No. Although the wolf survives as an endangered species in a handful of states, from 7,500 to 10,000 wolves populate Alaska — from the most remote wilderness region to the suburbs of our largest cities. Because so much of this state is undeveloped, with more than 160 million acres permanently set aside in protected status (an area larger than California), the wolf is assured of a permanent home in Alaska.

There are three species of wolves in the world: the gray wolf (Canis lupus), the red wolf (Canis rufus) and the Ethiopian (or Abyssinian) wolf, (Canis simensis). Some researchers believe the Ethiopian wolf is not a wolf, but actually a jackal.

Wolves usually live in packs which consist of the adult parents, referred to as the alpha pair, and their offspring of perhaps the last 2 or 3 years. The adult parents are usually unrelated and other unrelated wolves may sometimes join the pack.

Pack size is highly variable because of birth of pups, dispersal, and mortality. Generally, a gray wolf pack has from six to eight wolves, but in Alaska and northwestern Canada some packs have over 30 members. Red wolf packs are generally smaller than gray wolf packs and usually have 2 to 8 members, but a pack of 12 is known in the wild.

Wolves breed at slightly different times, depending on where they live. For example, gray wolves in the Great Lakes Region breed in February to March, while gray wolves in the Arctic may breed slightly later in March to April.

The average length (tip of nose to tip of tail) of an adult female gray wolf is 4.5 to 6 feet; adult males average 5 to 6.5 feet. The average height (at the shoulder) of a gray wolf is 26 to 32 inches. The average length (tip of nose to tip of tail) of an adult red wolf is 4.5 to 5.5 feet. The average height (at the shoulder) of an adult red wolf is about 26 inches.

Gray wolves prey primarily on large, hoofed mammals such as white-tailed deer, mule deer, moose, elk, caribou, bison, Dall sheep, musk oxen, and mountain goat. Medium sized mammals, such as beaver and snowshoe hare, can be an important secondary food source. Occasional wolves will prey on birds or small mammals.

Of the 17 species of penguins in the world 3 species are endangered and 9 others are threatened. A major threat to penguins are human interference and particularly oil spils (see inset photo). Check out the individual world penguins species pages on this site for more information.

Adult female gray wolves in northern Minnesota weigh between 50 and 85 pounds, and adult males between 70 and 110 pounds. Gray wolves are larger in the northwestern United States, Canada, and Alaska where adult males weigh 85 to 115 pounds and occasionally reach 130 pounds.

The massive molars and powerful jaws of a wolf are used to crush the bones of its prey. The biting capacity of a wolf is 1,500 pounds of pressure per square inch. The strength of a wolf's jaws makes it possible to bite through a moose femur in six to eight bites. In comparison, a German shepherd has a biting pressure of 750 pounds per square inch. A human has a much lower biting pressure of 300 pounds per square inch.

Gray wolves in the wild have an average life span of 6 to 8 years, but have been known to live up to 13 years in the wild and 16 years in captivity. Red wolves in the wild have an average life span of 8 to 9 years, but have been known to live up to 12 years in the wild and 16 years in captivity.

The natural causes of wolf mortality are primarily starvation, which kills mostly pups, and death from other wolves because of territory fights. While not usually a big problem, disease such as mange and canine parvovirus can be a concern in small and recovering populations. Injuries caused by prey results in some deaths. Human-caused mortality including legal, illegal, and accidental causes, can be high in some populations.

Wolves will travel for long distances by trotting at about five miles per hour. They can run at speeds of 25 to 35 miles per hour for short bursts while chasing prey.

Wolves may travel 10 to 30 miles each day in search of food. Dispersing wolves, those leaving packs in search of their own mate, have been known to travel distances of 550 miles away form their home territory. Our website contains several pages on wolves, as well as PDF files of maps and scientific papers related to the topics discussed. The links below will allow you to navigate to those pages or download the PDF files (Adobe Acrobat required).

There are many different reasons that animals are endangered, especially loss of their habitat -- where they live, eat, and raise their young. Protecting endangered and threatened species and restoring them to a secure status in the wild is the primary objective of the endangered species program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, an agency of the Department of the Interior. The Endangered Species Web site can be accessed at <http://www.fws.gov/r9endspp/endspp.html>.

NO! And they never were. In fact, Atlantic Swordfish, previously reported threatened, and after just a few years in quota management, is thriving, replenishing its species stocks to a sustainable level. Meaning- As long as Fisherman are kept to the current limit of harvest, that the species reproduces quickly enough so that their numbers will not deplete, but rather will grow.

No, but one species, C. pelias, is rare within its range. A rigorous ecological study would be required to determine if it's in trouble.

Most major airlines fly to Alaska. Many of our trips start and end in different cities (Anchorage or Fairbanks) and not all the major airlines fly to Fairbanks. If you need help, we can arrange a one way flight between Fairbanks and Anchorage on local carrier Frontier Flying.

All wolves released are fitted with radio collars. Systematic telemetry surveys are conducted daily by land or air to monitor locations and activities of released wolves. The USFWS has no plans to reintroduce either the grizzly bear or the jaguar to the Southwest.

One of the primary characteristics used for selecting Mexican wolves for reintroduction is avoidance and fear of humans. Wolves that have the potential to be released must not be socialized or habituated to humans, so they are not likely to be attracted to people or human establishments once released. Mexican wolves selected for reintroduction are managed with minimal exposure to humans in an environment that fosters and maintains natural wolf behaviors.

The latest Wolf and Moose study report can be found on the Isle Royale National park site at: www.nps.gov/isro/wolfmoos.htm. For a excellent book on the study and the researcher who has been conducting it for the last 30 years, check out "The Wolfs of Isle Royale: A Broken Balance" by Rolf Peterson. It provides great insight into the interactions on the island in an extremely fascinating way. It is available through the Isle Royale Natural History Association at www.irnha.org.

In Minnesota, wolves kill the average equivalent of 15 to 20 adult-sized deer per wolf per year. Given the 1997-98 estimate of 2,450 wolves in Minnesota, that would equal about 36,750 to 49,000 deer killed by wolves. In comparison, from 1995-1999 hunters killed between 32,300 to 78,200 deer each year in Minnesota's wolf range. In addition, several thousand deer are killed during collisions with vehicles each year.

Howling, hooting, or other attempts to get wolves or other wildlife to respond is illegal, and you could receive a citation if caught. Do not howl at the wolves. These activities can disrupt the natural flow of wildlife habits, as well as

Algonquin Park is believed to contain approximately 35 packs of wolves, with a total of 150 - 175 wolves inhabiting the park ecosystem. This is the count at the end of the winter. This number doubles to about 300 in the summer with the birth of pups, and drops back down to 150 - 175 through mortality over the winter. The population size also fluctuates from year to year. The overall trend has been a decline in the population over the last 12 years.

Two thirds of wolf deaths are human-caused. They are shot, snared, and trapped; some are hit by cars. Poisoning is illegal in Ontario, but it happens, infrequently.

The problem for this population is that annual mortality (average 33.4%) exceeds annual recruitment (average 21.4%). In other words, more adult wolves die each year than are replaced by growing wolf pups. For the population to be sustainable, mortality must be less than or equal to recruitment. For the population to recover from the years of decline, mortality must be significantly less than recruitment.