Bele's Wolf Thread.

[Belesarius]

So anyone who knows me beyond casually knows I have a moderately strong obsession with wolves. Probably traces back to a face to face encounter at a range of about 25 feet with what an experienced wolf trapper said was the biggest wolf that he had ever seen.  Anyhow...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHsWVHfnXlo

 

The Wolves of Chernobyl. 

[Belesarius]

This one is even better.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azY4S_whgD0

[Donward]

I've heard anecdotal stories about sightings of wolves West of the Cascade mountains in Washington state for years. Usually from loggers or guys who spend a lot of time in the woods and away from civilization (see hermits, kooks). But it looks like we may finally have concrete evidence of wolves on the wetter (and more populated) side of Washington state. 

 

http://mynorthwest.com/174/2754998/Wolf-killed-on-I90-might-be-confirmation-animals-have-crossed-Cascades

 

As a bit of a geography lesson, the area described is about 40 miles from downtown Seattle and about 30 from suburban neighborhoods that include places like the Microsoft campus. And it is about ten miles from where I am typing this.

 

The politics of wolves interacting with farmers and ranchers is a particularly touchy one and those of you who are familiar with the stories surrounding ranchers in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and Eastern Washington interacting with wolves introduced from Yellowstone and which have migrated down from Canada will know how touchy this situation can be.

 

Personally, I feel that wolf packs would have no trouble at all adapting as "urban wildlife" living in rural and suburban enclaves close to man and civilization. We already see species like coyotes and black bears doing the same. Wolves are an intelligent, creative and adaptable species. Put into an environment where you have a mixture of open space mixed with suburban housing units which contain easy food sources like garbage cans, domestic pets like cats and small dogs and unattended children, I can see wolfpacks thriving if left to their own devices.

 

Unfortunately, while the introduction of an apex predator like the wolf (and particularly the Canadian timber wolf) into Western Washington would be a Godsend in cutting down the influx of invasive species like possum, domestic cats and Californians, I have a hunch that political pressure will be put in trying to interdict wolf packs living over here.

[Belesarius]

I've heard anecdotal stories about sightings of wolves West of the Cascade mountains in Washington state for years. Usually from loggers or guys who spend a lot of time in the woods and away from civilization (see hermits, kooks). But it looks like we may finally have concrete evidence of wolves on the wetter (and more populated) side of Washington state. 

 

http://mynorthwest.com/174/2754998/Wolf-killed-on-I90-might-be-confirmation-animals-have-crossed-Cascades

 

As a bit of a geography lesson, the area described is about 40 miles from downtown Seattle and about 30 from suburban neighborhoods that include places like the Microsoft campus. And it is about ten miles from where I am typing this.

 

The politics of wolves interacting with farmers and ranchers is a particularly touchy one and those of you who are familiar with the stories surrounding ranchers in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and Eastern Washington interacting with wolves introduced from Yellowstone and which have migrated down from Canada will know how touchy this situation can be.

 

Personally, I feel that wolf packs would have no trouble at all adapting as "urban wildlife" living in rural and suburban enclaves close to man and civilization. We already see species like coyotes and black bears doing the same. Wolves are an intelligent, creative and adaptable species. Put into an environment where you have a mixture of open space mixed with suburban housing units which contain easy food sources like garbage cans, domestic pets like cats and small dogs and unattended children, I can see wolfpacks thriving if left to their own devices.

 

Unfortunately, while the introduction of an apex predator like the wolf (and particularly the Canadian timber wolf) into Western Washington would be a Godsend in cutting down the influx of invasive species like possum, domestic cats and Californians, I have a hunch that political pressure will be put in trying to interdict wolf packs living over here.

Wolves are smart. They won't eat toxic Californians.  

[Jeeps_Guns_Tanks]

Wolves are smart. They won't eat toxic Californians.  

 

 

For Don, that's NOT a selling point. 

[LostCosmonaut]

I've heard anecdotal stories about sightings of wolves West of the Cascade mountains in Washington state for years. Usually from loggers or guys who spend a lot of time in the woods and away from civilization (see hermits, kooks). But it looks like we may finally have concrete evidence of wolves on the wetter (and more populated) side of Washington state. 

 

http://mynorthwest.com/174/2754998/Wolf-killed-on-I90-might-be-confirmation-animals-have-crossed-Cascades

 

As a bit of a geography lesson, the area described is about 40 miles from downtown Seattle and about 30 from suburban neighborhoods that include places like the Microsoft campus. And it is about ten miles from where I am typing this.

 

The politics of wolves interacting with farmers and ranchers is a particularly touchy one and those of you who are familiar with the stories surrounding ranchers in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and Eastern Washington interacting with wolves introduced from Yellowstone and which have migrated down from Canada will know how touchy this situation can be.

 

Personally, I feel that wolf packs would have no trouble at all adapting as "urban wildlife" living in rural and suburban enclaves close to man and civilization. We already see species like coyotes and black bears doing the same. Wolves are an intelligent, creative and adaptable species. Put into an environment where you have a mixture of open space mixed with suburban housing units which contain easy food sources like garbage cans, domestic pets like cats and small dogs and unattended children, I can see wolfpacks thriving if left to their own devices.

 

Unfortunately, while the introduction of an apex predator like the wolf (and particularly the Canadian timber wolf) into Western Washington would be a Godsend in cutting down the influx of invasive species like possum, domestic cats and Californians, I have a hunch that political pressure will be put in trying to interdict wolf packs living over here.

 

Somewhat reminds me of the coyotes along the east coast. There's been a lot of news stories about them showing up in NYC and New Jersey recently, though I personally saw a coyote in South Jersey (Cape May county) in 2009.  Been a lot of reports of them eating pets, too. Coyotes probably won't do too bad in South Jersey, especially considering there's actually quite a bit more open spaces than people expect in that part of the state.

 

Wiki says that eastern coyotes have interbred with wolves. Based on the pictures, I can definitely see a resemblance;

 

[Donward]

I've seen plenty of coyotes in suburban settings. Plenty of cats and pet food to munch on. In the suburban neighborhood where my wife used to live, there was a coyote that would come and eat the apples from a tree in a nearby foreclosed property.

 

I've never heard of coyote and wolves cross-breeding though since they tend to me mortal enemies in the wild or at least that's what I thought. 

[Donward]

A little follow-up information on the wolf sighting. Looks like there might be some video evidence.

 

http://mynorthwest.com/108/2761425/Video-evidence-wolf-has-crossed-west-over-Cascades

 

[Belesarius]

A neat article based off of long standing Yellowstone wolf pack research.  It was funny to realize I could put an actual face to '21' from watching a documentary about 'casanova', the wolf that replaced him a couple of years back.

 

http://www.salon.com/2015/07/04/the_perfect_wolf_twenty_one_was_a_legend_he_never_lost_a_fight_and_he_never_killed_a_vanquished_rival/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

[Sturgeon]

You know, for a Salon article, that was downright interesting.

[Ulric]

Unfortunately, while the introduction of an apex predator like the wolf (and particularly the Canadian timber wolf) into Western Washington would be a Godsend in cutting down the influx of invasive species like possum, domestic cats and Californians, I have a hunch that political pressure will be put in trying to interdict wolf packs living over here.

 

I need to start referring to Californians as an invasive species more often.

[CrashbotUS]

All our gray wolves are gone. Red wolves have been reintroduced in south Texas  and the estimated wild population is around 130. 

 

We have more Coyotes than we know what to do with. 

[Belesarius]

All our gray wolves are gone. Red wolves have been reintroduced in south Texas  and the estimated wild population is around 130. 

 

We have more Coyotes than we know what to do with. 

Coyotes tend to fill the ecological niche left by wolves.  They get bigger in areas where they don't share territory with Wolves, and take bigger prey.  They tend to be significantly smaller in areas like Yellowstone where they are not competing with wolves, and stick to smaller game.

 

Edit:  and Coyotes are freaking adaptable motherfuckers.  We have Coyotes right near my house here in Toronto.  They like the ravines and parks here in Toronto.

[Priory_of_Sion]

We have more Coyotes than we know what to do with.

Some Texans are even calling them chupacabras for some odd reason.

[CrashbotUS]

Some of them look pretty mangy. 


I have them all over the place out here. On my property there is a cold war type situation between them and bobcats. 
 
Someone caught this in a park in the middle of DFW.

 

[Donward]

There's a couple of coyotes that have somehow made it up here to Bristol Bay. I'm guessing they snuck onto a barge. The concern is they'll displace the native fox population.

[Priory_of_Sion]

Neat

[Donward]

In addition to having several rifles, Ethiopia has an endangered species of wolf.

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20150601-saving-the-rarest-canids-on-earth

[Belesarius]

California gets wolves back after 90 years.  Some of the Oregon wolves are moving south.

 

http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/after-90-years-california-finally-has-gray-wolf-pack

[Jeeps_Guns_Tanks]

California gets wolves back after 90 years.  Some of the Oregon wolves are moving south.

 

http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/after-90-years-california-finally-has-gray-wolf-pack

 

 

I heard this on the news, it's cool. Now we just need Grizzly bears to return!!

[LostCosmonaut]

Reintroduction of large predators is always good news (to me, at least).

[Priory_of_Sion]

America could use some Cheetahs if you ask me. That is what pronghorns are for right?

[Mogensthegreat]

Wolves are some of the most intelligent hunters that can be found. They have wonderfully complex social structures, and the method of attaining status is fascinating. They also have systems of relationships with other animals.

 

http://www.wolfcountry.net/information/WolfPack.html

 

I will quote the best part of that article:

 

"Ravens - One of the most fascinating relationships between animals is the one that seems to exist between wolves and raven. The raven, scavenger of food of all types, will often follow wolf packs in hopes of morsels of food. and wolves have learned to watch for circling ravens as a sign of possible food below."

[Donward]

[Collimatrix]

You may have seen this before; a well-footnoted story on how the re-introduction of wolves to Yellowstone Park helped to improve the ecology of the region up and down:
 

 

 

It turns out that the actual evidence is ambiguous.