URGENT PLEA! HELP THE WOLVES! Recently and totally by accident I learned of the plight of the wolf in some areas of our country. It shocked me to find how close extinction of the wolf had become in areas where they once thrived. I decided to make an attempt to help the wolf in his battle to escape extinction I would like to share some of the facts that I have learned through various sources. Until 1974 the wolf in Minnesota was listed as an endangered species. For decades and up until 1965 a bounty was paid on wolves which so dramatically reduced its numbers. So much so that by 1974 the wolf was put under federal protection of the Endangered Species Act. By 1978 in Minnesota wolves were downgraded from an endangered to a threatened status. Now, after being protected for nearly 20 years, the wolf population in Minnesota has thrived and may be "delisted" in the coming years leaving its management up to the state. Though the wolf population may be more vital in some regions of the country than others, as the wolf population grows, our challenge will be in finding ways for wolves and humans to coexist. Minnesota and it's adjoining states are fortunate to have an expanding wolf population. In other parts of the country the wolf is still struggling for it's very existance! The more I learned about the wolf the more solid became my respect for this wonderful animal whom I believe is most probably the MOST misunderstood creature on this good earth!! The wolf is our Brother and he deserves and needs our help! I was born and raised in northern Wisconsin and respect for nature and all of its riches was something that was taught to us from a very young age. To this day I stop and watch with delight the simple joys of nature. The ever changing shapes of clouds and the subtle light changes as nature decides to change her mood, the straight and strong look of the Pine and Oak stretching to reach up to the God that created them, the eerie and lonely sound of the loon and the quiet sound of a fish jumping in the lake are still things that create a quiet and peace in my soul and reassure me that God indeed is here and watching over all of His creations. "Stop, look and enjoy was the theme of the lessons, but DON'T TOUCH!!" I think learning that my picking up that baby animal I just found (and they are so adorable!) could risk their very lives was one of the hardest for me. I was raised to believe an animal has just as much right to his way of life as we do ours. I was shocked to learn that the wolf who once thrived throughout this country was now an endangered animal in many areas!! Once again man can not seem to exist along WITH the other creatures that inhabit this earth. It's sad, but I feel in the 1990s the word "respect" and its meaning have been somehow lost in the shuffle of trying to get whatever WE want out of this world. I know in my heart and mind that if somehow we could get back to that simple practice of respecting the other person--or any living thing--and its right to their lives this would be a far less violent age. I am only 46 and yet the changes I see in this world from when I was young till now is not only huge but SCARY! I am not going to claim to be an authority on wolves--or anything else for that matter! As I said earlier I roamed the forests of northern WI until I was a teen. To me wolves were just something that existed and another that fell on my Grandpas list of "Don't worry- they're more afraid of you than you are of them!" (I honestly found that a little hard to believe sometimes!) The fact is that in the many years I lived up north and the many years my family had been there before me a "wolf spotting" was something regarded as wonderful and exciting. It was seldom wolves were spotted--and seemed like never during the day so kids were pretty much out of luck if hoping to spot one. As far as I remember the only wolf we found threatening was the one stalking "Little Red Ridinghood" I could not understand why these animals would be hunted to extinction. I looked for a logical explanation. So far I have found none. I would like to share with you some of the information I did find though, along with some pictures to show you what a beautiful creature this is. My hope is that with knowledge may come interest- and often with enough interest a way is found to access enough power to not only save this valuable animal from extinction--but rebuild their population in areas in which they have been totally eliminated. I believe that wolves are being driven to extinction because of a great misconception that the wolf is a vicious blood thirsty killer who thrives on the killing of livestock or man. The truth, from what I could determine is that there is not one documented case of a wolf having attacked a human being (maybe my Grandpa WAS right!) On the flip side of the coin it is estimated that man has killed over 2 MILLION wolves since coming to this country!! Wherever they do coexist with domestic animals, however, there are reports of depredation (when wolves kill domestic animals.) This is rare however because Wolves prefer natural prey such as deer and moose. The records kept show the primary cause of an increase in depredation will be a sudden decrease in vulnerable wild prey. Most often this is caused by something such as an unusually severe winter. Under normal circumstances in a state such as Minnesota or Wisconsin one wolf will eat the average of 15-18 deer annually. The fact is that the reductions in the deer herd increases habitat quality and rids the heard of genetically unfit, old, or diseased animals. This results in long term maintenance of a healthy deer herd. It must be remembered that the deer and wolf have evolved together. The wolf has played a crucial role in creating the healthy deer herd you see today. They are great hunters and because they hunt in packs are capable of bringing down large animals. Wolves can survive on 2 l/2 pounds of food per day, but require about 5 pounds daily to reproduce successfully. Primarily they feed on the white-tailed deer in the Great Lakes region and they often supplement their diet with moose, beaver, hare and other animals. Also, wolves can live in most areas and historically once occupied every habitat that had sufficient prey in North America from mid-Mexico to the polar ice pack. A male wolf most generally weighs about 130 pounds, a female usually a bit less. Their coats range in colors including white, gray, brown and black and average life span in the wild ranges from 9-ll years. It was the social structure of the wolf that was my biggest surprise!! Wolves mate for life and have a highly developed social structure. They live in packs and show a strong bond of love for eachother. They are fiercely loyal to the pack and to eachother. So much so that although non-natives who came to this continent viewed them as "savage beasts" the native people called him "brother". The Nez Perce modeled their lives and war after the Timber wolf for they respected the bravery, loyalty, love and devotion to their pack (which for humans would be comparable to a family). Within each pack there is an Alpha Male and an Alpha female. They are the leaders of the pack and are usually the only couple to reproduce. If prey is abundant, however, at times there will be more than the one litter born into the pack. Second in rank is the Beta and lowest the Omega. Wolves of the same sex will fight each other for a higher rank. This is most often the Beta challenging the Alpha. I was amazed to find that the care of the pups is a shared responsibility of not only the parents but the pack itself. For the first week the mother wolf will stay in the den with her pups to give them constant care while other members of the pack provide her with food. As the pups age and are able to eat they will bring food back for them as well. This will go on for about 2 months. The baby pups are never left alone. Each pack has a "babysitter" that will stay behind and watch over the pups leaving the rest of the pack to hunt and provide. These subordinate wolves are often young animals but occasionally are former Alphas who have lost their position but chose to remain with the pack. It is felt that the care and nurturing of these "helpers" may allow more of the pups to survive. I found a wonderful page all about the pups at at Running Deers Wolf Den. The address is http://www.runningdeer.com. This site is loaded with information and I found it fascinating. The pictures following the growth of the pups alone are well worth your trip!! I have visited so many wonderful sights and will list more below. Howling is what the wolf is famous for. They are not, as most believe, simply howling at the moon however. Howling is just one of the many ways that wolves "speak" to eachother. Wolves are highly intelligent creatures and have many forms of communications but the most used would be by "postures." For example the posture of a wolf will tell you it's social rank is, whether it's inclined to submit or be aggressive and even certain feelings. Barking is sometimes used, but it is used mainly in agression. The tail height is the main social standing marker. A tail lifted higher than the rest in both male and female tells you it is a dominant or Alpha member of the pack. Common members will have a relaxed tail. A tail between the legs is, obviously, a sign of submission, and is also used to show social rank. However be aware that a raised wagging tail is a sign of aggression. It will often be accompanied by bared teeth and/or fur raised on it's neck and back. It is said by those who truly know wolves that when you look into their eyes you'll experience an eerie sensation that you can see them thinking, calculating and planning. It can be a bit unnerving, I imagine, if you're one who believes the wolf to be a rather "dumb" creature and yourself to be so far superior. I honestly think that maybe if we would just take a few lessons from this glorious animal this world would be a far better place. Children would be protected at all costs-never abused. Family's would stand shoulder to shoulder and help eachother through the bad times--not shred into tiny fragments of family and tear at eachother and attention would be paid to communication of feelings reducing the need of actual attacks to resolve an issue. If only we could learn to respect nature and all creation and learn from them-not figure out ways to destroy them- there would be so much more peace to be found for all who walk this great earth! In conclusion: I have tried desperately to be fair to all sides I found entwined in the plight of the wolf. Even after reading documented cases of not only the death but the torture of these animals I tried to keep an open mind. As I said in the beginning I had not even known there WAS a danger to the wolves exixtance prior to this. I started my research with the court cases past and pending for "removal" of wolves from National Parks where one would think any species should be safe, and worked from there. In the end I was left shocked and horrified at what I found. It is sad but I am left with the conclusion that not only does the wolf NOT deserve this type of treatment--but I'm thinking we have labeled the wrong species as the "savage blood thirsty beast." Harsh words-yes, but heartfelt. I am listing below some of the many resouces I used to get my information along with sites that I found truly inspiring as well as informative. Please feel free to check the sites and the facts and I would be interested in your conclusions. I can honestly say that this is one time I would LOVE to be proven wrong!! Father I've walked this earth for many years. I read of torture and cry tears. Why must the human walk alone? How big has his selfimage grown? He destroys Your species one by one seems he won't stop till all are done! Our brother wolf is threatened now and many miss his mighty howl! Is there no way to stop this "man" Can he destroy the Fathers plan? Please help us now the wolf to savefor it was You that life him gave. Please help us stop this search for "beasts" and save us all---greatest to least. (c)kayc Feb.98 Over the months of collecting images for these pages I have tried to give credit to the people and places they were found. If, however, you know any of this work and should be credited or their work PLEASE Email me at kaychappy@prodigy.net Thanks!! I do love the unique and some of the below pages take a bit to load but I think you'll agree the pictures are are worth it! CLICK FOR GALLERY!! RINGS AND THINGS!! AWARDS AND GIFTS!! National Wildlife Federation North American Wolf Association International Wolf Center Wild Canid Survival & Research Defenders of Wildlife Running Deer Wolf's Den !!Be sure to go here!! Wolfhawk & Wolfhawks Lady Wolfhawks Lady investigation into one man who cried wolf! Write a letter-Save the wolves! Wisconsin Wolves Works of Ladywolf-How can we help? SEE the Wolf!! Great Pics! GraWolfes Den Greywolf's Information Page My family and myself Email: kaychappy@prodigy.net
I am not going to claim to be an authority on wolves--or anything else for that matter! As I said earlier I roamed the forests of northern WI until I was a teen. To me wolves were just something that existed and another that fell on my Grandpas list of "Don't worry- they're more afraid of you than you are of them!" (I honestly found that a little hard to believe sometimes!) The fact is that in the many years I lived up north and the many years my family had been there before me a "wolf spotting" was something regarded as wonderful and exciting. It was seldom wolves were spotted--and seemed like never during the day so kids were pretty much out of luck if hoping to spot one. As far as I remember the only wolf we found threatening was the one stalking "Little Red Ridinghood" I could not understand why these animals would be hunted to extinction. I looked for a logical explanation. So far I have found none. I would like to share with you some of the information I did find though, along with some pictures to show you what a beautiful creature this is. My hope is that with knowledge may come interest- and often with enough interest a way is found to access enough power to not only save this valuable animal from extinction--but rebuild their population in areas in which they have been totally eliminated.
I believe that wolves are being driven to extinction because of a great misconception that the wolf is a vicious blood thirsty killer who thrives on the killing of livestock or man. The truth, from what I could determine is that there is not one documented case of a wolf having attacked a human being (maybe my Grandpa WAS right!) On the flip side of the coin it is estimated that man has killed over 2 MILLION wolves since coming to this country!! Wherever they do coexist with domestic animals, however, there are reports of depredation (when wolves kill domestic animals.) This is rare however because Wolves prefer natural prey such as deer and moose. The records kept show the primary cause of an increase in depredation will be a sudden decrease in vulnerable wild prey. Most often this is caused by something such as an unusually severe winter. Under normal circumstances in a state such as Minnesota or Wisconsin one wolf will eat the average of 15-18 deer annually. The fact is that the reductions in the deer herd increases habitat quality and rids the heard of genetically unfit, old, or diseased animals. This results in long term maintenance of a healthy deer herd. It must be remembered that the deer and wolf have evolved together. The wolf has played a crucial role in creating the healthy deer herd you see today. They are great hunters and because they hunt in packs are capable of bringing down large animals. Wolves can survive on 2 l/2 pounds of food per day, but require about 5 pounds daily to reproduce successfully. Primarily they feed on the white-tailed deer in the Great Lakes region and they often supplement their diet with moose, beaver, hare and other animals. Also, wolves can live in most areas and historically once occupied every habitat that had sufficient prey in North America from mid-Mexico to the polar ice pack. A male wolf most generally weighs about 130 pounds, a female usually a bit less. Their coats range in colors including white, gray, brown and black and average life span in the wild ranges from 9-ll years.
