Megan Hoffman
The truth and importance of Gray Wolves Even under protective laws, Gray Wolves are still being killed! Although people tend to look down on wolves in general, it does not mean it's for good reason or acceptable. There is more to any creature then meets the eye, and for Wolves it is especially so. Gray Wolves are of a greater benefit then what we give them credit for and are often mistreated or otherwise viewed as something unwanted, unneeded, and ill-received. The Gray Wolf species has long been damned and slaughtered for minuscule infractions and illusions of identity despite how they are unlike their fabled counterparts, are viewed as "Spiritual brothers" by some Native Americans (Swinburne 10), and are beneficial to their …show more content…
Typically, Wolves live in packs that consist of five to nine members (Kurta 206), however, a pack can range anywhere between two and thirteen members (Michigan Gray Wolf Recovery and Management Plan 3). Wolf packs usually consist of a typical family, an alpha male and female together with their offspring and the occasional drifter. In essence, Wolves have close bonds with their pack members, much like the target desire in a human family. Because of a Wolf packs' strong bond, members cooperate in defending territory, raising young, and hunting larger prey (Kurta 206). A wolf pack is like a sports team, they work together to achieve a common goal using strategy and formation. A wolf can consume between four and thirteen pounds of food a day, but is capable of consuming up to twenty pounds of food in a single sitting (Kurta 208). An individual wolf can manage two weeks, possibly longer, without food (Swinburne 7). An emphasis is placed on teamwork within the pack when the pack has not eaten well recently, especially when the pack becomes larger. A pregnant wolf has a gestation of roughly 63 days, producing around five to seven pups upon delivery (Kurta 208). Wolves may began breeding between two and three years of age and continue to breed until ten years of age, but usually only the alpha female produces offspring (Kurta 208). In a typical pack, around five to seven pups are born a year but the …show more content…
While some let out a breath of relief over the relocation, others complained that the Wolves were too close and could navigate their way into human-inhabited areas. Yellowstone Park was not always a safe haven for the Wolves, back during 1914 up 'till 1926; nearly one hundred and forty Wolves were killed by park rangers through use of poisoned carcasses (Swinburne 11). Sadly, Wolves native to Yellowstone Park are in no better conditions or have any better protection from Hunters or Farmers then the Wolves located outside Yellowstone Park. Since Gray Wolf reintroduction to the ecosystem, there have been numerous changes. A visible increase of Cottonwood, Willow, and Grass regrowth rates has been observed in the areas near known Wolf hunting locations (Smith 119-121). An increased level of nutrients in soil has been recorded in areas where prey remains, from wolf hunts, were left to decompose (Smith 126). Discarded prey remains, from Wolf hunts, become a secondary food source for various other scavenger species (Smith 121). Secondary food sources left by Wolves are more favorable for scavengers then human-influenced food sources. Ravens and Bears are stand-outs for the long list of scavengers that take advantage of wolf-hunt leftovers. Bears take advantage of the Wolves speed to find food, especially during autumn when they need
The truth and importance of Gray Wolves Even under protective laws, Gray Wolves are still being killed! Although people tend to look down on wolves in general, it does not mean it's for good reason or acceptable. There is more to any creature then meets the eye, and for Wolves it is especially so. Gray Wolves are of a greater benefit then what we give them credit for and are often mistreated or otherwise viewed as something unwanted, unneeded, and ill-received. The Gray Wolf species has long been damned and slaughtered for minuscule infractions and illusions of identity despite how they are unlike their fabled counterparts, are viewed as "Spiritual brothers" by some Native Americans (Swinburne 10), and are beneficial to their …show more content…
Typically, Wolves live in packs that consist of five to nine members (Kurta 206), however, a pack can range anywhere between two and thirteen members (Michigan Gray Wolf Recovery and Management Plan 3). Wolf packs usually consist of a typical family, an alpha male and female together with their offspring and the occasional drifter. In essence, Wolves have close bonds with their pack members, much like the target desire in a human family. Because of a Wolf packs' strong bond, members cooperate in defending territory, raising young, and hunting larger prey (Kurta 206). A wolf pack is like a sports team, they work together to achieve a common goal using strategy and formation. A wolf can consume between four and thirteen pounds of food a day, but is capable of consuming up to twenty pounds of food in a single sitting (Kurta 208). An individual wolf can manage two weeks, possibly longer, without food (Swinburne 7). An emphasis is placed on teamwork within the pack when the pack has not eaten well recently, especially when the pack becomes larger. A pregnant wolf has a gestation of roughly 63 days, producing around five to seven pups upon delivery (Kurta 208). Wolves may began breeding between two and three years of age and continue to breed until ten years of age, but usually only the alpha female produces offspring (Kurta 208). In a typical pack, around five to seven pups are born a year but the …show more content…
While some let out a breath of relief over the relocation, others complained that the Wolves were too close and could navigate their way into human-inhabited areas. Yellowstone Park was not always a safe haven for the Wolves, back during 1914 up 'till 1926; nearly one hundred and forty Wolves were killed by park rangers through use of poisoned carcasses (Swinburne 11). Sadly, Wolves native to Yellowstone Park are in no better conditions or have any better protection from Hunters or Farmers then the Wolves located outside Yellowstone Park. Since Gray Wolf reintroduction to the ecosystem, there have been numerous changes. A visible increase of Cottonwood, Willow, and Grass regrowth rates has been observed in the areas near known Wolf hunting locations (Smith 119-121). An increased level of nutrients in soil has been recorded in areas where prey remains, from wolf hunts, were left to decompose (Smith 126). Discarded prey remains, from Wolf hunts, become a secondary food source for various other scavenger species (Smith 121). Secondary food sources left by Wolves are more favorable for scavengers then human-influenced food sources. Ravens and Bears are stand-outs for the long list of scavengers that take advantage of wolf-hunt leftovers. Bears take advantage of the Wolves speed to find food, especially during autumn when they need