A Relative of the Poodle- the Gray Wolf

You don’t often see a poodle running around chasing livestock or hunting in packs, but their ancestors certainly do. The gray wolf has long been known for its cunning, social skills, and speed.

Our ancestors have long respected them as a fellow hunter, but lately, these amazing creatures have become endangered.

A little bit about them

• The gray wolf can grow up to 7 feet in length and weigh up to 175 pounds.
• When food is scarce, only the top couple will mate. The female will terrorize the other females into submission.
• The whole pack will take care of and raise the cubs together.
• They are all about gestures, and postures.
• The alpha male will hold his tail up higher than the rest of the pack.

How they became endangered

In ancient times, the people respected them as great hunters. When the farmers came, the gray wolf started to come after the livestock. Unfortunately this put a target on the gray wolf’s back. As the animals became endangered, people finally realized that the wolves were not around as much.

In 1974, American put the gray wolf on the endangered species list. But recently, a couple of populations have been recovered, such as the western great lakes area.

The gray wolves in the Movies

A lot of movies like to have a gray world in it. One of those is the beloved children’s tale Balto. A story about a wolf who doesn’t fit in with the other dogs. But when it comes time to save a little girl’s life, he come up to the challenge despite the adversary he faces.

Another movie the gray wolf is in is the Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. These wolves are the police in the story that hunt down the children for the evil witch.

A Beacon of Hope

There is hope for these beloved creatures. All that is needed to be done is to increase awareness of the problem, and find a way to fix it.