THE MAGNIFICENT WOLF
This is Amani ("to speak the truth"). He is one of the magnificent gray wolves of the Nez Perce, and lives on their tribal lands. Amani is a high ranking male and has a brother, Matsi.
The average gray wolf is about 5-6 feet from nose tip to tail tip. They are about 32 inches tall their and average weight is 80-120 pounts. The latin name is Canis lupus.
I was given a gift of the sponsorship of Amani by a very dear friend of mine recently because she knew of my interest in the wolf and wolf recovery and education programs.
My personal interest in wolves really started last year after an incredible experience I had at the Hokshichankiya Farm Community of friends in Ohio. There I met Sunke, Bakh and Tasha, all full-blood wolves. Unfortunately, these beautiful wolves will never be able to be returned to the wild. However, they were rescued from abusive situations and are now a part of the education program at the Farm, along with a herd of buffalo (which is another story for another time)! Sunke has been around domestic dogs most of her life and is very friendly. I actually got to hug this beautiful wolf! What an experience that was! Bakh is male and Sunke and Tasha are female. Bakh is Tasha's mate. Both were badly abused before being recovered by the Farm. Bakh was very protective and Tasha was very nervous and afraid. I felt very sad for them, and for those people who would take these magnificent animals from their natural environment and treat them with such disrespect. They were obviously very, very uncomfortable with people around.
Hopefully, at some point in time these wolves can at least learn that they are in a safe environment and will never again be abused, although it will take much work, especially for Tasha. Maybe what they will contribute to education of the public through these very caring people will make up for some of the pain these wolves have suffered in their lives. I had an opportunity, along with a close spiritual Relative of mine, to do some hands-on healing work with Tasha when we were at the Farm, and we continue to work with her in distant healing. If you are moved to join us in this work, your help would be most appreciated. I pray healing of the spirit will happen for Tasha and the others, in spite of the fact that they will never be able to return to their home in the wild.
I have recently discovered that right here in the town where I live there is a red wolf recovery program at our nature center. They presently have three wolves and hope to be able to reintroduce these wolves back into their natural environment. They are truly magnificent to watch. These animals are in an environment that will be conducive to reintroduction into the wild. They are never touched by humans and they are not given names and treated as pets. The alpha male and female hopefully will have pups this spring and will be reintroduced into the wild. I am happy to have this local resource for learning more about the wolf.
One reason our ancestors made up frightening stories about the wolf could be because its behavior is so similar to humans. Wolves are highly social animals that live in family units called packs. The number of animals in a pack depends on the amount of food available in their territory. Packs usually number no more than 12, and consists of a breeding pair, pups of the year, and any remaining older offspring. Like humans, some wolves stay with their families their entire lives, while others leave during adolencence in search of a mate and uninhabited territory.
Only one pair of animals in a pack mate and produce pups. They are the dominant alpha pair. Pups are usually born in late April in the Rockies. The average litter size is 5 to 6. In spring and summer all attention is focused on the pups, with the entire pack caring for and raising the pups near their den. But in the fall, when the pups are strong enough to keep up, the pack resumes its nomadic existence, roaming the territory looking for food.
Wolves communicate with each other in a variety of ways. They are best known for those melodious, eerie, spine tingling howls. Wolves howl for several reasons; to advertise their presence; to warn strange wolves away from their territory; to gather the pack; and, as a part of a bonding ceremony. Wolves do not how at the full moon. This misperception developed because wolves tend to hunt on nights when the moon is full and visibility is good. Before a hunt, pack members gather in a group to lick each other's muzzles and engage in a group howl. This ceremony unites the pack, much like a sports team letting out a collective yell before the start of a game.
Wolves have sophisticated sign language. The position of their tails, ears and lips let other wolves know whether they are submissive, want to play, or are going to attack. Wolves also communicate by scent marking. By urinating or defecating at certain sites in their territory, pack leaders define territorial borders like "No Trespassing" signs.
If wolves are to remain in the United States, people's attitudes about them must be changed. Organizations like Friends of the Forest and other recovery programs have begun efforts dedicated to changing people's attitudes about wolves, which begins with education, is the most important element toward insuring their future. We have the opportunity to save the sound of the wolf's howl in the wilderness, but we must act now! If you would like to help, contact your local nature centers or contact groups like the Friends of the Forest Sponsorship Program and make a contribution. The time to help is NOW!
"Contrary to popular myth, rabies is very
rare in the modern wolf. This was not the
case a century ago, when Indians and explorers
often reported encountering rabid wolves.
According to the Centers for Disease Control in
Atlanta, Georgia, ninety-eight percent (98%) of
rabies today in North America is found in skunks,
racoons, bats or foxes."
From The Wolf Almanac, page 36, by Robert H. Busch.
I am Wolf. My energy is eager to explore new terrain. It is gregarious, laughing and playful. When I run, my spirit is set free. When I play with my pups, my spirit laughs. Wolf energy is free and fast. It is dancing, laughing energy. It is seeking energy. We keep in touch over long distances, our connections over distance as powerful as they are at nearer quarters.
I am Wolf. Be like me. Let your spirit soar in movement, in play, in communication and in love.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Forever Free - Tribute to Wolf #10
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Thank you SpiritWalker for the beautiful backgrounds on this website!