Facts About The Mejestic Wolf by Forest Ostrander (autobiographies to read txt) 📖

they present a formidable means of defense.
Wild Sheep:
Greatest defense is to escape to steep slopes that are not easily accessible to wolves. They stay in small herds, scanning the surroungings with their eyes that can move independently in different directions. 180-200 lbs.
Musk Oxen:
Defense from attacking wolves, they will form a circle with the young animals in the center. The adults face outwards to protect their flanks and their young. They present to their adversaries a circle of formidable horns and heavy, slashing hooves. Mature: 700 lbs.
Goat Antelopes:
Live in small herds, with two or more animals always on alert for approaching danger. Their best defense is their ability to manuever among rocky mountainsides and cliffs where predators dare not follow.
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Pups

Late winter breeding takes place. The pups are born nine weeks later, usually in spring or early summer, where survival is favored. Pups born during plentiful times have the best chance of survival, meaning before the cold and snow of winter arrive.
Preparation for the birth of the pups is a group effort. While the Alpha female begins to prepare one or more dens, the other pack members store food for her to eat, burying it in caches near the den site. The pregnant female may create a den in a cave, a hollow log, or an abandoned den usually of a fox or beaver. Often the female prepares more than one den as a backup site, in case environmental conditions or encroaching animals threaten the pups. A new den may be complete three weeks before the pups are due. Most often a day before the birth, the mother will enter the confinement of the den.


Often the litter size is five or six pups, but can be as little as two or as much as eleven. At birth, pups weigh one pound, cannot hear or see and cannot regulate their own body temperature, depending completely on their mother their first weeks of life. Their mother is the only member of the pack that has contact with them during this time.
All pups have soft, fuzzy brown or black fur at birth with small, droopy ears and blunt muzzles. Within two weeks pups open their eyes and most often begin to walk at this time as well. At 3-4 weeks they will begin to develop real vision. Their eyes are a baby blue, but usually change as they mature. Up to this time, they have fed off their mother's milk. At around three weeks, pups begin to eat semisolid food regurgitated by their mother. A week later, they will begin to explore outside yet still close to the den's entrance.
The pack is overly excited when greeting the young pups as they are the pack's future. The pack members welcome the pups with licks and nuzzles, sniffing the new scents. Each wolf now takes the role of CareTaker. Each member provides food, play, and protection for the pups. Adults carry food back for the pups announcing their arrival with little squeaking noises. The pups in turn greet them squeaking, begging, tail wagging then nibble and lick the feeder's muzzle to stimulate regurgitation.
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Pup Behavior;

The pups life is to eat, to sleep, and to play. Most adults are affectionate and tolerant of the playful pups, sometimes even joining in the romp sessions. Chasing, stalking, play-fighting, bounding, running, pouncing, and chewing on anything and everything meets the pup's fancy whenever it's not sleeping. As well as having fun, the pups are learning certain hunting skills and building strength and coordination. By imitating the adults, the pups are also learning to socialize; finding close relationships with the other pack members helps maintain the pack's bonds and establishes the pup's role in the dominance hierarchy.
By six weeks old, the pups try to follow adults for short distances from the den. Knowing they are not old enough to travel far or on their own, they explore all around, taking care not to stray too far from the den site. Leaves, bones, blades of grass, and pinecones are constantly investigated by the curious pups. They eagerly shadow adult wolves, chase small animals, especially birds, pounce sticks and twigs, as well as puddles of water.

Bold pups will climb all over an adult, pulling its tail and nipping its ears, as long as the adult will tolerate it. Adult wolves are very caring, patient and gentle with the pups. Even older wolves will join in a playful chase or a happy chorus of howling. No matter what the age, a wolf's qualities include friendliness, curiousity, and intelligence. Around 4 to 7 weeks, pups begin learning to howl through imitation. At eight to ten weeks old, pups have grown enough to leave the den site and join the pack at the rendezvous site. This area is about an acre and always near a source of water within the pack's territory. While the rest of the pack hunts, pups explore and play in the area under the protective eye of an adult puppy sitter.
As the season changes from summer to autumn, the young wolves are around six months of age, they show signs of growth that indicate they are ready to travel with the pack. However, the pups still have less stamina, speed and strength than the adults.
Pups aren't physically mature until they are at least two years old. Successful breeding isn't likely, for those who become the dominant wolves of the pack, until they reach three years or more.
While the pups grow stronger each day, they follow the older pack members, learn their territory and their role in the hierarchy, learn to sniff out and track prey, and to hunt skillfully.

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Visual Expressions
The position of a wolf's peripheral parts usually indicates the animal's social rank. Thus there are two extremes in posture, expressing either a very dominant or superior status, or a very inferior or subordinate rank; and there are several intermediate positions displaying different degrees of social acceptability between extremes.


The tail is a sensitive indicator of mood and status. Position, shape, and movement are all significant in this respect. Differences in these properties occur during social interactions, either friendly or status-demonstrating. Under conditions without social tension, the tail hangs loosely from a raised base.
Two extremes in tail positions can be seen. A wolf threatening or showing dominance raises its tail above the plane of its back (1,2, & 3). A submissive animal holds its tail very low, often tucked in between its legs or curved forward alongside its legs (9, 10, & 11). Wolves of intermediate rank or indivuals displaying dominance less forcefully carry their tails between these extremes (4, 5, 6, 7, & 8).
Tail movements are related to various feelings. Loose, free tail wagging indicates a general friendliness, with the swinging in inferior wolves aften extending to the entire rump and pulled-in tail. Quick, ubrupt wagging of a tail tip or the whole tail sometimes occurs during an agressive mood. A trembling vertical tail is characteristic of a high-ranking wolf meeting another wolf of high status. During mock fights, the attacker often beats its tail toward its opponent.
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Vocal Communications
Wolves have complex communication, which enables them to let others know what they are thinking without any violence.
Howling
Howling
Howling is the most familiar wolf vocalisation to everyone. When wolves howl they harmonize, rather than howl the same note, making the impression that there are more wolves. This is usually to deluge neighbouring packs. It is a myth that wolves howl at the moon. In fact, they howl for many reasons, such as to assemble the pack before and after hunts, to warn neighbouring packs of their presence, to locate members of the pack over distances, and apparently they howl just for the fun of it.

Pack Howl
Adult Howl
Cub Howl
Barking
Wolves infrequently bark, and when they do it is usually to indicate stress or a warning. An example is if a stranger is found approaching the den site, the alpha female usually barks to warn the stranger and to signal to the other pack members that help is needed
Growl-Bark
Warning Bark)
Chuff (muffled bark)

Growling
Like barking, growling is a sound used as a threat, or in a dominance dispute. Wolves also growl during feeding, but this sound is most commonly used playfully by pups. Usually all an Alpha has to do is use a "direct stare" accompanied by a soft growl and a subordinate will cringe, whine and slink away.
Warning Growl
Threatening Growl
Snarl
Whining
Whining is usually a sorrowful or submissive sound. There is another type of high-pitched whimper, which is a sound of intimacy. It is associated with greeting, feeding the pups, play and other situations of curiosity or anxiety.
Whine
Whimpering Cubs

~Nakomis~
Elder Sweet Mystic

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Facts to Know when Hunting;
1. Wolves do not chase prey until the prey flees. Wolves need the stimulus of a running animal to give chase.
2. Wolves concentrate on the flank (side), rump, hind quarters, shoulders, back, neck, and muzzle when attacking prey. They steer clear of the legs and try to avoid the hooves.
3. Wolves do not kill by biting the neck as felines do. The Wolf's prey dies due to blood loss. Tearing and ripping at the prey vest achieves success in a hunt. Taking hold of the prey's flesh while trying to bring it down also helps.
4.In real-life wolves usually begin feasting on prey as it is dying though still alive, but we as Sweet Mystics will show respect for the prey's life and wait for death to occur before feasting.
Hunting Rules
a)Please do NOT over hunt within TimberMyst.
c) Honored Guests are equal to Pack.

Small Hunts;

1. All Members, Assessments and Honored Guests may hunt small prey with the presence of Pack Member or Full Assessment.
2. Only Pack Members and Full Assessments control small prey movements, using :: ::.
3. Pack Pups, Pup assessments, and out of pack pups over 3 months may hunt small prey if accompainied by a Pack Member, OR a Full Assessment with permission of a Pack Member. (revised 10/7/04)
4. Visitors may hunt small prey with a pack member, the member may control prey movements. Visitors may also hunt small prey alone within the territory with a member controlling the prey movements.(revised 10/7/04)

Medium Group Hunts;

1. 2 or more Pack Members are needed to hunt medium prey with permission of Alpha, Beta, or Sweet Mystics Hunter. Full Assessments may then join the hunt.
2. Alpha, Beta, or Sweet Mystic Hunters control medium prey movements, using :: ::. Wolves that are in training as Hunters, Deltas, or wolves that would like further experience may control prey movements, using :: :: with permission from the Alpha(s) or Beta(s).(revised 10/7/04)
3. Pack or Full Assessment pups 6 months to 8 months may only hunt in Medium hunts if accompanied by Alpha, Beta, or Sweet Mystics Hunter.
4. Visitors and 'Assessments in Waiting' may hunt only if invited by Alpha, Beta, or Sweet Mystic Hunter. Knowledge, or witness of pack hunts should be acquired before joining a hunt.
5. If a Group Hunt is already taking place and you join the channel, you cannot join in the middle of the hunt. You must stay in the clearing.


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