The Local Wolves

Recently there have been many reports of the three black wolves that are hanging out around Highwood Pass.  They're elusive creatures: some photographers have great success spotting them on their outings, while others come back without any sightings after weeks of scoping out the area.  Some months back I had gone to a seminar by a local photographer and he spoke about how one needs to learn the language of the animals: how they move, what makes them shy away, how they behave.  With their sense of smell as great as it is, it's a miracle that any human even gets to see them at all.

Then, this past week wolves have been spotted around Waterfowl almost daily.  These one are generally seen from more of a distance, and it's actually close to the location that I saw my only wolf ever some 20 years ago, feeding on another animal.  If I remember correctly, the wolves that are there are part of the Jasper pack.  I'm not sure what their range is exactly.

A few months ago I decided I'd really like to see one in the wild, but think the chances of that happening are pretty slim. I'm not out there early enough, nor am I patient enough to follow their fresh tracks in the snow for hours, let alone head out day after day to learn their movement pattern in order to know where they might be.  But, the wolves do seem like such mythical creatures that it's worth learning a bit more about them.  Here are a few random facts:

• The wolf has rounded ears.
• The wolf has extremely powerful jaws capable of generating 1,500 psi pressure.
• The wolf lives in a pack, family oriented social structure.
• Mating season for the wolf occurs in February and March.
• The average litter size for the wolf is 4 to 7 pups.
• Wolves have a vast communication repertoire including scent marks, vocalizations, visual displays, facial and body postures and rituals.
• Wolves are territorial and defend their territory through vocalizations and scent marking.
• There are two species of the wolf in North America, the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus ) and the Red Wolf (Canis rufus ).
• The wolf is an ultimate predator at the top of the food chain.
• The wolf primarily travels at a 5 mile per hour trot.
• A pack may cover distances from 30-125 miles in a day.
• Wolves can maintain a chase for at least twenty minutes.
• The wolf feeds almost exclusively on flesh, bones, and other animal matter.
• Read more facts here.