Wolves of the Wild

A full moon is up. You are all alone in the wild, when suddenly a high-pitched howl pierces the silent night. You begin to slowly glance around wondering where it has come from. Then, out of nowhere, a movement catches your eye. There in front of you, standing no more then ten feet away, is a beautiful gray wolf.

Now in reality, most people by now would have ran off or would have been frozen in fear. But in the truth of it all, the wolf is no more harmful then a pet dog, even though people have been afraid of wolves for centuries. The major reasons behind this are the fairy tales that have been told from generation to generation. So I am going to help clear the wolf's name by helping you get a better understanding and perception of the wolf. I will be helping you learn more about the wolf: it's origin, some of the myths, where they range, and their characteristics.

As most of you know, the wolf is, in fact, a dog. Sylvia A. Johnson states in her book Wolf Pack, that scientist believe the wolf is a direct ancestor of todays domestic dogs. Their appearance is still found in some of the dogs of today, such as the German Shepherd, the Eskimo Sled dog, the Malamute, and the Husky. The wolf, which belongs to the family Canidae, includes all kinds of mammals such as Jackals, dogs, dingoes (a wild Austrailan dog), and foxes.

The wolf has been around for quite some time. A million years ago is when the true proto-wolf of Canis emerged. Douglas H Chadwick wrote in his book Wolf: Spirit of the Wild, that the canis had a bigger brain and a longer jaw then others in the dog family. It came to be known as the Canis Lupua, or what we know it as today, the Gray Wolf. After the Lupua fell from the evolutionary ladder from lack of knowledge and lack of adaptation skills, the Canis Lupus continued to thrive. The wolf population grew rapidly because they are a social animal. Wolves help each other out, care for the packs needs, and learned to adapt to the changes in the environment. By working together, wolves made their breed strong.

The myths and legends about wolves have been passed down through early Europeans that came to America. Years ago legends about werewolves were widespread in Europe. The Wolf Haven Organizantion, which is known throughout the world as a premier wolf facility and educational center, believed that from these legends of werewolves the false belief of wolves cam into view. When the early settlers came to America, they brought these false tales with them. Because of these myths, many people came to fear and hate wolves. From these stories came fairy tales which furthur put down the wolf. In stories such as Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Pigs are justified examples of how people believed wolves were. Through such stories, people believed a wolf would kill humans at the sight of one. The reality is wolves are shy and fearful of humans. They would automatically run at any sign something might hurt them. As long as you leave them at peace, they will leave you at peace. The only way a wolf would actually attack is if the wolf was rabid, which is very rare, or provoked into defending its pups or pack. And even if such thing were to happen, the wolf would give a warning growl to allow the intruder to slowly back away and retreat.

The wolf's area of range has changed dramatically over time. In the past the wolf was widely spread throughout Europe, Asia, and North America, which included all of Canada. But over time, the wolf slowly started to vanish in most of these areas. Rachers, Farmers, and others were killing the wolf to save their cattle and animals. After a while, even the Government put in a helping hand in as they set up traps and poisoned the wolf. Now the distrubutions of the wolf has gone down and is extinct over much of its natural range. Candace Savage states in her book Wolves, that the majority of the wolves remain only in Greece, Spain, China, some parts of Russia, most of Canada, and in the northern part of North America. Alaska still has so many wolves, that the wolves are usually caught to be transported to another location in the U.S.

Some of the characteristics of the wolf are its body shape and hunting strategies. The wolf's body shape is leaner and more streamlined then that of other dogs. In the north of its range throughout the world, the wolf is larger and has bushy, fuzzier fur and larger feet. This is to help the wolf survive through the harsh winters of the north. Wolves are motted gray, with tawny legs and flanks. However, wolves of the north are a creamy white with a light gray mane to help them blend in more with their surroundings.

Wolves show their intelligence through their hunting strategies. When wolves hunt large game, they seperate and surround their prey. They usually go for the shoulders and flanks. Others will then guard from the front and help take it down by bitting the nose or head. The main thing to be careful for when they hunt, is the hooves and antlers of the large prey. Many wolves die from getting struck at by these.

Now that you know a little more about the wolf, I hope you make a better judgement when you see one. The wolf is a very unique animal that has been judged wrongfully over the years and accused of crimes it did not commit. So next time you see a wolf, I hope you see it for what it truly is, a magnificent creature that has survived many centuries, and not what the myths have told you.

T.W.P.S

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