by Canadian Wolf Fund
Are you afraid of the wolf? And if you are, why? Now, we’re not trying to say that wolves are the angels of the earth and that all other animals should be ignored. But, many people hear frightening stories about wolves tearing people apart. With a little research, though, we can learn that those stories are completely made up, as there are no recordings of a full-grown healthy wolf attacking a person.
We are here to teach you a bit about the wolf, a very interesting creature. If we humans can understand their nature, it may well be that this highly endangered species can be saved from extinction.
Of course, there are some good tales of wolves saving humans, like the tale of Romulus and Remus, where a female wolf takes in the two infants and raises them to be adults. And then there are the awful stories that say wolves are vicious, mean creatures that deceive and devour humans that go near them, like the story of Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf, or the Three Little Pigs. Why couldn’t it have been the Big Bad Mountain Lion, or the Big Bad Dog? We find it sad that man’s best friend is the dog, but its close cousin the wolf could be so hated.
The wolf was hunted nearly to extinction between the 1600s and the 1900s, and are still recovering from the huge casualties that were suffered in that time period. There are many different types of wolves: there is the red wolf, which is very endangered at the moment, and the grey wolf, the maned wolf (which isn’t really a wolf, and is also called the “fox on stilts,” as its legs are longer then a normal fox or wolf). Wolves are having a hard time, since humans keep polluting and cutting down forest habitats. Some wolves have been forced out of their natural habitats and forced to live in swamp lands, or desert lands, where they cannot survive. It’s sad that most people haven’t noticed the situation going on with this creature.
Picture this situation. You are a grey wolf living in Northern Canada. You have a wonderful mate and pack, and you live peacefully in a quiet forest with lots of food. Then, all of a sudden, you start hearing noises, and structures are being built, and your food disappears—no more deer, no more raccoons and no more shrews. You are starving, and two of your other pack members have died of starvation. Then, you find some fenced-in prey, just sitting there doing nothing all day. So you eat a few. Then the next day, when you come back for more, a human comes out from nowhere, and shoots you. Well, that’s the end of you’re life. Sadly, this is the life of many wolves, and they die for causes that aren’t really their fault.
But don’t despair yet. Help came for these unlucky creatures and because of staff members that work for organizations that help the wolf, there are now more wolves to go round. Thank you wolf-helpers!
Maybe we’ve changed your mind about wolves, and maybe we haven’t, but we sure hope that you know a bit more on the battle for the wolf with extinction. Now knowing about the wolf is important, but understanding is the key to helping. The wolf has overcome extinction once, but how can we know if they will get lucky again?
This article was written by members of the Canadian Wolf Fund. Contact us at wolf_devil@ hotmail.com to learn more. Help us keep the wolf alive. Thanks!
About the author:
The Canadian Wolf Fund is operated by four young women in Nova Scotia, Canada: Amie (age 11), Margaret (age 11), Ivy (age 12) and Elise (age 11). CWF raises money to support wolves around the world, and also works to educate people about wolves.
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