Interested in Wolves?

Especially designed for Pre-K through 6th grade children, Wolfways is a wolf education program co-

sponsored by Oregon Wild and Wolf Haven International in Tenino, Washington.

Through lively, interactive multi-media presentations – including video and audio clips, a replica wolf

skull and track, a life size wolf cut out and lots of pictures – children will enter the world of wolves.

Based on scientific research and observations, children will learn about life in a wolf pack, wolf

communication, physical and social adaptations for survival, the role of wolves in the ecosystem and

many more fun and interesting facts. A highlight is always learning about our wolves that live in Oregon

or Washington.

“We so enjoyed your visit! The children continue to talk about the things that they’ve learned

about wolves…and were especially excited to learn that gray wolves are indigenous to Oregon.

The videos, photos, and sound recordings were phenomenal! Thank you so much for sharing

your knowledge and love of wolves with us.” - Vanessa King, Montavilla Early Childhood

Program teacher, Portland, OR

Three presentations are available for the following age groups: Pre-K – 1st grade, 2nd – 4th grade, and

5th – 6th grade. Content will vary according to the children’s age level.

Programs are available in northern Oregon state and southern Washington state and can be given to any

interested group, including public and private schools, girl scouts, boy scouts, libraries, nature centers,

private groups and community centers.

These programs are available free of charge and are presented by outreach education volunteers

representing Wolf Haven and Oregon Wild.

"I can't even express how delighted we are

that you came out to our school and wowed

us with your presentation. It was above and

beyond what we expected with the variety of

animals introduced, the track and skull visual

aids, as well as the power point presentation.

We just can't stop talking about it, and my

kids are completely hooked, as am I, on

following the life and times of OR 7. Your

willingness to share and educate the

community is impressive and appreciated." -

Mary Nelson, 2nd/3rd grade teacher, Naas

Elementary School, Boring, OR

Questions? Want to schedule a presentation? Please contact wolfways.edu@gmail.com

Help plant the seed of hope for our wolves. The hope is that this seed will stay with the children into

adulthood as they become the wolves’ future stewards.

Figure 1 - St. Johns Community Center Pre-K Class

Wolves are amazing animals! You probably know something about them from fairy

tales like “Little Red Riding Hood” or “The Three Little Pigs”. In those stories,

wolves act like scary and evil creatures. In other folk tales wolves look silly, helpful

and even wise. Are wolves misunderstood? Are they dangerous? What problems are

there from learning about wolves from fairy tales? What are they really like?

A good way to understand wolves is to learn more about them—

not from fairy tales, but from scientific research.

Let’s begin our fact finding mission about wolves now!

GETTING TO KNOW

OUR WOLVES!*

Wolf Classification

Some important details about wolves are that they are

mammals (like cats, deer, dolphins and people) and

they are carnivores—a group of mammals that eat

meat. They belong to the dog family called “Canidae”,

which also includes coyotes, jackals, foxes, dingoes

and the domestic dog. Wild canids in North America

are wolves, foxes and coyotes.

Did you know?? DNA evidence shows that dogs

evolved from wolves a very very long time ago.

Thousands of years of selective breeding created our

wide variety of domestic dogs.

Fun fact: Wolves can eat about 20% of their

body weight in one meal!! If you weigh 80

pounds, you would have to eat 20 pounds of

food at one meal to be like a wolf!

Lots of Facts

2 Species of wolves live in North America : gray wolves (Canis lupus) and red wolves (Canis rufus). We

will study the gray wolf, the one that lives in Oregon.

Colors: Wolves vary in color from white to gray, brown and black.

Arctic wolves are white so that they blend into the snow.

Weight and Height:

Average length (tip of nose to tip of tail): 4.5 - 6.5 feet

Average height: (at the shoulder) 26—32 inches

Average weight: 60-80 pounds (female) & 70-100 pounds (male)

Life Span: Wolves can live up to 13 years in the wild, but their average life span is 6-8 years.

Speed: They can run for short distances at speeds of about 35 miles per hour.

Number: As of Dec., 2013, there were 64

confirmed wolves in Oregon - living in 8

packs. Since then, a lone wolf, OR7, found a

mate! and had three pups in SW Oregon.

* Partially compiled from “Dialogue for Kids—Wolf Facts” - Idaho Public Television

Wolf Pups: Baby wolves get a lot of loving care—

they are well fed, cleaned and pro-

tected. The pups leave the den

when they are 4 weeks old, but stay

nearby. When the mother goes

hunting, another member of the

pack “baby-sits”. At about 7– 8

months, the pups begin traveling

with the pack to learn how to hunt.

They love to play with their brothers and sisters,

stalking and pouncing on each other. The skills they

learn by playing help them to be good hunters.

Range: In the 1800’s, gray wolves ranged all over North America. Human settlers competed with wolves for the elk,

deer, bison and moose that wolves needed and they began raising sheep and cattle. Sometimes the wolves turned to

domestic livestock for food. In the late 1800’s, wolves were eliminated from most of the lower 48 states by shooting,

trapping and poisoning.

Today in America, most wolves live in Alaska, Idaho, Minnesota, Michigan, Montana, Oregon,

Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Habitat: Gray wolves can live in most environments, ,including alpine areas and the tundra, but

are usually found in forests. A large pack’s home range or territory can vary from 100 square

miles to 1200 or more square miles. It all depends largely on how much prey live close by.

Did you know?? Under ideal conditions, wolf howls can be heard as far away as 6 miles!

Tail tales: The rank of a wolf

in the dominance order of the pack

can be seen in the way it carries

its tail. A more dominant wolf

carries its tail high. A less dominant

wolf carries it low.

All about packs: Wolves are highly intelligent and are very

social animals. They live in packs. The pack is the wolf’s

family. Ideally, this includes the parents or breeding pair ,

juvenile wolves which are the parent’s offspring and young

pups. Sometimes unrelated wolves are part of the pack as

well. All members of the pack help to raise the pups that are

born in April or May. Average pack size is 5—11 wolves.

The breeding pair is the alpha male and female. They are the

leaders of the pack. The pack works together when hunting

for food, feeding the pups, and defending their

territory. Within their pack, wolves are usually

very loyal and affectionate.

Food and Hunting: Wolves are carnivores and normally eat large ungulates such as deer, elk, moose,

caribou and big horn sheep. To bring down such large prey, they must hunt together in their pack.

Sometimes they eat smaller animals like rabbits, beavers, voles, and ground squirrels. Gray wolves, as

a top predator, are a key component to the food web and play an important role helping to maintain a

natural balance in the landscape. For example, when wolves were re-introduced to Yellowstone National Park, they

preyed on the elk, who were browsing heavily on trees and shrubs. Now the elk changed their behavior and decreased in

number, giving the aspen and cottonwood a chance to grow. These plants could now shade the river—so fish, beaver and

frogs increased—along with songbirds who needed the trees. All because the wolf returned!

Did you know?? A wolf’s nose is so sensitive that it can smell prey that is more than a mile away!

Are wolves a threat to people? Even though wolves are social among themselves, they avoid human contact.

Wolf-human conflicts are extremely rare. Problems can occur when wolves get used to people, when dogs are

involved or if the wolf is sick. (http://www.dfw.state.or.us/Wolves/faq.asp)

Remember that while wolves are beautiful and are especially cute and cuddly as a puppy, it is never a good idea to

try to tame any wild animal. Let’s help keep them all safe and wild!

Body language: Wolves use body language to show other

wolves how they feel about things.

To show :

Anger: a wolf may stick its ears straight up and bare its

teeth.

Suspicion: the wolf may pulls the ears back and squint.

Fear: the wolf may flatten its ears against its head.

Have you ever seen similar body language in your pet dog?