Spirit of the Wolf

I did not write this, but thought it a wonder piece, and a great addition

to our thread honoring brother Wolf

Ah Brother/Sister Wolf how I have neglected you :(

    I am back, thanks to a gentle reminder :)

Listen to the howl of our spiritual brother, the wolf, for how it goes with him, so it goes for the natural world."
--Oren R. Lyons, Spokesman, Traditional Circle of Elders

Jody,

 

Glad this got bumped up. I my have taken a while to hunt back and see it. Wolf has been someone I have indentified with as far back as I can remember.

 

Hi Nor!!

    Amazing guardian is he not? I would be so very lost

without his unwavering guidance.

   It warms my heart to see you at this thread Nor

Todays factlet..

    Wolves have 42 teeth set in a strong jaw. The small incisors are used for nibbling and cleaning meat from bones. Their canine teeth, which are more than an inch long, are designed to capture and hold prey.

   

Red Wolf (Canis rufus) Weight: Gestation: Litter size: 45-80 lb. 1-2 mo. 2-6 pups Status: Nearly extinct only a few decades ago, the red wolf has begun to recover with the help of captive breeding and reintroduction programs. In 1967 the red wolf was listed as an endangered species. Then in 1973 the wolfs were captured and established into breeding programs. By 1980 the red wolf was considered extinct in the wild. There were only 14 red wolves left and they were all in captivity. Then as the number of red wolves increased more were let free into the wild. There are now 270-300 red wolves. Facilities continue to breed and release red wolves making the population higher. Report by Jesse

Physical Characteristics The red wolf has reddish colored head, ears, and legs. Its head is broader than a coyote but more narrow than a gray wolf. The red wolf has very long ears and legs and is very fast. It is larger than a coyote but smaller than a gray wolf. Habitat and Daily Life The red wolf has smaller packs than a gray wolf has. Packs have one adult pair and young. Red wolves are very social and territorial. Hunting White tailed deer and raccoon are the most important part of the red wolf's diet, although it does eat smaller mammels such as hare. It will only eat large animals such as cattle if the cattle is young and vulnerable. Reproduction and Cubs Red wolves are supposed to have life long mates. Breed in February or March of each year. After 1-2 months 2-6 puppies are born. The pups stay with their parents for 2-3 years or until sexually mature.

Awesome Nor...Thanks :) I am so happy to see an incline in the Red Wolf Population.

I found this piece below really interesting...Enjoy :)

 

India revealed as first home of the wolf

DAVID ORR IN DELHI

They said it was the last Wolf to ever roam the forest free, But if you take my hand and walk along with me I will show you how to find them, beside the Redwood Tree.   In the mountains and the valleys, You will hear them very soon, calling out their message, and baying at The Moon.   The Wolf he is a teacher, and leader of his pack, you may not chance to see him, but you will know him by his tracks.   Let us all remember in our Prayers that the Head Title of this Page The Last Wolf is one that none of us will ever have to read anywhere,for The Noble Wolf is a Friend,and unlike many stories through the ages,is not a Killer for the sake of it,and only attacks when threatened,to protect his Mate and Cubs,to care for them and make sure they are fed is the one fact that all life,and all of us have to do to sustain Life. Next time you hear the cry of The Wolf,do not shudder,but give thanks that you are connecting to the Lifeforce of Creation,and many times The Wolf is our Teacher.

As I read this thread my eyes fill with tears. I remember a scene from the movie "Dances with wolves."  It is the scene where a wolf which had befriended Kevin Costner, approached the soldiers who had taken him prisoner as a traitor.

They quickly proceeded to shoot at the wolf, and finally to kill it. Kevin Costner, who understood the honor of having attained this wolfs friendship and trust was held down, unable to help it. The wolf dies in a heap atop a hill.

See, I'm crying...just remembering this scene. I never really understood why it touches me so deeply.

But I do understand that this wonderful creature is still being shot at and killed, the honor of its friendship and existence still ignored and misunderstood! Ignorance is hard to destroy, isn't it?

 

Myst

It is sister...it sure is

I am Wolf Spirit By Fran Hafey/ Mysti Feel my spirit... know me... remember. We are all one"           ~Mysti Through the mist, I see the trees...I am running. I hear my breath and see it against the snow  covered ground. It beats loudly in my ears. The snow is falling and I know I am near my home, where my family waits.  I look up and see the eagle flying overhead, screeching to his mate looking for their daily meal. I have seen many of my kind die before me. I have felt such anguish because I don't understand. Our home was once safe and I can remember frolicking in the meadow, without a care, knowing my family and I were safe and just like our ancestors we loved this land and all that lives here. We coexisted with all living things, even man. My mate comes to me and we touch noses and look around, making sure all is well, always cautious and on guard. My father and Grandfather have told me of days when we had no fear, when we lived from this place with plenty. I have seen my family killed and taken from us because of fear of the unknown, so man could build more and more and take even the last bit of free land. The skies are still blue and the grass green, but how long dear Great Spirit, will this be? How long will my family survive as long as man continues to kill everything they touch? Save us Great One from the murder and destruction. When will they wake up and pay attention to the beauty around them and stop living from selfish gain and fear? The rivers die, the trees die, the air turns dark, the earth, she dries up from chemicals and too much digging. What can I do? What can I do as a spirit of earth to make a difference? My children were murdered and hung up from trees for all to see, their guts ripped from their bodies, their souls violated and what did they do? They did nothing but be born and live in their own environment and be hunted, because why? Man is heartless at times and greed and fear takes over. This land is big enough for all of us, why must man want it all? Do you feel that? Do you feel that heartbeat, loud and clear? It's the heartbeat of all living things and Gaia, Mother Earth. We are all ONE and when you destroy one part you damage the All. We need healing, right now. Sit back, close your eyes, feel me. Feel us. Can you not see that we are dying and that things have to change? Tears roll down my face as I write this. My Spirit is strong and the wolf is in my heart as well as all living spirits. The spirits of the past and those of now, ask me to tell you of this sad story, because the spirits of the future will not be here to enjoy this wonderful planet if you don't wake up, wake up today, NOW! Why did wolf choose me to speak for them and to live through me? Because their souls are like mine, strong willed, adventurous, family oriented, loyal, trusting, filled with innocence, but shrewd and cautious. They only take what they need and love unconditionally. Yes, the wolf lives within me, as their wild blood runs through my veins. I will always stand proud for them, we are as One. Treat all life the way you want to be treated, with love. Love is the key to opening all hearts. Won't you put yourself in their place right now? Feel the free spirit of the wolf and their ancestors and know that they deserve to live here just as we all do. We are here, why not do something wonderful together and create a world of peace and light? Right now...this very minute I am sending you love and peace, straight to your heart, do you feel it? Accept this gift and share it with another and then another and another until this planet is completely filled with the Spirit/God love that we all have come from and will return to. Make a difference...do your part...help save our world for the future by awaking now and seeing the truth. I am wolf Spirit...feel my heartbeat with yours and remember...

Behaviors

Voice: Howls, whines, yelps, growls and barks

Habitat Type: Wolves are the terrestrial mammals with the broadest natural distribution. The wolf can live wherever there is both a sufficient number of large, hoofed mammals and the means to be secluded. This includes most habitats of North America.

Range: Current range of gray wolves is throughout Alaska and Canada. In the lower 48 states, wolves are present in northern and central Idaho, northern Montana and throughout Yellowstone National Park and surrounding area and the Great Lakes states of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.

Diet: Large mammals, including moose, caribou, elk, musk ox, big horn sheep and deer, but also smaller mammals such as beaver and hares

Gaits: The gray wolf usually moves at a trot gait but has a running gait. It can cover up to 16 feet in a single bound and can maintain a rapid pursuit for at least 20 minutes.

Pack: A social animal, the gray wolf lives in packs of 2 to 15, usually 4 to 8, formed primarily of family members and relatives. Pack size can be as high as 30 or more. The basic unit is the mated pair, a mature male and female, with their offspring. Offspring usually stay with parents for 10-54 months and then disperse.

Territories: Wolf populations are comprised of numerous tight, social groups. A pack's territory covers between 42 and 100 square miles, traveled at regular intervals over such runways as animal trails, logging roads, and frozen lakes. Territories may overlap slightly, but packs usually avoid one another. If food is adequate, a pack may use the same range for many generations.

Food Requirements: The wolf ideally needs about 3 3/4 pounds of food per day, but require five pounds per day to successfully reproduce. Wolves can go for two weeks or more without food. On average, wolves eat 10 pounds of food per day but living on a feast or famine lifestyle, wolves will gorge on more than 20 pounds of meat when a kill is made.

Prey: Wolves are opportunistic hunters, but usually prey on large prey species (deer, moose, caribou, elk). Wolves tend to kill the young, old and sick, which are often nutritionally stressed or physically burdened. Wolf kill rates are the highest in winter months when wolves gain an advantage over large prey in snow. When an animal runs away, the wolf's instinct is to dash after it, but it is soon apt to give up such a chase unless the pursued creature stops and starts intermittently. Wolves, like many other carnivores, test prey: A moose that stands and fights often persuades a pack to seek an easier quarry, but one that first defends itself and then runs - perhaps because it is injured, sick, defective, or very young or old - signals the possibility of its defeat, and the pack often continues to pursue it. Wolves can be scavengers and can subsist on garbage.

Vocal Communication: The gray wolf howls, growls and barks. The howl is a continuous sound usually lasting from 3-11 seconds. Howls are used to bring packs together and is a long, distance form of territorial expression. Howls may be at a constant pitch, may rise and fall, or rise and break off abruptly, sounding anywhere from dismal to beautiful and haunting. Individual wolves have distinct howls. Wolves also bark to warn other pack members of danger or to challenge an enemy. The most common bark is short, harsh and uttered in a brief series. They often growl in dominance disputes or other kinds of fights. They make a high whine or squeaking noise to call the pups. The pups' mother whimpers to calm the young ones.

Body Language: Wolves use body language as a form of communication. They may stick their ears straight up and bare their teeth when angry. A wolf that is nervous may pull its ears back and squint. Flattening the ears against the head is often a sign of fear. Just like dogs, a wolf that wants to play will dance and bow.

Sense of Smell: Wolves have a very incredible sense of smell. Wolves mark their territories with urine and scats, a behavior called scent marking. When wolves from outside of the pack smell these scents, they know that an area is already occupied. Their sense of smell can alert them to food sources and warn then about the presence of enemies.

Shelter: The gray wolf normally does not use a shelter except as a maternity den. During a blizzard, it curls its tail over its paws and nose and soon becomes covered with snow, which provides insulation from the cold. The den is in an enlarged chamber without nesting material, and usually on high ground near water. There may be several entrances that lead to an enlarged underground chamber. The tunnel usually is about 4 to 17 feet long, though it may be longer. The same den may be used for years, although the young may be moved between dens at times. When pups are about eight weeks old, they are moved to a rendezvous site.

Breeding: Most wolves do not breed until 22 months of age. In North America, wolves generally breed between late January and early April. One litter of 1-11 young are born April-June, after gestation of 63 days.

Pups: All members of the pack help to care for the young. At three weeks, pups emerge to play near the den entrance guarded by an adult. The rest of the pack leaves the den site in late afternoon or at dusk to hunt, usually returning the next morning with food. Pups jump and bite at the snouts and throats of returning hunters, stimulating them to regurgitate undigested meat, which the pups and their guardian devour. Pup survival is directly related to prey availability. At about eight weeks, the young are moved from the natal den to one of a series of "rendezvous sites," usually near water, where the play teaches them social and behavioral characteristics of pack life. By late summer, they begin to travel with the adults. Most wolves leave their pack between nine and 36 months.

Some information provided courtesy of eNature.com®.

Through the mist, I see the trees...I am running. I hear my
breath and see it against the snow covered ground. It beats
loudly in my ears. The snow is falling and I know I am near my
home, where my family waits.  I look up and see the eagle flying
overhead, screeching to his mate looking for their daily meal. I
have seen many of my kind die before me. I have felt such anguish
because I don't understand. Our home was once safe and I can
remember frolicking in the meadow, without a care, knowing my
family and I were safe and just like our ancestors we loved this
land and all that lives here. We coexisted with all living
things, even man.

My mate comes to me and we touch noses and look around, making