The animal we call timber wolf is a very social creature. We’re all familiar with the terms “a pack of wolves” and “wolf pack,” which describe the normal family unit of this species. The typical wolf pack is built upon a nuclear family – a male, female and their offspring. Packs can range in size from two to 20 animals, but average about eight. The term “lone wolf” describes the exception to the rule, an old animal that has been driven from its pack or a young wolf seeking a new territory. Either one must survive by its own cunning.
The average timber wolf stands about two to three feet tall at the shoulder and weighs perhaps 80 to 85 pounds. Its dense coat of fur makes the animal look much larger, so people have a tendency to over-estimate a wolf’s true weight. However, a few very large wolves have been documented, including some that tipped the scales at 175 pounds or more. Females tend to be a little bit more than three-quarters the size of males.
Timber wolves feed on a wide variety of prey including animals as large as deer, elk, bison and moose, but they will essentially feed on whatever is available, even carrion. The method of stalking prey is basically to conceal the approach and give chase when their quarry attempts to flee. Although wolves have great stamina and can run for many miles, the typical chase lasts only for a few hundred feet.
In order to find sufficient food, a wolf pack must range over and defend a large territory. Like other members of the canid family they scent mark these territories with urine, males more so than females. Wolves also scent mark their kills to deter neighboring packs from feeding on the bounty.
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ReplyDeleteYour blog presents a lot of interesting and useful information that promotes wildlife conservation.
ReplyDeleteI especially like seeing posts like this that present fascinating zoological information in a non-technical style.
I would like to also see some stories about the animals currently inhabiting the Elmwood Park Zoo.
I have often observed the Elmwood Park Zoo wolves, and see distinct personalities and behavior as well as instances of behavior that probably would not occur in the wild.
I think studying behavior of animals in captivity is important and useful from a conservation perspective because so many natural environments are disappearing, and it is important to know which animals adapt most easily to non-native environments and to determine why they are able to adapt easily.
Also, although conservation is the current number one focus for most zoos now, it was pure zoological research, including research involving animals in captivity, that gave us the necessary information to develop the current conservation programs as well as what inspired the human fascination with wildlife that led to our desire to preserve it.
In other words, I hope the evolution of zoos into conservation centers does not progress any further, and that part of every zoo's mission will also include teaching zoology as a pure science, rather than always as an applied-to-conservation science.