READ!: Wolf Q&A - Frequently Asked Questions (Updated)

Post wolf-related questions and we'll try our best to find the answers.

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Re: Wolf Q&A: Frequently Asked Questions

Post by SolitaryHowl » Sat Jul 03, 2010 4:57 pm

moonshadowwalker wrote:Do wolves kill each other? I mean, I know some fights (over territory, ect) can get nasty but do they purposly kill each other or just try to wound?
No; wolves do not purposely kill each other or just try to wound each other. Unless it's territorial like you said.
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Re: Wolf Q&A: Frequently Asked Questions

Post by moonshadowwalker » Sat Jul 03, 2010 5:01 pm

SolitaryHowl wrote:
moonshadowwalker wrote:Do wolves kill each other? I mean, I know some fights (over territory, ect) can get nasty but do they purposly kill each other or just try to wound?
No; wolves do not purposely kill each other or just try to wound each other. Unless it's territorial like you said.

ah, Thank you, that clears up some stuff. :D
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Re: Wolf Q&A: Frequently Asked Questions

Post by Blightwolf » Tue Jul 06, 2010 6:13 am

SolitaryHowl wrote:
moonshadowwalker wrote:Do wolves kill each other? I mean, I know some fights (over territory, ect) can get nasty but do they purposly kill each other or just try to wound?
No; wolves do not purposely kill each other or just try to wound each other. Unless it's territorial like you said.
Solitary already covered this question well, but I'll just add that even in territorial fights, wolves tend to use intimidation and threatening methods before engaging into any physical confrontation. If this does not work, a pack of wolves would advance on each other. Fights between packs can be extremely gruesome and brutal in worst case scenarios. The estimated ratio of wolves killing each other in territorial fights is commonly about 14%, but in some areas, such as in Minnesota and in Denali, it can get as high as 65%.

Pack clashes are most formidable to happen in areas where the borderlines of two separate packs overlap. In areas where wolf populations are low, the packs are often set well apart and there are rarely any hostile confrontations, unless the pack lines are breached.
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Re: Wolf Q&A: Frequently Asked Questions

Post by SolitaryHowl » Sun Jul 11, 2010 4:16 pm

Got another one:

Do wolves in a wolf pack take turns, or share, the nursing duties?

The quick answer is no, as long as only one wolf is pregnant. The long answer is:
Despite much speculation, there is no published evidence that pseudopregant [Metestrous females that are not pregnant] female wolves have nursed pups. Although milk can be expressed from the nipples of some pseudopregnant females during metestus, the secretion is nonfunctional. Reported cases of cooperative nursing in wolves have all involved females that were both pregnant.
EDIT: Another.

How long does a pack have to rest after a hunt?

Typically 12 hours or more before they go off on another hunt/long trek.

EDIT 2:

What parts of the carcass are eaten first?

Generally, liver, heart, and intestines are consumed first (by the dominant animals) followed by the flesh, bones, and hide.
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Re: Wolf Q&A: Frequently Asked Questions

Post by Blightwolf » Mon Jul 12, 2010 3:57 am

Thank you for the additional questions and answers, Solitary. I'll add them to the list when I can.
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Re: READ!: Wolf Q&A - Frequently Asked Questions

Post by +Fell+ » Wed Aug 18, 2010 2:19 am

WOW Blight your really good! :lol:
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Re: READ!: Wolf Q&A - Frequently Asked Questions

Post by Blightwolf » Wed Aug 18, 2010 3:08 am

The Wolf Q&A list has been updated. New questions and answers have been added.
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Re: READ!: Wolf Q&A - Frequently Asked Questions

Post by FelineMeow » Thu Sep 02, 2010 7:00 pm

+Fell+ wrote:WOW Blight your really good! :lol:
Yeah, Howd you get all that?

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Re: READ!: Wolf Q&A - Frequently Asked Questions

Post by Blightwolf » Fri Sep 03, 2010 3:01 am

bweidgenant wrote:
+Fell+ wrote:WOW Blight your really good! :lol:
Yeah, Howd you get all that?
A lot of the FAQ was constructed with the help of reliable sources such as the International Wolf Center website, and a half of them are based on the knowledge shared by myself and the contributors (e.g. SolitaryHowl, Canidae). Additionally, scientific wolf literature (e.g. L. David Mech books) was used to find proper answers. I did not compile the entire list myself, I had loads of help and a majority of the credit goes to the contributors and their sources.
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Re: READ!: Wolf Q&A - Frequently Asked Questions

Post by Alsatian » Mon Sep 06, 2010 4:29 am

I'm glad that we have wolves in Romania. Not many, but still.

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Re: READ!: Wolf Q&A - Frequently Asked Questions

Post by Canidae » Mon Sep 06, 2010 12:07 pm

Well, 2,500 is actually a pretty good number. That's a lot of wolves, and it means wolves aren't going to disappear from Romania any time soon.
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Re: READ!: Wolf Q&A - Frequently Asked Questions

Post by Blightwolf » Tue Sep 07, 2010 4:32 am

Canidae wrote:Well, 2,500 is actually a pretty good number. That's a lot of wolves, and it means wolves aren't going to disappear from Romania any time soon.
The list is a bit outdated. Nowadays, Romania has well over 3,000 wolves and the population keep increasingly on a steady basis. ^^
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Re: READ!: Wolf Q&A - Frequently Asked Questions

Post by Alsatian » Tue Sep 07, 2010 4:39 am

Canidae wrote:Well, 2,500 is actually a pretty good number. That's a lot of wolves, and it means wolves aren't going to disappear from Romania any time soon.
Blightwolf wrote:
Canidae wrote:Well, 2,500 is actually a pretty good number. That's a lot of wolves, and it means wolves aren't going to disappear from Romania any time soon.
The list is a bit outdated. Nowadays, Romania has well over 3,000 wolves and the population keep increasingly on a steady basis. ^^
Well, that's encouraging news; we are not lacking of wolf hunters, either, though.

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Re: READ!: Wolf Q&A - Frequently Asked Questions

Post by SolitaryHowl » Wed Sep 08, 2010 9:44 am

More:

Q: How big are wolf dens?
A:
The Wolf Almanac wrote:The birhing chamber is usually about 3 feet in diameter and about 2 feet high. The entrance to the den is about 20-28 inches wide and 15-20 inches high. Dens may have two or more entrances.
Q: Do wolves reuse the same dens?

A:
The Wolf Almanac wrote:Dens are often reused by generations of wolves; ones den in Jasper National Park was used by wolves eight times in 15 years. One of Ellesmere Island may be even older, since it contained bones dated at 783 years old. ... In Yellowstone National Park, it has been found that females reuse the previous year's den 70% of the time.
Q: How is the den kept clean?

A:
The Wolf Almanac wrote:The mother keeps the den clean by eating the decal matter of her pups.
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Re: READ!: Wolf Q&A - Frequently Asked Questions

Post by Canidae » Thu Sep 30, 2010 7:41 pm

I trashed all posts related to that incident. No more comments on it, please.
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