Wolves are endangered species. Endangered species are protected under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

People think that a wolf symbolized evil and darkness. Wolves are potrayed like this in fairy tales. In fairy tales, wolves are a sinister villain hiding in woods preying on children or defenseless animals. European immigrants brought these kinds of superstitions and fears to North America. Eskimos and Native Americans had deep respect for the wolf. The Native Americans and the Eskimos tried to excel its skill and hunting capabillities. In today's world, human beings are more educated about the wolf's role in the ecosystems.

The mystery of the wolf is its distinctive howl. To a wolf, howling is part of their communication among among other wolves. The howl may come: 1)before or after a hunt, 2)sound off an alarm, 3)to locate other members of the pack when their is a split up, and 4)some other reason that we don't seem to understand. In the evening, they howl more than in the early morning during winter breeding and pup-rearing. This may account with a mistaken association with the moon.

Wolves have its adaptations to its climate extremes. The wolf has homes in the deserts of Israel, the swamps of Florida, and the frozen Arctic of Siberia. The gray wolf range from coast to coast and from Canada to Mexico. A small population exist in Minnesota of about 1,600. In Lake Superior, there is about fewer than 20 gray wolves. There are about 40 gray wolves in Wisconsin. In Montana, there are about 50 gray wolves. There are less than 15 gray wolves in Idaho. The number is low but unknown in Washington. The gray wolf population fluctuate because of lack of food and conflict within the pack. In the Endangered Species Act, the wolf is listed as a threatened animal in Minnesota. Also, the animal is endangered in the lower 48 states. Wolves are not considered or threatened in Alaska. The reason is that the population number is betwwen 5,900-7,200.

Wolves live in a small group or packs. The packs groups consists of a set of parents(alpha pair), their offspring, and other non-breeding adults. Wolves begin mating when they are two or three years old--sometimes for life. They have a den or an existing shelter or structure, sometimes with chambers and connecting tunnels in which to rear their pups. The alpha pair has an average of six pups born in early spring. The six pups depend on their mother for milk during the first month. After that, the pups are fully grown. When they reach this age, the pups begin to hunt with the adults. After one or two years of age, a young wolf will leave his pack and try to form a pack own his own.

Wolf packs hunt in a specific territory. The territories are as large as 50 square miles or they may extend to 1,000 square miles and this land depends on the food that is available. The wolves may travel up to 30 miles a day for food. They can travel up to five miles an hour and obtain speeds up to 45 miles per hour. Over big areas, the wolves ability to hunt lies in their determination to seek out vulnerable prey. The wolf earned the hunter ability as the respect of the Eskimos and the Native Americans. The white men named it the beast of waste an desolation.

Settlers of the European race that move westward killed most of the populations of bison, deer, elk, and moose. They killed animals that were important prey for the wolf. When this happened, the wolves turned to sheep and cattle that replaced its natural prey. The ranchers had to do something about the wolves and protect their livestock. The ranchers and the government agencies began a campaign to eliminate the wolf. The ranchers left out animal carcasses salted with trychine were let out for the wolves to eat. This act indiscriminately killed eages, ravens, foxes, bears and other animals who also fed on the posioned decaying flesh. In the 19th century, the bounty programs were initiated. The programs were continued in the 1960's. The bounty programs were $20-$50 per wolf. The wolves were: 1)trapped, 2)shot form planes and snowmobiles, 3)hunted with dogs, and 4)poisonedc with more passion and zeal than any other animal in the U.S. history. Most of the wolves managed to escape for years and became folk tale until they were finally killed. The organizations like Aquila of Arizona, Custer, Old Three Toes offer higher bounties and local cheer for the people who killed them.

Minnesota has the largest wolf population in the lower 48 states. This is because part of the large amount of the wilderness remain there. There are a lot of cattle and sheep ranches in this area. A state has a prgram that provides compensation for livestock lost to wolves a federal program that provides for trapping of individual wolves guilty of robbery to protect the rancher's interest. The rancher must have verification of a wolf attack is they need to collect compensation. Herd management practices are responsible for the wolf robbery. Herd management is calving in forested or brushy areas and disposing of cattle carcasses in or near pastures. Farmers undergo severe wolf robbery. Other cases, the wolves are blames when true cause of death maybe pneumonia or consumption of poisonous plants. Losses of livestock maybe due to preying on antoher animal or animals by domestic or feral dogs, coyotes, bears, bobcats and mountain lions.

People still carry the belief that wolves attack people or threaten outdoor activities. Each year 15,000 visitors visit Isle Royale and report about a dozen wolf sightings. WOLVES AVOID HUMANS. THERE ARE NO REPORTS VERIFIED THAT WOLVES(HEALTHY) INJURING A HUMAN IN NORTH AMERICA.

Some of the many names of the gray wolf are the timber wolf, the tundra wolf, the Arctic wold, the buffalo wolf, the lobo wolf, etc. Some of these names refere to certain sub-species.

The sub-species are Canis lupus tundrarium which means Alaskan tundra wolf or the Mexican wolf, or Canis lups baibleyi.

The gray wolf is one of the largest canids in the wild. The gray wolf's territory is very large. The territory ranges from 20 square miles to 5,000 square miles (52 to 13,000 sq. km). Gray wolves mate from January to April from low altitude to higher altitude.

Also, the mating varies. The female gray wolf has two to eleven pups.

While chasing prey, wolves will chase their prey up to speeds at 10-15 mph (16-24 kph) for long periods. Weaker members of the pack will not chase prey at the normal speed.

The Gray Wolf in North America

United States

State	Current gray wolf population (in the wild)	Increasing or Not	Percentage of historical range occupied
Alaska	5,000-8,000	stable-increasing	95%
Idaho	50	increasing	15%
Michigan	80	increasing	15%
Minnesota	2,000	increasing	30%
Montana	150	increasing	20%
Washington	5	increasing	5%
Wisconsin	85	increasing	15%

Canada

Province	Current Gray Wolf Population(in the wild)	Increasing or not	Percentage of historical range occupied
Alberta	4,000	stable-decreasing	80%
British Columbia	8,000	increasing	80%
Labrador	2,000	increasing	95%
Manitoba	4,000-6,000	stable	70%
Northwest Territories	10,000	stable	95%
Ontario	9,000	stable	80%
Quebec	6,000	stable	80%
Saskatchewan	5,000	increasing	70%
Yukon	4,500	stable	80%