Introducing The Predator
Canis Lupus, commonly knowns as the Gray Wolf, is a profound animal within the animal kingdom that has been around for millions of years. The gray wolf has a range of sizes that vary due to food source and the sex of the wolf. They can range from 80-100 pounds when fully grown and anywhere from 60 inches to 78 inches long. This long, muscular animal is a predator, but not one who runs alone usually, but with others of its kind in a pack, and is one who is known for being a very territorial animal, with little fear of anyone or anything. This information can acquired by reading, “Mammalian Species, Canis Lupus” by David L Mech.
The North American Wolf Reintroduction
After reading the article “Yellows Stone After Wolves”, we can see that within Yellowstone National Park, wolves, specifically gray wolves, are being reintroduced after nearly being hunted to extinction during the 19th and 20th centuries. Many people are not in favor of this due to fear of losing livestock, threats to humans, and even the destabilization of ecosystems due to wolves being major predators. Another park that wolves were reintroduced into was Isle Royale National Park, in which the wolves thrive, there are no reports of
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Wolves, no matter the time of year, are always on the move and hunting, especially during the winter time when food sources are scarcer, but the amount of food that the wolves are able to kill effect not only them, but have a direct correlation between them and the survival and reproduction for many scavenger species that are within that ecosystem. Many of these scavengers depend on the wolves’ ruminants as food source, so without wolves in certain environments, these scavenger species
In both of these articles by Christine Dell’Amore and Matt Miller, they discuss how these top predators impact the island, why they are they important, and should humans interfere? On the island of Isle Royale, there is a variety of animals that mostly just consume vegetation; therefore, they need wolves to balance out the food chain. But, the island is only accessible during the winter when stable ice bridges are created. Unfortunately, the ice bridges have not been forming due to warmer winters. Leaving a small count of wolves on the island with no new genes to mix in.
Sixty years after the extirpation of wolves in the Northern Rockies and Great Plains of America, biologist and ecologist in Yellowstone National Park reintroduced wolves into a declining ecosystem that once thrived during their presence. The reintroduction brought immense controversy into the West and continues to stir outrage among anti-wolf groups. These anti-wolf supporters argue wolves are ruthless predators that cause destruction to natural environments and livestock. Conversely wolf advocates and scientists suggest that wolves are a keystone species that are essential to the natural regulation of our Western ecosystems. Although pro and anti-wolf advocates can agree that wolves have an effect on livestock, ungulate populations and ecosystems,
The three modes of persuasion used to convince an audience are known as ethos, logos and pathos (http://pathosethoslogos.com/). The three modes are different in their use but are all three necessary to win an argument. An author would use ethos to prove that he is a reliable source to present the material or provide a reliable source to make his case. He or his source might offer credentials or provide proof that the source is credible.
The first pack of Nine mile wolves that was reintroduce into Pleasant Valley was not too soon after relocated. Having them reintroduced was an extremely controversial issue. The main issue between the wolves and residents was the preying on cattle. “The wolf is a meat-eating machine
Grace Blanco Professor Ken G. Sweat, Ph. D. BIO 105 Environmental Biology Hybrid Course 6 September 2015 Topic: Mexican Wolves re-leased into the blue range Wolf Recovery Area (BRWRA) in eastern Arizona. First and foremost the Mexican gray wolf is referred as "El Lobo" which is in Spanish for the wolf.
There is an estimated 60,000 wolves in Canada. Farley Mowat studies the grey wolf in his book Never Cry Wolf (1963). Throughout the book, Mowat uses the rhetorical strategies pathos, logos, and personification to disprove the misconception about wolves. The book is about a scientist (Farley Mowat) that flies into the Canadian Barrens in order to research wolves. His goal is to prove that wolves are killing thousands of caribou for sport, but he find that the wolves are not to blame for the decrease in caribou populations.
The red wolf, or Canis Rufus, is a cousin to the gray wolf; however, the red wolf is smaller and thinner than the gray wolf. Their color is gray-black, but they also have a reddish color which reflects their name (“Red Wolf” 2017). In terms of size, the red wolf is between gray wolves and coyotes (“Red Wolf (Canis Rufus)”). They have a height of about 26 inches (at the shoulders), a length of 4.5-5.5 feet (including the tail), and weight of 50-80 pounds. Their lifespan is 6-7 years in the wild but up to 15 years in captivity (“Red Wolf” 2017).
In a way they are correct however, the wolves started the growth of the ecosystem again. More birds began to come because the terrain regained strength causing trees to be healthy and stronger. The birds made habitats there causing hawks and other prey to come due to the increase of birds. Beavers began to build dens in the rivers again which also provided a home for amphibians, otters, and other animals. The circle of life began to blossom again and it all started with the wolves contribution to the ecosystem.
Grey wolves also need a way to eat and to defend themselves from predation. So they have sharp claws and teeth
The gray wolf 's expressive behavior is more complex than that of the coyote and golden jackal, as necessitated by its group living and hunting habits. While less gregarious canids generally possess simple repertoires of visual signals, wolves have more varied signals which subtly inter grade in intensity.[12][13] When neutral, the legs are not stiffened, the tail hangs down loosely, the face is smooth, the lips untensed, and the ears point in no particular direction.[135] Postural communication in wolves consists of a variety of facial expressions, tail positions and piloerection.[120] Aggressive, or self-assertive wolves are characterized by their slow and deliberate movements, high body posture and raised hackles, while submissive ones carry their bodies low, sleeken their fur and lower their ears and tail.[136] When a breeding male encounters a subordinate family member, it may stare at it, standing erect and still with the tails horizontal to its spine.[137] Two forms of submissive behavior are recognized: passive and active. Passive submission usually occurs as a reaction to the approach of a dominant animal, and consists of the submissive wolf lying partly on its back and allowing the dominant wolf to sniff its anogenital area.
There is one thing in the woods that is really exciting and that is turkey hunting. Turkeys will get your heart racing and you blood rushing and have you shaking in just five seconds. When he comes up there strutting,spitting,and drumming, that’s when it gets real. When you hit that “yawt yawt” and he cuts you off gobbling that is when you know that he is just as good as dead. I am gonna tell plenty of turkey hunting experiences that i have had so i do not have to have a works cited page or nothing.
Sadly, many Americans believe that losing the wolves would not be a bad thing for the prey’s sake, but in all reality losing the wolves would be devastating. One major thing that is present in all ecosystems, the place in which animals live, is a trophic cascade. A trophic cascade is explained in the essay as a “sequence of impacts down the food chain” (578). Hannibal gives the reader this example: “…In Wyoming’s Yellowstone National Park … wolves were virtually wiped out in the 1920’s and reintroduced in the ‘90s. Since the wolves have come back, scientists have noted an unexpected improvement in many of the park’s degraded stream areas”
The wolf population has risen in the last couple reasons for many reasons. One of the reasons is they are rising because of not being hunted and nothing happening to them. Another reason is the deer population is rising which leads to more wolves and with more wolves there is a higher rate of livestock killed. With more wolves in an area there is less habitat for them so they have to travel out and find new area to live. Now that there is less habitats they are traveling closer to cities and are getting comfortable with humans.
Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat is a non-fiction story about naturalist Farley Mowat, on an expedition to find out why so many caribou were being killed. Mowat’s superiors believed that wolves were killing the caribou. He spent almost a year investigating the wolves’ way of life focusing on a small pack made up of two males and a female with her pups. Mowat camped near their den and observed their eating and hunting habits. He observed that wolves rarely ate caribou and when they did, it was the weak and sick ones.
Wolves, when in groups, are universally threatening and recurrently feared. This being known, they are often portrayed as an evil or opposing force. Although, on occasion, they have also been known to be referred to as “noble creatures who can teach us many things.” (http://www.wolfcountry.net/) But consequently, despite the popular interpretation of wolves and their characteristics, each story presents its own interpretation of their many characteristics.