How Do Wolves Affect Their Ecosystem

1077 Words5 Pages
Many people today are uneasy on the thought of the wolf species, primarily because people do not know much about them. People believe wolves are cruel, vicious animals that attack humans and livestock. Surprisingly, wolves are really beneficial to their ecosystem and community, and they are actually known as a “keystone” to their ecosystem. They rarely attack humans; the few incidents that do occur end up making a bad image on the majority. The wolves are very helpful in various areas, and wildlife would be widely affected if they were not present. Wolves are one of the most wide ranging terrestrial animals on Earth. Wolves live in a variety of habitats, and thrive in each of them. They are found in the arctic tundra, forests, prairies, grasslands, mountains, taigas, and arid landscapes. These places are found all around the globe, primarily in Canada, Alaska, northern parts of the United States, parts of Europe, and most of Asia. This shows that wolves are…show more content…
Rarely, wolves can reach the age of fifteen; this normally occurs if they are in captivity. From January to March, wolves usually find a mate and breed. Typically the alpha female is the one who gets pregnant. The average wait is sixty-three days, and after that time the female will have her pups. The average size of the litter is about four to six pups, and are born blind and deaf. The mother will customarily stay in the pack’s den, which could be a cave or somewhere safe enough from other animals. Up until the pups reach three weeks, pups will drink their mother’s milk. When the pups are three weeks old, other pack members will bring food back for the litter. When they reach six to eight months, they are able to hunt with the pack. Unfortunately, about half of the litter will not make it to adulthood. The remaining litter will normally stray from the pack and find their own mates when they reach sexual

More about How Do Wolves Affect Their Ecosystem

Open Document