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Rules

Ok instead of putting this on updates since I consider them rules of play. Here they are. Not exactly rules but things that must be followed. I want as close to a true wolf pack as possible.

Coloration:Although they are called gray wolves, these creatures are not always gray. coat colors can range from snowy white to inky black. If there were a "classic" gray wolf, it would probably have a grizzled gray back and head, fading to a buff or tan belly and legs. The muzzle is light underneath, and a dark stripe comes down from the forehead along the nose.

Brothers and sisters from the very same litter may be very different in color. wolves have a slight advantage during night hunts, when their darkness blends into shadows and they can be even more stealthful than their lighter packmates. Far to the north in the Arctic Circle, pure white wolves are common. In a land where the sun does not set for a month at a time, a dark coat would be a definite disadvantage. Any dark-furred wolves that lived in the area would not be very successful hunters, and so would probably not become the leader (or alpha) of a pack. Since only the alpha pair mates, the genes that cause a darker coat would eventually be bred out of the entire population. Today, almost all wolves in the Arctic Circle are white.

Every region where wolves are found has a different name for the wolf. In various parts of the country, they are called timber wolves, arctic wolves, northern, scrub, buffalo, and eastern wolves. A subspecies in the Southwest is called the Mexican wolf. Regardless of their local names -- and regardless of their color -- they are all gray wolves. The only exception in North America is an entirely different species, the red wolf. True to form, red wolves aren't always red.
Development: Wolves are social animals, and most wolves live in packs, although there are some lone wolves, too. Each wolf has an individual personality, just like people do. As they grow and mature, their personalities change, often because of the place each wolf holds within the pack. Additionally, the interactions between the wolves contributes to the development of the wolves and the pack. The hierarchy of the pack helps maintain order, discipline and unity.

One important aspect of wolf development is play. Wolves enjoy playful exchanges with each other. This video clip depicts two wolves from the same pack playing with each other. This playfulness starts early as pups and continues throughout the wolves' lives. This play helps wolves develop skills for hunting, defending and maintaining pack unity.

The pack is kept together by strong bonds of affection. Conflict within the pack is unusual and a cause for great distress among the other wolves in the pack. However, wolves are usually hostile towards wolves that do not belong to their own pack, since they are seen as a threat to the pack's unity and survival.

Sometimes, wolves seem to treat people as if they were other wolves and act submissive in the face of a person's self-confidence. Other times, they are shy and afraid of humans, since humans have caused wolves so much harm over the years. Most humans are not observant enough to keep within a wolf's social code; for this reason and more, wolves are not appropriate to keep as pets.
Pups:Wolf pups are born after a gestation period of 9 weeks. They are born in litters of between 2 and 10 pups. When first born, wolf pups can't see or hear, and they need to stay close to their mother for warmth. They only weigh about one pound. They stay in the den for the first few weeks of their lives, spending most of their time eating and sleeping.

After the first two weeks, their eyes open. After three weeks, they can hear and walk, and they start eating solid food. When the wolf pups are about a month old, they finally get to meet the rest of the pack.

Once the pups leave the den, they are looked after by the entire pack. The pups bond with the other wolves in the pack. (If a wolf is raised by people instead of wolves, it will bond to people at this point.) The older pack members help by bringing food back for the young pups and watching for preadors like eagles and hawks who might try to take the pups. After the wolf pups are nine weeks old, the pack moves from the den area to a site where the pups can safely play while the rest of the pack hunts.

Through playing, the pups practice skills that will be important later in their lives, like pouncing, fighting and chasing. They even attack the older wolves, who put up with all their energy pretty well. Playing helps the pups establish a social order among themselves.

Wolf pups do not begin to hunt until they are at least a year old. Wolves mate at the end of winter, generally between January and April, so that the wolf pups are developed enough by the arrival of the next winter to grow strong and perhaps even help with hunting. Wolves do not usually become sexually mature enough to mate until they are at least three years old.
Hunting:Wolves are carnivores, or meat eaters. They are also hunters, and eat their own kill. Their main prey are the large hooved mammals of North America. These are moose, deer, caribou, elk and sheep. In order for the wolf to catch and kill these prey, which are sometimes as much as ten times larger than it, hunting is a collaborative effort. The wolves hunt in groups, thereby increasing their strength and their ability to catch their prey. If the wolf hunted alone, it would have to depend on prey its size or smaller, which would not provide sustenance.

The Hunt The identifying, pursuing, and capture of the prey is a multi step process. It is also a process which can have several different outcomes.

The first scenario is the successful hunt. A wolf pack will pick up the scent of the prey. This is done either by following tracks on the ground, or by picking up the airborne scent. After picking up the scent, the wolves move as a unit towards their quarry. This must be done quietly, so as not to alert their prey. Once the quarry is found, the wolves will surround the animal, biting it around the backside, sides, neck and head. Once the wolves have successfully attacked, death comes very quickly.

However, in most cases, the hunt is not successful. Either the intended prey will pick up the scent of the wolves and run, or in the case of the much larger prey such as the moose, the prey will try to fight the wolves off. If the prey is fleet of foot, or if the prey fights well, the wolves will leave in search of easier game. The wolves seem to know when to give up and search for something new.

The Hunting Schedule Wolves often have to go for long periods of time without eating. They can go without food for as long as two weeks. When food is available and plentiful, the wolves will eat more to make up for the weeks without food. An adult wolf can eat as much as 20 pounds at one killing.

Another factor in the wolves hunting and eating schedule is the seasons. In the spring and summer, the wolves have an abundance of baby mammals who do not have the ability to take flight or fight to eat. In the leaner months of the fall and winter, the wolves must rely on the old and sick. These prey are easier to catch, and it also aids the natural order, since only the strong survive.

The hunt is also affected by the wolves offspring. In the spring and summer months, the wolves' actions are dictated by the litters in the pack. Hunting is usually done at night and the pups are attended to by a "pupsitter", a member of the pack assigned to keep watch over the next generation.
Body Language: Wolves rely not only on howls to communicate, but their body language as well. Wolves use their entire body to communciate--their stances, their facial expressions, their stares, and even their tails. Dominance can be shown by a wolf standing on its hind legs, while submissive wolves may roll over on their back and expose their underside to a dominant. male

One of the most telling forms of body languages that wolves utilize is the tail. The position of the tail can indicate dominance, submission, aggression, fear, and other communications.

Dominance, with the tail high and curled. A high, wagging tail can mean that the wolf is in a playful mood.

A tucked tail is generally how a wolf will display submissive behavior to a dominant wolf. Additionally, a tucked tail may also indicate fear.

A relaxed wolf will often just have it's tail hanging straight down, while a tense or aroused wolf will have a tail pointing straight out, as in the image to the right. This can indicate that a wolf senses danger or is about to attack. Wolves also use their eyes and their scent to communicate. The penetrating stare of a dominant wolf is yet another form of communication used to maintain order within the pack. Scent markings are used to mark a pack's territory and this scent communicates to other wolf packs that the territory is occupied.
Howls: One of the most beautiful and haunting forms of communication found in our world is the howl of a wolf pack. Wolves use many forms of vocalization to communicate; however, their howl is the most distinguishing. Wolves also growl, whimper, whine, bark, and squeal, with each of these carrying different meanings. The whimpering or whining heard from wolves is often a display of friendliness. Wolves use growls to threaten or inforce pack hierarchy, while barks are used to signal alarm.

The howl of a wolf provokes either pleasure or fear in humans. Howls are used by a pack to bring a pack together, for celebration, or to protect their territory. The howl represents yet another sign of pack unity and the strength of that unity. Listen to the audio clips below to hear the richness and beauty of howling wolves. The first clip shows how even pups will join in a howl--listen carefully as they join in the end of the howl!
Pecking Order: The transition from newborn to adult is as hard for wolves as it is for people. A juvenile wolf is as tall as its parents, but the body hasn't filled out yet, making the long legs look awkward and gangly. Every adult in the pack treats the juvenile like an underling -- the most junior member of a very efficient team. The only satisfaction a juvenile gets is lording it over the next litter of pups.

Each juvenile goes through a sort of "apprenticeship" as part of the hunting team. The alpha assigns the young wolf to the least important (and least dangerous) posts on a hunt, where the juvenile can watch its elders and learn from their successes and failures. It takes time to move up in the ranks.

Not every juvenile learns to hunt right away. Each wolf pack assigns a "babysitter" to the newest litter of pups. Naturally, a teenager gets the job. When the rest of the pack takes off on a hunt, the babysitter is left in charge. It isn't an easy job, as wolf pups are terribly curious about everything and do their best to get into a great deal of mischief. Typically, the juvenile is a stern caretaker -- after all, this is his or her only chance to be the top dog. But, being just one year away from the playful days of puppyhood, it isn't unusual for the "stern" babysitter to eventually join in a playful frolic with younger brothers and sisters.
Pack:Wolves are very social animals, and live in a family type unit called a pack. Packs can range anywhere from two wolves to over twenty wolves. Most packs in the continental United States have six to eight wolves, while packs in Alaska and Canada have between ten and twenty wolves.

The pack is generally made up of an adult male and female who have mated and produced offspring. Generally the pack is made up entirely from wolves who are related to each other, although a non-related wolf may become a member of a pack.

The pack follows a strict hierarchy to help maintain order within the pack. The main rankings in the hierarchy are alpha wolf, beta wolf, and omega wolf. The alpha wolf is the lead wolf and is the dominate wolf of the pack. The next in line is the beta wolf. The beta wolf often acts the caretaker of the pups, as well as the discipliner to reinforce the alpha's decisions. The omega wolf is the lowest ranking member of the pack. The omega wolf is subordinate to all other wolves in the pack and must often feed on prey when the rest of the pack is done. The rankings often go in pairs, so that there is a male and female of each rank, but this not always the case. Most often there is an alpha male and alpha female, but there may not be pairings for the rest of the rankings. The other wolves fall between the beta wolf and the omega wolf.

The alpha wolf often displays very confident characteristics. The alpha wolf has a very confident stride, generally has the tail raised, and ears forward. The video shows the alpha male of the Sawtooth Pack displaying some of these characteristics. Often even a look or glare from the alpha wolf is enough to cause another wolf in the pack to display subordinate behavior, such as tucking the tail or lower the body and crawl to the alpha wolf.

The pack is a very tightly knit, highly organized group. For survival a pack will travel, hunt, protect territory and raise pups together. Many believe that the pack is one of the tightest social organizations known to man.
SurvivelThe wolf today is an endangered species. This creature, which once roamed freely over most of the North American continent is now only found in isolated patches. The major reason for this endangerment is that wolves do not mix with humans. Like many other forms of wildlife, the wolves habitat has dwindled because of human development. When wolves cannot find their prey in the wild, they have been known to kill domesticated animals, from cattle to a family's pet. As a result, the wolf has been one of the wild enemies of mankind, to be demonized in children's fairytales.

Public sentiment is now swaying in favor of the wolves. Yet there are still many issues to consider about trying to build the wolf population back up and off the endangered list. The same public who are now wolf advocates may feel differently when a wolf makes lunch out of a treasured pet. Wolves need unsettled land to roam, breed, kill and survive. More and more humans want to live amongst the wildlife. These well-intentioned people are also posing a threat to the wolves future. A balance must be achieved so wolves can flourish with minimal harm, financial or otherwise, to the humans that share their habitat.

The key to human understanding of wolves must come through education. This education must be unbiased, so that people know that although wolves are intelligent and beautiful creatures, they are wild animals, not cute and cuddly like their domestic cousin, the dog. There are several centers opening around the country that focus on the educational aspect, so as to increase public knowledge as well as their sympathy.