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~Welcome~
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Welcome to my page with alittle bit about the history of the wolf, that magnificant animal that we all fear yet admire and hold in awe. This is THE ANIMAL much reveered by the Native Americans, for he is wisdom, teacher, and spirit guide, he is the inner depths of our soul and the breath on the wind that surrounds us as we walk through this earth bound life.
Wolves, jackals, coyotes, and dogs are members of the family Canis. As such they share certain features that suit them admirably for a life of hunting, powerful jaws with teeth adapted to seizing, keen senses of smell and hearing.
The dog has been in the company of humans for at least 12,000 years and originated probably somewhere in Eurasia 12,000 to 14,000 years ago. It also belongs to the same family of Canis as the wolf, jackel, coyote, all of which have been considered to be ancestors.
Feared and hated by men the world over, the mighty wolf has been plagued by all forms of evil stories, myths and legends. Hunted, trapped and killed to the point of extinction, many of these majestic animals are gone forever -- their breeds and blood lines never to be seen again.
In spite of the many horror stories of wolves hunting, tracking and killing humans, no such event has ever been confirmed. Their eerie and lonely howl, which can make the blood run cold, is merely their form of communication. Each howl, with its tone, depth, length and frequency carries a different message to the pack, or to the partner who is out of sight. They're merely "talking".
If you carry wolf medicine, here are some characteristics that sound familiar to you.
You are fiercely loyal -- to friends, family, ideals and principles. There is no compromise for you. You are very territorial. You protect all that is yours and your family's at any expense. You are fearless in your protection, but not reckless. You plan your strategy carefully, and wait for the opportune moment for most powerful effect.
You have a strong family structure. There is no doubt who the elders, patriarchs and parents are, or about their roles in the family structure. Disobedience, selfishness and unruly behavior is not tolerated as there are strong boundaries for the young. They are taught well and carefully so that they may assume leadership roles in their own family structures.
You have an unrelenting sense of adventure. You love to explore new things, to stretch out for new horizons. You have a thirst for knowledge and for learning new things. You are eager to share these things, which makes you a natural teacher. Your adventures may take you away from home and family, but it is important that you have this base of security to return to.
You have an unrelenting need to be alone. You are so busy being the protector, the provider, the teacher, and the trailblazer, that it's very easy for you to become exhausted and burned out. In order to re-charge your spirit, and keep your balance, it is critical that you have time to be alone with your thoughts and your own sense of self. This is one side of your nature that must not be overlooked. Even if you lock yourself in the bathroom for 15 minutes a day, the time alone must be honored if you are to have value to those you care for.
Wolf is power. Wolf is honor. Wolf is integrity. Brother Wolf; Sister Wolf -- I honor you.
Much farther back in time, about 40,000,000 years ago, lived a tree climbing carnivorous animal called Miacis, from which the lineage of the canines is traced through Cynodictic, from whom the African Cape hunting dog, the dhole, and the South American bush dog ultimately sprang. Cynodesmus which gave rise to the hyenas, and finally through Tomarctus, the progenitor of the wolf, jackal, coyote, and dog. The coyote, which lives only in North America, can be eliminated as an ancestor of the early European dog. One candidate for the immediate ancestor of the dog is the wolf.
Northern wolves are much larger then southern wolves, which makes it probable that dogs came from the smaller central or southern variety. Such a race of small wolves lives in India. Another small race of wolves was formerly found in China. One more possible candidate, the jackal,is primarily an African animal, all though its range extends into Mesopotamia, southeastern Europe and India.
Subtle differences in wolf behaviour and other traits makes it unlikely wolf is the sole ancestor of the dog. Wolf, jackal, and coyote all interbreed with the dog and produce fertile hybrids. This interbreeding reflects a close ancestry, and such hybridization may have taken place in the development of native breeds. Northern husky breeds may have more recent wolf ancestry, from the crossbreeding of native pariah type dog with wolves.
~The Red Wolf~
The Red Wolf, Canis Rufus, is a unique and highly endangered wolf that is native to the southeastern United States. Originally Red Wolves ranged from Texas to the Atlantic and as far north as Pennsylvania, but today they are one of the most endangered canids in the world.
Red Wolves are a small wolf, weighing between 45 lbs and 80 lbs, with a long lanky appearance and relatively short fur. Despite their name, Red Wolves are not always red but tend to have a cinnamon hue to their coats. Narrower proportions and long legs also help distinguish them from the Grey or Timberwolf, Canis Lupus.
Red Wolves are nocturnal animals, but during cool weather they may be more active during the day. The Red Wolves hunt for small prey then their larger counterparts, the Grey Wolf. Red Wolf diet includes rodents, rabbits, opossums, small deer, and even carrion.
Red Wolves live in a group know as family unit. These family units are small and usually only consist of a mated pair and their recent offspring. Young wolves mature at about two years of age, they often disperse from the family to start their own family unit. Mating starts between January and March and their pups are born during middle to late spring. At the time of birth 3 to 6 pups are born after a gestation of about 60 to 65 days. Their eyes and ears are closed at birth, for both mother and father help to provide food for the pups after they are weaned at about 8 weeks.
Red Wolves are a quiet social and communicate in several ways. They have a variety of vocalizations to include howling, barking, yapping, and whining. Scent is also used to communicate, but the main method of the Red Wolf to getting their point across is body language. Which is ear, tail, and body postures can say it all for these animals of the wild.
The Red Wolf at one time was very close to extinction for there were only about 17 to 20 left, as of today there are about 250 and slowly making a comeback.
~The Gray Wolf~
The Gray, or Timber Wolf, Canis Lupus, is the best know species. An inhabitant of both open and timbered areas, the gray wolf once found throughout North America and Eurasia. It has been eliminated from much of its range, and is now found primarily in Asia and in North America from Alaska to the northern plains states. There numbers are dwindling in many areas.
The Gray Wolf is a powerful animal with a broad head, robust limbs, large feet and deep but narrow chest. They also have shorter ears and a wider nose. A large northern male may be about six feet long including the bushy tail, and may weigh about 100 to 110 pounds. Females are smaller than males. Southern wolves smaller than northern wolves. The fur of the gray wolf is dense, long, and soft, although usually gray, maybe brown, reddish, black, or whitish.
An intelligent, social animal that was and still is admired by the American Indians, the Gray Wolf usually lives in packs of several to two dozen or more and is thought to mate for life. Until and often after, maturity at two or three years, the Gray Wolf remains with the family group or pack. Breeding occurs between December and April, and about 4 to 14 pups are born after a gestation period of 63 to 65 days. Members of the family group or pack are friendly to each other but rarely to an interloper. All members care solicitously for the young.
The Gray Wolf feeds on many animals, including mice, rabbits, and birds, but its primary prey is larger herbivores, such as deer, moose and caribou. Gray Wolf gorges when food is available, usually reducing the carcass to hair and a few bones. In its hunting, the Gray Wolf, performs an important natural function in controlling the numbers of large herbivores and in weeding out those less fit for survival. Unfortunately, the Gray Wolf may attack domestic livestock and has thus undergone persecution by man.
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