The Spirit of the Wolf

Long before the first humans found their way to North America, gray wolves lived in almost every part of the continent. When Native Americans lived in these areas, they had great respect for the wolves, as they did for nature and all its creatures. They depended upon animals for food, clothing, and shelter. They also admired animals for their cunning, strength, and agility. Newborn babies were often named after an animal, such as Running Deer or Little Eagle. An important chief of the Cheyenne people was named High Backed Wolf. To Native Americans, the wolf was a very special animal.

The Native Americans believed that the world was filled with spirits that controlled their lives. All things in nature, such as the sun, the mountains, the snake, eagle, and wolf had a spirit within them. To honor the spirits and ask them for help, ceremonies were performed. One of them was the animal dance of the Cheyenne. For this ceremony, there were many special rites. One was the painting of a wolf skin in a certain manner. Another was that the men put on skins of various animals, including the wolf, and danced around a special fire. It was believed this ceremony would bring the tribe good fortune when they went out to hunt. It was important to have the spirit of the wolf with them. The natives knew the wolf was a great hunter. They also admired its many other qualities.

In the wild, wolves have great strength and endurance. Their thick fur protects them from temperatures as low as 50 degrees below zero. They travel in family groups called packs and are intelligent, loving, and loyal. There are a number of wolf species. In America, the Arctic wolf and the timber wolf are found, as well as the smaller and darker red wolf of Texas and the Mexican wolf. Wolves can adapt to a variety of habitats.

The northern wolf is a very handsome animal that looks like a big, friendly dog. In the far north, it is often white. In the south, it is gray. Wolves are very social animals. They travel, hunt, and perform almost all other activities in the company of other wolves. A pack usually consists of a male and female that will stay together for life and have babies, or pups. They are constant and loving companions. The other members are usually their young, ranging in age from tiny pups to two- and three-year-olds. Most packs include six or seven members but can include as many as fifteen.

The parent wolves are the leaders. The rest of the wolves, depending upon their age and strength, all have their own special places. Their relationships are very complicated. Scientific studies have shown that wolf packs have complex rules that govern their behavior and the way they relate to each other. Their methods of communicating are also very elaborate. Although wolves make many different kinds of sounds, the most famous is the howl. Wolves howl at any time, not just at night. It's a way of sharing their closeness as a group. One wolf will point its nose toward the sky and start to howl. Immediately, the other pack members will rush over and join him. The whole group is excited and happy. Packs also communicate with each other this way. They tell each other to stay out of their territory.

In wolf families, everything is done as a group, including the raising of the young. They trust and depend on each other from birth. Probably the most important activity in the life of the pack is hunting. Wolves are carnivorous, or meat eaters. They live on a variety of foods, from mice to fish to the larger deer and moose. Wolves only kill what they can eat. Hunting in packs is necessary for chasing and killing large prey. Wolves never attack a large, healthy deer or moose, which can easily defend itself with sharp kicks. Wolves pursue herds to find the sick or weak members. This may seem cruel, but they are actually doing the herd good by keeping it strong. Also, without natural enemies, herds will overpopulate their territory and use up the food supply. Many will eventually starve. Wolves are needed to keep the balance of nature.

Unfortunately, the people who settled America did not respect the wolf like the natives did. Over the years, wolves were hunted, poisoned, and destroyed in great numbers. They are now rare in North America. However, many people now believe the wolf has a rightful place among America's wildlife. In some places, like Yellowstone National Park, they have been put back into the wild. There is much controversy about this. Ranchers complain that the wolves attack their herds. Hunters also don't like wolves in the wild. They want the deer to overpopulate so they can hunt them. At the same time, there are many people who are fighting to let the wolf once again roam freely in the remaining wild lands of America. The argument over putting wolves back into the wild is certain to continue for many years. Only time will tell whether they will one day be allowed to do that, and if the spirit of the wolf will live on.

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