| |
|
| Gray Wolf | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Larger image | ||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Binomial name | ||||||||||||||
| Canis lupus |
The Wolf or Gray Wolf, (Canis lupus) is a mammal of the Canidae family and the ancestor of the domestic dog.
Wolves once had an almost worldwide distribution. In the northern hemisphere, human encroachment on their habitat and persecution of the animals themselves have drastically reduced their range.
| Table of contents |
|
2 Human Attitudes towards Wolves 3 Taxonomy |
Ecology
Wolves function as social predators and hunt in packs organised according to a strict social hierarchy and led by an alpha male and alpha female.
Normally, only the alpha pair of the pack breed. This kind of organisation also occurs in other pack-hunting canids, such as the Dhole and the African Hunting Dog.
In other parks, tourists often participate in wolf howls, trying to make wolf-like howls in hopes that the resident wolves will answer. In fact, some nature-lovers have complained that this popularity has drawbacks since tourists sometimes intrude into wolf habitats and disturb them.
Where wolves are reintroduced after a long absence, it has a marked influence on the coyote population. As they started to fill in the niche of the top predator, they started to grow bigger. With the return of the wolf these bigger coyotes are hunted down by wolves and go back to their previous niche.
Human Attitudes towards Wolves
The relationship between people and wolves has had a long and troubled history. Historically, humans have often viewed wolves as a danger or as nuisance to be destroyed. An opposing view suggests that wolves form a valuable part of the ecosystem and require protection. Often these views occur simultaneously and cause conflicts among differing groups of people, as one sees when a wildlife service or organization attempts to preserve vanishing wolves or to reintroduce wolves to a habitat. Changing attitudes
In the late 20th century an increased awareness of the beneficial nature of wolves arose, encouraged by books like Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat and nature documentaries as well as by classification of the species as endangered. Accordingly, while the stereotype of wolves still has influence, a significant portion of the public has gained a positive opinion of wolves as interesting, valuable and even noble animals. Thus parks with a visible wolf population have often become popular tourist attractions. For instance, visitors to Yellowstone National Park can often see wolves from the roads. Reintroduction
In the United States wolves are making a comeback; not only are they slowly but surely coming back autonomously from the north, they are also being successfully reintroduced like in Wyoming. It is curious to note that farmers prefer reintroduction as this often allows for culling when lifestock are imperriled while truly wild animals are protected by law.Wolves in folklore
Wolves in human folklore have the dominant image of a predator; however, interesting exceptions occur.Taxonomy
Relation to the domestic dog
Much debate has occurred over the relationship between the wolf and the domestic dog. Most authorities see the wolf as the dog's direct ancestor, but others have postulated descent from the Golden Jackal. Because the canids have evolved recently and different canids interbreed fairly readily, untangling the true relationships has presented difficulties. However, molecular systematics now indicate very strongly that domestic dogs and wolves are more closely related than either is to any other canid, and the domestic dog is now normally classified as a subspecies of the wolf, Canis lupus familiaris.
Classification of the grey wolf
The classification of wolves and closely allied creatures offers many challenges. Although taxonomists have proposed many species over the years, most types are clearly do not comprise true species. Indeed, only a single wolf species may exist. Scientists have proposed a host of subspecies. Many of these seem unlikely to stand. Further taxonomic clarification may well take decades.
See also:
