Introduction
The Arctic Wolf (Canis lupus arctos) (as shown in the picture underneath) is a subspecies of the Grey Wolf. Today it inhabits the northern regions of North America in a range covering Arctic Canada, parts of Alaska and northern Greenland. Although the Arctic Wolf is smaller than its larger relative, the Grey Wolf, it is bulkier and more adaptive than the latter.
Its habitat range located in the north has allowed this subspecies of the Grey Wolf to be less threatened by humans as other members of the species are. It also has given the Arctic Wolf a number of special characteristics in its behaviour that allow its survival in that unwelcoming climate. Some of these patterns of behaviour are innate, meaning that all members of the species practice it and it’s coded in its genes, while other types of behaviour are learned, meaning that they adopt those patterns of behaviour according to the surrounding environment and situation.
A good way to investigate into its innate and learned behaviour is to observe and compare the behaviour and knowledge of wild arctic wolves to the characteristics of members of the same species held in captivity.
Behaviour in the Wild
In the wild, Arctic Wolves are known for their resistance to the extreme temperatures of the Arctic tundra, which can stay sub-zero year round of which half of the year is spent in darkness, and they can spend weeks without food.
They live in packs of 2 to 20 members with the alpha male and female and their offspring. The amount of members in the pack normally depend on the amount of food available in that area. Sometimes male wolves will separate from their packs and become lone wolves to be able to gather other lone wolves and start its own pack. These lone ...
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...f the behaviour in captivity, certain elements of the Arctic Wolf’s behaviour in the wild are missing. Most of these behaviours that are missing, are missing because they are a learned characteristic. When a behaviour is learned, then not all the members of the species have it because of different conditions and habitats and environments that cause a difference in the development in a wolf.
In captivity an Arctic Wolf will not need to hunt because food is already provided by the zoo keepers. Also keeping a pup alive is also a much easier task due to the less harsher weather and guaranteed food. As life is made easier in captivity, the wolf probably develops a more carefree life and would probably not be able to survive if brought all of a sudden in the wild.
The Arctic Wolf’s behaviour in the wild and in captivity can be both positive and negative mainly to itself.
This makes them seem less menacing and scary like the first article makes them look. Sharon Levy says in part "It is only in the two decades that biologists have started to build a clearer picture of wolf ecology….Instead of seeing rogue man-eaters and savage packs, we now understand that wolves have evolved to live in extended family groups.." (ll 19-22) This article also explains the positive overall effects of the wolves moving back to Yellowstone. Not only did the wolves have a new home filled with beautiful elk for prey they were also protected from hunters. This changed the attitude of the wolves as well as their population, of course their population grew and stayed more
The gray wolf, Canis lupus, on Isle Royal is a small ever fluctuating population. On the endangered species list since 1978, the gray wolf has recently been taken off the endangere...
The second level in the hierarchy of grey wolves is beta. The betas are subordinate wolves that help the alpha in decisionmaking or other pack activities. The beta wolf can be either male
Wolves used to thrive in the western United States. There was ample game to hunt and plenty of places to live and wander. Until people moved in, wolves were settled. As European settlement expanded to the west, it began to take its toll on the wolves and their habitat. Clearing of the forests came first, which was then accompanied by significant over-hunting in this area (Noceker). Slowly wolves became concentrated into smaller and smaller areas in the west. Finally, they were assumed to be bothers to the ranchers and farmers and maybe a threat to those people who lived in the area.
Hypotheses of the Effects of Wolf Predation Abstract: This paper discusses four hypotheses to explain the effects of wolf predation on prey populations of large ungulates. The four proposed hypotheses examined are the predation limiting hypothesis, the predation regulating hypothesis, the predator pit hypothesis, and the stable limit cycle hypothesis. There is much research literature that discusses how these hypotheses can be used to interpret various data sets obtained from field studies. It was concluded that the predation limiting hypothesis fit most study cases, but that more research is necessary to account for multiple predator - multiple prey relationships. The effects of predation can have an enormous impact on the ecological organization and structure of communities.
Ever wonder how animals know so much? It’s simple. It’s all according to how they act and what they know. When an animal is born it has instincts. These instincts help the creature survive and cause them to behave certain ways. This is called Innate behaviors. Although, some things animals have been taught. Unlike Innate behaviors whereas it comes from the genes, other behaviors have to be learned. They are called Learned behaviors. Together, Innate and Learned behaviors can prove that animals are smarter then most people think.
The wolves beat the hunters in the recent, and highly contested, wolf and coyote derby in Salmon, ID. Wolves eluded the participants for the entire two-day hunt, but 21 coyotes were not so fortunate. The absence of any wolf kills, however, has not lessened the intensity of the controversy, nor the temperature of the debates. Wolves are a touchy subject, no matter the stance; as with most hotly contested issues, there is an abundance of information, but not all of it is correct.
Not many people know about the arctic wolf, it is the snowy white version of a wolf. They have a really big appite when it comes to eating. They most only eat one meal a day and eat up to 20 pounds in that one meal. They are mostly carnivores; they mainly eat big animals like the caribou and the musk ox so they can feed themselves and the whole pack (Arctic/Antarctic: The Arctic Wolf). People eat up to three meals a day, but wolves can go up to days with out eating a single thing (Arctic/Antarctic: The Arctic Wolf). When wolves are hunting they have to be able to have a plan to catch their food. Wolves would get all the pack members that are hunting to surround the animal, and pounces on them. One bit to the neck and the animal would be dead. When they are eating they will eat everything, like the meat, shin, fur and bone (Arctic/Antarctic: The Arctic Wolf). Also Arctic wolves can live up to 20 years in captivity, while they can only live 7- 15 years in the wild (Arctic/Antarctic: The Arctic Wolf). Arctic wolves are one of the most prettiest and unique types of wolf. When Arctic wolves are pups t...
Wolves generally live in packs. A typical wolf pack would include a leader male and female wolf (alpha wolves), their pups, and possibly several other non-breeding adult wolves. Packs can vary from 25 square miles to 500 square miles, depending on the availability of prey. Within a pack, only one pair of wolves mate. This pair is known as the “alpha pair.” The female wolf only goes into heat once a year in January or February. If she becomes pregnant, she wil...
Sometimes they even hunt moose. Their sense of smell is superior. Wolves hunt in packs all male to be exact. Wolf packs are mostly led by the parents of the wolves and some other wolves with the parent wolf to join their pack for hunting and killing their prey. The Gray Wolf can also run as fast as 31 - 37 MPH which makes them really good hunters. And they have been seen viciously attacking people. Unlike some animals wolves don’t hibernate so they have to hunt all year. Wolves also tend to mate in the early spring as well. Then before you know it the female wolf has babies some time during the winter, and their babies also have to eat.
Canis Lupus, the Latin term for the “North American Wolf”. A meat eating mammal with the capability of weighing up to 180 pounds and reaching a height of sixty-three inches, the wolf is easily the largest member of the canine family. Over 500,000 wolves once lived in harmony, roaming the Northern Americas alongside the Native American tribes and the rest of the ecosystem. Wolves live in packs, a pack essentially being a family. While the average size of a pack is six to ten, the largest confirmed pack recorded in North America can be found in Yellowstone National Park where the “Druid Pack” numbers thirty-seven strong and counting. There have been alleged reports of a pack that attacked a small Russian town killing thirty horses in just four days. This pack numbered up to almost 400 members. Animal experts remain suspicious due to the fact that this number is almost fifteen times the size of an average sized pack. Wolves heavily rely on their pack. Every member of the pack has a specific job that benefits the pack, without the pack, death would be almost imminent. The pack is set up as a hierarchy, with an alpha male and an alpha female. The alphas get the best of everything, the best part of the kill, the best sleeping spot, and the breeding rights. When hunting, one member will scout ahead and will determine the weakest member of the herd. Once determined, the rest of the pack will chase the animal down and either takes it down on the run or chase it until it tires out. Unlike many predators in the animal kingdom, wolves eat their prey alive. While wolves are known for their spine tingling howls, the howl is not the only way they communicate. “Wolf Language” so to speak, consists of many grunts, snarls, growls, yips, and whines....
The grey wolf has been transformed into what we, today, call a dog. After years of traveling with humans, the wolf began to change and became adapted and tame enough to socialize with humans. The environment it was placed into was one of the causes for change, and another was the role it played for humans.
During the ice age wolves began to grow closer to humans and converted. They transformed into a very unusual way. The wolves and humans used to be a
Studies show that wolves play a significant role in maintaining healthy ecosystems, and could even help stave off some of the effects of climate change. They help keep large animal herd populations in check, which can benefit numerous other plan...
Some of the unusual behavioral traits that Huskies are known to have are their relationship with their masters is one that must be built over time. The Husky does not trust immediately, their trust must be earned. The Husky likes to explore new areas and are curious animals by nature. They wonder from their domain in order to conquer new territory.