Who's afraid of the Big Bad WOLF?

Over the years if people heard Wolf they would shutter with fear, because of the stories and urban legends we were brought up to believe such as Little Red Riding Hood, Three Little Pigs, and don't forget the greatest urban legend the Werewolf. The fear of getting bit by a wolf would surely turn you into a blood thirsty murderous werewolf preying on humans. So as you can see the wolf has lived with these stories and legends for centuries.

The truth of the matter is wolfs are non aggressive by nature and are very solitaire. They are private animals, and very family oriented. Wolves are legendary because of their spine-tingling howl, which they use to communicate. A lone wolf howls to attract the attention of his pack, while communal howls may send territorial messages from one pack to another. Some howls are confrontational. Much like barking domestic dogs, wolves may simply begin howling because a nearby wolf has already begun. Wolves are the largest members of the dog family. Adaptable gray wolves are by far the most common and were once found all over the Northern Hemisphere.

But wolves and humans have a long adversarial history. Though they almost never attack humans, wolves are considered one of the animal world's most fearsome natural villains. They do attack domestic animals, and countless wolves have been shot, trapped, and poisoned because of this tendency. In the lower 48 states, gray wolves were hunted to near extinction, though some populations survived and others have since been reintroduced. Few gray wolves survive in Europe, though many live in Alaska, Canada, and Asia. Wolves live and hunt in packs of around six to ten animals. They are known to roam large distances, perhaps 12 miles in a single day.

These social animals cooperate on their preferred prey, large animals such as deer, elk, and moose. When they are successful, wolves do not eat in moderation. A single animal can consume 20 pounds of meat at a sitting. Wolves also eat smaller mammals, birds, fish, lizards, snakes, and fruit.

Wolf packs are established according to a strict hierarchy, with a dominant male at the top and his mate not far behind. Usually this male and female are the only animals of the pack to breed. All of a pack's adults help to care for young pups by bringing them food and watching them while others hunt.