Mother Wolf and pups!
Thank you Wolves Den of Maine for the following Pictures.
Mother Wolf and pups!
Thank you Wolves Den of Maine for the following Pictures.
**************************************************** "(c) Wolves Den of Maine
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Pups
Wolf pups are born 63 days after the breeding pair mates. Litters range in size from three to nine pups. Pups are born blind, deaf, and capable of only a limited amount of scooting around to stay near their mother. Pups weigh about a pound at birth. Once they hit their growth stride, pups can gain three pounds per week.
Wolf pups from about three weeks old, spend most of their time playing among themselves to establish dominance in the pack. This play often turns into fighting, which can become very rough at times. This playing and caressing with their litter mates is a bonding pattern. Once they have settled their social rank, which usually takes place within a week or two, there is very little actual fighting among them. They do however continue to play roughly but don't actually fight.
Above Pictures are from Wolves Den of Maine (c)
To use them contact Rick, for permission.
Wolves of North America
All wolves evolved from one ancient group of meat-eaters.
Creodonts were otter-like creatures and may have slept in trees.
Then the Creodonts split into two different carnivores.
One cat-like that moved to forests and jungles.
The other group became dog-like group and moved into the plains and evolved long, speedy limbs to run down prey.
In time this last group evolved into genus Canis.
The modern day wolf.
Included in the genus are the Gray wolf,Canis lupus,
the Red wolf,Canis rufus, the domestic dog,
Canis familiaris, the coyote,
Canis Latrans, several jackals and Ruppell's fox.
Now, there is a controversay,
regarding introduction of the wolf back into their native habitat.
The yellowstone wolves seem to be fairing better
than most thought they would..
Of course there has been set backs.
And the ranchers bordering yellowstone are still fighting it in the courts.
But, you know what I am glad the
Wolves are back in yellowstone and in the Northwest and Canada.
The food chain in yellowstone and
in the northwest have been so out of balance for
so many years that I think people have forgotten.
Farmers and Ranchers can tell you when they made an
effort to kill off the wolf back in the 1800's
to save their livestock, the bunny rabbits made a come back
and almost destroyed the plains and the northwest plains.
Their predatory, the wolf, was almost gone or moved north
or south into hiding.Ok enough of my soap box.
I just like Wolves.
All kinds and over the past few months
I have collected a few pictures of Wolves.
The one Wolf that is most seen in North America is the
Gray Wolf.
These Gray Wolves crossing a stream,
may look like the white artic wolves.
But, Wolves come in all colors.
As you can see here he has Black markings,
but trust me, he is a Gray Wolf from North America.
Mexican Gray Wolves range from as far west as
Arizona and northern New Mexico to east in to
Texas and back into Mexico.
Most Mexican Gray Wolves exist today in Zoo's,
all though they have been making a come back in
southwest Texas and into Mexico as of late.
The Lobo, Mexican Wolf, is the most endangered Wolf in the World.
The Mexican Wolf is the smallest Gray Wolf in America,
weighing from 50 to 90 pounds. Mexican Wolves live further
south than any other North American Gray Wolf.
Some observers believe Mexican Wolves
differ from northern wolves by virtue of shorter
and more pointed ear, shorter coats,
and a tendency toward ruddy prelage color.
Likely the Mexican Wolf descended from an
early race of North American wolves.
The DNA of the Mexican Wolf surprised some researchers.
The DNA showed that they are a subspecies of gray wolf.
Wolf pups learn at an early age to howl.
Gray Wolf Pup above going though his paces.
Links
A Special Thank-you for the Pictures of the pups.
