 A Wolf at Yellowstone National Park
|
Aug. 13, 2003 — The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park is providing new insights into wolf behavior and social structure.
Yellowstone reportedly now has the highest density in the world of the Northern Rocky Mountain wolf, a subspecies of the gray wolf.
The wolves are being tagged and monitored via satellite. Yellowstone's open landscape gives researchers a greater opportunity to observe wolf behaviors that previously eluded them, such as prey kills.
|
 
|
|||||||
Hunting prey is typically a dangerous task for wolves. Unlike the grizzly bear with size and large paws in its arsenal, the wolf has only teeth to hunt for its food.
Wolves hunt in packs and it can take several wolves to fell a bison or an 800-pound elk. Wolves are frequently injured or killed while hunting their prey.
Wolves have been observed watching their prey before hunting, targeting the slower and weaker animals in the herd. This is significant because it was previously thought that wolves simply went after herd members that fell behind.
Gray wolves were native to Yellowstone when the park was established in 1872 but by the 1970s, scientists could find no evidence of a wolf population in the world's first national park.
The new legislation has enabled the wolves to return and has facilitated the restoration of the area to a pre-settlement ecosystem.
The gradual increase in the wolf population also allows researchers to provide the public with a clearer picture of an often-misunderstood species.
< news main
Name: Gray Wolf (Canis lupus lycaon)
Primary Classification: Canidae (Dogs and Relatives) Location: North America, Greenland, Europe and Asia. Habitat: Northern boreal and coniferous forests. Open, brushy areas. Tundra. Diet: When hunting in packs: moose, caribou, deer, musk oxen, and bison. When hunting alone: beavers, rabbits, and other small mammals. Size: Up to 5 ft in length and 130 lbs in weight. Description: Black and white, thick fur; long, pointed muzzle; large, upright, sensitive ears; long, sharp teeth; long legs. Cool Facts: It's the largest wild member of the canid family. It was once the world's most widely ranging carnivore. It travels distances of up to 125 miles in a day. Conservation Status: Listed as "Endangered" in lower United States except for Minnesota, where it is listed as "Threatened." Major Threat: Human persecution and habitat destruction. What Can I Do?: Visit the Wolf Recovery Foundation, the National Wildlife Federation's Gray Wolf site and the International Wolf Center for information on how you can help. |
||
