The Wolf reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004
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Wolf

Gray Wolf
Status Secure
Gray Wolf
Scientific classification
Domain:Eukaryota
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Mammalia
Order:Carnivora
Family:Canidae
Genus:Canis
Species:lupus
Binomial name
Canis lupus
Linnaeus, 1758
Distribution:Europe, North America,Asia andMiddle East
Habitat:Forests, Tundra, Desert, Plains and Mountains
Size:100-150 cm long with a tail of 30-50 cm.
60-80 cm tall. 12-80 kg weight, males larger than females.
Colour:Grey to greybrown, but can vary from white
through reddish to brown and black.
Size:100-150 cm long with a tail of 30-50 cm.
60-80 cm tall. 12-80 kg weight, males larger than females.
Lifespan:8-16 years, up to 20 in captivity

The Wolf or Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) is a mammal of the Canidae family and the ancestor of the domestic dog.

Wolves once had an almost worldwide distribution. In the northern hemisphere, human encroachment on their habitat and persecution of the animals themselves have drastically reduced their range. The wolf is today frequently in the line of fire in conflicts between many different interests: Tourism/Industry, City/Country as well as Conservation/Exploitation.

As the wolf is a top predator the state of the wolf can frequently be seen as a state of the land where it lives.

Table of contents
1 Social structure
2 Hunting
3 Communication
4 Reproduction
5 Mortality
6 Taxonomy
7 Human Attitudes towards Wolves
8 Wolf hunting
9 Subspecies of the wolf
10 See also

Social structure

Wolves function as social predators and hunt in packs organised according to a strict social hierarchy and led by an alpha male and alpha female. This social structure allows the wolf to take prey many times it's size. The size of the pack changes during the year and is controlled by factors such as mortality and food supply. Generally it's between 2 and 12, even if packs with more than 30 has been recorded. The hierarchy of the pack is strict, with the alpha on top and the omega at the bottom. The hierarchy controls all activity in the pack, from which wolf eats first to who is allowed to breed (generally only the alpha pair). Between the extremes of the alpha and the omega there is generally a beta pair, contesters for the alpha position that will take it if any of the alpha wolves are killed. Also, depending on the season there might be a number of pups and yearlings.

New packs are formed when a wolf leaves it's birth pack and claims a territory. Wolves searching for other wolves to form packs with or suitable territories can travel very long distances. Packs frequently break apart when the alpha pair is killed.

Hunting

The wolf is somewhat opportunistic and will eat what it comes across as long as it is reasonably fresh. Packs of wolves hunt any large herbivore in their range, while lone wolves are more prone to take eat anything the come across, including rodents. The hunting methods ranges from surprise attacks on smaller animals such as rabbits and rodents to long lasting chases. Wolves can chase large prey for several hours before giving up, but the success rate is rather low.

Livestock predation

As long as there is enough prey animals wolves seems to avoid taking livestock. However some problem animals can specialize in hunting livestock which is the source of many conflicts. Sheep is frequently most vulnerable, while horses and cattle are at less a risk. Wolf secure fences and killing of problem animals are today the only effective methods to stop predation on livestock.

Communication

Wolves communicate with a wide range of sounds, from yips and growls to howls. Howls are frequently used to summon the pack to a location, announce their presence to other packs or simply to reinforce the bounds in the pack. Wolves howl more frequently when they have something to protect, such as a freshly killed prey or a border of their territory, and less frequently when avoiding conflicts with other packs.

Reproduction

Normally, only the alpha pair of the pack breed. This kind of organisation also occurs in other pack-hunting canids, such as the Dhole and the African Hunting Dog. Mating usually occurs in February to May and wolves, unlike dogs, only mate once a year. The gestation period is 61-63 days and the pups are born completely dependent on their mother. The wolf is sexually mature at two years age.

Mortality

The oldest recorded free wolf was 16 years old. There has been reports of captive wolves reaching 20 years (not much unlike dogs). However the mean age of wolves is rather low. The mortality among pups is high, few survive the first winter. The most important mortality factors for grown wolves are hunting/poaching, car accidents, conflicts with other wolves and wounds from hunting. All diseases that affect dogs also affect wolves, including mange and rabies, and can from time to time wipe out the wolf population in an area. Wolves adjust rather well to fluctuations in prey populations, so mass starvation is unusual.

Wolves can sustain their population under a heavy pressure, as long as the alpha pairs are not killed.

Taxonomy

Relation to the domestic dog

Much debate has occurred over the relationship between the wolf and the domestic dog. Most authorities see the wolf as the dog's direct ancestor, but others have postulated descent from the Golden Jackal. Because the canids have evolved recently and different canids interbreed fairly readily, untangling the true relationships has presented difficulties. However, molecular systematics now indicate very strongly that domestic dogs and wolves are more closely related than either is to any other canid, and the domestic dog is now normally classified as a subspecies of the wolf, Canis lupus familiaris.

Classification of the grey wolf

The classification of wolves and closely allied creatures offers many challenges. Although taxonomists have proposed many species over the years, most types clearly do not comprise true species. Indeed, only a single wolf species may exist. Scientists have proposed a host of subspecies. Many of these seem unlikely to stand. Further taxonomic clarification may well take decades.

Human Attitudes towards Wolves

The relationship between people and wolves has had a long and troubled history. Historically, humans have often viewed wolves as a danger or as nuisance to be destroyed. An opposing view suggests that wolves form a valuable part of the ecosystem and require protection. Often these views occur simultaneously and cause conflicts among differing groups of people, as one sees when a wildlife service or organization attempts to preserve vanishing wolves or to reintroduce wolves to a habitat.

Changing attitudes

In the late 20th century an increased awareness of the beneficial nature of wolves arose, encouraged by books like Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat and nature documentaries as well as by classification of the species as endangered. Accordingly, while the stereotype of wolves still has influence, a significant portion of the public has gained a positive opinion of wolves as interesting, valuable and even noble animals. Thus parks with a visible wolf population have often become popular tourist attractions. For instance, visitors to Yellowstone National Park can often see wolves from the roads.

Such organizations as the International Wolf Center attempt to educate people about the true nature of wolves, such action being helpful to the reintroduction process, especially in places such as Yellowstone National Park.

In other parks, tourists often participate in wolf howls, trying to make wolf-like howls in hopes that the resident wolves will answer. In fact, some nature-lovers have complained that this popularity has drawbacks since tourists sometimes intrude into wolf habitats and disturb them.

The large amount of research done on the wolf in the past half century has also helped to educate people and make them realize how sociologically similar humans are to wolves, and how we really have nothing to fear from these shy, majestic animals. Biologists such as L David Mech and Luigi Boitani have been major leaders in wolf research.

Reintroduction

In the United States wolves are making a comeback; not only are they slowly but surely coming back autonomously from the north, they are also being successfully reintroduced like in Wyoming. It is curious to note that farmers prefer reintroduction as this often allows for culling when livestock are imperiled while truly wild animals are protected by law.

Where wolves are reintroduced after a long absence, it has a marked influence on the coyote population. As they started to fill in the niche of the top predator, they started to grow bigger. With the return of the wolf these bigger coyotes are hunted down by wolves and go back to their previous niche.

In Sweden there is a long and ongoing conflict where some groups claim that the wolf has no place in the nature and that it has been secretly introduced by the government with some kind of secret agenda.

Wolves in folklore

Wolves in human folklore have the dominant image of a predator; however, interesting exceptions occur. In films and television shows, while the image of wolves as dangerous predators commonly persists, numerous productions portray wolves as heroic characters. In literature, Rudyard Kipling and Jack London depicted sympathetic wolf characters.

Mostly notable is the change with the fantasy literature where the wolf often has an important part as ally and supporter of the good side. This is very much unlike the traditional western folklore. It should also be noted that in many primal cultures the wolf has an important place. This is a rather recent thing, for example Tolkien clearly places the wolf on the evil side, as orcs ride on wolves into battle.

The werewolf, a creature sharing features of both man and animal is a creation of western culture.

Wolf hunting

Wolves are hunted for the pelt and to control the numbers. Previously anything was used to kill wolves, including large amount of poisons. Some of the more diabolic creations of mankind have been used to kill wolves during the extermination campaigns in Europe and America. Today most of the hunting is done on the ground or from helicopters, either with shotguns or rifles. Hunting from airplanes or helicopters is usually only legal for state officials. Wolves are considered hard to hunt, and can go far after being shot.

Trapping

Wolves are frequently trapped, in the areas where it is legal, using snares or leg hold traps. The economic value of wolf pelts is limited, so it is mainly a recreation activity. Wolf trapping has come under heavy fire from animal rights groups and is used to attack other form of trapping and hunting. Trapping, using the right tools and equipment, can probably be considered as humane as hunting. However, unskilled trappers can create a lot of pointless suffering.

Farming

Wolves are farmed in a few locations. They are rather problematic animals to farm, and combined with the low value of the pelt it has driven most of the farms to change to other animals, such as fox.



Subspecies of the wolf




a Mexican wolf

  

a wolf running in snow

  

Gray wolf



See also