Lone wolf in snow postcard

Animals->Wolf Snow Wolf is an espionage novel by Glenn Meade . Published in 1997, its plot concerns a covert attempt by US operatives on the life of the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin in late 1952 and early 1953. As precise details of Stalin's death remain undisclosed, and the official account is questioned by historians, the novel could in theory be closer to fact than fiction. Wolves are legendary because of their spine-tingling howl, which they use to communicate. A lone wolf howls to attract the attention of his pack, while communal howls may send territorial messages from one pack to another. Some howls are confrontational. Much like barking domestic dogs, wolves may simply begin howling because a nearby wolf has already begun. Wolves are the largest members of the dog family. Adaptable grey wolves are by far the most common and were once found all over the Northern Hemisphere. But wolves and humans have a long adversarial history. Though they almost never attack humans, wolves are considered one of the animal world's most fearsome natural villains. They do attack domestic animals, and countless wolves have been shot, trapped, and poisoned because of this tendency. In the lower 48 states, grey wolves were hunted to near extinction, though some populations survived and others have since been reintroduced. Few grey wolves survive in Europe, though many live in Alaska, Canada, and Asia. Red wolves live in the southeastern United States, where they are endangered. These animals actually became extinct in the wild in 1980. Scientists established a breeding program with a small number of captive red wolves and have reintroduced the animal to North Carolina. Today, perhaps 100 red wolves survive in the wild. The maned wolf, a distant relative of the more familiar grey and red wolves, lives in South America. Physically, this animal resembles a large, red fox more than its wolf relatives. Wolves live and hunt in packs of around six to ten animals. They are known to roam large distances, perhaps 12 miles (20 kilometres) in a single day. These social animals cooperate on their preferred prey—large animals such as deer, elk, and moose. When they are successful, wolves do not eat in moderation. A single animal can consume 20 pounds (9 kilograms) of meat at a sitting. Wolves also eat smaller mammals, birds, fish, lizards, snakes, and fruit. Wolfpacks are established according to a strict hierarchy, with a dominant male at the top and his mate not far behind. Usually this male and female are the only animals of the pack to breed. All of a pack's adults help to care for young pups by bringing them food and watching them while others hunt Type:MammalDiet:CarnivoreAverage life span in the wild:6 to 8 yearsSize:Head and body, 36 to 63 in (91 to 160 cm); Tail, 13 to 20 in (33 to 51 cm)Weight:40 to 175 lbs (18 to 79 kg)Group name:PackProtection status:EndangeredSize relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man This page is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, anyone associated with the topic.