So, if you watched even a little bit of the documentary, you'll know that the Gray Wolf has been pursued by many. As people settled more and more in the U.S, for example, wolves were seen as a threat to livestock. So farmers saw it fit to exterminate any that happened to cross into their territory. Also prized as a big game animal, wolves turned into the hunted instead of the hunter. This led to wolves nearly being wiped out in the U.S. Another problem, as with a lot of species, is habitat destruction. Even though wolves can be found in many types of habitat, all liveable places that wolves may roam is being replaced with housing estates, roads, etc.
Only in recent years are Gray Wolves being protected. After the disaster in Yellowstone National Park, where the elk population exploded, nearly wiping out the aspen and willow trees native to the area, and the coyote population nearly took out all the small animals because they couldn't attack the elk, people realised that the eco-system relied hugely on the wolf. When they brought back the wolves to the park, it was soon realised that the wolves thinned out the herds of elk to manageable sizes which allowed the native species of aspen and willow trees to grow back. They also allowed the coyotes to feed on whatever scraps were left after a feed so the small creatures, like beavers and raccoons, were allowed to make a comeback. It was discovered that the wolves actually targeted weak/sick elk in the herd, which kept the herds strong and healthy.
So now the tables are starting to turn for our wolfie friends. I just hope they turn in time before it's too late and we lose yet another beautiful creature of this earth.
Sources: http://www.defenders.org/gray-wolf/fact-vs-fiction
http://www.macalester.edu/~montgomery/GrayWolf.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray_wolf
Friday 8 April 2016
Gray Wolf Documentary
This documentary has a few points which I didn't cover in previous published posts. As you listen, the documentary talks about the conversation status of Gray Wolves worldwide. The narrator says how wolves have a very bright future in terms of the global repopulation again. It also talks a little about how wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park in 1995. Another point this documentary covers is who are tracking the wolves. Unfortunately hunters are still after them but now biologists and even a few scientists track these creatures to learn more from them.
Warning: there could be some scenes that people may consider graphic. Hopefully I'm just over-reacting!
Warning: there could be some scenes that people may consider graphic. Hopefully I'm just over-reacting!
General Facts
So I kind of forgot to give facts about these beautiful creatures. So this post should really come before my last one but anyway.
The gray wolf, (Canis lupus) is the largest of its species. It is also known as the timber wolf, or western wolf. They range in colour from a brownish gray to all black or all white but gray is predominately the main colour. Adult males weigh on average 95 - 100lbs while adult females average at about 80 - 85lbs. With males being generally taller and heavier than females, average height to the shoulder is 60 - 90 cm and 1.5 m from nose to tail. Although worldwide this average can vary greatly, with wolves in Alaska and Canada sometimes weighing 3 - 6 times more than their Middle Eastern and South Asian cousins. Their fur colour varies worldwide too. Gray fur tends to dominate though, hence the name: the Gray Wolf. Some wolves are white with gray, brown, black, cream-colour, tawny highlights, while others can be completely black or white (generally found in artic weather.)
Before habitat destruction and killing of wolves took place, Gray Wolves used to inhabit most of the Northern hemisphere. They could be found in the Arctic, down towards South America and Southern Asia. Now this species is found mainly in the United States, Alaska, Canada, Mexico and Eurasia. They are quite adaptable and can be found in most types of habitat, including savannas, taiga, tundra, plains, steppes and all forest habitats.
Lastly, I'll touch quickly on their behaviour. Wolves in general are highly sociable animals. A pack can vary from 2 wolves (a breeding pair) to 12. Some packs have been recorded to have up to 20 members. Hierarchies exist in wolf packs. They establish who is at the top and work their way down to who is at the bottom. The highest rank is the alpha male or female. They have the responsibility of hunting and tracking prey, choosing den sites and establishing territory for the pack. Next usually comes the beta, which is like second in command. If the alpha male or female is away, decision making falls to them. After beta comes all the regular pack members, called sub-ordinates. They help with hunting and guarding territory. Lastly comes the omega. They are like the joker in the pack and keep the pack happy and playful. These positions are not permanent in the pack. Contests for certain roles and ranks often take place. Generally, pup - care and defense falls to the females of the pack while the males look after foraging and food provision.
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray_wolf
http://www.macalester.edu/~montgomery/GrayWolf.html
The gray wolf, (Canis lupus) is the largest of its species. It is also known as the timber wolf, or western wolf. They range in colour from a brownish gray to all black or all white but gray is predominately the main colour. Adult males weigh on average 95 - 100lbs while adult females average at about 80 - 85lbs. With males being generally taller and heavier than females, average height to the shoulder is 60 - 90 cm and 1.5 m from nose to tail. Although worldwide this average can vary greatly, with wolves in Alaska and Canada sometimes weighing 3 - 6 times more than their Middle Eastern and South Asian cousins. Their fur colour varies worldwide too. Gray fur tends to dominate though, hence the name: the Gray Wolf. Some wolves are white with gray, brown, black, cream-colour, tawny highlights, while others can be completely black or white (generally found in artic weather.)
Before habitat destruction and killing of wolves took place, Gray Wolves used to inhabit most of the Northern hemisphere. They could be found in the Arctic, down towards South America and Southern Asia. Now this species is found mainly in the United States, Alaska, Canada, Mexico and Eurasia. They are quite adaptable and can be found in most types of habitat, including savannas, taiga, tundra, plains, steppes and all forest habitats.
Lastly, I'll touch quickly on their behaviour. Wolves in general are highly sociable animals. A pack can vary from 2 wolves (a breeding pair) to 12. Some packs have been recorded to have up to 20 members. Hierarchies exist in wolf packs. They establish who is at the top and work their way down to who is at the bottom. The highest rank is the alpha male or female. They have the responsibility of hunting and tracking prey, choosing den sites and establishing territory for the pack. Next usually comes the beta, which is like second in command. If the alpha male or female is away, decision making falls to them. After beta comes all the regular pack members, called sub-ordinates. They help with hunting and guarding territory. Lastly comes the omega. They are like the joker in the pack and keep the pack happy and playful. These positions are not permanent in the pack. Contests for certain roles and ranks often take place. Generally, pup - care and defense falls to the females of the pack while the males look after foraging and food provision.
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray_wolf
http://www.macalester.edu/~montgomery/GrayWolf.html
Thursday 10 March 2016
Facts Vs. Fiction
The noun 'wolves' is often associated with words like savagery, feral, fierce, blood-thirsty, the list is unfortunately endless. In my opinion wolves are creatures of grace and beauty. Wolves are the ancestors of Man's Best Friend: the dog. So some brave soul all those years ago decided that wolves were more than the savage beast so many people see. Unfortunately it is believed that wolves have been actively hunted as far back as 12,000 to 13,000 years ago. The myths and theories that exist around wolves have become so common that it is difficult to tell what is fact and what is fiction. As well as being a popular game prize to hunt they are also killed because they threaten livestock and other popular game, such as elk. Now this is fact, and is totally understandable in my opinion. But this does not mean we have to go wipe out the species. I can also tell you that wolves have coexisted with elk and other prized game species for centuries.
Take Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming for example. In 1926 the last wolves were killed within Yellowstone's boundaries. Soon after that coyote and elk populations took to the skies. Without the wolves regulating the herds of elk, aspen and willow, two types of tree that the elk feed on a lot, were almost wiped out. And the coyote packs didn't hunt elk, instead going for the smaller mammals. This created an unstable Eco-system. So wolves are actually a vital predator within the food-chain, thinning the herds of elk and keeping the coyote population down, thus giving a chance to the willow and aspen trees and small mammals to make a comeback. I just thought that this was something that people needed to know. More from me soon, I hope!
Sources: http://www.defenders.org/gray-wolf/fact-vs-fiction
Take Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming for example. In 1926 the last wolves were killed within Yellowstone's boundaries. Soon after that coyote and elk populations took to the skies. Without the wolves regulating the herds of elk, aspen and willow, two types of tree that the elk feed on a lot, were almost wiped out. And the coyote packs didn't hunt elk, instead going for the smaller mammals. This created an unstable Eco-system. So wolves are actually a vital predator within the food-chain, thinning the herds of elk and keeping the coyote population down, thus giving a chance to the willow and aspen trees and small mammals to make a comeback. I just thought that this was something that people needed to know. More from me soon, I hope!
Sources: http://www.defenders.org/gray-wolf/fact-vs-fiction
Monday 29 February 2016
Introduction
Hello. My Name is Olivia and I'm a transition year student. This blog will contain a varied degree of information to do with Gray Wolves from a geographical point of view. I hope. As I'm writing this post I am still unclear of exactly what I am going to talk about but hopefully as I continue I will narrow it down. For now I'm sticking with a geographically based history of the Gray Wolf.
Ever since I was little I had been interested in wolves. I guess I should mention now that if you are happy with the current situation of the Gray Wolf, even wolves in general, then I don't think this is the blog for you. But if you wish to follow both the past and present situations of the Gray Wolf I hope this blog will meet your expectations. You'll be hearing more from me very soon.
Ever since I was little I had been interested in wolves. I guess I should mention now that if you are happy with the current situation of the Gray Wolf, even wolves in general, then I don't think this is the blog for you. But if you wish to follow both the past and present situations of the Gray Wolf I hope this blog will meet your expectations. You'll be hearing more from me very soon.
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