![]() The gray wolf is the largest member of the Canid family and the third largest predator in the Northwest after the grizzly and black bears. Following the extinction of the dire wolf, the gray wolf became the top predator in North America. The smaller and quicker gray wolf, which hunted in packs, was much more suited to this newly forested environment. It is believed by scientists that because dire wolves were much larger they could not keep up with the ungulates that had become much faster and adapted to run through forested areas after the retreat of the last glaciers at the end of the ice age. The gray wolf’s much larger cousin, the dire wolf, was the primary predator until it went extinct about 8,000 years ago. ![]() Evidence shows that gray wolves appeared in North America around 15,000 years ago during a period of oversized mammals. Wolves have been a part of the American landscape for a much longer time period than humans have. Download the implementation review summary report (2022).This is the second article in Mike’s “Howling to be Heard” series you can read the first one on wolf folklore here.Download the Yukon Wolf Conservation and Management Plan (2012).Programs have now been put in place in many jurisdictions to foster recolonization and reintroduction in parts of its former range. Prior to the 1970s global wolf populations suffered massive human-caused declines.They are very wary of humans and will usually maintain a large distance. Wolves are often feared as dangerous predators, though very few attacks on humans have ever been documented.In the southern Yukon, most First Nations Peoples belong to one of two clans: the Crow Clan and the Wolf Clan. The wolf is a major crest of many Yukon First Nation bands.Moose, caribou, sheep, and other ungulates. The territory size ranges from tens of, to several thousand, square kilometres, and largely depends on prey density. Wolves are highly territorial and the pack defends its territory from other wolves. Formation of a pack is very important for co-operative hunting and raising pups. The average pack size in the Yukon is 7 to 9 wolves, though smaller and larger pack sizes are not uncommon. Typically only the alpha pair breeds in the pack. The mated pair form the alphas and are dominant in the social order. The basic social unit of a wolf pack is the mated pair, accompanied by the pair's adult offspring. Though some wolves are solitary, they generally form packs. Habitat : Boreal Forest, Mountain Alpine, Arctic Tundra, Riparian.Lifespan: 4 to 10 years, though they can live up to 15 years.Coyotes have a narrow snout and large ears relative to its head size, whereas wolves have a broad snout and smaller ears relative to its head size. Wolves can be distinguished from Coyotes by their larger size and different facial characteristics.The wolf is also longer and taller than a dog, with narrower chest and larger feet. Look similar to a domestic dog such as German Shepherd or Husky, but with a bigger head.Wolves are highly social and territorial leaving scrapes and scent marks along their travel routes to mark their territory. In winter, following wolf tracks may provide interesting observations about their lives.The best time to hear howling is in the evening when the wind dies down and wolves are most active. Their haunting chorus of howls carries a long distance. If you can catch the Barren-ground Caribou migration you may see wolves trailing behind the herd. In the northern Yukon, the Arctic tundra allows for clear long distance views.You will have better luck if you go to remote rivers and lakes. Wolves are elusive and viewing them from roadways is not very common.Wolf, Timber Wolf, Tundra Wolf, Amaruq Viewing opportunities
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