![]() ![]() Female wolves become sexually active in their second year, and males are fertile by the age of 22 months, although in the wild, many do not mate until they are 4 or 5 years old. The exception is the Abyssinian wolf that lives just north of the Equator, and may breed any time between August and December. Breeding takes place between January and April, with those in the southern ranges breeding earlier than those in the north. This lasts for about 5-7 days, with the most receptive time in the latter half of the oestrus. The female is in oestrus in late winter, once a year. If not disturbed, a wolf pack will continue to use the same den year after year. Adult wolves tend to lie on higher areas overlooking the den only the mother is allowed to enter. Pregnant wolves dig their dens a few weeks before giving birth to the pups, and a pack may dig several dens, although these may not necessarily be situated closely together. The den may also be located in the base of hollow trees and logs or rock caves, preferably in elevated areas, close to water. They have even been known to use abandoned beaver houses or dams or they may enlarge foxholes. The dens are usually dug out by the wolves themselves. Wolf dens usually take the form of burrows in the ground, often found in sandy soil. Wolves live above ground and only use dens for rearing pups. As with domestic dogs, wolves eat grass as an intestinal scour or purgative, and also need 1-3 quarts of water per day. The main component of a wolf’s diet is ungulates (hoofed animals such as deer, moose, elk and caribou.)ĭepending on the availability, some turn to smaller prey like mice, squirrels and beavers, especially during the caribou migration periods, and have even been known to catch fish! They eat on average between 5-12 pounds of food per day, but are capable of going for days without a meal. ![]() Unfortunately, the myth of the wolf as a rabid man-eater still prevails. Otherwise, there are very few occasions when this has occurred and often these can be contributed to human error. In India, there have been isolated occasions when ‘feral’ children have been attacked on human garbage tips, maybe they were seen as competitors for the same food source. In 1990, a large pack of wolves moved into an Alaskan suburb of over a quarter of a million people and not a single human was harmed by the wolves. They have a high fear of humans and will walk away even if you approach one of their kills. Wolves are known by researchers to be one of the shyest of all animals in the northern wilderness. ![]()
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