Copy of `Wolf Source - Lupine glossary`

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Wolf Source - Lupine glossary Category: Animals and Nature > Wolfs Date & country: 13/09/2007, USA Words: 158

Acariasis
General term for a mite infestation.

Active Submission
Approaching a dominant wolf and licking or nipping its muzzle.

Adaptable
Able to change to fit the situation.

Aerial Netting
Firing a net from an elevated position, trapping the animal. This method is used most often without drugs and with a helicopter. It is kindest to the animals and the quickest way to get a wolf back to its pack after being collared.

Alpha
The highest rank in the social order of each wolf pack. There are both alpha male and alpha female within each pack. Usually this pair are the parents of most of the other members of the pack, as generally only the Alpha pair mate. Alpha is the first letter in the Greek alphabet.

Alternative
A possible choice; a different method.

ARNWR
Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge - North Carolina

AZA
American Zoo and Aquarium Association

Balance of Nature
A state of equilibrium among the various living things and forces in the natural world.

Beta
The second rank in the social order of a wolf pack. A pack may also have both a beta male and a beta female. A wolf at this rank will usually dominate all of the other wolves in its gender except the alpha wolf.

Bider
A beta wolf, they are sometimes called this because they are waiting for their chance to become the alpha.

Biodegradable
Capable of decaying and being absorbed by the environment.

Biodiversity
Variety, complexity and relative abundance of species (plant and animal) present and interacting in an ecosystem.

Bison
The American Bison (Bison bison), also called Buffalo, is a bovine mammal that is the largest terrestrial mammal in North America.

Bloat
Gastric dilation-volvulus; distension of the stomach.

Bond
An attachment that an individual human or animal forms to another.

Bounty
A fee paid for catching or killing an animal that is viewed as unpopular or a nuisance.

Bred
Chose particular individuals to mate, so that their young would have particular physical features of behave in a certain way.

Burrow
A hole or tunnel dug in the ground by an animal, used as a home and hiding place.

Cache
A hiding place for food that the wolf can eat later.

Camouflage
Blending in with one`s surroundings.

Canidae
Taxonomic family name for dogs.

Canids
Members of the family (Canidae) to which dogs belong.

Canine
A member of a family of animals that includes dogs, wolves, foxes and coyotes.

Canine Distemper
A highly contagious viral disease that affects both wild and domestic canines; caused by (a paramyxovirus); characterized by acute upper respiratory disease signs and fever, and later by pneumonia, vomiting, diarrhea and neurological signs.

Canine Parvovirus
A viral disease that affects both wild and domestic canines.

Canine Teeth
Long, pointed teeth used for jabbing prey and ripping flesh; between the incisors and premolars; fang teeth.

Captive Breeding
The process of capturing animals from the wild and mating them in captivity in order to increase the species under protected conditions.

Captivity
When an animal lives in a zoo, sanctuary or wildlife park rather than in the wild.

Carcass
The body of a dead animal.

Carnassials
Large teeth near the back of an animal`s mouth, used for tearing meat.

Carnivore
An animal that eats meat.

Carrion
The decaying flesh from a dead animal.

Colostrum
Milk produced by the mother during the first few days after the birth of her puppies; high in protein and protective antibodies.

Contaminate
To make unclean or impure.

Convert
To change to something else.

Coterie
A small group of animals that are in frequent social contact.

Crossbreeding
Mating of animals of different species or subspecies that produces mixed offspring.

Culture
The way of life built up by a group of human beings and passed on from one generation to another.

Cusps
Sharp points of the tooth crown.

Data
A group of facts of information found by measuring or studying a situation.

Deciduous Teeth
Temporary teeth that are lost to make way for permanent teeth; baby teeth or milk teeth.

Dehydration
Loss of body water.

Den
Place where animals gather together to sleep and give birth to their young.

Deplete
To decrease or use up.

Dew Claw
A small claw on the front legs of most canines. It aids in digging.

Dispersal
The process in which young wolves leave their packs to form new ones.

Display
A pattern of activity where a creature shows off to others, often associated with mating.

Diurnal
Active during the day

Domestication
The process by which wild animals become suited to living with humans.

Dominant
Being in charge of, or leading … standing out, in this case the wolf that is stronger than the others. A dominant wolf holds its tail up, pricks its ears, and stand tall around a submissive wolf.

Dominate
To rank higher than another.

Ecology
The relationship between a living organism and its environment.

Ecosystem
An ecological community, along with its environment, viewed as a unit.

Encroachment
Physical occupation of space or habitat which was previously occupied by another species, resulting in displacement of this species or destruction of the species, if no alternative space or habitat is available.

Endangered
Referring to a species (plant or animal) currently in danger of extinction.

Endangered Species Act
A congressional act (16 U. S. C. 1531 et. seq.) passed in 1973 and amended through the years that provides for the identification and protection of species (plants and animals) currently in danger of extinction or threatened by extinction within the foreseeable future.

Euthanize
To kill as painlessly as possible. When we can`t find a home for an animal, or if it is suffering and we can`t relieve its pain or cure it, it is euthanized.

Exterminate
To deliberately and completely kill all the members of a group or species.

Extinct
No longer in existence.

Extirpate
To destroy or eliminate a species (plant or animal) from an entire area within its range, but not from the entire planet.

Family
A group of related plants or animals; in classification systems, family falls between order and genus in identifying living things.

Femur
Thigh bone.

Fertile
Capable of reproducing.

Fertilization
The penetration of the female egg by the male sperm in order to create offspring.

Food Chain
A series of organisms connected by their feeding habits; each link in the food chain is eaten by a larger one, which is eaten by a still larger one.

Forage
Plants or grasses eaten by grazing animals.

Founders
Wild wolves that have been captured to reproduce in a safe environment. After enough wolves have been bred they are released back into the wild.

Gestation
The process of growth of an embryo inside a mammal`s body - the gestation period is the duration of a pregnancy.

Gland
A cell or group of cells in the skin that releases a liquid substance.

Grassland
A large, usually flat tract of land with some scattered bushes but few trees. Grasslands have different names on different continents, including pampas, prairie, steppe, and veldt.

Groom
To clean the body and make neat.

Guard Hairs
Coarse, thick, straight hairs that taper to a find tip; also called primary hairs.

Habitat
Environment where a species is normally found.

Herbivore
An animal that feeds on plants.

Hierarchy
The social structure of a wolf pack, based on positions of dominance and subordinance held by the pack members.

Hip Dysplasia
Hereditary developmental disease; failure of proper development of the hip joint.

Home Range
The area normally traveled by an individual during its life span.

Hybrid
Mixed breed that occurs when two different subspecies of animals mate and bear young.

In Utero
Within the uterus.

Inbred
The result of inbreeding, or reproduction by closely related plants or animals.

Incisors
Long, sharp front teeth.

Instincts
Things that an animal is born knowing how to do.

Insulation
A barrier that keeps heat from entering or leaving.

Interdependence
When two or more things depend on each other.

Irreversible
Impossible to change back.

Keratin
Fibrous protein material found in the outer layer of fingernails, horns, and hooves.

Keystone Species
A species that plays a fundamental role in maintaining the plants and animals in an ecosystem.

Larva (plural larvae)
The first stage of an insect`s life.

Leader
The one who leads the group/ pack.

Litter
A group of young born at the same time by one mother.

Livestock
Animals that are raised by ranchers and / or farmers such as goat, sheep, cow, and horse

Mammal
An animal that has a backbone, breathe`s air, feeds its young with mother`s milk, and regulates its own body temperature.

Mange
A contagious skin condition caused by burrowing mites.

Mating Season
The time of year during which animals come together to produce young.

Maxilla
The upper jaw.

Migration
The regular movement of animals from one place to anothers, whether for reasons of climate, reproduction, or food.

Milk Teeth
The first, small teeth of a baby animal that will later fall out and be replaced by larger permanent teeth.

Muzzle
The snout; the nose and jaws of an animal.

Native
A person, animal or plant of a particular place.