Mysterious Beauty

PLEASE BE PATIENT!! THIS PAGE MAY TAKE A WHILE TO LOAD. ~*~*~ "From a Wolf's Point of View" ~*~*~ I am the Wolf * I am older than the mountains I call home * I have seen them grow from small hills * Valleys form from small ravines * And rivers born of trickling streams * I have walked with the great ones of eons ago * The Great Mammoths, Saber Toothed Tigers, and others who have been lost * I have seen the beginning of mankind * I am the Wolf * I am a predator * A hunter * I hunt for food * I do not collect trophies to be mounted on the walls of my den * I do not hurt for enjoyment * But out of necessity * For survival * I hunt to feed my pups * So that they can one day walk upon Mother Earth * And become part of the Circle of Life * I am the Wolf * I have watched for years my hunting grounds diminish * Trees replaced by buildings * Game replaced by humans * I am driven higher and higher into the mountains * Yet the humans come still * I am the Wolf * I am loyal, devoted, a loving parent * Our pups are our future * Just as human children are the future of all your kind * I am protective of my pups * And take responsibility for their nurturing as seriously as any human parent * I provide food for them and a safe home * Until they are ready to walk their own paths * I am the Wolf * I do not choose to hunt in the presence of humans * But I have been given no other choice * My land has been taken from me * And someday, so shall my life * And the lives of my pack * When this happens, our future is doomed * We will go the way of the old ones * Only in memories of distant pasts will we live on * I am the Wolf * Wolves are beauty without vanity * Innocence without naivety * We are one of the Great Spirit's children and deserve to live our lives in peace * We were created for a purpose * And it was not to be hunted down and slaughtered * I am the Wolf * Tonight I will lay down with my mate and our pups and sleep * It may be the last we will share together upon Mother Earth * For every day, more of our brothers and sisters are slaughtered * And someday, we will be as well * Our songs will then be only distant memory * Fading into the past * I am the Wolf ~~ by Weeping Tree ~*~*~About the Gray Wolf~*~*~ The Gray Wolf has been one of the most hated and feared creatures in all of mankind's history . . . and the most severely persecuted. They have been hunted, shot, stabbed, poisoned, and even delibrately infected with disease . . . and all because they were misunderstood. Sadly, the horrible acts to which I refer are not things of the past that we can try to put behind us, because they are still going on today. Wolves are still hunted and killed in many countries all over the world, and it is unfortunate that some people still believe the fairy-tales that wolves are vicious, man-eating monsters. This could not be farther from the truth. Here's the REAL story: To begin with, the gray wolf evolved from a long-legged, weasel-like creature called miacis over a million years ago. Since then, it has spawned many different sub-species (such as the red wolf, the Mexican wolf, and the timber wolf), and, with the help of mankind's meddling hands, the domestic dog. Wolves and humans evolved and lived together during the same time period, and it is believed that both co-existed relatively peacefully until humans became farmers, which meant that they now saw wolves as bloodthirsty beasts they had to protect their livestock from. This is when mankind's deep fear and hatred for the wolf began, and the inevitable slaughter of millions of these magnificent creatures wasn't far behind. The sharpest decline in wolf numbers came with the great westward migration of the 1800s, when white settlers started to cut down forests to build farms and roads, and also hunted to extinction the wolf's main source of prey: the bison. Of course, the bounty that was placed on them in 1865 didn't exactly help their situation either. The only good thing is that the gray wolf has been saved from total extinction (at least temporarily), and there are about 100,000 of them worldwide. Sadly, some of their sub-species weren't as lucky. The Japanese Shamanu, Canis lupus hodophilax, which stood only 14in (35.6cm) at the shoulder, was hunted to extinction in 1905, and the Newfoundland white wolf, Canis lupus beothucus, was wiped out in 1911. :( The gray wolf, Canis lupus, is the largest of the wild canids (dog-like animals), capable of reaching sizes of 3ft at the shoulder and almost 6ft from nose to tail. This size is, however, quite rare and males usually don't get much bigger than 2 to 2 1/2ft at the shoulder and 5ft in length, with females a little smaller. The normal lifespan of a healthy gray wolf is 8 to 16 years, but they have been known to live for over 20 in captivity. Wolves require a huge amount of space for their territories: between 20sq miles and 5,000 (52 to 13,000sq km)!! Gray wolves, as you most probably know, live in groups called packs, and these packs vary in size from 2 to 12 individuals. A wolf pack will be dominated by the strongest and most intelligent male -- who is known as the "alpha" wolf -- and he will choose the strongest female for his mate. Wolves mate for life, and become extremely distraught when their partners die. The alpha pair of a pack are the only wolves in that pack who will produce offspring, and this is to ensure that their pups will be the strongest and the healthiest. Mating season for gray wolves is between January and April, and the gestation period is about 63 days. The usual litter size can be anywhere from 2 to 8 pups and they are born in a den . . . normally a cave or a hole that was previously used by another animal . . . and almost always near a source of water. The pups are blind and deaf when born and weigh only a pound (450g). Their eyes open by the time they are 2 weeks old, they can walk and explore at around 3 weeks, and are usually completely weaned at the age of 7 weeks. The entire pack assists with the upbringing of the pups: playing with them and feeding them when their mother is off hunting. By the time the pups are 1 year old, they are fully mature and normally leave the pack they were raised in to find a mate and form their own pack. Wolves are active during both the day and the night, but when winter comes and the temperatures drop, they are more active during the day. In the summer, the pack goes off to hunt almost every evening, and returns to their den site the next morning . . . but during the winter no den will be used, and so they don't stay in any particular location. The size and number of the local prey will determine the size of a wolf pack. For example, if their usual prey are moose or caribou, the pack will be larger so the wolves have a greater chance of bringing down prey. In an area where the largest type of prey are rabbits or deer, the number of wolves in a pack will be less. A wolf's usual menu includes deer, caribou, moose, rabbits, mice, and even fish or berries. A wolf's method of hunting involves chasing prey for long periods of time at speeds of 10-15 mph. This separates out the weaker animals in a herd. The wolves will then move in on the straggling animal and grab it by the nose or throat. Contrary to popular belief . . . wolves DO NOT hamstring their prey!!!!! In a wolf pack, there are 2 separate hierarchies: one for the males and one for the females. All of them are usually very friendly and caring towards one another, and although the fights that do occur may look violent, they rarely result in anything more than minor injuries. Wolves communicate with each other mainly through a combination of sounds and body language. However, the gray wolf is best known for its eerie, haunting howl. A wolf's howl strikes fear in some hearts (only those who are ignorant of its meaning, of course) and awe and respect in others. It is considered the ultimate sound of freedom and wilderness, and also one of the loneliest and saddest sounds Nature can utter. But whatever humans think of the howl, wolves do it for a number of different reasons . . . and none are meant to be evil or threatening. Wolves howl to: 1)call the pack together, 2)let other wolves know of their presence, 3)signal the start of a hunt, or 4)just because they enjoy it!!! A pack howl usually begins with just one wolf, the others joining in a few seconds later. Each wolf holds a different note, probably to indicate to other wolves how many individuals there are in the pack. The howl is not the only sound a wolf makes, however, and some of the others it uses to communicate are the whimper, the growl, and the bark. The whimper is a sound made in greeting or submission, growling (of course) is a sound of threat or aggression, and the bark is used as an alarm or as a warning to intruders. Earlier I mentioned body language, and this is a very important part of how wolves communicate with each other. If a wolf is crouched low to the ground with its ears back and tail low, this means the wolf is submitting to the dominance of another wolf and is apoligizing for any mis-behavior. If a wolf is standing tall with its ears and tail erect, this wolf is dominating another wolf and is telling them he/she is of a higher rank. If a wolf's tail is wagging and they are crouched on the ground and bouncing from side to side, this means the wolf is friendly and wants to play. ~*~ Source: Patrick Hook. "Wolves". Gramercy Books. 1998 ~*~*~In the Company of Wolves~*~*~ When the moon crests the hills * giving each tree a black pool shadow * the wolves wade in the forest * wet themselves in the darkness * shake it from their fur * in clearings of light * their eyes are stars * their teeth comets * their tails galaxies * they are constellations of the night * they roam the universe * they run as Diana's companions * laugh as her silver arrows and their iron teeth harvest the hunt's bounty * they hide in her moon * cloud around her with breath * they are brave of soul * clear of eye and mind * they are strong of jaw * they are loyal-kind * they are keen to scent * quick to defend their kin * they are hot of blood * they are slow to sin * gray * brown * white * black * blonde * ear * tail * paw * claw * tongue * they play as a pack and they melt together so that one is part of all and all become one * they prance through the forest * they track through the sky * they are noble in friendship and single in thought * I join them in flight * I run in the company of wolves ~~~ by D.J. Sylvis aka WolfBard WOLF FACT: Gray wolves aren't always gray. They can be black, white, silver, or brown. Their coats have two layers: the thin, coarse guardhairs that repel water and protect the skin from scratches, and the thick, dense undercoat that keeps them warm during the winter. "To look in their eyes, forever imprints your heart * to hear their howls, forever marks your soul * to connect with them, forever bonds your spirit" ~~~ unknown WOLF FACT: There has never been a documented incident of a healthy wolf attacking a person in the United States. Wolves are actually extremely shy and elusive. They are usually more afraid of humans than humans are of them. The only reasons wolves will approach human dwellings to prey on livestock is either that they are forced to because there is a scarcity of their normal prey or they are very old and sick and cannot catch their normal prey. "The wolf is a symbol, a brother, a friend * it's time now for action before his existence comes to end" ~~~ from "Silent Paws" by Gerri K. McCann WOLF FACT: Wolves can reach speeds of 50 mph when running flat out!! ~*~*~The Cry~*~*~ He stands alone at the top of the hill * and sings his mournful cry * his mate and cubs are missing * he's still not certain why * he had been out hunting * was gone for only a day * and hurried back with empty jaws * so scarce now was their prey * he was n't gone long * eager to get home * but the den was cold and empty * he sensed something was wrong * the smell of man was everywhere * with footprints in the dirt * and blood shed from his family * he knew they had been hurt * he sat and waited day by day * with hopes they would return * there wasn't much that he could do * except quietly sit and yearn * why would man come all this way * to hunt and shoot them down * to interrupt their quiet lives * when no harm had been done? * their territory was plainly marked * and not once did they stray * for they would rather starve to death * than get in man's way * the smell of chickens, cows, and sheep * was so tempting at times * but instinct warned them not to hunt them * or they would lose their lives * and so they lived a quiet life * existing on small game * taking care it was only wildlife * and nothing man had tamed * so he could find no reason * for the blood shed on that day * so peacefully they had lived here * so far out of man's way * maybe they'd be coming back * his cubs and his mate * wolves are mated once for life * so he would sit and wait * that was many moons ago * and they have not come back * but he will not stop hoping for the reunion of his pack * he now knows men are murderers * but still does not know why * and every night he climbs his hill * and sings his mournful cry ~~~ by Karen Evans WOLF FACT: It has been proven that gray wolves have larger brains than any of the domestic dogs. They are quite intelligent. Their sense of smell is over 100 times better than ours, their vision is about the same as ours except they have better night vision and much better sense of movement, and they can hear very high-pitched noises that we wouldn't even be aware of. All of these qualities makes them supurb hunters. "We must strive to understand that every living creature has its purpose and value, and we must learn to recognize the balance and beauty of Nature." ~~~ by Maureen Greely WOLF FACT: Wolves are a very important part of any ecosystem . . . they only prey on the weak and sick, which keeps any population of prey animals healthy and strong. They also control the population of prey animals like deer and rabbits much better than bears, mountain lions, or coyotes. When wolves are completely removed from an area, bears and coyotes (which are mainly scavengers when it comes to meat) and mountain lions (which don't have to hunt as often as wolves) will not be enough to control the population. "We will be known by the tracks we leave behind" ~~~ Dakota Proverb ~*~*~ I INTEND NO THREAT TO COPYRIGHTS. If any of the pictures here belong to you and I have not given you proper credit, simply e-mail me and I will do so. Or if you do not want it displayed here at all, please e-mail me and I will remove it. Thanks!! Also, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to e-mail me or sign my guestbook . . . I'm always looking for ways to improve my page!! :) ;)
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The above banners are Click on Lady in Black's link at the bottom of the page if you would like to The Wolf is my Companion and Sister * we walk together on our journey * The Wolf is my Guide * she shows me the paths I must walk * The Wolf is my Guardian * she protects me from harm * The Wolf is my Teacher * she shares the wisdom of the ages * The Wolf is my Comfort and Warmth * I find shelter in her shadow * The Wolf is my Spirit * she has touched my soul ~~~ Thank You to the site Cherokee Warriors for this beautiful poem!! ~*~ Original picture drawn by A. Didelot

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Powered by RingSurf! I hope you enjoyed visiting my page, but, even more importantly, I hope you learned something new about the gray wolf to make you see this beautiful wild creature in a new light. Wolves are NOT the vicious beasts we ignorant humans have made them out to be over the years. They are strong, swift, intelligent, caring, gentle, and loyal. But we destroyed them because we didn't understand them, and humans have a tendency to fear anything we don't understand. If we strive to know the truths about our fellow creatures instead of memorizing the stories and myths, we will be able to live amongst them in peace. Remember: humans are not the masters of this planet, we are animals just like them . . . we do not own this planet, we are sharing it!! Anyway, thanks so much for visiting my page!! If you like, you can take the plaque below that I made. It's my personal gift to you for visiting!! (I would greatly appreciate it if you provided a link to my page along with the gift!! Thankx!!)