The Gray Wolf

“The eyes of the wolf speak the mysteries of life. We must want to listen from our hearts to hear what they want to say” (Wolf Quotes). The Gray Wolf also known as the “Canis lupus was known to be the most largest nondomestic member of the dog family” (Fritts, Steven H). “They have lived in every type of habitat except from the tropical forests and the most arid deserts” (Fritts). From the moment gray wolves are born to the moment they die, they are viewed as a danger to humans.

“Ever since the 19th and 20th century, wolves in the United States were killed by every method imaginable and by 1950 they remained only in the northeastern corner of Minnesota” (Fritts). Toward the beginning of the 21st century there are an “estimated 65,000 to 78,000
They have to do a little schooling before they can leave the spot from where they were born. “Wolf pups are born blind and deaf in an underground den after a 63 day gestation period” (Wolf Ecology and Behavior). “During the first 3 weeks, pups nurse every 4 to 6 hours and need help regulating their body temperatures, as they begin to eat more solids they are moved to one or more rendezvous site where they spend the remainder of their summer learning proper pack behavior and etiquette” (W. E and Behavior). “At 6 to 8 months, the pups begin to travel with the pack and join in hunts”, from “1 to 3 years they may choose to disperse from the pack” and will most likely “weigh around 60 to 100 lbs” (W. E and Behavior). “Fewer than half of wolf pups born in the wild survive to adulthood” (W. E and Behavior). Each individual wolf has its own distinct personality, “the ability of wolves to form strong social bonds with one another is what makes the wolf pack possible” (Fritts). Wolves communicate with one another by “visual signaling, vocalizations, and scent marking”, another communication wolves use is “howling, it helps the pack stay in contact and also seems to strengthen social bonds among pack members”