Interesting Facts on wolves

[kyote]

Interesting Facts

There are three species of wolves in the world: the gray wolf (Canis lupus), the red wolf (Canis rufus) and the Ethiopian (or Abyssinian) wolf, (Canis simensis). Some researchers believe the Ethiopian wolf is not a wolf, but actually a jackal.

Wolves usually live in packs which consist of the adult parents, referred to as the alpha pair, and their offspring of perhaps the last 2 or 3 years. The adult parents are usually unrelated and other unrelated wolves may sometimes join the pack.

Pack size is highly variable because of birth of pups, dispersal, and mortality. Generally, a gray wolf pack has from six to eight wolves, but in Alaska and northwestern Canada some packs have over 30 members. Red wolf packs are generally smaller than gray wolf packs and usually have 2 to 8 members, but a pack of 12 is known in the wild.

The gestation period of gray and red wolves is usually around 63 days

The average length (tip of nose to tip of tail) of an adult female gray wolf is 4.5 to 6 feet; adult males average 5 to 6.5 feet. The average height (at the shoulder) of a gray wolf is 26 to 32 inches. The average length (tip of nose to tip of tail) of an adult red wolf is 4.5 to 5.5 feet. The average height (at the shoulder) of an adult red wolf is about 26 inches.

Adult gray and red wolves have 42 teeth, while adult humans have 32.

The massive molars and powerful jaws of a wolf are used to crush the bones of its prey. The biting capacity of a wolf is 1,500 pounds of pressure per square inch. The strength of a wolf's jaws makes it possible to bite through a moose femur in six to eight bites. In comparison, a German shepherd has a biting pressure of 750 pounds per square inch. A human has a much lower biting pressure of 300 pounds per square inch.

Gray wolves can survive on about 2 1/2 pounds of food per wolf per day, but they require about 5 pounds per wolf per day to reproduce successfully. The most a gray wolf can eat in one sitting is about 22.5 pounds. Red wolves eat an average of 5 pounds of food per day, but have been known to eat up to 12 pounds in one sitting.

Gray wolves in the wild have an average life span of 6 to 8 years, but have been known to live up to 13 years in the wild and 16 years in captivity. Red wolves in the wild have an average life span of 8 to 9 years, but have been known to live up to 12 years in the wild and 16 years in captivity.

Wolves will travel for long distances by trotting at about five miles per hour. They can run at speeds of 25 to 35 miles per hour for short bursts while chasing prey.

[MI VHNTR]

Here's another fact: the wolves are out of control in areas where they were reintroduced in the lower 48. Wolves are decimating the deer herd here in the UP of MI. Many areas a completely void of deer and small game. This is contrary to the rose colored eyeglass view of the arf wackos, but it's true. After reading newspapers etc. from out west, they are in the same situation. Very sad. MI VHNTR

[kyote]

mivhntr,
            yes, I have to agree with ya..the reintroduction of the Mt.lion in certain areas in the S.W. has take the deer population to all time lows also.Several years ago some one sent me some photos of two wolves shot in canada.(I wish I could find them.)those two animals were huge.the two of them could bring down a moose and eat it and still be hungry.

[The Sodbuster]

I'm not saying wolves don't impact deer populations, but be careful about blaming predators first.  I don't know what the situation is in the U.P., but remember that deer are an edge species.  As forests mature and once open fields grow in with trees, habitat for deer deteriorates.  Typically, heavily forested regions such as the upper Midwest and New England, don't support near the density of deer as mixed forest-agricultural habitats further south.  There aren't any wolves in Illinois and Missouri, but that's not why they have more deer. 

Logging can create edge and young thickets that offer a lot more food than deer will find in the forest.  But large tracts of uninterrupted forest aren't good whitetail habitat. 

Again, I'm not dismissing wolves as a factor.  During a harsh winter with deep snow they can be especially devestating on deer numbers.  But wolves are probably here to stay.  Grumbling about 'em won't help.

[beemanbeme]

Good post, Sodbuster.  A mature woods is a fairly sterile place.  I have seen exactly what you describe happening in a large tract of timber that belonged to the Anderson-Tully timber company.  They would clear cut xx acres and the next year it would look like a lawn with sprouts and grasses.  Deer everywhere.  As the forest regrew, the understory got shaded out and the tips and bud got out of reach so the deer went elsewhere. 
A-T logged this tract in rotation and you could follow the deer by following the loggers. 

[MI VHNTR]

The wolves are the problem, period. Blaming anything else is just an attempt to hide the fact that the wolves are the only new factor in the equation. There's a good mix of mature forest and cutover areas here with logging going on year round. Deer numbers have dropped drastically since the wolves were introduced, with no other changes in habitat that would have changed this relationship. The wolves clean an area out and then move on. This scenario is repeated over and over. The MI Dept. of No Reason has not been forthcoming about this either. The sad part is, the wolves are under federal control and the state can do nothing about it. I'm not grumbling either, just stating the facts. MI VHNTR

[JD11]

You're absolutely right, they've decimated the moose calf crop around this area of Wyoming not to mention elk calves.  Even the geniuses at USFD have admitted they've bred WAY faster and in greater numbers than they predicted.  Also their Yellowstone park "range area" has spread even as far a Wamsutter, Wy.  A rancher I cowboy for runs his cattle in the higher country during the summer and he lost 9 calves to wolves last season.   Other ranchers can tell about the same story, on and on.