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Post by Lefitte on Jan 11, 2012 6:38:29 GMT -5
Grey WolfInformation from Wolves of the WorldSee also: Wikipedia for more detailed information - The gray wolf (Canis lupus) also called the timber wolf, is the largest of about 41 wild species within the dog family, Canidae, of the order Carnivora. They range in size from 26" to 38" shoulder height, 39" to 80" in length (tip of nose to end of tail), and vary in weight from 57 to 130 pounds. Their coats may vary in color from grey to brown, from white to jet black. - They usually hunt at night and feed primarily on large hoofed mammals such as deer, caribou, elk, and moose, but sometimes eat berries, birds, beaver, fish, and insects. Animals that they kill are usually young, old, or otherwise weaker members of their populations because they are easiest to capture. Most pursuits of prey range in length from 110 yds. to 3.1 miles. Healthy wolves rarely, if ever, attack humans. Their range once covered most of North America. However, today only a few upper states and Canada have a wolf population large enough to maintain itself. - The gray wolf mates for life and lives in packs which can vary in size from 2 to over 15, but are usually from 4 to 7 wolves. The leader of the pack is normally the strongest male, who often determines when and where the pack will hunt, as well as other activities of the pack. Wolfpacks are formed primarily of family members and relatives. They may travel more often, and greater distances than any other terrestrial animal. Their territories may cover from 100 to 260 sq. mi, depending on the abundance of food and water. Territories may also overlap, although wolfpacks very seldom confront one another. Some wolves leave their packs to become lone wolves. Loners may start their own packs if a mate and a vacant area can be found. - Breeding season can vary from January in low latitudes to April in high latitudes. A wolfpack will alternate between a stationary phase from spring through summer and a nomadic phase in autumn and winter. The stationary phase involves caring for pups at a den or homesite. During summer, most movements are toward or away from the pups, and adults often travel and hunt alone. By autumn, pups are capable of traveling extensively with the adults, so until the next whelping season the pack usually roams as a unit throughout its territory in search of prey. Though often only the highest ranking male and female in a pack will breed, all members of the pack are involved in raising the young. Mortality factors affecting wolves include persecution by humans, killing by other wolves, diseases, parasites, starvation, and injuries by prey. Most wolves probably live less than 10 years in the wild.
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Post by Lefitte on Jan 11, 2012 6:39:02 GMT -5
Red WolfInformation from Wolves of the WorldSee also: Wikipedia- Although it has been suggested that the red wolf (Canis rufus) originated as a fertile cross between gray wolves and coyotes, the red wolf may have existed in North America before both the gray wolf and the coyote. Fossils up to 750,000 years old indicate that the red wolf may be a close relative to a primitive ancestor of the North American canids. - The red wolf is similar to but smaller than the gray wolf and is intermediate in many characteristics between gray wolves and coyotes. It often interbreeds with the coyote, and because of this, it is believed that the red wolf may eventually become extinct by hybridization, rather than by man. It ranges in size from 15" to 16" shoulder height, 55-65" in length, and can weigh anywhere from 40 to 90 pounds. Its colors range from cinnamon red to almost black, with tan markings above the eyes. It feeds mainly on birds, rabbits, and other small rodents, but will also hunt deer and other large prey if available. - The red wolf's historic range covered the southeastern portion of the United States, reaching as far west as Texas and north to Illinois. Their preferred habitat was warm, moist, and densely vegetated, although they were also present in pine forests, bottom land hardwood forests, coastal prairies, and marshes. - Destruction of forests and coastal marsh habitat, as well as widespread persecution and predator control activities, brought them close to extinction. All of this in addition to hybridization. In 1980, they were declared biologically extinct in the wild. In the wild, red wolves normally establish life-long mates, and their packs usually consist of an adult pair and the young. They reach breeding maturity in their second or third year. Breeding seasons can vary from March to May. Den sites include stream banks, enlarged burrows of other animals, hollow trees, and sandy knolls in coastal areas.
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Post by Lefitte on Jan 11, 2012 6:42:14 GMT -5
Mexican Grey WolfInformation from Wolves of the WorldSee also: Wikipedia- Until the 1900s, the Mexican gray wolf had ranged throughout Central Mexico, Arizona, New Mexico, and Western Texas. Settlers at this time began hunting the wolf's prey, forcing the wolf to turn to feeding on the settler's livestock. This in turn lead to the settlers hunting the wolf. - By the 1950s, the Mexican wolf was virtually wiped out in the United States by private trappers and government agencies. The last wild Mexican wolf known of in the United States was shot in 1970. In 1976, they were listed as endangered. Their number has since been increased through captive breeding, and they have been re-released into the wild, though they are still a very rare mammal in the wild. - When in the wild, the wolf feeds primarily on deer, antelope, rabbits and other small rodents. As the smallest subspecies of gray wolf, the Mexican gray wolf varies in size from 50 to 64 inches long (nose to tail), 24 to 32 inches shoulder height, and weighs from 50 to 90 pounds. It's coat is usually a blend of black, white, and grey. They form packs which usually consist of a breeding pair and thier offspring. Just like the Grey Wolf, all pack members help in the rearing of the pups.
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Post by Lefitte on Jan 11, 2012 6:43:08 GMT -5
Arabian WolfInformation from Wolves of the WorldSee also: Wikipedia- Standing approximately 26 inches shoulder height and weighing an average of 40 pounds, The Arabian Wolf is the smallest Wolf subspecies, yet, the largest canid in Arabia. They have short greyish-beige hair which becomes much longer and thicker in winter. Their ears are large in comparison to the rest of it's body (similar to the maned wolf). Their eyes are naturally yellow with black pupils. However, many are found with brown eyes, revealing that somewhere down the line their ancestors have interbred with feral dogs. - It is endangered in Arabia, and extinct in the United Arab Emerites. Because of a scarcity of food, they are found in packs only during mating season from October to December, or when food is plentiful. It will kill animals up to the size of a goat, but usually feeds on carrion, small birds, rodents, reptiles and insects. It also eats fruits and plants when meat is scarce. They dig burrows in the sand to protect themselves from the sun, and hunt mainly at night. - The only time that Arabian wolves are known to be territorial is when their pups are born. The litter size can be as large as 12, but is usually only 2 or 3. They are blind at birth and weaned at about eight weeks when the parents start regurgitating food for them
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Post by Lefitte on Jan 11, 2012 6:44:36 GMT -5
Arctic WolfInformation from Wolves of the WorldSee also: Wikipedia- Able to tolerate years of sub-zero temperatures, up to five months of darkness a year, and weeks without food, the arctic wolf lives in one of the few places on earth where it is safe from the greatest threat of all - man. Arctic wolves inhabit some of the most inhospitable terrain in the world. In April, the air temperature rarely rises above -22° F. The ground is permanently frozen. The arctic wolf is one of the few mammals that can tolerate these conditions. Details of the animal's life through much of the year are virtually unknown. - Wolves usually live in small packs or family groups consisting of a breeding pair, their pups, and their unmated offspring from the prior several seasons. The dominant, or breeding, pair are known as the alpha male and alpha female. They are respected by the rest of the pack. All adults in the pack cooperate in feeding and caring for the young. - Throughout the Fall and Winter, artic wolves remain on the move. After mating in March, the pregnant female leaves the pack to find a den to give birth to her pups. She may dig a new one. However, if the ground is frozen, she will be forced to return to an old den in a cave or rock cleft. The pups are born deaf, blind, and helpless. They are totally dependent on their mother, and she in turn relies on her mate to bring her the food she needs. After a month, the pups are able to eat meat. From then on, the whole pack shares the job of feeding them with regurgitatied meat from a kill. The pups may stike out on their own the following year. - The arctic wolf preys on lemmings and arctic hare, but its most substantial source of food is musk oxen and caribou. Because of the scarcity of grazing plants, animals must roam a large area in order to find enough food to survive. - They will kill virtually any animal they can catch, and eat every part of it, including skin, fur, and bones. The wolves have up to 800 square miles in which to search for their prey. When Winter temperatures plummet, the wolves may follow migrating caribou South. - The arctic wolves must hunt together in packs when seeking large prey. The caribou or musk oxen are too powerful for any one wolf to take on alone. By the time the pack approches a herd of oxen out in the open, the chance of a surprise attack is long gone; the herd has already formed a defensive circle with the calves in the center. The wolves must then prowl around the herd forcing the oxen to shift their ground to face them. If the wolves are successful, the oxen will scatter. The wolves will then give chase, trying to isolate the young or weak. A musk ox will provide enough food to last the wolves several days. - The shoulder height of the arctic wolf varies from 25 to 31 inches. On average, they are about 3 feet tall from head to toe. Their body length may vary from 3 to 5 feet (nose to tail). Their colors may range from red, gray, white and black. The approximate weight of a full grown male is 175 pounds. In captivity, an arctic wolf can live to be over 17 years. However, the average lifespan in the wild is but 7 years. - Wolves in general have been under threat throughout history. The arctic wolf is the only subspecies still found over the whole of its original range. This is largely because it rarely encounters humans.
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Post by Lefitte on Jan 11, 2012 6:45:55 GMT -5
Ethiopian WolfFrom Wolves of the WorldSee also: Wikipedia- The Ethiopian wolf is one of the rarest wolves in the world, second only to the red wolf. It inhabits only a few mountain pockets of the Ethiopian highlands. There is believed to be fewer than 450 alive in the wild. The largest concentration of Ethiopian wolves exist in the Bale Mountains National Park. The people living in the Bale Mountains own on average 2 dogs per household in order to protect their livestock. Although the wolves' habitat has constantly dwindled as a result of human encroachment, its greatest threat of extinction is a recurring epidemic of rabies which is transmitted from domestic dogs with whom the wolves compete for food. - The Ethiopian wolf has long legs and a long muzzle, resembling the coyote in both shape and size. It has a distinctive reddish coat with a white throat, chest, and underparts, broad pointed ears, and a thick bushy black tail with a white base. It ranges in size from 43 to 55 inches (tip of nose to end of tail) and weighs from 24 to 42 pounds. - By nature, the Ethiopian wolf hunts by day, but it is found to sometimes be nocturnal in areas where it is persecuted. Though they live in packs which share and defend their territories, they almost always hunt alone. Rodents make up over 90% of their diet, but they occasionally feed on small antelopes, hares, and hyraxes - Breeding season usually occurs between August and November. During breeding season and pregnancy, the female's coat turns a pale yellowish color and her tail turns brownish and loses hair. The dominant female of the pack gives birth to a litter of 2 to 7 pups between October and January. Full maturity is reached at 2 years. - The only real predators other than humans are spotted hyaenas and tawny eagles that occasionally prey on unattended pups. Life span in the wild is about 8 to 10 years.
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Post by Lefitte on Jan 11, 2012 6:52:16 GMT -5
Caspian Sea WolfInformation from Wikipedia- The Caspian Sea Wolf (Canis lupus cubanensis), also known as the Caucasian Wolf, is a critically endangered subspecies of the gray wolf, and was once found throughout the area between the Caspian and Black seas. Now an extremely rare animal, it exists only in a remote area in the extreme southeastern portion of Russia that borders the Caspian Sea. Egyptian WolfInformation from Wikipedia- The Egyptian Wolf (Canis lupus lupaster) is a critically endangered subspecies of wolf found in northern Egypt and northeastern Libya. This subspecies has been mistaken for the Golden Jackal. They were once flourishing throughout Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula, but hunting has drastically reduced their numbers. - There are currently no protection laws regarding this animal in Egypt, and the last estimate was that there remain only 30-50 Egyptian Wolves still in existence.
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Post by Lefitte on Jan 11, 2012 6:57:57 GMT -5
European WolvesInformation from Wolves of the World- European wolves, like most all others, live and hunt in packs which are extended families of an alpha (the dominant male), his mate, and their offspring. They usually stay within a home range, but may wander far outside their territory to hunt. They hunt and kill game up to 10 times heavier than their own weight. Wild reindeer, elk, and red deer are their favorite prey. European wolves will also eat much smaller animals such as mice and frogs. Because of the decline in the number of wild game, they have begun to prey on domestic horses, cattle, and dogs. Starving wolves will even eat potatoes, fruits, buds, and lichen. - The alpha male and female mate between January and March. The cubs are born seven weeks later in a den dug among bushes or rocks. The male brings food back to the den, either by carrying it whole or by swallowing and then regurgitating it for the others to eat. As the cubs grow, the mother and other members of the pack help to feed them. - Few European countries still have substantial numbers of wolves. Wild wolves are hard to count, so exact numbers are not known. Sometimes radio-tracking is used to determine their numbers. European wolves have managed to survive only in the most remote, mountainous, or densely forested regions. Areas in which these wolves can live without coming into conflict with humans are decreasing. There is little effective international agreement about the wolf's conservation. All efforts to preserve the wolf are conducted locally. - Because of the increasing shortage of natural prey in Italy, wolves have been forced to give up their pack-hunting habits, and scavenge for food around villages and farmhouses. Roughly, about 250 wolves live in remote mountainous areas in Italy, and are officially protected. Projects which are financed by the World Wide Fund for Nature may enable small numbers of wolves to survive if farmers and herdsman can be persuaded to accept them. Many rural villages have open dumps where the local slaughterhouse disposes of its waste. Many wolves feed there alongside feral or stray dogs. These dogs and wolves will occasionally mate, and their offspring are often impossible to distinguish from ordinary dogs. - The wolf-dog's deceptive appearance makes it all that more dangerous. Wolf-dogs may wander freely through populated areas, unrecognized as wolves. They are wilder than their feral parents. They can be extremely ferocious, and are often infected with rabies. - In Norway, Wolves are protected to the extent that they are illegal to kill by anyone other than farmers protecting their livestock. To prevent continuous slaughter, farmers are often compensated for livestock which is killed by the endangered wolves. - "Grupo Lobo" was founded in Spain and Portugal in 1985 in attempt to protect the wolves in the mountains on the Spain/Portugal border. There is an extremely small number of wolves in Sweden, regardless of protective legislation. These systems are often abused. Lapp herdsman in the North of Sweden have often blamed the deaths of their reindeer on wolves rather than on poor care. - The "wolf-plague" in Scotland resulted in the extermination of the animal there. The last British wolf died in 1743. Wolves survived in Ireland until about 1773. Similar waves of wolf persecution on the European continent has driven the few survivors into remote areas far away from human settlement. - Although the wolf is a protected species in most European countries, some hunters see no reason to stop killing wolves for sport, and will pay a great deal of money for the privilege. Wolf survival in Europe obviously requires more than simple legislations. These wolves are rather shy and intelligent, yet they are still viewed as a ruthless predator by the mainstream.
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Post by Lefitte on Jan 11, 2012 6:59:28 GMT -5
Eastern Timber WolfInformation from Wikipedia- The Eastern Timber Wolf (Canis lupus lycaon) is an endangered subspecies of the Gray Wolf and is native to North America. "Timber wolf" used to refer to any North American wolf that lived within forested areas, but this designation has more recently been reserved for this specific subspecies of the grey wolf with the help of contemporary genetic findings. Eastern Timber Wolves should not be mistaken for the Eastern Canadian Wolf, Canis lycaon. Originally thought to be the same animal, new genetic testing and data has revealed that wolves occupying the Algonquin Park region in Canada are actually a separate species more closely related to the Red Wolf. There is still a great deal of turmoil in the scientific community as this change is being undertaken. This subspecies was the focal point of L. David Mech's book The Wolf: The Ecology and Behavior of an Endangered Species (1970, University of Minnesota Press).- Physical Attributes- The Eastern Timber Wolf is one of the larger subspecies of grey wolves, especially in length, which generally varies from 58.5-70 inches, including the tail. Larger individuals can have tails up to 19.5 inches in length, and can approach 78 inches in length overall. Typical height ranges from 25-33 inches at the shoulder. While eastern timber wolves can achieve weights of up to 100 lb, the average male weighs around 77 lb, while females weigh about 66 lb. - Timber Wolves typically have silver or gray-brown coats with a lighter tan or cream undercoat. During winter months fur colorations tend to become darker. - Diet- Natural prey for Eastern Timber Wolves include deer, hares, mice, muskrat, and beaver. Prey changes seasonally for wolves. Their favourite prey are beavers in summer, and White-tailed Deer and caribou in the winter months.
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Post by Lefitte on Jan 11, 2012 7:00:34 GMT -5
Great Plains WolfInformation from Wikipedia- The Great Plains Wolf (Canis lupus nubilus), also known as the Buffalo Wolf, is a subspecies of the Gray Wolf, native to North America. This subspecies once ranged across the western United States and southern Canada, but was almost completely wiped out by the 1930s. In 1974, it was listed as an endangered species, and since then its numbers have climbed. By 2004, there was a population estimated at 3,700 wolves living in Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Single wolves have been reported in the Dakotas, but these are considered to be dispersers from packs from outside the states and a breeding population most likely doesn't live in either state. A typical Great Plains Wolf is 4 1/2 - 6 1/2 feet long from snout to tail tip, and weighs between 60 and 110 pounds. It usually features a coat blended with gray, black, buff, or red. The subspecies has grown wary of humans encroaching on its habitat.
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Post by Lefitte on Jan 11, 2012 7:01:33 GMT -5
Russian WolfInformation from Wikipedia- The Russian Wolf (Canis lupus communis) is a subspecies of Grey Wolf which occurs in north-central Russia. It is one of five grey wolf subspecies present in the Russian Federation, which includes the Eurasian Wolf, the Caspian Sea Wolf, the Tibetan Wolf and the Tundra Wolf. - Size- The Russian wolf is large by grey wolf standards, with an average weight of 121 lbs and a range of 66-176 lbs for males and an average of 99 lbs and a range of 51-121 lbs for females - Diet- Wolves in Russia are abundant and highly successful keystone predators in areas devoid of humans, to the extent that the Russian government considers them to be overpopulating. When working in packs, they will hunt large ungulates such as Chamois, Maral, Wild Boar and Moose. Wolves will compete with tigers for limited prey, so their numbers tend to go down when tigers are re-introduced. - Wolves in Russia have been known to be more aggressive toward humans than their North American cousins, with numerous attacks being reported, particularly in rural areas where the populace relies heavily on livestock and lacks effective means of defense.
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Post by Lefitte on Jan 11, 2012 7:09:43 GMT -5
Eurasian WolfInformation from Wikipedia- The Eurasian Wolf (Canis lupus lupus), also known as the Common Wolf, European Wolf, Carpathian Wolf, Steppes Wolf, Tibetan Wolf and Chinese Wolf is a subspecies of the Grey Wolf (Canis lupus). Originally spread over most of Eurasia, with a southern limit of the Himalayas, the Hindukush, the Koppet Dag, the Caucasus, the Black Sea and the Alps, and a northern limit between 60° and 70° northern latitude, it has been pushed back from most of Western Europe and Eastern China, surviving mostly in Central Asia. Currently, it has the largest range among wolf subspecies and is the most common in Europe and Asia, ranging through Western Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, China, Mongolia and the Himalayan Mountains. - Features and Adaptations- European wolves typically have shorter, denser fur than their North American counterparts. Their size varies according to region, though as a whole, adults stand at 30 inches at the shoulder and weigh around 70-130 pounds, with females usually being about twenty per cent smaller than males. The heaviest known Eurasian wolf was killed in Romania and weighed 158 pounds. Colour ranges from white, cream, red, grey and black, sometimes with all colors combined. Wolves in central Europe tend to be more richly coloured than those in Northern Europe. Eastern European wolves tend to be shorter and more heavily built than Northern Russian ones. - Behavior- They are highly social animals, though due to a decline in territory, they form smaller packs than in North America. Social behaviour seems to vary from region to region, an example being that wolves living in the Carpathians tend to be predominantly solitary hunters. The alpha male and female mate between January and March. Litters, usually consisting of six cubs, are born seven weeks later in a den dug among bushes or rocks. The male brings food back to the den, either by carrying it whole or by swallowing and then regurgitating it for the others to eat. As the cubs grow, the mother and other members of the pack help to feed them. - Theodore Roosevelt considered the Eurasian wolf to be stronger and more ferocious than North America's Great Plains Wolf (Canis lupus nubilus), though comparable in strength to the large Rocky Mountain Wolf (Canis lupus occidentalis). - Diet- The diet of Eurasian wolves varies enormously throughout their ranges. They commonly prey on medium sized ungulates like moufflon, chamois, saiga, wild boar, red deer, roe deer and livestock. They will occasionally eat smaller prey such as frogs and hares. In Europe, their largest prey is the Wisent, while in Asia, it is the Yak. - Because of increasing shortage of natural prey, wolves are sometimes forced to give up their pack-hunting habits, and scavenge for food around villages and farmhouses. Many rural villages have open dumps where the local slaughterhouse disposes of its waste. Many wolves feed there alongside feral or stray dogs.
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Post by Lefitte on Jan 11, 2012 7:11:34 GMT -5
Italian WolfInformation from Wikipedia- The Italian Wolf (Canis lupus italicus) also known as the Apennine Wolf, is a subspecies of the Grey Wolf found in the Apennine Mountains in Italy. It was first described in 1921 and recognised as a distinct subspecies in 1999. Recently due to an increase in population, the subspecies has also been spotted in areas of Switzerland. During recent years, Italian wolves have also established themselves in Southern France, particularly in the Parc National du Mercantour. It is federally protected in all three countries. - Features and Adaptations- This is a medium sized subspecies by Grey Wolf standards. Males have an average weight of 53-88 pounds, with females usually being 10% lighter. Body length is usually 39-55 inches. Fur colour is commonly blended grey or brown, though black specimens have recently been sighted in the Mugello region and the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. - Comparitive studies on Italian wolves, Eastern European wolves and feral dogs, showed that Italy's wolf population was the purest, and least affected by hybridization with domestic dogs in Europe. However, in 2004 three wolves were found in the south-central Tuscan province of Siena, sporting dewclaws on their hind legs, indicating some dog contamination in the gene pool. Though this has caused concern on the danger posed to the wolf's genetic purity, some biologists are encouraged by such an obvious symptom, as it is a potentially useful factor in diagnosing hybrids. - Diet- The Italian Wolf is a nocturnal hunter which feeds primarily on medium sized animals such as Chamois, Roe Deer, Red Deer and Wild Boar. In the absence of such prey items, its diet will also include small animals such as hares and rabbits. An Italian wolf can eat up to 1,5-3 kg of meat a day. It will occasionally consume berries and herbs for ruffage. - The wolf has adapted well in some urbanised areas and as such, will usually not ignore refuse or domestic animals. - Behavior and Reproduction
- Due to a scarcity of large prey, wolf packs in Italy tend to be smaller than average. Packs are usually limited to a nuclear family composed of a reproducing alpha pair, young subadults which remain with their birth family until their old enough to disperse and cubs. However, in areas where large herbivores such as deer have been reintroduced, such as the Abruzzo National Park, packs consisting of 6-7 individuals can be found. - Mating occurs in mid-March with a two month gestation period. The number of cubs born is dependant on the mother's age, usually ranging from two to eight cubs. Cubs weigh 250-350 grams at birth and open their eyes at the age of 11-12 days. They are weaned at the age of 35-45 days and are fully able to digest meat at 3-4 months.
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Post by Lefitte on Jan 11, 2012 7:13:03 GMT -5
Mackenzie Valley WolfInformation from Wikipedia- The Mackenzie Valley Wolf (Canis lupus occidentalis) also known as the Rocky Mountain Wolf, Alaskan Timber Wolf or Canadian Timber Wolf is perhaps the largest subspecies of Gray Wolf in North America. Its range includes parts of the western United States, much of western Canada, and Alaska, including Unimak Island in the Aleutians, and was reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho. - Anatomy- Mackenzie Valley Wolves typically stand about 32-36 inches at the shoulder and males weigh between 100 and 145 pounds. The weight record is held by a wild specimen caught in Alaska in 1939 which weighed 175 pounds. - The Mackenzie Valley Wolf has a specialized body that has made it one of the world's most efficient hunters. Its thick, long limbs are proportionally built for traversing through rough terrain such as deep snow or the cliffy edges of the Rocky Mountains. Its deep chest hosts large lungs, letting the wolf breathe more efficiently at higher altitudes, and allowing it to exert huge amounts of stamina traveling up to 115km (~70 miles) in one day. Its powerful neck is a very important adaptation: it has to be strong to support the wolf's large head and is crucial for bringing down prey. The Mackenzie Valley Wolf maximizes heat retention through such methods as using its bushy tail to cover its exposed nose during the winter. It sheds its undercoat during the summer months due to the hotter conditions. - Diet- The majority of the Mackenzie Valley Wolf's prey includes wood bison, muskox, moose, caribou, deer, and elk. Mackenzie valley wolves introduced into Yellowstone have taken down adult Bison, the largest wild bovid, proving their success and adaptability in a whole new environment
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Post by Lefitte on Jan 11, 2012 7:14:14 GMT -5
Southern-East Asian WolfInformation from Wikipedia- The Southern-East Asian Wolf ( Canis lupus pallipes), also known as the Turkish or Iranian wolf, is a subspecies of Grey Wolf which ranges from Northern Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Afghanistan and Iran - Description- Standing 18 to 30 inches tall at the shoulder, Southern-East Asian wolves weigh between 55 to 70 pounds. - The short, pale color of their fur helps them to blend into the semi-arid landscape of their habitat. They have little to no undercoat, thus keeping them cool in the hot Middle Eastern climate. - They apparently seldom howl. - Lately research of the mtDNA of the Indian Wolf, formerly thought to be a variant of Canis lupus pallipes, confirms that this is a new species of wolf, now called the Canis indica, separate and distinct from other wolf species in the world. - It is distinguished from the Arabian Wolf by it's darker fur, larger size and proportionately larger head.
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