Reproduction:  Female coyotes are monoestrus, and remain in heat for 2–5 days between late January and late March, during which mating occurs.  Once the female chooses a partner, the mated pair may remain temporarily monogamous for a number of years. Depending on geographic location, spermatogenesis in males takes around 54 days and occurs between January and February. The gestation period lasts from 60 to 63 days.  Litter size ranges from 1 to 19 pups; though the average is 6.  These large litters act as compensatory measures against the high juvenile mortality rate, with approximately 50 -70% of pups not surviving to adulthood.  Under stress, a female Coyote will have more pups.  This unique peculiarity is one major reason why they are so successful.

The pups weigh approximately 250 grams at birth and are initially blind and limp-eared.  Coyote growth rate is faster than that of wolves, being similar in length to that of the Dhole.  The eyes open and ears erect after 10 days. Around 21-28 days after birth, the young begin to emerge from the den and by 35 days they are fully weaned. Both parents feed the weaned pups with regurgitated food. Male pups will disperse from their dens between months 6 and 9, while females usually remain with the parents and form the basis of the pack. The pups attain full growth between 9 and 12 months. Sexual maturity is reached by 12 months

The existence of true coyote dog hybrids, also known as Coydogs or Dogotes, is often the subject of hot debate. This is because, at first glance, the facts seem to be a little contradictory.  For instance, there is little scientific evidence of coyotes and dogs breeding in the wild.  However, it is a genetic fact that coyotes can breed with dogs and wolves, subsequently producing fertile offspring.

The coyote social structure is somewhat different from the domestic canine, and coyotes would rather eat a dog than befriend one.  Coyotes also have very different breeding cycles and mating behaviors.  It is believed the male coyote sperm count remains low or dormant for most of the year, and only picks up for about 60 days (maximum) in the Spring in conjunction with the female coyote's once a year heat cycle.  Coyote males usually stick with one female through the breeding season as well, even assisting in feeding and raising the puppies.

Some researchers believe they mate for life.   Any domestic dog that would have the nerve to solicit the affections of a female Coyote would have to deal with a very irate male Coyote.  Then, a female Coyote would have to be very hard up to breed with a lazy non-parenting dog, which in normal circumstances is just something to scorn or eat.

For a coyote and a dog to mate, the choice of female coyotes would have to be so sparse that the male would not have a "girlfriend" to start with, then, he would have to meet a female dog (too large to eat), who just happened to be in heat within the same two month period that he was producing sperm.  The above scenario is not impossible, merely impractical.

A Coydog is an offspring from a male Coyote and a female dog.  A Dogote is the offspring from a male dog and a female Coyote.  So why aren't Coydogs more common?  The reason there is little evidence of coyotes mating with dogs in the wild is simply because social habits and statistics makes the opportunity and probability of mating quite low.

Even in the rare occasions when a Coyote and a Dog have mated, the offspring would be fertile but their chances for survival in the wild are practically nil.   Even if a litter of Coydogs makes it to breeding age there are more barriers.  They inherit the coyote’s annual estrus pattern with one notable derivation - thanks to the good sense of mother nature;  The male and female Coydog and Dogote comes into estrus in the Autumn, three to four months before the estrus cycle of wild coyotes.  Their only viable mates are either domestic dogs or other Coydogs so once again, pickings are slim.

Then, any litter born to a Coydog or a Dogote would be born in the dead of winter, drastically lessening their chances of survival.  Add to that the fact that the male Dogote takes after his daddy - no child-rearing skills -  in the wild, these hybrids  are an evolutionary dead end.

Untouched by any possible hybridization with Asian  canines, the Red wolf of North America, is the older form compared to the Grey wolf.

It was their transient descendent, the Grey wolf  of Asia and Europe, that was first domesticated by man and eventually became the household dog, Canis familiaris.

Through the ages, Red wolves hunted in packs and the smaller Coyote was  pushed into south western fringe areas where food was scarce and a solitary life-style was necessary.

When new ice ages appeared, and the Bering land bridge returned, some Asiatic Grey wolves returned to their old stomping grounds in North America, following migrating herds of Moose, Elk and Bison.

Until recently, Red wolves were thought to have survived only in the southeastern United States, where they are so endangered they were proclaimed extinct in the wild by the US Wildlife Service in 1980.

The southernmost population of Grey wolves still existing is represented by the Mexican wolf.

There have always been incidents of Grey wolf/Red wolf hybridization in areas where they are in proximity but those populations were relatively scarce and fleeting, eventually replaced with the larger Grey wolf.  

DNA tests proved that stuffed wolves exhibited in the north-eastern U.S. at hotels and lodges are actually specimens of the Red wolf.  Further studies resulted in recognition of Red wolf subspecies populations in Texas, Mississippi, the Carolinas, and Florida. They remain under intensive scrutiny by wildlife Officers.

A program of captive breeding and reintroduction to the wild has met with mixed results, as often, the reintroduced animals will readily hybridize with expanding populations of Coyote.

At the beginning of large scale agriculture in eastern Canada, forests were cleared, enticing the Virginia White-Tail Deer northwards.  Remnants of the north-east U.S. Red wolf population followed them.  Their population centre, and refuge quickly  became Algonquin Park in north-eastern Ontario.  Tests have proved there were no Red Wolves in this part of Canada prior to the early 1800s.  This isolated population comprises the third known population of pure Red wolves on the planet, and it is the southernmost viable population of Red wolves.

Now that second and  third isolated  populations of Red wolves have been documented in western and eastern Canada, U.S. authorities could use their bloodlines to augment the southern population, and thereby strengthen their genetic pool.  However, U. S. parochialism prevents that.

It is not known how many "southern Quebec" pure red wolves remain, or even if this is a viable population.  Their viability as a pure strain in south-eastern Ontario is threatened by hybridization with Coyotes inside and outside of Algonquin Park.

To learn more about northern Red wolves, read "Wolf Country" by John B. Theberge (ISBN 0-7710-8563-X.

Through an ironic twist of fate,  the smaller Coyote (who was driven out of the best hunting areas by the Reds) has now (through its recent hybridization with Reds) spread its genes throughout eastern North America, an area that is entirely new to its species.

And in another testament to the endurance of the Coyote, most people in these newly expanded areas (except in south-eastern Ontario) refer to the new Brush wolves as "Coyotes".  The Americans refer to them as "Coydogs".  Similar to their transient cousins in Atlantic Canada, they weigh in at 50 - 60 lbs.  To see the Brush wolves that live around my farm, scroll down to "Two Solitudes".  

In Canada, there is no such thing as an "Endangered Species Act".  Due to the mine field of Federal/Provincial politics in this country, the Feds finally hacked out a "Species at Risk" Act which does not ruffle any Provincial feathers.

It appears our Federal and Provincial Governments are so arrogant and so tied up in their own "fiefdoms" they  cannot contemplate the need for protection of endangered species, nor even to accept the fact that there are wolves in Canada of several species, that require Government protection.

Over time, with each population separated, the northern and southern populations of Red wolf have undoubtedly become substantially different and are already considered separate sub-species of the Red wolf.

The northern Red wolves are substantially larger, darker, and with smaller ears than their southern cousins, typical adaptations of any northern subspecies.

They also form permanent family packs (as do the Grey wolves), while their southern cousins generally do not (they don't have to).  (Packs of northern Red wolves have been documented as killing moose.)

Through DNA testing, it has been documented that 13% of the resident Red wolf population in Algonquin Park has been infiltrated with Coyote dna. 

Unless checked, this trend may eventually result in the complete extinction of the eastern pure Red wolf population in Canada.

Although this prospect may bring foreboding to some purists, it signals an ironic twist of fate for both the Coyote and the Red wolf.

The vitality and cunning of this new hybrid is remarkable, combining the best of both species.

The fact is each species needed the other to become something better so they could expand their population to areas previously lost by pure Greys. 

Canada's Pacific Coastal Wolves
(Subspecies yet to be determined)

There remains an isolated population of Red wolves in the rain forests of the islands off the coast of British Columbia, where it is estimated there are approximately about 500 still remaining.  Where their territories overlapped, some hybridization with Greys occurred.  

They regularly swim from one island to another, and one was documented swimming a distance of 11 km.

These coastal "marine-adapted" wolves comprise the second isolated population of Red wolves in North America.

Although there aren't good estimates of the total population of wolves in coastal British Columbia and Alaska, experts estimate that wolves in southeastern Alaska's vast Alexander Archipelago number fewer than 1000.

Conservationists worry that Government subsidized logging of the ancient coastal forests poses a threat to these animals and other wildlife in the region  Some naturalists have insisted the B. C. Coastal wolves are actually Grey wolves but a comparison of these photos with that of the collared Red wolf in Algonquin Park immediately above this section indicates to me these are actually Red wolves. 

It has been reported that these wolves will not hesitate to howl in agitation if humans attempt to cross the river which partitions a logged area from an untouched area.  Who can blame them?

From their observations and the work of other scientists,  researchers say that Canada's coastal wolves generally appear smaller than their continental cousins.  This may be because their primary prey, the Sitka black-tailed deer, is much smaller than the prey of wolves living elsewhere, or it may be because Red wolves are naturally smaller than Grey wolves.. 

 Coastal wolf hair also appears to be coarser and better at shedding water, perhaps an adaptation to the heavy rainfall in the region, the researchers speculate.  Coastal wolves also behave differently.  They feed heavily on salmon during the fall and can swim across sizable saltwater channels to find prey or new territories.

A key question for scientists, conservationist and government officials is whether coastal wolves are different enough to warrant classifying these animals as one or more unique subspecies. Coastal wolf scat and hair samples were sent to scientists at the Conservation Genetics Laboratory at the University of California--Los Angeles for DNA testing. 

The results so far indicate that coastal wolves of Canada have several unique genetic sequences, or haplotypes, in their DNA strands.  What's exciting about coastal wolves is that we've identified several haplotypes which haven't been identified anywhere else on the continent.

This information adds credence to the argument that coastal wolves are unique, and may have been evolving in isolation over several millennia.  It may, for example, undercut the belief common among many scientists that interior wolves repopulated the Pacific coast about 8000 years ago, after the glaciers of the last ice age retreated.

An alternative theory, put forth by biologists from the University of Victoria, is that several large ice-free refuges on the Pacific coast may have allowed groups of wolves and other animals to evolve in relative isolation for as long as 360,000 years.

Canadian Grey Wolves are Transplanted
From Northern British Columbia To Yellowstone National Park
To Restore The Natural Order 

The absence of a top predator for over 60 years had allowed Coyotes to become so numerous in Yellowstone Park and its surrounding public and private lands (73,000 sq. kms), to throw the entire ecosystem out of whack.  A quarter of all gophers, a third of all ground squirrels, and two-thirds of voles ended up in a Coyote's jaws.

Coyotes had packed up and were behaving arrogantly like wolves.

In the mid-1990s, there were more than 80 Coyotes in 12 packs, the densest population ever known.  By 1998, this robust population had been reduced to 36 survivors in nine small packs.

Remaining Coyotes have learned to cope with the presence of their larger cousins, and have become scavengers again.  In Yellowstone and elsewhere, a Grey Wolf will run down a Coyote and kill it on sight.  So these Coyotes have become wary again, and have stabilized as opportunists in a Wolf-dominated world.

In 1995, 14 wolves from an area near Hinton, BC, were introduced .  The following year, another 17 were introduced from near Fort St. John, BC.

The goal of the program was to establish 10 resident packs of wolves in the park.  The population now appears to be leveling off at about 31 packs, with 19 breeding pairs and more than 250 adults.

Due to this historic achievement, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently pushed Grey Wolves from endangered to merely threatened in most of the contiguous 48 states.

Grey Wolves Bring A Balance Back To Nature

Special Update On the United States Fish and Wildlife Service Red Wolf Reintroduction Efforts

The red wolf is one of the world’s most endangered wild canids. Once common throughout the southeastern United States, red wolf populations were decimated by the 1960s due to intensive predator control programs and loss of habitat. A remnant population of red wolves was found along the Gulf coast of Texas and Louisiana. After being declared an endangered species in 1973, efforts were initiated to locate and capture as many wild red wolves as possible.  Of the 17 remaining wolves captured by biologists, 14 became the founders of a successful captive breeding program. Consequently, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service declared red wolves extinct in the wild in 1980.

By 1987, enough red wolves were bred in captivity to begin a restoration program on Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern North Carolina. Since then, the experimental population area has expanded to include three national wildlife refuges, a Department of Defense bombing range, state-owned lands, and private property, spanning a total of 1.5 million acres.

An estimated 100 red wolves roam the wilds of northeastern North Carolina and another 150 comprise the captive breeding program, still an essential element of red wolf recovery.  Interbreeding with the coyote (an exotic species not native to North Carolina) has been recognized as the most significant and detrimental threat affecting recovery of red wolves in their native habitat.  Currently, adaptive management efforts are making good progress in reducing the threat of coyotes while building the wild red wolf population in northeastern North Carolina. 

This population is the only pure-bred wild one recognized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

(Thanks to U.S. F & W Service and Mark Gelbart)

The North American Eastern Grey Wolf
Canis lupus Lycaon

Eastern Canada’s population of Eastern Wolves, a sub-species of the Grey Wolf, is primarily found in southeastern Ontario and southwestern Quebec.  This range includes La Mauricie National Park of Canada.

The Eastern Wolf is fairly small and fawn-coloured, with black on its back and sides, and red-brown behind its ears. In the Mauricie region, male Eastern Wolves stand about 80 cm (32 inches) at the shoulders and weigh around 40 kg (88 lbs), while females measure about 75 cm (30 inches) at the shoulders and weigh approximately 30 kg (66 lbs).  It is the smallest subspecies of grey wolf except for the Mexican Wolf.

The Eastern Wolf needs large areas of forest- either deciduous, coniferous, or mixed - to survive.  It is a shy mammal, easily disturbed by human presence and activity.

In May 2001, COSEWIC listed the Eastern Wolf as a subspecies of special concern because it is so vulnerable to human activity.  Throughout its range, the Brush Wolf (Western Coyote/Red Wolf hybrid), which is approximately the same size, has interbred with it, and it is difficult to tell them apart without resorting to dna testing.

More Government sponsored testing is required to enable scientists to obtain a better picture and appreciation for this endangered species of wolf, and the Brush wolf dna contamination.

The Eastern Wolf is an important part of La Mauricie National Park’s ecosystem. It feeds on prey like deer and moose, helping keep their populations at sustainable levels. This helps maintain both the diversity and richness of park vegetation, and the ecological integrity of the entire forest ecosystem.

Two wolf packs, with 5 to 10 members each, currently roam the small, 536 km² national park. Yet their movements often take them beyond the park’s boundaries, where they are no longer protected.

Eastern Wolves often fall victim to trapping, hunting, and road traffic. They are timid and easily disturbed by logging and recreational activities. Critical wolf habitat continues to be lost to agriculture, the timber industry, and urban expansion.

Many people have misguided perceptions about wolves. Some are afraid of wolves. Others view them as predators that threaten livestock and wildlife like deer and moose. People often don’t realize how important wolves are to ecosystem health.

Using information gathered through the research program, Parks Canada is taking steps to ensure the survival of the Eastern Wolf, including:

• developing a conservation strategy for protecting Wolves inside and outside the park.

• creating an education program about the importance of wolves to the region’s forest ecosystems, to change perceptions of the wolf.

Status

Hopefully Eastern Wolf populations will stabilize and even grow in and around La Mauricie National Park once the conservation strategy is implemented.

In the meantime, the two wolf packs are still being monitored. Parks Canada is seeking to understand how the wolves use their habitat inside and outside the park, and to determine the long-term impacts of human activity on wolf populations.

In Europe, many rural villages have open dumps where the local slaughterhouse disposes of its waste.  Many wolves feed there alongside feral or stray dogs.

Throughout Europe, these dogs and wolves will occasionally mate, and their offspring are often impossible to distinguish from ordinary dogs.

The wolf-dog's (right) deceptive appearance makes it all that more dangerous.  Wolf-dogs may wander freely through populated areas, unrecognized as wolves.

These hybrids are often wilder than their feral parents.  They can be extremely ferocious.   Europeans are wary of them due to ancient folklore and the possibility of rabies.

The reddish hue of European Wolves is usually striking in these hybrids.  North American wolf/dog hybrids are only reddish when they cross with a Red wolf.

Pure strains of Grey wolf in North America do not have any red coloration 

The CsV is a relatively new breed of dog that traces its original lineage to an experiment conducted in 1955 in the former Czechoslovak Soviet Socialist Republic (CSSR).  After initially breeding a German Shepherd dog with a Carpathian wolf, a plan was worked out to create a  wolf/dog breed that blended the desired qualities of both animals.  It was officially recognized as a national breed in the CSSR in 1982.  In 1999, it became FCI standard no. 332, group 1, section 1.

Both the build and the hair of the CsV are reminiscent of a wolf. The lowest dewlap height is 65 cm for a dog and 60 for a bitch and there is no upper limit.  The body frame is rectangular, ratio of the height to length is 9:10 or less.  The expression of the head must indicate the sex.  Amber eyes set obliquely and short upright ears of a triangle shape are its characteristic features. The set of teeth is complete (42); very strong; both scissors-shaped and plier-shaped setting of the dentition is acceptable. The spine is straight, strong in movement, with a short loin. The chest is large, flat rather than barrel-shaped. The belly is strong and drawn in. The back is short, slightly sloped, the tail is high set; when freely lowered it reaches the tarsuses. The fore limbs are straight, and narrow set, with the paws slightly turned out, with a long radius and metacarpus. The hind limbs are muscular with a long calf and instep.

The color of the hair is from yellow-grey to silver-grey, with a light mask. The hair is straight, close and very thick. The CsV is a typical tenacious canterer; its movement is light and harmonious, its steps are long.

Temperament:  The Wolfdog is more versatile than specialized.   It is quick, lively, very active, fearless and courageous.  Shyness is a disqualifying fault in CsV competitions.

The CsV develops a very strong social relationship not only with their owner, but with the whole family. It can easily learn to live with other domestic animals which belong to the family; however, difficulties can occur in encounters with strange animals. It is vital to subdue the CsV's passion for hunting when they are puppies in order to avoid aggressive behavior as an adult. The puppy should never be isolated in the kennel; it must get used to different surroundings, for traveling and so on.  Female CsVs tend to be more easily controllable and both genders often experience a stormy adolescence.

The CsV is very playful and temperamental. It learns easily. However, it does not train spontaneously, the behavior of the CsV is strictly purposeful - it is necessary to find motivation for training. The most frequent cause of failure is usually the fact that the dog is tired out with long useless repetitions of the same exercise, which results in the loss of motivation.

These dogs have admirable senses and are very good at following trails. They are very independent and can cooperate in the pack with a special purposefulness. If required, they can easily shift their activity to the night hours. Sometimes problems can occur during their training when barking is required. CsVs have a much wider range of means of expressing themselves and barking is unnatural for them; they try to communicate with their masters in other ways.   Generally, to teach CsV stable and reliable performance takes a bit more time than does to teach traditional specialized breeds.

This breed of dogs derives his name from, Mr. Leendert Saarloos.   Mr. Saarloos strived for a breed of dogs without degenerative symptoms, and with a natural resistance against all sorts of diseases.  Although Mr Saarloos was interested in genetics, he approached this mostly from his practical experiences.  Before he started to breed the Wolfdog, he crossed many other animals such as mice, rabbits, pigeons etc.

He chose the wolf as the ancestor of his new breed because it has a lot of the desired properties he desired.  In the beginning, there was the German Shepherd male dog, Gerard van Fransenum together with the female wolf Fleur, which he bought from the Blijdorp zoo.  This couple had 28 puppies from which 3 were good enough to proceed with.  At the advice of a Dutch expert in genetics, Dr. L. Hagendoorn, the brother and sisters were matched.

In 1963 he chose a new female wolf, Fleur II, to counteract in-breeding.  After many disappointments he had a new race, the "Saarloos Wolfhond". 

The Saarloos Wolfhond is a powerful, wolflike, thick-hairy dog with a withers height 65-75 cm. for a male, and 60-70 cm. for a female.  The oval bone is powerful but not big.  Its structure is harmonious with tall legs.  Males and females are very different in appearance and airs.

The Saarloos Wolfhond must exhibit an image of a careful, attentive and devoted dog that is reserved.  It must not be nervous around strange people and circumstances.  It is very cautious, and exhibits the power of reaction of the wolf with the devotion of the dog.  The primary characteristic of the breed is an  independence of action which is why it is such a great guide dog for the blind.

The  Appennine Wolf, is a subspecies of the Grey wolf found in the Appennine Mountains of Italy, and is also called the Italian wolf.  It was first described in 1921, and was recognized as a distinct subspecies in 1999.   Recently, due to an increase in population, the subspecies has also been spotted in areas of Switzerland and Southern France, particularly in the Parc National du Mercantour.    It is federally protected in all three countries.

This is a medium sized subspecies by Grey Wolf standards.  Males have an average weight of 24-40 kilograms (53-88  lbs, with females usually being about 10% lighter.   Body length is usually 100-140 cm (39-55 inches).  Fur colour is commonly blended grey or brown, though black specimens have recently been sighted in the Mugello region and the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines.

Comparative studies on Italian wolves, Eastern European wolves and feral dogs, showed that Italy's wolf population was the purest, and least affected by hybridization with domestic dogs in Europe. However, in 2004, three wolves were found in the south-central Tuscan province of Siena, sporting dewclaws on their hind legs, indicating some dog contamination in the gene pool. Though this has caused concern on the danger posed to the wolf's genetic purity, some biologists are encouraged by such an obvious symptom, as it is a potentially useful factor in diagnosing hybrids.

Diet: The Italian Wolf is a nocturnal hunter which feeds primarily on medium sized animals such as Chamois, Roe Deer, Red Deer, and Wild Boar.   In the absence of such prey items, its diet will also include small animals such as hares and rabbits.  An Italian wolf can eat up to 1,5-3 kg of meat a day. It will occasionally consume berries and herbs for roughage.   The wolf has adapted well in some urbanized areas and as such, will usually not ignore refuse or domestic animals.

Behaviour and reproduction:  Due to a scarcity of large prey, wolf packs in Italy tend to be smaller than average. Packs are usually composed of a reproducing alpha pair and juveniles which remain with their birth family until they're old enough to disperse and produce cubs.  However, in areas where large herbivores such as deer have been reintroduced, such as the Abruzz o National Park, packs consisting of 6-7 individuals can be found. 

Mating occurs in mid- March with a 63 day gestation period. The number of cubs born is dependant on the mother's age, usually ranging from two to eight cubs.  Cubs weigh 250-350 grams at birth and open their eyes at the age of 11-12 days. They are weaned at the age of 35-45 days and are fully able to digest meat at 3-4 months.

History:  Until the end of the 19th century, wolf populations were widespread across Italy's mountainous regions.  By the dawn of the 20th century, the persecutions began and in a short amount of time, the wolf was wiped out in the alps, Sicily and drastically reduced in the Apennine regions.

After the second world war, the situation worsened and the wolf populations reached a historic minimum in the 1970's.  In 1972, Luigi Boitani and Erik Zimen were tasked with leading the first Italian investigation into the wolf's plight.  Using an area between the Sibillini and Sila mountains as reference points, the duo concluded that the wolf population was composed of a maximum of 100-110 animals.

Italian population: Starting from the 1970s, political debates began favouring the increase in wolf populations. A new investigation began in the early 1980s, in which it was estimated that there were now approximately 220-240 animals and growing. New estimates in the 1990s revealed that the wolf populations had doubled, with some specimens taking residence in the Alps, a region not inhabited by wolves for nearly a century.   Current estimates indicate that there are 500-600 Italian wolves living in the wild.  Their population is said to be growing at a rate of 7% annually.

French population: Wolves migrated from Italy to France as recently as 1992.  The French wolf population is still no more than 40-50 strong, but the animals have been blamed for the deaths of nearly 2,200 sheep in 2003, up from fewer than 200 in 1994.  Controversy also arose when in 2001, a shepherd living on the edge of the Mercantour National Park survived a mauling by three wolves.   Under the Berne Convention wolves are listed as an endangered species and killing them is illegal.  Official culls are permitted to protect farm animals so long as there is no threat to the species.

In northern Spain, a lone wolf was recently DNA tested, and it was determined it was of Italian origin.  So the Italian wolf has traveled from the Italian Apennines to the Spanish Pyrenees.

Spain is one of the last remaining refuges of the European wolf.  The Iberian wolf population is slowly recovering from its 1970 low of 400-500 odd individuals with current (2003) figures estimated at as many as 2,000-2,500, almost 30% of European wolf numbers outside Russia. There are several reasons for the rise in the wolf population .

The Iberian wolf is distinguished by its overall redness, and the black marks along its tail, back, jowls and front legs, and so sigantus meaning marked.  More than 50 % are found in Northern Castilla y León (1000-1.500 individuals), and less than 35% in Galicia (500-700), with the densest population in North-eastern Zamora (5-7 wolves/100km2).

Though wolves were once present throughout the Peninsula, they are now confined to the North-east, and a few residual populations in the Sierra Morena (Jaén and Cuenca).  Recently, however they have managed to cross back over the modern-day barrier of the river Duero and begun to spread southwards and eastwards: two packs have been detected around Guadalajara and have started to move into Teruel in southern Aragon, much to the amazement and trepidation (and at first disbelief) of the locals.

There are thought to be some 300 breeding pairs in Spain, giving a total number of around 1,500 at the start of spring and around 2,000 by mid autumn (1988 figures see below). The wolf in Spain is no longer considered endangered, merely vulnerable, though the Sierra Morena and Extremaduran populations are classified as critically endangered, and the latter is almost certainly extinct.  Wolves in the Sierra Morena inhabit private game estates where they are illegally persecuted as they come into conflict with the hunting practices of the rich.  Across the border in Portugal, there are reckoned to be between 46 and 62 packs.

Reasons for the recent increase in the Iberian wolf population:  Until the early 1970s, the wolf was ‘officially' considered as a pest in Spain, and the government paid out bounties for dead wolves and distributed strychnine to landowners and peasants.  At the time, many saw the wolf as a mark of a Third World country, in contrast to ‘civilized' nations like France and Britain who had successfully eradicated their wolf plagues.  On occasions in the past, persecution was widespread and crushing.  An act passed by Principality of Asturias details that between March and December 1816, bounties were paid out for the death of 76 adult and 414 young wolves.

The historian Juan Pablo Torrente concluded that the hunting of wild beasts, including wolves, bears and foxes represented, ‘in absolute and relative terms, a considerable source of wealth' for local populations.  The lobero or wolf-hunter was a respected county figure until relatively recently, and a whole range of ingenious traps have been devised over the centuries to catch wolves.  All are now illegal.  It is however still legal to hunt wolves in most of Spain.  In most of its range, the Law states that the species must be respected as long as it does not come into conflict with human interests.

While hunting itself does not necessarily pose a big threat for the Iberian wolf, as most hunts end in failure, the Law gives carte blanche for indiscriminate hunting in most areas. North of the River Duero, only the municipality of Muelas de los Caballeros in north of Zamora, where the densest Spanish wolf populations are found, has shown any real interest for its conservation. Protection is, however, much stronger south of the Duero where the Iberian wolf populations are far more fragile.

Secondly, in the last 40 years, there has been a huge migration of people from the country to the towns. This depopulation has led to the regeneration of natural vegetation in former agricultural areas and the huge increase in prey species such as roe deer and boar. Just drive or take a train across central and northern Spain and you will appreciate the immensity and emptiness of the landscape, and it potential to support rich and varied fauna.

Thirdly, people's attitudes have changed.  While there is still much suspicion, when not outright hate, among some rural populations, many in Spain now see the wolf as an animal worthy of protection.  That great Spanish populist of nature, Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente, played no small part in this conversion. Millions of homes in Spain in the nineteen-seventies were captivated by his television series, ‘El Hombre y la Tierra', of which the wolf was the star of the show.  Rodríquez used wolves he had raised himself from cubs living in a semi-wild fenced estate for the film.  But, for all its trickery, the episodes on el lobo still stand out as superb and beautiful piece of nature documentary, and holds a rightful place in contemporary Spanish culture.

The Arabian wolf is a subspecies of the Grey wolf which was once found throughout the Arabian Peninsula, but now only lives in small pockets in Oman, Yemen, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and probably in some parts of the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt.  In Isreal, there are between 100 and 150 Arabian wolves all over the Negev and the Ha'arava.

Standing approximately 26 inches shoulder height and weighing an average of 40 pounds, the Arabian Wolf is the smallest wolf subspecies, yet, the largest canid in Arabia.  They have short greyish-beige hair which becomes much longer and thicker in winter.  Their ears are proportionately larger in relation to body size when compared to other species, an adaptation needed to disperse body heat.

Also, Arabian wolves do not live in large packs, and instead hunt in pairs or in groups of about three to four animals.  This subspecies is unusual, as it is not known to howl.   Arabian wolves are unique among grey wolves due to the middle two toes of their paws being fused, a trait originally thought unique to the African Hunting Dog. 

It will kill animals up to the size of a goat, but usually feeds on carrion, small birds, rodents, reptiles and insects. It also eats fruits and plants when meat is scarce.  They dig burrows in the sand to protect themselves from the sun, and hunt mainly at night.

The only time that Arabian wolves are known to be territorial is when their pups are born.  The litter size can be as large as 12, but is usually only 2 or 3.  They are blind at birth and weaned at about eight weeks when the parents regurgitate food  for them.

Their ears are large in comparison to the rest of it's body (similar to the Maned wolf.  Their eyes are naturally yellow with black pupils. However, many are found with brown eyes, revealing that somewhere down the line their ancestors interbred with feral dogs.

It will kill animals up to the size of a goat, but usually feeds on carrion, small birds, rodents, reptiles and insects. It also eats fruits and plants when meat is scarce.  They dig burrows in the sand to protect themselves from the sun, and hunt mainly at night.

Current status:  In Oman, the wolf population has increased significantly since hunting was banned, and there is a strong possibility that they will naturally reestablish themselves in certain places within the region in the relatively near term.  

The Ethiopian wolf has a bright reddish chestnut-colored coat, bushy tail, pointed ears, slender snout, and long legs. It weighs 11 - 19 kg (24 - 42 lb).  It is a localized species, and is confined to isolated pockets of grasslands and heathlands.  The Ethiopian wolf is found above 3000 m. (10,000') in the Alpine regions of Ethiopia.  It prefers areas with short vegetation less than 0.24 m. (10") high.

Rodents account for more than 90% of its prey. The giant mole rat is the main food item; other prey includes grass rats and hares.  The Ethiopian wolf is mostly diurnal, but becomes nocturnal in areas where it is persecuted.  Dens usually consist of a system of burrows beneath a rock overhang or cliffs. Caching prey and scavenged material in shallow holes is common.

Although Ethiopian wolves live in packs that share and defend an exclusive territory, for the most part they forage and feed alone on small rodent prey. This is in contrast to the general tendency in larger carnivores for species that live in groups to hunt cooperatively.  In optimal habitat, packs include 3 - 13 adults and, on average, are comprised of 6 adults, 1 - 6 yearlings, and 1 - 7 pups.

A typical pack is an extended family group formed by all males born into the pack during consecutive years and 1 - 2 females.  All pack members participate in the defense and marking of their territory, and parents and sub-adult helpers contribute to the rearing of pups.

DNA tests have absolutely proven that Ethiopian wolves are directly descended from the larger North American Red wolf, although they have altered to fit their North African habitat.  They still exhibit their ancestors' preference for  cool mountainous regions but they have lost their long hair, and have shrunk to the size of a coyote, and they exhibit many Coyote characteristics.

The Ethiopian wolf is unique to Ethiopia.   It was reported from most provinces of the country in the 19th century.  By the 1970's it had declined considerably. The Ethiopian wolf currently is confined to seven isolated subpopulations in different mountain ranges of the Ethiopian highlands.

Wolf populations occur north of the Rift Valley in the Simien Mountains, Mount Guna, North Wollo and South Wollo highlands, and Menz. Southeast of the Rift Valley there are populations in the Arsi (formerly "Arussi") Mountains and in the Bale Mountains. More than half of the species' population lives in the Bale Mountains.  Continuous loss of habitat due to high-altitude subsistence agriculture represents the major current threat to the Ethiopian wolf.

 Sixty percent of all land above 3,200 m (10,000') although marginal, has been converted into farmland, and all Ethiopian wolf populations below 3,700 metres (12,000') are particularly vulnerable to further habitat loss.

Habitat loss is exacerbated by overgrazing of highland pastures by domestic livestock, and in some areas habitat is threatened by proposed development of commercial sheep farms and roads.  Hybridization of the Ethiopian wolf with domestic dogs could threaten the genetic integrity of the Ethiopian wolf population, but that phenomenon is currently confined to one valley in western Bale.

Indian wolf  Canis lupus pallipes or Canis indica

The Indian Wolf has a very short, dense coat that is typically reddish, tawny, or buff coloured.  It reaches 60-95 centimetres in height, and typically weighs 18-27 kilograms (40 - 60 lbs.   Breeding generally occurs in October, after the rains – early compared to the Grey Wolf.  

The Indian Wolf is adapted for life in the semi-arid and hot areas that they typically inhabit. Its relatively small size allows it to survive on the smaller ungulates, rabbits, hares, and rodents that roam its territory. The Indian Wolf is a prime example of the Canid's adaptability as a species, given that its cousins can be found in areas starkly contrasted to the scrubland, grassland, and semi-arid pastoral environments that the Indian Wolf thrives in.

Though the Indian Wolf and the Indian Wild Dog have been portrayed as mortal enemies by author Rudyard Kipling in his book, Red Dog, studies have shown that there is very little competition between the two species where they share common ground.  The fact that the wolf inhabits open spaces and feeds primarily on rodents as a contrast to the dog's habit of living in dense forests and hunting medium sized ungulates is enough to ensure peaceful coexistence^.

It is a semi-desert-adapted Canid that is exclusive to the eastern Indian subcontinent.  A study released in 2004 estimates that there are around 2000-3000 Indian Wolves.  Mitochondrial dna tests have ascertained these wolves have an undisturbed lineage of about 400,000 years. making them the second oldest undisturbed wolf population in the world.

Lately, research of the DNA of the Indian Wolf, formerly known as Canis lupus pallipes, supports the suggestion to treat the Indian wolf as a new species of canid (Canis indica).  Probably, the Indian wolf migrated to India about 400 thousand years ago, during the Pleistocene and separated from its common wolf ancestors.  But other Indian wolves not from India but from the Arabian peninsula, Afghanistan, and Pakistan should be called the south-east Asia wolf (Canis lupus pallipes).

The Indian wolf is the most likely direct ancestor of the Australian Dingo.  DNA tests have yet to confirm this.

New Guinea Singing Dog Canis lupus hallstromi

The New Guinea Singing Dog (Canis lupus hallstromi), known as NGSD, New Guinea Highland Dog, or Singer, is classified as a subspecies of Grey wolf, similar in appearance to the domestic dog, related to the Australian Dingo that is native to New Guinea.  Some scientists consider it a separate species of Canid.  Singers have remained isolated from other dogs for almost 6000 years, making them possibly the oldest of the pariah dogs.

Once thought to inhabit the entire island of New Guinea, today wild populations are thought to be extinct, with captive specimens numbering from 100 to 200.  They are exceptionally intelligent, but hard to keep because of wild behavioural traits.  There is some debate as to whether Singers are truly domesticated animals, though with proper training, their pack-instincts may allow them to live with humans.  They are a recognized breed by such organizations as the United Kennel Club, which classifies them as a pariah dog.  They are unique in their ability to howl in a wolf-like manner, but unlike wolves, Singers modulate the pitch, hence the name.

Physical description:  They have a fox-like appearance, with a double coat that ranges in color from red to brown, and have a characteristically large carnassial tooth.  They stand between 14 and 18 inches (36 to 46 cm) at the shoulders, and weigh 17 to 30 lbs (8 to 14 kg) as adults.

They have proportionately short legs and large heads compared to other Canids.  They are shorter in height at the withers than are dingoes and Arabian wolves.  Their skulls are slightly wider than a dingo's and a Golden jackal's. 

The Dingo is Australia's wild dog.  It is found in Australia, in all states except Tasmania.  They are found throughout the mainland of Australia, close to a source of water.  The Dingo is a medium sized dog, with a bushy tail, and red to yellow coat. Dingos do not bark, but they do howl.  It is not a native animal to Australia, and it is unsure exactly how it arrived on our land, but the current theories are;  they may be related to wild dogs in South East Asia, they were brought to Australia 15,000 years ago for trade by sea-farers.

DNA tests recently confirmed Australian aborigines traveled from southern Africa to Australia through southern India.  Did they bring their dogs from Africa or did they pick them up somewhere on their way?  I am sure that  DNA testing will soon confirm where these dogs actually originated.  If scientists can locate a match for Australian Aborigines in southern India, surely they can do the same for the Dingo.

Dingos are meat eaters, and try to feed mainly on this. If unavailable, they have been known to eat reptiles, and any meaty food source it can find.  When food is scarce, they group together to feed on larger animals such as kangaroos.  Dingos usually stay and hunt in family groups.  Dingos mate once a year, and the female dingo gives birth to up to eight puppies.  The puppies are nursed for two months.  After the pups are about four months old, they then begin hunting small game such as rabbits.

Amazing Fact: When the puppies are two months old, the mother then regurgitates food for the pups for another two months.

New DNA testing has indicated this is the oldest Grey wolf subspecies on the planet.

New evidence based on the mitochondrial DNA shows signs that the Himalayan wolf could very well be a new subspecies and perhaps even a new species all together.  It is believed the Himalayan wolf separated from the Grey wolf approximately 800,000 years ago.  Thereby, perhaps making it a different species in its own right.  If in fact it is a new species, new questions arise as to why it wasn't able to perpetuate across the globe in the same matter as its relative the Grey wolf.

The habitat of the Himalayan Wolf (also known as the Tibetan Wolf) is confined to small pockets of India, Kashmir, and into China and Mongolia.  It is believed that when this species first evolved, they were surrounded by glaciers and other physical barriers that did not promote expansion and perpetuation.  Much of their habitat is shared by another newly discovered species, the Indian Wolf.  It is unknown as to why these two species do not interbreed in spite of the overlap in habitat. This fact allows the two species to remain genetically distinct from all other wolves and dogs found on the planet.

While the Grey wolf is found throughout Siberia, Manchuria, Tibet and the Himalayan regions of Indian, Nepal and Bhutan, and are large dark coloured wolves, the wolves in the western areas of the Himalayas are white.  This 'Tibetan' wolf is only found in the  Himalayas in cold deserts or mountainous areas. 

Up until recently it was believed that all wolves and dogs were part of the wolf-dog clade meaning that all domesticated dogs are derived from wolves.  When the Himalayan lineage was studied, it was found this wolf shared no genetic markers with gray wolves or dogs.  This indicates that the Himalayan wolf played no role in the domestication of dogs.

The mitochondrial clock, which is based on the rate of changes observed in the DNA sequences, dates this lineage to about 800,000 years.  When the divergence of the Himalayan wolf occurred, the habitat of modern day Nepal was going through major geologic and climate upheaval.  The Himalayan region, also home to the Indian wolf and the Grey wolf, is the only geographical location in the entire world where these three species of wolves cohabit, thereby supporting a theory that the Indian region is the most likely location for modern wolf hybridization and evolution.   All indications point to the Himalayan wolf being one participant in the evolution of Grey wolves, or is this non-diversity actually a product of in-breeding due to there being such a small gene pool available to that particular enclave.

Indian researchers recently compared over 700 DNA sequences of wolves and dogs from all over the world with Indian wolves and dogs.  By analyzing DNA from the cell's "power units" called mitochondria, scientists were able to put a time to the point at which the wolf lineage originated.  This was possible because mitochondrial DNA changes regularly over time, allowing the emergence of patterns in its sequence to be clocked.

"Until this finding, the peninsular wolf  (Canis lupus Indica) [found in the Indian plains] was thought to be the oldest undisturbed lineage of wolf in the world at 400,000 years.  We are preparing to further study the species and prepare a project to ascertain the status of the Himalayan wolf so that a conservation breeding plan can be started." 

Other tests on wolves from surrounding areas show they all belong to a very ancient and genetically divergent Himalayan lineage.  Julie, the female wolf whose DNA was analyzed, was found 14 years ago in the high and dry Spiti valley bordering Tibet.

Wildlife authorities have recently spotted 33 Himalayan wolves in the Spiti valley.  But Julie is the only one in captivity.  Poaching and loss of habitat have sharply reduced the Himalayan wolf population.  According to one estimate, there could be as few as 350 left in the entire western Himalayan region.

The conundrum here is how could modern wolves have evolved in North America, migrated to Eurasia, returned to North America, and left its oldest uninterrupted lineage stock isolated deep in the Himalayan Mountains.  The only plausible explanation is; the original transient North American proto-wolves, spread throughout  Eurasia, seeking out good hunting areas, and became specialized in certain unique areas.  The group that colonized the unique Himalayan area maintained their genetic purity for 800,000 years ago, and did not hybridize with any other canids afterwards.

A divergence of any carnivorous population from its ancestral type may be caused by such factors as its prey species, size differences, breeding habits, geographic isolation, climate, climate change and/or hybridization.

Each population acclimatized to better fit its adopted homeland.  All scientist agree the  Grey wolves that returned to North America were of a newer "improved" variety.  Every naturalist understands the natural evolution of prey and predator is intrinsically entwined.  

For this scenario to have played out, a land bridge must have been available for North American proto-wolves to pass into Asia before 800,000 years ago.  The Pleistocene epoch on the geologic timescale is the period from 1,808,000 to 11,550 years  ago, meaning animals had an intermittent  land bridge to cross back and forth between Asia and North America during that period.  Most Climatologists agree we are still in this epoch, and it is only a matter of time before we are dragged into a new ice age.

Our past conjecture has often been proven wrong by DNA testing, and that will continue into the future.  It is known for certain that the Canids have been, and still are very adaptable, and they are still changing to meet new demands and opportunities.  Look at the hundreds of dog varieties to illustrate that, from Chihuahuas to Saint Bernards.  Given their own devices, wild canids can and have adapted, and have changed to fit new demands.  All Scientists agree that Canids successfully spread over more of the world than any other animal - until humans became powerful enough to diminish their numbers.

DNA tests have also concluded the Black-backed Jackal of Africa is the oldest species of all living Canids.  On the other hand, fossil remains prove the Canidae family began in North America.   One thing is certain, much of our knowledge of Canids has yet to be learned.

Surprisingly, although often grouped with the other jackals (the Black-backed Jackal, and the Side-stripped Jackal), genetic research indicates that the Golden Jackal is not closely related to either of them, but is within the true "wolf" group which also includes the Grey wolf, the Red wolf and the Coyote.  The genetic evidence is consistent with the form of the skull, which also bears more similarities to those of the Coyote and the Grey Wolf than to those of  other jackal species.
The range of the Golden Jackal can be seen at left.

The golden Jackal's short, coarse fur is usually yellow to pale gold and brown-tipped, though the color can vary with season and region. On the Serengeti Plain in Northern Tanzania for example, the Golden Jackal's fur is brown-grizzled yellow in the wet season (December-January), changing to pale gold in the dry season (September-October).  Jackals living in mountainous regions may have a greyer shade of fur. 

The Golden Jackal is generally 70–105 cms. (28–42 in.)  in length, with a tail length of about 25 centimetres (10 in). Its standing height is approximately 38–50 cm (16–20 in) at the shoulder.  Average weight is 7–15 kilograms (15–33 lbs) with males tending to be 15% heavier than the females.  Scent glands are present on the face and the anus and genital regions.  Females have 4-8 teats.  They have 42 teeth. 

In all their ranges, the Golden Jackal displays a great deal of diversity in appearance.  Jackals living in north Africa tend to be larger and have longer carnassials than those living in the Middle East.  Moroccan Golden Jackals are paler and have more pointed snouts than Egyptian Golden Jackals^.

During the breeding process male Jackal pups had to be fostered on a Husky bitch in order to imprint the Jackals on dogs.  Female Jackals accepted male Huskies more easily.  The half-bred Jackal-Dogs were hard to train and were bred back to Huskies to produce quarter-bred hybrids (quadroons) which were more easily trained.

These hybrids were small, agile, trainable and had excellent noses.  They were then called Sulimov Dogs after their creator, and may one day be registered as a working breed of dog. 

Twenty-five Sulimov dogs are used by Aeroflot at Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow, for functions which include bomb-sniffing.  Their breeding program dates back to 1975, but was not applied to bomb detection until 2002.

The so-called "Eastern wolf (or) Algonquin' wolf" (largely restricted to the southern area of Algonquin Park and surrounding areas) was originally given a unique species name; "Canis Lycaon."  When John and Mary Theberge successfully determined the real identity of those wolves after 11 years of study, and by exhaustive DNA testing, this name became superfluous.  DNA testing + skull measurements proved they were, in fact, a previously unknown but almost exact northern race of the Red Wolf (Canis rufus).

Meanwhile, It was recorded that Coyotes were hybridizing with these wolves, and their progeny, called 'Brush wolves' in eastern Ontario, were expanding their range eastwards into the Maritime provinces of Canada, and westwards to the Niagara Region.  As they spread  throughout Canada's eastern provinces and into the American Northeast, it became evident they were behaving more like wolves than coyotes.  (e.g. I have seen evidence that a pack has attacked a healthy herd of deer within walking distance of my home).

Due to their own devices, this new population of wolves is now well established in all four Atlantic provinces.  Their weights have been officially recorded as 50 - 60 lbs.  They won't go away so it stands to reason, within time, they will inherit the name - Canis Lycaon (or some other).

This lucky new wolf has taken advantage of a recent socio-economic phenomenon in eastern Canada.  Since the end of the Second World War, there has been an unprecedented migration of people from the country to large cities.  This rural depopulation has led to the regeneration of natural vegetation in former agricultural areas, and to a huge increase in prey species such as White tail deer, rabbits, Canada geese, beaver, and ground hogs (hoary marmots).

Before the 1990s, DNA tests had conclusively proved there were no Grey wolf genes in these hybrids.  However, since the 1990s, thanks to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), Grey wolf dna has been confirmed  to be present in varying degrees from 100% to 25% in alpha males of several packs.    I have seen a solitary wolf that was as large as a Malamute Husky (well over 150 lbs) chasing a herd of sheep carrying his tail up in the air as only a wolf does.  That was from my kitchen window, and he was no Coyote!

More commonly, I have seen 50 to 60 pound Brush wolves playing in the snow from that same window.

The evolution of eastern wolves in Algonquin Park has been a result of changes in the ecosystem brought about by human impact.  It is a natural reaction by a top end predator to changing circumstances.

Brush wolves are now well established in Prince Edward Island and have been observed by professional naturalists to be double the size of western Coyotes, have a much more variable coloration, and have been scientifically determined through dna tests at Trent University in Peterborough to contain wolf genes.   Government experts have estimated there are about 1000 Brush wolves well established on the Island but some people have insisted there are probably four times that many.

Reports of "Coydogs" in the US north east, and the factual evidence of Coyote/Red Wolf hybridization in the isolated south eastern US range of the Red Wolf have met with derision by farmers, hunters and even many naturalists who considered these crosses to be unnatural (not so in Canada).  Products of these unions in the United States were methodically annihilated by Governments  "to save the pure strains of Red Wolf".  Meanwhile, many naturalists have lately considered the "Texan sub-species" of "Red wolf" to actually be a completely hybridized Coyote/Red wolf population.

However, in eastern Canada, where the Red Wolf was not supposed to be, no such excuse was apparent other than the desire to eradicate a new threat to sheep and cattle.

These new brands of Coyote/Wolf hybrids have retained the shrewdness of the Coyote and have also retained the pack system of its Wolf ancestry.  This combination has allowed these animals to: corner large dogs and kill them, bring down 800 lb steers, and frequently prey on other farm animals, where pure wolves would not dare. 

I have seen the standard western Coyotes in western Ontario, and also the ones here in eastern Ontario.  The ones here are larger, and have a more luxuriant coat than those further west, and vary in colour from the standard coyote grey, no doubt due to the various wolf input.  Some people insist our Brush wolves are part dog, and there have been recorded crosses.  However, it stands to reason, after millions of years of natural selection aimed at survival of the species, no Brush wolf (or Coyote) in its right mind would prefer a spoiled dog with its dull wits, fat body, and shorter teeth to an efficient killing machine like a Red or Grey  wolf.

I have witnessed traditional Coyotes yelping almost every night from my home, as the local pack south of my home assembles for the night's hunt but I have also heard on rare occasions, a solitary unique lower pitch howl which is not typical of the western Coyote, from another pack situated north of my farm.  The howl is only made once or twice and then the animal is gone.  It could only be the call of a much larger animal.  This was definitely not a pack-gathering howl but appeared to be that of a lone defiant animal who was letting me and my huskies know he was here, and this was his territory. 

Some people engage in hunting Brush wolves in Eastern Ontario for sport.  They claim to see all sizes and all colours here.  Their bounties were removed due to popular condemnation.

The necessity for a healthy wolf/coyote population in eastern Canada and the northern U.S. is self evident.  It is time that 'Canis Lycaon' is recognized by all Governments and scientific establishments as a useful part of our ecosystem.  That has already happened in the Maritimes.

A foot-note:  In this area, there is a pack of wolf/coyotes with some individuals so large that hounds sent after them, return with their tails between their legs, if they return at all.  Evidently, these fellows refuse to be chased.  There is a large black which I have seen that appears to be anything but a coyote.

It occasionally passes through a friend's property and a few years ago, during mating season, attacked my friend's full grown male German Shepherd, and emasculated him, otherwise he was untouched.  The owner paid $1,000.00 to repair the damage to his dog.  Obviously this brush wolf left a message with the dog and its owner.   Now that is some Coyote!

The two sheep above were killed by a pack of eastern Wolf/Coyotes (Brush wolves).  They were interrupted by the owner, who drove them off before consuming their prey. This situation has become common here.

I have talked with a hunter near here, who told me a "Wolf" killed his male beagle when he got too close to her den.  She shook him until his neck broke.  Now, that is one heck of a Coyote!  Around here, few people call them Coyotes!

My son, Bill, found signs one winter near here where a pack set upon a herd of deer and killed a large buck.  The signs of the struggle were spread over a kilometer.

So, local Coyote/Wolf hybrids have proven wildlife experts were wrong when they claimed they will not attack a healthy deer herd.  

TWO   SOLITUDES - Brush wolves versus Huskies

The 8 photos below were taken on 24 Jan 2008,  less than a kilometer apart just out of eyesight of each other.  During the day, they maintain their separate worlds but at night they howl at each other in their mutual hatred (perhaps because they are different).  I have watched each play with their own kind in the snow, be affectionate with their own, and both eagerly watch my goats.  However, to date, the wolves only go after the carcasses.  On the other hand, the dogs go after the smallest of the live animals.

The four photos on the left were taken with an infra-red-sensor digital "trail" camera of a wild Brush wolf.  The four photos on the right were taken with a Sony digital camera of "Karghan", a registered Siberian Husky.  Both were eating meat.

One was designed by nature for survival.  The other was designed by man to pull his sleds.  The Brush wolf is free and fends for itself, and controls its own destiny, while the Husky is kept in an enclosure and depends on man for hand outs.  One began its journey in the prairie provinces of Canada, ventured east along the railways, hybridized with the northern Red wolf, and spread its range to Newfoundland, on the shores of the North Atlantic.

It has never been eradicated by man in any of its ranges.  The other is entirely at the mercy of man. They are both healthy and weigh about 60 lbs.  I have never lost a goat to a Brush wolf but I have lost a goat to one of my own Huskies.  Which is smarter?  Which can survive on its own?

Which would you rather be?

Four photos @ left credited to Jeff Smith, Montague, Ontario, Canada.	Four photos @ right credited to Hal MacGregor, Montague, Ontario, Canada.

 

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