (1).

Their feet are generally 3 1/2 inches wide and 4 1/2 inches long (4).







(Reference 2)

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Class Mammalia
Order Carnivora
Suborder Caniformia
Family Canidae
Species Canis lupus (3, 6)