What is a Wolf's Life Like?
Throughout the centuries people have been fascinated by the beauty and mysterious nature of wolves. People have feared them and persecuted them, yet wolves still hold a mystique that is not comparable to any other wild creature. It may seem odd then that a wolf's life is not that different from our own.
Other People Are Reading
-
Features
-
Wolves are carnivores. They vary in appearance from lightly built to larger body types. A wolf can weigh between 40 to 175 pounds. The average lifespan of wolves in the wild is 6 to 8 years. Wolves are social animals that live in packs. Wolves have a strict hierarchy and the pack is led by one dominant male. Wolf packs can range in size from small groups that consist of 6 to 10 members or large groups that consist of 20 to 30 wolves.
Behavior
-
The life of a wolf is similar to our own in some ways. They eat, sleep, feed their children, communicate with each other and even engage in playtime with their young. Wolves follow a very ritualistic type of behavior in some ways comparable to our own daily routines. Wolves also work together both in hunting and caring for the young of the pack. They are intelligent, social animals that rarely fight within their own packs. Wolves use a variety of sounds and body language to communicate. They are very active and play is an integral part of a wolf's life. Wolves like to romp and play with the young pups and other adult members of the pack.
-
Habitat
-
Wolves can live in a variety of habitats. They once widely roamed the United States, Europe, Canada, Asia and other territories. Wolves are excellent runners, reaching speeds up to 40 miles per hour. This enables them to roam large territories at a time. They often travel long distances and may travel 10 or more miles in a day.
Breeding
-
Wolves mate for life. They perform a mating ritual that lasts for approximately one day before the actual mating takes place. Wolves normally breed in February and March. An average litter size consists of five pups. The young are weaned during midsummer so that they are able to travel with the pack by the time the winter season arrives.
Hunting
-
Wolves prey on animals such as deer, elk and moose. A wolf can consume up to 20 pounds of meat at a time. They will also eat birds, fish and fruit. The adults in a pack will hunt and bring food home to feed the pups. Wolves will usually lets the pups eat first then the dominant male and his mate will eat followed by the rest of the pack. Sometimes the dominant wolf will allow others to share in his meal at the same time. Wolves will sometimes prey on domestic animals such as cattle, but this usually occurs when there is a shortage of prey or when expanding human populations force wolves out of their natural habitat.
Myths
-
Wolves must always be on guard to protect themselves and their young against their most feared predator, humankind. There are many myths surrounding wolves and their perceived threat to humanity. Wolves are very misunderstood animals. For centuries, they have been persecuted. Wolves have been hunted and killed primarily because people fear them and envision them as natural killers. They are just animals trying to survive. The truth is that wolves fear humans and will make every effort to avoid contact or confrontation. It would be a very rare occurrence for a wolf to attack a human. Wolves remain endangered. Their numbers have been reduced dramatically due to hunting and aerial killings. Wolves struggle to survive in a world that has become hostile to their very existence.
-
Resources
- Photo Credit Free-stock-photos.com
