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An Arctic Encounter
A Wild Experience!
| Eco Soul Journey at 10 months of age |
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| (click to enlarge) |
| Eco Soul Journey ( 7 months of age here) |
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| Born May 1st 2007 |
Arctic Wolf (Canis lupus arctos)
About Arctic Wolves
Class:
Mammalia
Order:Carnivora
Family:
Canidae
Genus:
Canis
Scientific
Name: Canis lupus arctos
Weight:
Males can vary anywheres from 100 lbs to near 170 pounds, females tend to weigh a little less. Arctic wolves tend to be the
largest of the subspecies.
Height:
Arctic wolves can range in heights from a smaller female of approx 27" at the withers all the way to 35" at the withers.
Habitat:
As the name implies arctic wolves range is within the arctic regions, commonly confused with canis lupus hudsonicus (also
classifed as an arctic canidae) canis lupus arctos ranges from Melville island to Ellesmere island in the high Arctic.
Arctic wolves are rare in captivity but numbers have increased due in part to captive breeding. The Eurasian
arctic version of the arctos is called Canis lupus albus (Russian Tundra Wolf)
Status
in the wild: is unknown for certain, but are believed to be at risk even endangered. Many white wolves seen
in captivity are not arctic wolves but are arctic types, a combination of various subspecies to get an arctic looking white
wolf , (see Dharmas page as an example) not a true arctic wolf of pure blood. This of course is unfortunate. So be aware
that many places claiming to have arctics, simply do not. Arctic wolves will also disperse and follow their prey, so
they are known to travel great distances for survival.
Diet:
Lemmings, and Arctic hares comprise a lot of the wolves diet along with caribou depending on the arctic region, and
musk-oxen, but are opportunistic so will not pass up what is found such as arctic birds.
Habitat:
Contrary to popular belief dens are used just to birth young and keep them safe for the first number of months of their lives.
They are not used by the pack for any other reason. In the arctic the land is very barren and rocky, with high winds and frigid
temps that can reach in excess of -65 degrees F. Arctic wolves will curl up together to keep warm
and use their tails like a scarf that will cover their noses, their ears are fairly short, round and well furred to prevent
freezing.
Physical descrip:
Arctic wolves are born darkly colored (not black) see pics on this page of legend as a puppy* and over the course of
a couple years phase into the glorious white coats so many are familiar with. There is NO SUCH thing as black arctics,
you can find black phase wolves found in the alaskan tundra range, (please visit eclipses page for more info.) but these are NOT *Arctos/Arctic wolves*
Their coats are longer in length than some other subspecies,
and stay white all year round once the color is attained, unlike arctic foxes or hares that change color with the season.
They tend to have a heavier look to them with thicker legs and wide skulls. Their OVERLY large furred feet act as snow shoes
to aid them through snowy/icey terrain. The fur under their feet is dense, and long enough to cover a lot of their paw pads
to help insulate them.
Their white coats act as good insulators against
the bitter arctic cold, due to each hair shaft having more airpockets than colored hair shafts like some other subspecies
have.
Gestation: Gestation
is the same as domestic dogs approx 63 days.
Breeding Time: Time of breeding depends on latitude, for Arctics this takes place a little later
than more southern counterpart subspecies, with mating taking place in March, and pups being whelped anywheres from
early May till the end of May. *Mech*
Number of pups born:
Arctic wolves tend to have smaller litters with 3 being average but are capable of having up to 7 puppies.
At approx 3 1/2 weeks of age pups start to become more
active will start to emerge, pups are readily greeted by the entire pack whom will help to feed and care for the fast growing
pups. By approx 6 months of age the pups must be grown enough to be able to keep up with the pack and are taught more indepth
hunting methods.
Lifespan: Arctic wolves in the
wild will be lucky to reach approx 7 years of age, as is any subspecies of gray wolf. Loss of habitat (displacement) starvation
(lack of food sources), weather elements, disease, injury either sustained within the pack (fighting) or via when hunting
a prey source, all play a part in how long a wild wolf may live. In captivity if a wolf has good vet care, regular
meals, and kept warm/safe from the elements, they can live to be up to 18 years of age. Due to nature ensuring only
the strongest and healthiest survive to pass on their genes, You will not find the same sort of diseases in frequency,
that plague domestic dogs. Bad genetics whether physically or otherwise, are very quickly weeded out, and don't survive
wild living.
Resource:
L. David Mech The Wolf : The ecology and behavior of
an endangered species
Jim Brandenburg: To the Top of the World; Adventures
with Arctic Wolves
About Eco Soul
Journey
Introducing
Eco Soul Journey, Eco is a canis lupus arctos (arctic wolf) she is A Wolf Encounters latest addition, born in early
May. Eco's lineage goes directly back to Northern Born, wild arctic relatives. Eco is aptly named, for I feel every day my soul is on a journey in life, feeling, thinking, doing,
and experiencing. I am in the first row to the greatest show on
earth, a sacred life! on a sacred planet.
One of the greatest differences between
a dog and a wolf, is a dogs ability to forgive their caretakers, if the caretaker does something to betray the dogs trust
(in the dogs eyes.) Trust, and the unconditional acceptance and adoration people so love in the domestic dog, is typically
granted to their owners.
In captivity, wolves
are what I call one time learners, meaning if something happens to them one time, that in the eyes and mind of
the wolf is traumatic, they NEVER forget it, and remain forever mistrustful of the experience, object, person.
It takes time to EARN
the trust of a wolf in captivity and it is NOT unconditional. Such trust starts from the
moment a pup is brought in to start the bottle-feeding process, required to raise wild animals. But it can be broken VERY
easily, as a wolf is not apt to forgive like a dog.
For example I have seen some people
smack their dogs with newspapers, or yell very loudly at their pups for doing something wrong, in the eyes of the
owner. Such actions taken against a wolf pup, could have long lasting consequences. If it does not ruin the
relationship forever,severing it right at that moment, it will certainly take an extremely long time to EARN that
trust painstakingly back all over again.
It is easy
to make mistakes when raising wolves, this is why they are NOT PETS, for the mistake can be potentially dangerous,
and can be made when the pup is very young, and the results not take affect till the wolf is an adult, and can show
you where you went wrong.
RESPECT and TRUST is EARNED
when it comes to sharing ones world with captive wild wolves.
Eco's
name comes from my fascination for being a wild life and environmental warrior. Nature Rocks!
I hope Eco will remind visitors to stay intuned
and in touch with their own soul songs, lifes passions, and journeys. Do you wish to meet Eco? Then please visit
my visitor info. page and contact
me.
Visit Legends page for more info. on Arctic wolves, Arctic habitat and
Arctic wildlife in general.
(CLICK ON ANY PICTURES FOR LARGER VIEW)
| Eco looking On, as sky is with a young visitor |
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| Eco Pup 7months old Dec07 |
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| eco meeting mandy for the first time |
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| Mandy with Eco and Legend |
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| eco and bup bup (legend) stick game |
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)
 stick game)
