Permits and Paper Work on Wolf Hybrids

This want Ken Riddleberger of the State of Georgia said about permits and paper work on Wolg Hybrids.

There are strict conditions on holding ANY wild animal in Georgia. They may only be held for exhibition purposes or as part of another wild animal business.

The license is $236 annually and includes many other stipulations. These permits are not issued for pets.

Any hybrid is regulated by Georgia Law, since there is no reliable way to determine the "percentage" heritage of the animal.

If you want his e-mail addy and phone #, feel free to e-mail me for them.

He is not sure how holding Wolf Hybrids protects the wild wolf population from extinction, but that is besides the point.

In the case of wolf hybrids, they are not allowed in GA for 2 reasons: (1) There is not an approved rabies vaccine for Wolf Hybrids. In fact, there are several documented cases of where Wolf Hybrids were vaccinated and later contracted the disease. (2) Wolf Hybrids can be unpredictable and dangereous.

By GA Law, any hybrid or cross between any combination of wildlife (those wild creatures native to the state) or wild animals (wild animals are considered wild animals and may not legally held without a permit. Are people holding wolf hybrids without permits? UNDOUBTEDLY. Are they in violation of the law? DEFINITELY.

WOLVES

Information about wolves that came out in 1993.

The World Conservation's SSC (Species Survival Commission) Wolf Specialist Groupd and Canid Specialist Group recognized 34 species of canids that are wild.

The grey wolf is one of the world's largest distributed mammal. The wolf is spread throughout the Northern Hemisphere. In Canada, Alaska, and Russia, the grey wolf is one of the largest's population found in these areas.

In Canada, Alaska, and Russia, the fur of the grey wolf is hunted. Since 1981 according to the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered of Wild Fauna and Flora), 6,000-7,000 wolf skins have traded annually.

The grey wolf is threatened by loss and fragmentation, by which reduce population. The public's perception of the wolf as a dangerous animal that needs to be exterminated and the killing of wolves when blamed for livestock losses are other threats.

While the grey wolf is protected is protected in various parks throughtout Canada and the U.S., protection and varies in other countries.

The red wolf is now found ub North Carolina and in the Smokey Mountains. The grey asnd red wolves are slowly increasing and there are about 200 red wolves in captivity.

The coyote or prairie wolf (Canis latrans) is found throughout the U.S., southern Canada, and Central America. The population is large and increasing even though people hunt it for fur, sport, and to reduce loss of livestock and poultry.

The Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) lives in packs up to 13 animals in a few mountains in the Ethiopian highlands. The Ethiopian wolf is the second most endangered canid and is listed as Endangered by IUCN. Major threats of this animals are: habitat loss, disease(rabies, distemper or parvo could threaten the remaining small populations), HUNTING BY HUMANS WHO REGARD THEM AS PESTS, inbreeding, and possible cross-breeding with domestic dogs(especially in the Bale Mountains region).

In the northern part of the Ethiopian wolf range, Ethiopian wolves may be on the verge of extinction so the last viable--but fragile--Ethiopian wolf population of 200-300 ub Bale Mountain National Park needs to be monitored closely.

Magnificient mane (Chrysocyon brachyurus)

The wolf belongs to the canine family and is regarded as an ancestor of the domestic dog.

The maned wolf is from South America. It is a magnificent animal with a pointed muzzle adn very large erect ears. It drevices its name from the characteristic mane on its neck which stands erect when it scents danger.

Its body is covered with long, reddish-brown hair. Almost the entire animal is black, including mouth, the back and the tail. The tip of the tail, chin and throat are sometimes white.

The long, almost black leges are adapted to see above the long grass while running through it. Becasue its hind legs are slightly longer that its forelgs, it is agile while going uphill but clumsy when descending.

The maned wolf lives in the grassland extedning from southern Brazil to Argentina. The extrames of temperature and freauent drought here make availability of prey very unreliable.

The maned wolf prefers to live in small patches of forest interspersed with open country. In captivity, the maned wolf is know to live for about 10 years.

Flesh eating mammals(Carnivores)
Class	Mammalia(mammal)
Order	Carnivora(Flesh eating mammals)
Family	Camidae(The dog family)

The maned wolf eats small mammals such as cuis (wild guinea pigs), rabbits and young viscachas (burrowing rodents) as well as paca and aqoutis, both fast-running rodents. Insects, reptiles and birds are a regular part of its diet, but it also eats fruits, sugar cane and other plants.

Maned wolves don't hunt in packs like other wolves do. With their long legs, they are well adapted to plain land and hunting alone.

Maned wolves are shy and pertaining to night animals. The maned wolves prefer to stay alone and comte together only during the mating season. It's wary of man and does not attack unless PROVOKED.

CONSERVATION CONCERN

The wolf's biggest enemy is MAN. Wolves have been trapped, shot, poisoned because people fear that wolves presented a danger to cattle and sheep for many centuries.

The wolves were killed for their fur sometimes. The wolves have been exterminated from the continental U.S. and western Europe, although a few survive in Spain, northern Scandinavia and Italy.

Wolves seldom attack humans. Very few records of wolves doing so exist in fact. Wolves prefer NOT to attack domestic livestock as long as ther are plent of natural prey.

WWF is exploring ways to strengthen wolf populations in Europe. Helping wolves spread into suitable remote areas from areas where they already exist for example.

In the spring of 1998, the Mexican wolf is scheduled to be released into the Apache National Forest in Southeast Arizona. The Mexican wolf is the most endangered wolf race in the world. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service projects it will require 3-5 years of reintroducing captive-reared wolves before natural reporduction can sustain population growth.

The Mexican wolf will again return to their home in the mountains of southwestern U.S., but one question remains. Are the people ready?

Wolf recovery in the northern Rocky Mountains including Yellowstone National Park, Idaho and Montana is proceeding very well and ahead of schedule. In Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, the wolf population are strong and growing. The count-down to delisting is already in its third year while wolf populations in the Great Lakes are of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan are thriving.

The wolves in the Yellowstone National Park, Idaho, Montana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan will NO LONGER HAE THE FEDERAL PROTECTION if delisting occurs. Wolf management will return to the states. Wolf populations will expand in their range. In areas such as: (1) agricultural areas, and (2) increasing the potential for depredation on livestock.