world literature science wolves

8/9/2019 World Literature Science Wolves

1/19

St. Norbert Adult Education

Centre

World Literature Class:

WolvesBy Betty Polisar Reigot

Literacy Classroom

Kate Norback

Instructor

Science Reading

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2/19

World Literature: Science

Wolves Read Wolves

This assignment is based on 100 points.

Your mark will be % out of 100. Please follow the directions for this assignment.

ame and date on assignment !"

Reading the information on Wolves !"

#pelling !"

$


3/19

Punctuation !"

apitali&ation !"

'egibilit( !"

omplete sentences or paragraphs as re)uired !"*n student+s own words !"

ritical Thinking #kills demonstrated in thoughtful responses!10

#tud( ,uestions !50

-rand Total !100

World Literature: Science

WOLVES

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4/19

Wolvesare ancestors of toda!s dogs and"ave lived on Eart" for t"ousands of ears. #ut scientists

began to stud $olves onl about 0 (ears ago.0 (ears ago.

%"e $ent to &oos. %"e raised $olf 'u''ies in t"eir

"o(es. %"e ca('ed in t"e $ilderness to $atc" $olves

$it" binoculars.

%oda) scientists use 'lanes. *ro( above t"e can see

$"ere t"ese beautiful) $ild creatures go and $"at t"e

do.

%"is boo+ tells ou so(e of t"e t"ings $e no$ +no$ about$olves. ,ou (a be sur'rised to -nd out $"at t"e are

reall li+e.


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%"e ac+

/ost $olves belong to a 'ac+) a grou' of $olves t"at travel) "unt)

eat) rest) 'la) and ust "ang out toget"er (uc" of t"e ti(e. %"e

'ac+ is a $olf!s fa(il.

No one +no$s for certain) but 'ac+s 'robabl for( t"is $a: A (ale

and fe(ale $olf c"oose eac" ot"er as (ates. %"e usuall sta

toget"er for at least several ears.

1f t"e "ave babies) t"e 'u's beco(e 'art of t"e 'ac+. %"ere are

fro( four to seven $olf 'u's in (ost litters.

So(e ears t"ere is not enoug" food) and a fe$ 'u's (a starve to

deat". Ot"ers get sic+ and die. 2suall) less t"an "alf t"e 'u's live

long enoug" to beco(e earlings) 'u's t"at reac" t"eir -rst

birt"da.#ut t"ere is usuall a ne$ litter t"e ne3t s'ring.

Often) ot"er adult $olves besides t"e 'arents belong to t"e 'ac+)

too. %"ere (a be an aunt) and uncle) a cousin) or even a

grand'arent in t"e 'ac+.

Once in a $"ile) t"e 'ac+ lets a $olf t"at is not 'art of t"e fa(il

oin t"e(. We do not +no$ $" $olves so(eti(es let one stranger

into t"eir 'ac+ and not anot"er.

So(e 'ac+s are 40 to 0 $olves. #ut usuall t"ere are no (oret"an seven (e(bers in a 'ac+. And (an 'ac+s onl "ave t$o or

t"ree or four (e(bers. 6We do not count ne$born 'u's because

(an do not live long.7

%"e $"ole 'ac+ is one fa(il. %"ere are no secrets. Everbod

(inds everbod else!s business8

Wolves) bot" adults and 'u's li+e to snuggle and nu&&le and lic+

one anot"er. %"e rub against one anot"er) $ag t"eir tails) and food

around. A favourite ga(e is tag.

9o$ Wolves et Along %oget"er

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6/19

W"en t"e are not "unting) (ost $olves are gentle creatures. #ut

t"e are not all ali+e. So(e are full of fun.

So(e are ;uiet. So(e li+e to tease and 'la

o+es) li+e u('ing out at anot"er $olf fro( a

"iding 'lace. So(e are serious. And so(e get

angr fast.

9o$ do $olves feel about ot"er $olves

in t"e 'ac+< %"e (a not care about

so(e. %"e (a li+e ot"ers ver

(uc".

Wolves so(eti(es -g"t $it" eac"

ot"er. #ut (ost -g"ts never go so far

t"at $olves reall "urt one anot"er. #efore t"at "a''ens) one of

t"e $olves willwills"o$ t"at it gives u'.

/abe it $ill roll on its bac+ li+e a 'u''. Or (abe it $ill 'ut its

tail bet$een its legs. %"e ot"er $olf understands and sto's

-g"ting.

Ani(als t"at live in grou's (ust understand one anot"er. Wolves

"ave (an $as to tell ot"er $olves $"at t"e $ant t"e( to +no$)

A "o$l) a bar+) a gro$l) a snarl) a $"ine) or a $"i('er can "ave a

s'ecial (eaning.

Wolves "o$l $"en t"e are "a''. So(eti(es t"e "o$l to -nd out

$"ere anot"er 'ac+ of $olves is.

A $olf 'oints its "ead to

t"e s+ $"en it "o$ls.

%"e "o$l sound li+e a

long lonel $ail t"at

fades a$a at t"e end.

#ut t"at doesn!t (ean

t"e $olf is lonel or

sad. A $olf (a be

feeling ust -ne $"en it

"o$ls.

A $olf in t"e forest

"o$l.s. 1t "as $andereda$a fro( its 'ac+. 1t

is saing) =ac+) $"ere

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are ou< 2suall) t"e 'ac+ ans$ers $it" a grou' "o$l t"at (eans)=We!re over "ere8>

A snarl or a gro$l often (eans a $olf is angr or annoed. A bar+

(a be a greeting or it (a be a $arning.

A $"ine or a $"i('er (a (ean t"e $olf is begging for food orattention. A $olf $"ose (ate is caug"t in a tra' (a stand nearb

and $"i('er for "ours. %"is (a be a $olf!s $a of cring.

Anot"er $a $olves send (essages is b (ar+ing t"eir trails $it"

urine. A $olf 'ic+s a s'ot eas for ot"er $olves to -nd. %"e urine

"as a strong s(ell. Wolves also leave dro''ings called scats t"at

"ave a strong odour) too.

%"e (essage is for ot"er $olf 'ac+s. 1t sas) =%"is is our territor.

?ee' out8

#ut t"e sa(e (essage can also "el' a stra $olf -nd "is o$n 'ac+

again.

A lot of t"e ti(e $olves =tal+> $it" t"eir bodies) es'eciall t"eir

"eads and tails.

Wolf @ictionar

9ere are so(e (essages a $olf sends $it" its "ead:

This is the wa( a wolf looks when ever(thing is oka(.


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3ere are some messages a wolf sends with its bod( and tail

4

,our

te3t"ere

Wolf

#odLangu

age


9/19

Tail down5 means5 6don+t push me around too much or * ma( have to

7ght (ou.8 9 tail that sweeps back and forth means the wolf feels friendl(5 or

pla(ful5 or happ(. ,uick short wags of the tail or tip of the tail5 ma( mean the wolf

doesn+t feel like pla(ing around an(more. 9 trembling tail5 straight up in the air means an important wolf is

meeting another important wolf. :a(be the( will be friends. ;r ma(bethe( will have to 7ght to decide which one is more important.

When one wolf swings its tail against another wolf5 the( are having a

pla( 7ght. You can see the wolves have a rather big vocabular(.

%"e Al'"a Wolf #oss of t"e ac+


10/19

Whether to let a stranger ?oin the pack

:an( times a da( the wolves crowd around the alpha wolf. The( lick his lips5nu&&le his neck5 and move gentl( against him. *n wolf language this means56You+re the boss.8

9fter the leader5 there is the second most important wolf. This ma( be theleader+s mate5 or his friend5 or another strong wolf. Then comes the ne@twolf and so on.


11/19

Wolves usuall( mate in winter betweenBanuar( and earl( :arch. The babies will beborn about two months later. #everal weeksbefore a mother wolf gives birth5 she looks fora den.

The same den ma( be used (ear after (ear.

#ometimes5 wolves take over the den left b( afo@5 or some other small animal. The( must make it bigger for themselves.

#ometimes5 wolves dig a deep hole in sand( ground. *t is hard work.9fterward5 there is alwa(s a big pile of sand near the opening.

:an( dens have tunnels and a room or two. The rooms are called chambers.The tunnels usuall( go about two to four metres into the earth. Aut some arelong as a bus5 about 10 metres.

The den is often near a hill or slope. #ome of the adults rest on the highground where the( can look out for intruders and guard the den.

#ome tunnels are wide enough for two wolves to pass each other. The fatherwolf and other adults come and go. The( bring food for the mother wolf.

The mother wolf ma( have a chamber of her own. #he needs rest beforegiving birth and later on too. S"e (a "ave as (an as seven 'u's.S"e (ust feed t"e babies and lic+ eac" one clean. #he gets tired.

9t the end of a tunnel5 far from the entrance5 is the pupsC chamber. *t is the

safest place in the den. *t+s usuall( made a little higher so that the waterdrains down and out. Thatkeeps the pups dr( andcomfortable.

When bab( wolves are born5

the( have dark fur5 round headsand small ears5 and pug noses.The( weigh about D kilogramand are about the si&e of a(oung kitten. The newbornpups are blind and deaf. Aut in

a couple of weeks the( will see and hear.

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12/19

Eor the 7rst three weeks after birth5 pups sta( in the den. Then the( begin topla( around outside.

Pups grow fast. *n onl( two months5 the( weigh almost seven kilograms.

ow that the pups are bigger and stronger5 the whole pack leaves the den.

The( move to an open5 sand( place with trees and shrubs around. Peoplewho stud( wolves call this a rende&vous site. Rende&vous means5 6a'laceto (eet.>

9 rende&vous site ma( be near a brook5 a stream5 a river5 or lake. Wolvesneed lots of fresh water.

The pack usuall( moves from one rende&vous site to another during thesummer. When the pups are (oung5 the pack ma( sta( at a site for aboutthree weeks. 9s the pups get stronger5 the pack ma( move to a new sitemore often. #ometimes the( spend onl( about a week at a rende&vous site.


13/19

9dults keep pups from 7ghting toomuch. The( show them how tohunt5 when to howl5 and how totake care of themselves.

Protecting one mother and herlitter is plent( of work for the pack.


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;r the( are too old or too weak to keep up with the rest. ;r ma(be the otherwolves in the pack ?ust don+t like them.

These wolves often follow a pack from a distance. *f the( come to close5 thepack attacks them.

'one wolves wait to see if there is something left to eat after the pack has7nished a meal.

The( have a hard time. :an( die.

9unting

Wolves have not special huntingground. The( need lots ofmeat. #o the( go where

there is food. Wolves don+t

waste energ( catching smallanimals if large ones are around.

There are two main kinds of wolves5the tundra wolf and timber wolf.

The tundra wolf lives far north on thetreeless plains called the tundra.

The timber wolf lives farther south where it roams theforests and woodland5 meadows and mountains.

Heer5 moose5 elk5 beaver5 sheep5 and buIalo called bison in


15/19

snacks are birds5 snakes5 7sh5 ducks5 li&ards5 grasshoppers5 and earthworms.Timber wolves also eat berries and other fruits.

Earther north5 tundra wolves that must sta( near newborn pups ma( have ahard time 7nding food. Huring spring and summer5 tundra wolves usuall( kill

a few of the caribous that cannot keep up with the migrating herd. Thewolves ma( cover small chunks of the meat with loose soil. This hides themeat from ravens5 crows5 and vultures5 and keeps Jies awa(5 too.

Erom time to time5 the adults go back to these hidden animals. The( eatsome of the meat and bring some back to the pups. There are not man(other things to eat on the tundra5 onl( mice5 ground s)uirrels5 arctic hares57sh5 and small birds.

W"en Winter Co(es

#ome pack members ma( go oI on their own in the summertime. The( ma((a be a$a fro( t"e 'ac+ for a fe$ "ours) a fe$ das) or for

$ee+s.

A( the time winter comes5 all the wolves in the pack gather together. *t istime to set oI on their winter travels. The pups will go along too. That iswh( packs seem larger in winter than summer.

The pack stops often5 at 7rst5 to give the (oung ones a chance to rest. Autfrom now until ne@t spring the( no longer return to a den or a rende&voussite.

;nce in a while5 two wolf families ?oin to make an e@traFlarge pack. Aut the(split up to hunt. *f too man( wolves for after the same animal5 the( ma( getin each other+s wa(.

:an( people think wolves see an animal and decide5 6:::. That+s a nicedinnerG8 and then ?ust attack and tear the creature apart. That is not whathappens most of the time.

Wolves must travel5 wolves ?og at a stead( pace about 4 kilometres an hour.The( can go for about nine hours without stopping.

Wolves choose places that are eas( for them to run along. 9 wolf trail ma(be a narrow path in one place5 then a wide valle(5 go up and over amountain5 to part of a railroad track5 or part of a human hunter+s path5 andeven include part of a highwa(.

#hort trails crissFcross inside larger trails. 9 pack ma( go back to some partof a trail at an( time5 in a few hours5 in a few da(s5 or a few weeks later. Thetrails of diIerent packs ma( overlap for a short distance.

1"


16/19

Wolves use some trails over and over.Young wolves learn the trails fromtheir parents. :an( trails ma( havebeen used for hundreds of (ears.

9o$ Wolves Catc"%"eir re

:ost of the time5 wolves 7nd pre( b(smell. Wind5 even a light bree&e5carries the scent of an animal towolves before the( see it.

9s soon as the( get a whiI5 wolvesgather close to the leader. The( point their noses in the direction of them

smell. Then5 single 7le5 the( follow the leader to the smell.

9 pack of wolves in an open area forms a circle5 nose to nose5 like footballpla(ers in a huddle. Wolves wag their tails for a moment before starting thehunt.

The( are careful to move against the wind. K*f the winds comes from behindthe wolves and blows toward the pre(5 the pre( will smell wolves and'robabl run a$a.7

;nce in a while5 wolves will follow tracks made b( an animal until the( 7ndthe animal that made b( an animal until the( 7nd the animal that madethem.

#ometimes5 wolves 7nd pre( ?ust b( luck. The( happen to surprise a deer5 orsome other animal.


17/19

3unting is hard work. :an( times wolves chase an animal and never catchit. ;ften5 the( must for without food for da(s.

The animals wolves catch are usuall( ones that cannot keep up with the restof the group. The( are mainl( pre( that are old5 ver( (oung5 or weak. ;r

the( ma( be sick or in?ured.9 moose that is attacked b( wolves and sta(s to 7ght willback against a nearb( tree or rock5 if it can5 for more

protection.

/a+ing a ?ill

9s the( get near their pre(5 wolveswag their tails.The( hold their headslow and look sharpl( ahead. The( tr(to get ver( close without being seen.

This is called stalking.When the pre( sees the wolves5 itma( not move. The wolves stop. The(keep watching it. #ometimes the(move forward ver( slowl(.

*f the animal runs5 wolves will rush it. 'ike other dogs5 wolves like run to aftersomething that moves.

The( take great leaps to reach the animal )uickl(. The( tr( to hurt or woundthe creature. *f the pre( loses blood5 it gets weak and slows down. *f it tears

a muscle5 or breaks a bone5 it cannot run fast. *t ma( not be able to run atall.

When the( make a kill5 wolves devour great chunks of meat at a time. 9 wolfcan eat as much as nine kilograms at one feeding. That amount of meatwould be enough for 0 people.

*f a small pack kills a big pre( animal5 wolves eat as much as the( can andthen 7nd a place a rest. 9 few hours later5 often at night5 the( return to7nish and gnaw bones.

9fter a big meal5 wolves need lots of water. The( lap it up with theirtongues.

Then the( travel to an open space5 or the edge of a mountain. The( stretchout on their sides or bellies in the sun. *n bad weather5 wolves curl up underevergreen trees or in an( other protected spot. The( en?o( a rest while the(digest their food.

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9fter a while5 the( get restless. Aefore the( start to travel again5 wolves ma(gather around the alpha wolf. The( wag their tails. Then5 one b( one5 the(begin to howl until the( are all singing together.

Will %"ere Al$as #eWolves


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world literature science wolves

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