National Wolf Awareness Week (2015): 14th-20th October

[Masika]

So, on the WolfQuest Skype chat I recall someone (shout out to LupaValdo2001-2014 :b) mentioning that it is National Wolf Awareness week this week! With that in mind, I figured it'd be nice to have a topic about it to discuss the week and to give users the opportunity to make suggestions about others could perhaps celebrate this week - we are a wolf-related community afterall! :]

Some personal suggestions include doing a spot of reading about wolves and perhaps if you're quite the writer, write something (e.g. short story, poem, etc.) about wolves and contribute it to the User Writings section (may help to boost activity a bit there too!).

As it states in the topic title, National Wolf Awareness Week is from 14th October - 20th October!

Otherwise, be sure to spread the word!

[wolfadore]

Oh yay! I was wondering when it was coming! I will make sure to tell everyone!

[Masika]

Oh yay! I was wondering when it was coming! I will make sure to tell everyone!

Aha, I had been wondering about it myself before it had been mentioned (since I recall there being topics about it for previous years in the past, so did wonder when it was for this year)!

Side note; while it's old, one of the topics for national wolf awareness week in a previous year (2010) has a great deal of information about the week and some resources which you can look at as a part of celebrating the week, so definitely have a look at it if you're interested! http://www.wolfquest.org/bb/viewtopic.p ... &p=1572623

[SilkenGalaxy]

Yeah, I heard Wolf Awareness Week was coming! I think I might draw something to celebrate it. Maybe even spread some info about wolves!

[alethe]

Why wolves?
I'm sorry, but I don't see why they need an awareness week. Not trying to be rude here, but I don't understand.
Why not an awareness week for an animal that's actually endangered, or even just a week to celebrate all animals?

[Masika]

Why wolves?
I'm sorry, but I don't see why they need an awareness week. Not trying to be rude here, but I don't understand.
Why not an awareness week for an animal that's actually endangered, or even just a week to celebrate all animals?

If it helps at all, defenders.org have a section for the week where it's briefly discussed as to why such a week exists for wolves;

Few species are as historically vilified, as ecologically valued, and as continually controversial as wolves.

Despite the vital role they play in many of our native ecosystems, wolves were nearly eliminated in the U.S. by relentless hunting and predator control programs determined to wipe them out. Today, though wolves have returned to some parts of the American landscape, intolerance, fear, misinformation and loss of federal protections continue to threaten wolves’ recovery and survival.

Though Defenders of Wildlife works year-round to protect wolves, Wolf Awareness Week (the third week in October) is a time we set aside in particular to celebrate these important animals, highlight the threats to their survival, and spread the word about what you can do to help wolves stay protected and help humans learn to live alongside them.

http://www.defenders.org/wolf-awareness-week

I certainly don't disagree with you in the sense that there are other animals that should perhaps get the spotlight moreso than wolves and have some sort of appreciation week (or just for all animals, really). I feel that part of it is due to the general popularity of wolves, since I don't think anyone can deny the fact that wolves are very popular animals for the most part and perhaps that encouraged & contributed to the development of a 'national wolf awareness week'.

[DHumphrey]

Why wolves?
I'm sorry, but I don't see why they need an awareness week. Not trying to be rude here, but I don't understand.
Why not an awareness week for an animal that's actually endangered, or even just a week to celebrate all animals?

There are actually many endangered wolf species, such as the red wolf (which may already be extinct), and many wolf populations are threatened. Frankly, I believe ALL animals should have an awareness week. I do agree with you that awareness weeks for other endangered animals should be implemented.

[SilkenGalaxy]

There actually IS a World Animal Day, but then again, it's just a day. And yeah, Wolf Awareness week could be due to popularity, although like DHumphrey said, some wolf subspecies, like the Red Wolf are in trouble, or in the case of the Red Wolf, practically gone...

EDIT: I say Red Wolves are gone because they're not even pure anymore, they're just coyote/wolf hybrids...

[alethe]

Red wolves are not wolves.
The gray wolf, which most people see when "wolf" is said, is not endangered.

I hope this awareness week spreads to not only the misinformed people who think wolves are evil, but also to those who seem to think that wolves are saints and can do no wrong.
I can see it with popularity, but still, I don't think its a needed holiday. Oh well.

[Jeames]

I didn't even know the National Wolf Awareness week existed. It probably doesn't in my country...
The more you know.

[DHumphrey]

Red wolves are not wolves.

Uh, yes they are. They are a subspecies of wolf, and their scientific name is canis lupus rufus. Canis lupus means wolf. They do say that it has unresolved taxonomy (between a gray wolf and coyote) but to most people they are wolves. More wolf than coyote.

[Masika]

Red wolves are not wolves.

Uh, yes they are. They are a subspecies of wolf, and their scientific name is canis lupus rufus. Canis lupus means wolf. They do say that it has unresolved taxonomy (between a gray wolf and coyote) but to most people they are wolves. More wolf than coyote.

Actually, red wolves have a greater percentage of coyote in them and there aren't really any of what you would define as "pure" red wolves around now; so the statement of "red wolves aren't wolves" wouldn't be entirely wrong, at least in my opinion. There was actually a bit of a conversation about this in the general wolf chat;

Show

I'm just wondering, the return of wolves to America I know was a big thing but about the ones in California/North Carolina (not sure which) what do you think will happen there? Just curious because I've heard a lot of stories about what might be happening.

There's a big difference between the return of wolves in California versus North Carolina.
In North Carolina, the red wolf recovery program has been going on for awhile. From what I last heard, the program is now suspended, and no more wolves will be released because of the suspension. Keep in mind red wolves have a high amount of coyote in them (75%), and the general public doesn't really considered coyotes to be wolves (unlike other species they consider to be "wolves"). Either way, what was once the red wolf is no longer what we have today, that's for sure.

With regards to California, wolves have only recently "appeared" within California, with OR7 being one of the first in years, to my knowledge. Then there's this:
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/0 ... fZoppflZZe

Oregon is north from California, so I wouldn't be surprised if the wolves traveled down from there and settled; OR7 came to California, but left and returned to Oregon. He now has a pack of his own.

There's a big difference between the return of wolves in California versus North Carolina.
In North Carolina, the red wolf recovery program has been going on for awhile. From what I last heard, the program is now suspended, and no more wolves will be released because of the suspension. Keep in mind red wolves have a high amount of coyote in them (75%), and the general public doesn't really considered coyotes to be wolves (unlike other species they consider to be "wolves"). Either way, what was once the red wolf is no longer what we have today, that's for sure.

Oh, so you're saying a lot of red wolves have genes from coyotes? So technically red wolves aren't really red wolves anymore?
Or are there till some pure bred red wolves left in the world?

* It is important to note that red wolf is high in coyote ancestry (roughly 75%) and is a coyote-wolf hybrid, with whatever "distinction" it had once as a "unique" wolf essentially diluted and gone. See: A genome-wide perspective on the evolutionary history of enigmatic wolf-like canids

http://wolfquest.org/bb/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=34625

Red wolves aren't what they once were, and so, in a very basic sense, there are no "pure" red wolves.

http://www.wolfquest.org/bb/viewtopic.p ... &start=495

Anyways, to gear the conversation back towards wolf awareness week, thought of one or two other things you may want to do if you want to do something. :]

- Read wolf-related articles (maybe even consider sharing super interesting ones you find here!)
- Wolf-related art
- Attempt to learn new facts about wolves (e.g. investigate an area relating to wolves that you perhaps never thought about/questioned before)

[DHumphrey]

Meh. Alright, you win then. Red wolves are coyotes. But I'll stick to calling them wolves, since that is in their name, both normal and scientific.

[Koa]

A reminder that just because something has "wolf" in there name, does not mean that they are indeed a wolf. Take the maned "wolf" for instance, and it's classed in a genus of its own.
Still, coyotes are fairly close to wolves, and closer to wolves than some other actual wolf "species" (e.g. the Ethiopian wolf), and yet they are "separated" and not thought of as wolves in the same sense. I can understand the confusion; it was for me at first, and with all of the recent findings, still is. But I try to understand, which I suppose is an act of awareness in itself; perhaps you can make that your goal for the week. There's a good thread here that talks about the general issue of what is/isn't a wolf and contains some useful information.
Criteria for inclusion: When is a wolf a wolf?

[SilkenGalaxy]

A reminder that just because something has "wolf" in there name, does not mean that they are indeed a wolf. Take the maned "wolf" for instance, and it's classed in a genus of its own.
Still, coyotes are fairly close to wolves, and closer to wolves than some other actual wolf "species" (e.g. the Ethiopian wolf), and yet they are "separated" and not thought of as wolves in the same sense. I can understand the confusion; it was for me at first, and with all of the recent findings, still is. But I try to understand, which I suppose is an act of awareness in itself; perhaps you can make that your goal for the week. There's a good thread here that talks about the general issue of what is/isn't a wolf and contains some useful information.
Criteria for inclusion: When is a wolf a wolf?

Ah, thanks for the info Koa! Yeah, at first I was very confused about that whole what is a wolf and what is not a wolf thing, but that's a cool thing to address on Wolf Awareness Week!