Facts to Illumine the Mysterious Gray Wolf
January 15th 1997, Wolf Facts, Canis lupus (Gray wolf) The speciman in the picture is a good example of an Ontariowolf subspecies. ~~~~~~~~~ Make a cup of coffee or tea, sit down and lets me and you learn about a noble creature..."The Sentenal of the Woods" The Gray Wolf. I also propose that a subspecies be created, ie The Ontario Wolf with a range to cover the Great lakes region from Michigan, Minesota heading east to Sanborn New York. As I really believe that Pelage or fur and size is more robust in the Ontario wolf than your dry areas where the timber wolf has habitat. And perhaps give subspecies recognition to those wolves native to Alaska. ~~~~~~~~~ The Gray wolf has the widest original range and is the largest and the most highly social of all the wild dogs. The Gray wolf has high intelligence, and an intricate social structure. In America, around the north western US, Canadian border, the average weight is between 90 and 135 lbs. The highest record weight for this species is 197 lbs. This was a male killed in the foothills of Mt. Mckinley in Alaska; it is possible that this record has been broken. The wolf pelage color ranges from basic black to white and gray. The Gray wolf has been observed to run 28 mph over a distance of 200 yards. The wolf can trot 5 mph and cover a distance of 25 miles with out stopping (distances and mph can be greater). ~~~~~~~~~ Distribution ~~~~~~~~~ Before the europeans arrived on this continent wolves were practically spread all over North America. But, with their arrival, wolves lost their ground. Throughout the mid to late 1800's and even early 1900's, as the expanses of the western US were beginning to open, wolves were being shot in mass numbers. This was a big factor in why their numbers declined. About 250 years ago, enormous prairie wolves in large packs or numbers, estimated at about 100, used to follow the great bison and elk herds of that era. ~~~~~~~~~ Reintroductions of the Wolf ~~~~~~~~~ Today, wolf reintroductions are happening right here in our state of Idaho. In order for these reintroductions to be successful, the various agencies involved, have to work with numerous agricultural land owners and workers in the proper management of the wolves. ~~~~~~~~~ Management must also set aside appropriations for mishaps (usually low) that might happen due to territory or food requirements. Biologists can manage or accomplish this by limiting the size of the wolf packs, on acreages of habitat needed to sustain three or more wolf families that is proportional to the available food sources for that portion of land under consideration. ~~~~~~~~~ Subsequently, these wolves are a different breed from the wolves of yesteryear, due mainly to the fact that the original Idaho Gray wolf species, genetic variations, are a lot different from todays breeds (different in DNA structure). Remember, almost all the original Idaho wolves that lived in Idaho have been depleted by man, and along with it the original gene pool influenced by Idaho's environment. Not only are todays reintroduced wolves genetically different (not totally different that it would warrant another wolf species) from those of the past, but they also have to be a lot smarter too in order to survive and live in their new environments. ~~~~~~~~~ Nevertheless, the Gray wolf and our agricultural endeavors must coincide in order for the Gray wolf to successfully adapt once again to the land that once sustained it in great numbers. Perhaps once again, the Gray wolves, Canis lupus, can be the sentinels of America's great forests. I am reminded of this from a picture of a Gray wolf, standing in white snow, at the edge of a Michigan woodland, peering like a sentinel at the camera at the moment the photographer snapped the picture. The wolf is the sentinel of the American frontier, and seeing one in the wild, without spooking him, convinced me of this. - R.S. Drapo
posted by R S Drapo @ 11:16 AM
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