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First wolf pack found in California in nearly a century

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oo7

Member
Wolfpac in da house!

wolfpack-in-da-house-o.gif

Hopefully nobody turns their back on this wolfpac, because bodybags.
 
Love wolves, jealous I don't live in a place where they exist. How long before a mouth breather tries to shoot them though?
 

Patryn

Member
It's great that we're beginning to right a wrong we did against the species long ago.

Reading the article, it sounds like anyone who "accidentally" shoots them will likely get the book thrown at them, because the coloration of the wolves means that there's no way a person can "mistake" them for a cougar or other animal.
 

Madness

Member
Fun fact. Black wolves means they have some domestic dog in their family tree. The coloration is due to a mutation in domestic DNA.

This is true. It also highlights another big challenge to wolves which is the fact people keep breeding wolf dog hybrids trying to get all the fierceness of a wolf with the loyal temperament of a domestic canine. Now you may think so what, this is how they bred dogs, how modern canines have come to be. But it's the rate at which it's happening. Wolves are barely recovering numbers and yet these Wolf-dog hybrids are already as numerous as wild wolves in some areas. Many are often just as vicious as wolves and are abandoned, or many escape. Unlike most modern canines, because they're a direct link to wolves, they retain enough genetics, characteristics that they readily breed with wolves. They piss and mark territory in a similar manner, howl. This presents the danger that it'll dilute the natural gene pool of the wild wolf. Like you've stated above the black mutation is due to domestication and this means that it's occurred, but that level was probably a fraction of what could potentially occur. Just an insight. Then again, humans have fucked up the natural order of things, and the evolution of many creatures, what's one more.
 
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

It's a serious question, because he's strongly implying that there's some "perk" to having wolves in your area. They're carnivorous animals, they're not fun super cool neighbors.

Not that I'm mad that their population is coming back, but if I lived in an area with any sort of large hunter I wouldn't be like "boy I bet people are jealous I live near things that could murder me hahahha". Might as well be jealous of people who get to live near rattle snakes ffs.
 
Can I ask why?

Serious question?

If so, I love nature. Sadly where I live there aren't many large land mammals to see or admire and wolves are one of my favourite creatures. I know the chances of seeing them are remote, because they're shy and intelligent animals, but just knowing I could see one when out walking would be a thrill.

Ha, you were serious. I don't believe there has been one confirmed person killed by a wolf... And I'm not a chicken. I'd love to live in Africa or Australia too.

I would also love to see a wild rattle snake.
 
This is true. It also highlights another big challenge to wolves which is the fact people keep breeding wolf dog hybrids trying to get all the fierceness of a wolf with the loyal temperament of a domestic canine. Now you may think so what, this is how they bred dogs, how modern canines have come to be. But it's the rate at which it's happening. Wolves are barely recovering numbers and yet these Wolf-dog hybrids are already as numerous as wild wolves in some areas. Many are often just as vicious as wolves and are abandoned, or many escape. Unlike most modern canines, because they're a direct link to wolves, they retain enough genetics, characteristics that they readily breed with wolves. They piss and mark territory in a similar manner, howl. This presents the danger that it'll dilute the natural gene pool of the wild wolf. Like you've stated above the black mutation is due to domestication and this means that it's occurred, but that level was probably a fraction of what could potentially occur. Just an insight. Then again, humans have fucked up the natural order of things, and the evolution of many creatures, what's one more.

Is there some record of total wolf-dog hybrid population? I ask because most people who claim to have a 'hybrid' just have something mixed between wolf-like breeds (such as malamute and husky). But you're right about real hybrids being an issue. They're difficult to train, and the sort who desire them don't tend to be the most knowledgeable or prepared for what having a hybrid entails. So they abandon them. Wolf sanctuaries are usually populated with more of those hybrids than wolves. Also the black coloration in most is probably from hybridization attempts from over 10,000 years ago, but since it's a dominant trait it's propagated among wolves to this day.
 
Ha, you were serious. I don't believe there has been one confirmed person killed by a wolf...

Ok they most certainly aren't a leading cause of deaths but really?

Much less dangerous than bears and whatnot but if you think they've never killed a person in all of recorded history a quick google search will shit all over that theory. If the right circumstances are in place they will moooost definitely kill a person.

Can't believe that's a thing I need to explain to someone.
 
Ok they most certainly aren't a leading cause of deaths but really?

Much less dangerous than bears and whatnot but if you think they've never killed a person in all of recorded history a quick google search will shit all over that theory. If the right circumstances are in place they will moooost definitely kill a person.

Can't believe that's a thing I need to explain to someone.

Yeah, was just reading that. I live near a main road, I have much more to fear from a boy racer mounting a curb and killing me with his car than pretty much any wild animal. I can't believe I would have to explain to somebody why I would like to live in a place with a rich and diverse animal population.
 
Is there some record of total wolf-dog hybrid population? I ask because most people who claim to have a 'hybrid' just have something mixed between wolf-like breeds (such as malamute and husky). But you're right about real hybrids being an issue. They're difficult to train, and the sort who desire them don't tend to be the most knowledgeable or prepared for what having a hybrid entails. So they abandon them. Wolf sanctuaries are usually populated with more of those hybrids than wolves. Also the black coloration in most is probably from hybridization attempts from over 10,000 years ago, but since it's a dominant trait it's propagated among wolves to this day.
My Granny had a true wolf bread, other than with my Granny. It wasn't very social and kept to itself most of the time, but man it was harmless to people. There was always kids jumping around all day pulling on its ears and tail and it never gave a fuck.

But it's wolf traits showed a few like the times, it literally smashed in through the window because it seen another wolf looking Dog (German Shepard) to attack it and in the same week it got out again the pound caught it then he literally busted out the back of the Van lol
 

Patryn

Member
Ok they most certainly aren't a leading cause of deaths but really?

Much less dangerous than bears and whatnot but if you think they've never killed a person in all of recorded history a quick google search will shit all over that theory. If the right circumstances are in place they will moooost definitely kill a person.

Can't believe that's a thing I need to explain to someone.

The problem is that if we follow your argument, one of the conclusions is that people should be running away from vending machines because many, many more people die due to them than wolves.

Yes, they can hurt people. But not nearly as much as people think. You are much, much more likely to die due to numerous things in your house.
 
Ok they most certainly aren't a leading cause of deaths but really?

Much less dangerous than bears and whatnot but if you think they've never killed a person in all of recorded history a quick google search will shit all over that theory. If the right circumstances are in place they will moooost definitely kill a person.

Can't believe that's a thing I need to explain to someone.

Wolves these days know to stay the hell away from people. They'll smell a person and run long before even being seen by most. I think the only time you'd ever be in serious danger of being harmed by a wolf is if you stumbled across a den containing their young. And the chances of that happening haphazardly are minuscule. Even researchers have trouble finding them without remote tracking.

I can't believe I would have to explain to somebody why I would like to live in a place with a rich and diverse animal population.

If you're in the US, and ever get the chance, I recommend a trip to Isle Royale. It's a common destination for wolf research due to the island's unique wolf-moose dynamics.
 

old

Member
It feels like I've read this story before and it ended with some dumbass hunter shooting them then pretended he didn't know they were wolves.
 

MikeDown

Banned
my friend recently had a pair of wolves, she had to get rid of them though. Sure, they were domesticated to an extent but they still had that spark of unpredictability. Had to get rid of them though, not enough space. Sold em' to a couple in California where from what I heard the wife ended up beating one of the dogs so it turned around and mauled her face. It was euthanized.
 

Wanderer5

Member
my friend recently had a pair of wolves, she had to get rid of them though. Sure, they were domesticated to an extent but they still had that spark of predictability. Had to get rid of them though, not enough space. Sold em' to a couple in California where from what I heard the wife ended up beating one of the dogs so it turned around and mauled her face. It was euthanized.

Aw poor thing.:( What a idiot for beating up what is still a wild animal even if it domesticated in ways.
 

MikeDown

Banned
Aw poor thing.:( What a idiot for beating up what is still a wild animal even if it domesticated in ways.
and that is what pisses me off, when an animal acts up or lashes out the human always blames the animal, never taking into account they they might be to blame for provoking the animal
 

linkboy

Member
I'm from Northern California (up by Reno, little town called Susanville).

I'll be real surprised if these wolves survive, some jackass will kill them (as much as I hate to say it).

I hope they are able to survive as I love wolves, such awesome animals.
 

Parch

Member
I saw a documentary about wolves and the researchers studying them would set safe traps to catch them and then put on radio collars. They wouldn't even have to use drugs to sedate the animals because once they are held down they wouldn't bite or even struggle a lot. Very easy for the researchers to work with.

The vicious wolf attacking humans is fairy tale stuff. They've gotten a very bad rep. It doesn't help when trigger happy americans just want to shoot everything that moves and create justifications so they can.
 

Anoregon

The flight plan I just filed with the agency list me, my men, Dr. Pavel here. But only one of you!
The vicious wolf attacking humans is fairy tale stuff. They've gotten a very bad rep.

Yeah, and it's doubly ridiculous when you think about how the reasons dogs even exist as at all is because of how important and positive a relationship we had with wolves thousands of years ago.
 

Takuan

Member
Wolves are really beautiful creatures, but I wouldn't want them anywhere near me. I have so much respect for their deadliness that I don't want to even entertain the slight risk of me or my family coming across a hungry/rabid one.
 

leadbelly

Banned
The vicious wolf attacking humans is fairy tale stuff. They've gotten a very bad rep. It doesn't help when trigger happy americans just want to shoot everything that moves and create justifications so they can.

Well, they're rare, but of course they do happen. And I'm not really talking about attacks that have been provoked but rather predatory attacks. In terms of predatory attacks children would probably be at greater risk.
 

Joni

Member
Well, they're rare, but of course they do happen. And I'm not really talking about attacks that have been provoked but rather predatory attacks. In terms of predatory attacks children would probably be at greater risk.
Rabid wolves attacking people, yes. Healthy North American wolves, no. They're more docile.
 

entremet

Member
Remember these wolves are only protected in California. Anyone can kill them for any purpose, including "self defense" or a pest for farmers and ranchers without recompense in the unprotected States.
 

darscot

Member
I was recently in Africa and found it amazing that you see herds of cattle protected by a dude with a stick and a bell, with major predators everywhere that they can not kill. Yet in America a rancher can't handle his cows without driving wolfs to extinction.
 

Pejo

Gold Member
So how do wolf populations increase like this? Wouldn't it all be a case of severe and repeated inbreeding? Is that viable long term?
 

Patryn

Member
So how do wolf populations increase like this? Wouldn't it all be a case of severe and repeated inbreeding? Is that viable long term?

Sounds like males grow up and then wander quite a bit before they encounter females. So odds are that some males from an Oregon (or other state) pack will wander down and mate with females from this pack.

Similarly, some of the males from this pack may wander back north.

I may be wrong, but from what I'm reading about OR7, he wandered across several states in search of a mate.
 

Kenai

Member
Sounds like males grow up and then wander quite a bit before they encounter females. So odds are that some males from an Oregon (or other state) pack will wander down and mate with females from this pack.

Similarly, some of the males from this pack may wander back north.

I may be wrong, but from what I'm reading about OR7, he wandered across several states in search of a mate.

Male wolves especially can be pretty heavily infected with wanderlust when they become adolescents since pack territories can be several miles long (20+) and there's a lot of human encroachment, but the interesting thing is not all wolves get the desire to go traveling and different wolves are willing to travel different distances.
 
So how do wolf populations increase like this? Wouldn't it all be a case of severe and repeated inbreeding? Is that viable long term?

Sounds like males grow up and then wander quite a bit before they encounter females. So odds are that some males from an Oregon (or other state) pack will wander down and mate with females from this pack.

Similarly, some of the males from this pack may wander back north.

I may be wrong, but from what I'm reading about OR7, he wandered across several states in search of a mate.

This is how most wolf packs form. They're made up of a breeding pair, a mother and father to rest of the group. Eventually a younger member from the group may wander off and encounter one from another, the two forming a pack of their own. Wolves are also territorial for miles, so yes, there's usually a pretty significant distance between the wandering member and its original family group.

And another tangentially related wolf fact: the idea of 'alpha pair' is old and misguided, not existing naturally. Wolves don't fight to become the breeding member in their pack. The exception is wolves kept in captivity, or in rare cases when several packs are tightly grouped. As stated above, they are simply a family with a parent pairing, with younger members looking to breed wandering off instead of fighting for the right.
 

Giggzy

Member
I saw a pack of wolves up by Sonora Pass a few years ago. The Rangers wouldn't believe me when I told them.

I too was surprised by it. So I understand their doubt.
 
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