I need information for a wolf project. Everything from behavior to pregnancy length.?

Question

I have a five page report so I need A LOT of information.

Answer 1

There are three species of wolf in the world - the grey wolf (Canis lupus), which is found across North America and Eurasia and is the species most people think of when they hear the word 'wolf', the red wolf (Canis rufus), found in the south-eastern US, and the Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis), found only in Ethiopia (this animal was formerly known as the Simien jackal, but recent genetic studies show it is more closely related to wolves than to jackals). The maned wolf (Chrysocyon bracyurus) of South America is inappropriately named - it is not a wolf, and is only distantly related to other canids.

I assume your project is on the grey wolf. There are numerous subspecies of this species, including the European wolf (C.l. lupus), the Alaskan wolf (C.l. pambasileus), the arctic wolf (C.l. arctos), the Canadian wolf (C.l. occidentalis), the Mexican wolf (C.l. baileyi), and the Arabian wolf (C.l. arabs). Before they were exterminated across much of their range by human beings, they were the most widely-spread of all mammals except man. Despite the fear and hatred they seem to attract from humans, there is no record of a healthy wolf ever attacking a human - all reports of 'wolf attacks', when investigated, have proved to be attacks by feral dogs, wolf-dog hybrids, or rabid wolves. The grey wolf is also the ancestor of man's best friend, the domestic dog, and the two species remain so closely related that they can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.

Though most wolves are grey, they may also be black, white, brown or any combination of these, except for the arctic subspecies, in which all individuals are white, the better to blend in to their snowy environment. Wolves' eyes may be brown, orange, yellow or pale green - despite numerous toys and paintings depicting them with blue eyes, wolves never have blue eyes. Males are larger than females - the largest wolf on record was an Alaskan male weighing 175 pounds. Wolves in the north of their range tend to be larger than those in the south.

Wolves are intensely social animals. They live in family groups called packs, which usually have less than 10 members, though up to 30 have been recorded. The pack is led by a dominant pair called the alpha male and female - they mate for life and are the pack's only breeding pair. The rest of the pack is made up of their siblings and/or offspring. Below the alpha pair is a second-in-command called a beta wolf. Then come mid-ranked individuals, and at the bottom of the heap is the omega wolf, the lowest-ranked pack member. All members of the pack help to hunt, defend the territory and raise the alpha pair's young. The strict heirarchy of the pack is maintained through displays of dominance and submission, which eliminate the need for physical violence. A dominant wolf will stand tall with its head up, ears pricked and tail raised. A submissive wolf will crouch low, with head down, ears flattened and tail tucked between the hind legs. It may even roll over on its back as a gesture of complete submission. Members of the pack are very affectionate towards each other, often l*****g and nuzzling, and play together every day. Maintaining the bonds between them is essential for their survival, and they have been observed to mourn when a member of the pack dies - they cease play for around 6 weeks, and howl often as though calling to the missing member.

Most howling is done at night, but wolves will howl at any time. They do not howl at the moon, contrary to popular belief. Howling by the whole pack serves to reaffirm their bonds to each other, and announces to any neighbouring packs that they are the owners of this territory. They also howl to reassemble if they have become scattered, and are thought to howl sometimes simply because they enjoy it.

Wolves breed once a year. They mate in late winter. Like all canids, the male and female become locked together during mating in a coital tie - the base of the male's p***s, called the knot, swells inside the v****a and becomes lodged for around 30 minutes. After a gestation of around 63 days, between two and eight young (usually 3 to 6) are born in an underground den. The young are called cubs or pups. All members of the pack bring food to the mother whilst the cubs are in the den, and will regurgitate partially-digested food for them once they are able to eat solids. Some will stay with the pack all their lives, others will leave after two years to start packs of their own.

The main prey of wolves are large ungulates (hoofed mammals) - species will vary across the animal's range. For example, arctic wolves feed mainly on musk oxen, Yellowstone wolves on elk, European wolves on red deer, and Arabian wolves on blackbuck. They hunt co-operatively, running the prey down by superior stamina and felling it when it is exhausted. Some prey species, such as moose, can weigh ten times what a single wolf does - a wolf is risking its life every time it needs food. This is why teamwork is so important. They will also take smaller prey such as beaver and rabbits.

Wolves are beautiful, fascinating animals which, like all wild creatures, are a vital part of the ecosystem and are worthy of our protection. They have been demonized by stories like Little Red Riding Hood, making many people believe them to be dangerous and evil. These attitudes need changing urgently - the only way to do this is through education. Animals should be respected and admired for what they are, not hated and feared due to false beliefs.

Answer 2

Here are some sites to get you started. Also look at the other links the sites offer for more info.

You'll want a variety of sources not just websites. Go to a library (or other websites, or video store) and look for books, magazine articles, and videos. You're doing a report, you'll need to have the sources for your reference page (note that the answer above didn't give a source). You also need to do your best to make sure that the websites, or other sources, you use are reliable and that the information is accurate and up to date.

http://www.wolf.org/wolves/learn/basic/b...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf

http://www.wolfcenter.org/education/wolf...

http://www.wolfhaven.org/education.php

http://www.fws.gov/midwest/wolf/biology/...

http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/spec...

http://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/Speci...

http://www.yellowstone.net/wildlife/wolf...

http://www.yellowstone-bearman.com/wolve...

http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/up...

http://www.nps.gov/yell/naturescience/wo...

http://www.timberwolfinformation.org/

Answer 3

-Description of Wolves

The wolf is described as a predatory, carnivorous pack mammal of the family Canidae. A  member of the family of animals that includes dogs, foxes, and coyotes. Highly intelligent animals with upright ears, sharp, pointed muzzles and sharp eyes. Wolves have ruffs of long hair framing the sides of their faces similar to sideburns.

The scientists who study animals (zoology ) are called zoologists. Each animal that is studied is classified, that is, split into descriptive groups starting with main groups ( vertebrates and invertebrates ) the Families of animals are also included such as Ursidae ( the family of bears) and the families are then split into species such as Ursus americanus (American Black Bear)



-Species of Wolves

There were many different species of wolves but many have now become extinct. Some surviving species of Wolves are listed below:

Canis lupus baileyi (Mexican Wolf)

Canis lupus bernardi (Banks Islands Tundra Wolf)

Canis lupus columbianus (British Colombian Wolf)

Canis lupus crassodon ( Vancouver Island Wolf)

Canis lupus hudsonicus (Hudson Bay Wolf )

Canis lupus labradorius (Labrador Wolf)

Canis lupus lycaon (Eastern Timber Wolf)

Canis lupus manningi  (Baffin Island Tundra Wolf)

Canis lupus tundrarum (Alaska Tundra Wolf)

Canis lupus campestris (Prairie Wolf )

Canis lupus lupus (Gray Wolf)



-Facts about where Wolves live and what they eat!

Wolves are native to America, Canada, Asia, Europe and the Artic

The common habitat is the forest

Carnivorous canine mammals which predominately prey on large hoofed animals including Deer, Moose and Bison

  

-Basic Facts about Wolves

The name of a male is referred to as a dog

The name of a female is referred to as a *****

The name or offspring, or a baby wolf, is a pup

Pups are born inside a den ( a cave or hole in the ground)

The average size of a litter is four to six

The collective name for a group of Wolves is a Pack

The sound made by a wolf is referred to as a howl

-Facts about the Size of Male Wolves

Fully grown they reach the height of 27 to 31 inches to the shoulder

An average adult gray wolf weighs between 75 to 125 pounds

  





-Facts about the life, behavior and personality of Wolves

The wolf has very strong jaws

Wolves walk on just their toe tips

Can reach speeds of up to 35 mph

Highly developed sense of smell and hearing

Wolves live in family groups called packs



What does that word mean??

Some fascinating information & facts about the words that are often used to describe animals! Read the facts and information and decide how Wolves should be described!

What is a Mammal?

A Mammal is a warm blooded, vertebrate mammal. Warm blooded means that their temperature remains the same although their surroundings might change. This explains why they have a covering of hair on their skin. A mammal has milk-producing mammary glands for nourishing their young

What is a Vertebrate?

A Vertebrate is an animal that has a backbone which consists of ring-like bones, called vertebrae, that protect the soft spinal cord

What is an Invertebrate?

An Invertebrate animal does not have a backbone. They are also cold-blooded which means their body temperature changes according to the environment environment

What is a Carnivore?

A Carnivore is an animal which eats mainly meat

What is a Herbivore?

A Herbivore is an animal which eats mainly plants and grass  

What is an Omnivore?

An Omnivore is an animal which eats both meat and plants

What is an Amphibian?

An Amphibian is an animal spend part of its life under water (breathing with gills) and the remainder on land (breathing with lungs)

Some fascinating information & facts about the words that are often used to describe animals! Read the information and decide how a Wolves should be described!



Endangered Species

Wild life experts consider that Wolves are an endangered species. An “endangered” species is one that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. The Causes of a species of animal becoming endangered are due to Habitat Destruction, Introduction of Exotic Species, Disease, Pollution, and Over exploitation. Endangered Species Organizations are dedicated to saving and preserving the world's most endangered wildlife. Interesting facts about endangered Species