ANIMAL WORLD 

Evolution: 

The Evolutionary history of the wolf is not totaly clear, but many biologists believe that the wolf developed from primitive carnivores known as miacids. Late in the evolutionary history of miacids came the appearance of the first canid (Cynodictis). One of these was known as the dawn wolf. His physicall appreance was long body and looked like a enlongated fox. Some Scientist believed that canids originated in North America and then spread to Asia and South America, others said that a small type of Wolf, crossed into Siberia from Alaska, where it developed into the larger, present-day grey wolf. The grey wolf then migrated to North America, where the red wolf was also located there.

 

Speciation:

 

The existence of a second species of wolves in the United States, like the red wolf (Canis Rufus), is quite wildly accepted among the scientific community. While hybrid species generally appear rare in mammals, the American red wolf appears to be a hybrid species. Some recent genetic studies say red wolves would not be a species strictly speaking but a natural hybrid of grey wolves (Canis lupus) and coyotes (Canis Latrans).

 

Biogeography:

 

Wolves were once common throughout all of North America but were killed in most areas of the United States by the mid 1930s. Today their range has been reduced to Canada and a few places o the U.S: Alaska, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Thanks to the reintroduction of wolves in 1995, Yellowstone National Park is one of the most favored places to see and hear wolves in the native habitat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Animal Behavior:

 

Gray wolves are highly social, pack-living animals. Each pack is of two to thirty –six individuals; it depends on the habitat and the abundances of preys. Most packs are made up of 5 to 9 individuals. Wolves packs are composed by alpha pairs and their offspring There is a strong dominance hierarchy within each pack. The pack leader, usually the alpha male, is dominant over all other individuals. The next dominant individual is the alpha female. The pack hierarchy determines which animals mate and which eat first. It is s demonstrated by postural cues and facial expressions, such as crouching, chin touching, and rolling over to show the stomach.Each year, gray wolf packs have a stationary and nomadic phase. Stationary phases occur during the spring and summer. Nomadic phases occur during the fall and winter. Wolf movements are usually at night and cover long distances. Wolves have three methods of communicating with each other. The first is sound. The second way wolves communicate is with scent. The third way wolves communicate is with body posture.

 

 

Feeding Ecology:

 

Wolves play an important role in ecosystem functioning by controlling natural prey populations.Scientist have discovered an ecological effect called the “trophic cascade” in grey wolfs."Trophic cascade" is an ecological phenomenon triggered by the addition or removal of top predators and involving reciprocal changes in the relative populations of predator and prey through a food chain, which often results in dramatic changes in ecosystem structure and nutrient cyclingWhen grey wolves return to an ecosystem, by chasing and hunting their prey and competing with other species, they help restore balance to the ecosystem.