misunderstood of the wild animals.
Tales of cold bloodedness abound, in spite
of their friendly, social and intelligent
traits. They are truely free spirits even
though their packs are highly
organized. They seem to go out of their
way to avoid a fight. One is rarely
necessary when a shift in posture, a growl,
or a glance gets the point across quite
readily. Traditionally, someone with Wolf
Medicine has a strong sense of self, and
communicates well through subtle changes
in voice inflection and body movements.
They often find new solutions to problems
while providing stability and support that
one normally associates with a family
structure.
DID YOU KNOW:
Wolves are shy, submissive animals. There has never
been a documented case in North America where a healthy
wolf has ever attacked a human.
Gray wolves are part of the Canidae (dog) family and
display considerable intelligence and adaptability. Like
some dogs, they are very territorial and will claim certain
den sites, travel routes and feed grounds as their own.
Adult wolves have the ability to regulate their body
temperatures and can therefore, adapt to different climates.
Very young pups, however, cannot regulate their body
temperatures and must stay close to mother for warmth.
Wolves from the Artic Tundra are usually white and have
long, thick fur to protect them from the cold. In
unusually frigid weather, they find shelter in a den or cave.
The wolve is a very social animal and depends on pack
cooperation for it's survival. All members of the pack have
a definite role, be it alpha position or subordinate. Once the
wolf pups are weaned the "aunts" and "uncles" of the pack
play an important role in their upbringing; supplying them
with food and recreation.
Wolves seldom bark, but when they do it is a quiet bark and
not continuous like some dogs. Many times a bark is
prompted when a stranger approaches or they are taken by
suprise.
The wolf's coat consists of 2 layers; a soft, dense undercoat
that is light in color, and long coarse guard hairs that shed
moisture keeping the undercoat dry. Most of the under coat
and some the guard hairs are shed in the spring and grow
back in the fall.
When wolf cubs are about 2 weeks old, their eyes open.
Their eyes are a deep blue and will began to change to brown
or yellow/amber by the time they are 8 weeks old. A pup can
eat more than 2 pounds of food daily which keeps the adult
wolves busy hunting for food.
Wolf pups are born in a den that has been selected by the
mother. If one is not available, she will dig her own. The
gestation period is usually 63 days. The babies are born deaf
and blind and remain so until their eyes and eard open, usually
about 14 days after they are born.
The Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) has a very distinct howl that can
be heard from up to 10 miles away. Howling is a form of
communication used to reunite their pack, to greet other
wolves, mark their territory or for pure enjoyment.
The wolf's mouth is its hunting tool. A wolf has 42 elongated
teeth and its jaws can crush up to 1,500 pounds. A wolf's coat
has a large range of colors from almost pure white to varying
shades of blonde, cream, gray, brown and black. The thickness
of their pelt varies according to the region they live in.
Wolves usually live in a pack from 5 to 8 members, but can be
as small as 2 or 3 or as large as 15 to 20. There is a dominant
male (leader of the pack) and a dominant female. They are the
only ones in the pack who breed, having one litter a year.
Babies are born in the spring. Litter size can range fron 1 to
14 pups with 4 to 6 being the average size.
"Lone Wolf" is a common expression, but interestingly enough,
it is not generally applicable to wolves. Extremely social, they
live in packs according to a strict social order. Surviving the
rigors of the wilderness depends entirely on cooperation - in
hunting and in caring for the young. In fact it is the young that
are the main focus of the pack.
In springtime, 5 or 6 pups are born in a den prepared by their
mother. The location is usually a cave, hollow log or burrow
in the side of a slope. For 8 weeks the den will serve as both a
nursery and a safe-haven for the pups. by the end of the first
month, the pups' natural curiosity draws them out to the
world beyond the entrance of the den. But not until they are 2
months old do they join the rest of the pack. This is when the
young develop all the important survival skills. Playing tag
and chewing may seem like puppy play, but it is preparing the young wolves for a lifetime of hunting. It is also around this
age when the pups begin using their vocal chords. First
attempts are strained and for the most part unsucessful, but
with a little practice they manage a yelp or a whine - A FAR
cry from the haunting call of an adult Timber Wolf.
Once the young wolves are strong enough, they begin to travel
with the pack and take a more active part in its survival. By
the age of 6 months they are involved in their first hunt. The
hunt is highly dangerous and the fatality rate of young and old
wolves alike is one reason why so much attention is paid to the
newborns each spring.
With the coming of winter, the Timber Wolf grows a heavier
and longer protective coat, but this alone will not ensure the
pups' survival. Hindered by their inexperience and under-
developed bodies and teeth, some of the young will not live to
see the ice melt in the springtime. Travelling in deep snow,
often in single file, alog well established travel routes in their
territory, the wolves follow many winter rituals that help them
brave the elements. breeding season also begins in the winter, usually in February or earl March, and by may, a new litter
of pups.
The Gray Wolf, as many as 750,000 once roamed North
America. Native American tribes admired the wolf for its endurance, intelligence, and skill in hunting. Wolves live in
packs of 8 to 20, and are highly intelligent and socially evolved.
By preying on weak, diseased, and injured animals, wolves
enhance the overall strength of moose, caribou, and deer
populations. Despite their important ecological role, and
posing no threat to humans, wolves have been hunted nearly
to extinction. Today in the U.S. the haunting melody of a
howling wolf pack is heard only in a handful of states.
Iwas told of this story by an old Indian
guide. It happened in the month of May,
years ago when he found a doe who didn't
survive gunshot wounds. Her fur was still
warm and he could tell she had a newborns
but there was no trace of them. Further, as
he kept walking facing the wind, looking for
the young fawns, he came upon two wolves
laying with their young but on second look,
no they weren't pups they were the baby deer
he was looking for. He admired what he saw
and did not interfere, instead, he tried to learn from it. The following day when he
returned to the site, the wolves were gone
and the deer, despite starvation, had never
been hurt. When he finished his story the
old guide added: "Contrary to men, nature
will only take what it needs, not what it
wants, up to the extreme of this
unbelieveable 'True Story'".
~ Clermont Duval ~
