Threats to Survival: People have changed their ideas and public policies about wolves many times. Earlier this century people worldwide believed wolves should be hunted and killed because wolves were killing cattle and deer. Wolf populations were the lowest in Eurasia between the 1930's and 1960's. In the 1950's wolf numbers were the lowest in North America.
Today much research is being conducted to determine the best habitat for wolves. Recently, 30 gray wolves were re-introduced to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. A thriving wolf population lives in northern Minnesota and there is an isolated population on Isle Royale National Park, Michigan. Worldwide, gray wolves are coming back due to research and public education efforts. Gray wolves now live in Rome (Italy), Spain, France, Poland, Germany, the former Soviet Union, Finland, Norway, and Sweden
Click here to watch a video of wolf pups and hear them howl!
IUCN Status: Endangered There are approximately 2,500 gray wolves in the lower 48 states and about 10,000 in Alaska
Lifespan: 7-8 years in the wild, but some have lived 10 years or moreposter yourself
Click here to read more interesting facts from the Smithonian National Zoological Park
Click here to view images of the grey wolf and learn about the Seacrest Wolf Preserve
Hunting and Diet: Wolves hunt in packs and often prey upon animals that are much larger that they are. They mostly eat hoofed mammals, like elk, deer, moose, sheep, and bison, but will eat almost anything, including birds, fish, snakes, lizards, and fruit. Wolves almost never attack people. They swallow food in large chunks, barely chewing it. Wolves can eat up to 20 pounds (9 kg) of meat at one meal. When they return from the hunt, wolves regurgitate some of the food for the hungry pups.poster yourself
Howling: Wolves howl as a signal to other wolves, telling of the beginning and ending of a hunt, of a wolf separated from its pack, as a warning to other wolf packs, and simply for the fun of it.poster yourself
The
Grey Wolf
Range:
Wolves were once common throughout all of North America but were killed in most areas of the United States by the mid 1930s. Today their range has been reduced to Canada and the following portions of the United States: Alaska, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Mexican wolves are found in New Mexico and Arizona.
Thanks to the reintroduction of wolves in 1995, Yellowstone National Park is one of the most favored places to see and hear wolves in the world
YouTube
Keeping Wolves Out of Harm's Way
Tags: wolf, wolves, wildlife, ranchers, livestock, sheep, northern rockies, biologists, conservation, range, greater yellowstone, idaho
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