Tag Archives: extinct wolf species

Nov

2017

7 Reasons We Are So In Love With Wolves

Wolves continue to fascinate us and here are 7 reasons we are so in love with them.

No doubt, wolves remain one of the most fascinating terrestrial creatures sharing the planet with us. These animals were even regarded as gods – or companions of the gods – in Norse mythology and were instrumental in the history of places like Rome.

Traditionally, wolves inhabited all of North America. But by the time more Europeans started to settle in North America, the wolf population began dropping rapidly due to intense hunting practices.

That’s because Europeans back then feared and hated wolves based on prejudices passed on

Sep

2017

Wolves And Livestock Conflict: Some Humane Solutions To This Problem

The conflict between Wolves and Livestock (and their owners), is an age-old one.

Ranchers killing wolves in the 19th century: Wolves and Livestock

A Painting Of Ranchers Killing Wolves In The 19th Century. This Practice Has Been Going On For Centuries Now. (Wikimedia Commons. Public Domain. Author Unknown)

Suggestions and solutions for ending the conflict between Wolves and Livestock continue to elude humans for centuries now. And sadly, the most common solution they have found is the execution of these predators.

Though it may sound logical to anyone – lowering wolf population would lead to a decrease in the loss of animals such as sheep and cattle herds. But it’s an extremely lazy and reprehensible act. In the long run, wolf execution is not be as viable as everyone thinks.

Jul

2017

All You Need To Know About The Extinct Dire Wolves

Dire Wolves are so popular now that the only prehistoric animals that rival them in fame are mammoths and saber-tooth tigers.

Artist Illustration Of Dire Wolves Hunting In A Forest.

Like many people, you may have wondered if Dire Wolves ever really existed or if this animal is just another result of the hyperactive imagination of a movie producer. Well, dire wolves are real. Or rather, were real.

The dire wolf is an extinct species belonging to the genus Canis. It ranks high among the most famous and indeed fascinating prehistoric carnivores ever along with its also extinct competitor, the saber-toothed tiger (or saber-toothed cat).

Jun

2017

7 Extinct Wolf Species

Here are 7 extinct wolf species and though some survived fearsome contenders like the saber-tooth tiger, none of them could contend with humans.

Stuffed Specimen of the Newfoundland Wolf: Extinct wolf species

Stuffed And Displayed Specimen Of The Newfoundland Wolf (Author: George Ian Bowles cc 2.0)

Worldwide, there are four species of wolves roaming in the wild today: the gray wolf (Canis lupus), the red wolf (Canis rufus), the Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis), and the more recently ‘added’ African Golden wolf (Canis anthus).

In addition, there are several other subspecies scattered across almost every continent on Earth.

But did you know that there used to be many more wolf species/subspecies on Earth?

In fact, if you think today’s wolves are fierce, you need to read about some of their ancestors that were larger, fiercer, and probably even faster than modern day wolves.