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Northern Lights Wildlife - Wildlife terms Category: Animals and Nature Date & country: 02/12/2013, USA Words: 159

U.S. Forest Service
an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Forest Service manages national grasslands and national forests, and it participates in forestry research. Forest rangers are officials in charge of managing specific districts and national forests. Other employees are specialists in timber, grazing, mining, wilderness, water, and recreation management.

U.S Fish and Wildlife Service
the branch of the federal government that is responsible for wildlife, including saving endangered species.

yard up
to congregate in a sheltered place in winter. Herds of deer and elk, for example, may yard up during periods of heavy snowfall.

wildlife
animals that are not tamed or domesticated. Wildlife can range in size from tiny microscopic organisms to animals as large as whales.

wildlife management
a term referring to the technical and scientific skills applied to protect, conserve, preserve, extend, and limit the value of wildlife and wildlife habitat.

wildlife manager
a person who is responsible for maintaining and managing wildlife habitat and the human activities within that habitat.

ungulate
animals with hooves such as deer, moose, caribou, and elk.

wampum
small beads made from polished shells, formerly used by Native Americans as currency and jewelry.

web of life
the term used to describe the interrelatedness of all forms of life.

weight load on track
the term used to describe the pressure placed on an animal's feet when standing on all four feet. Weight load on track is calculated by dividing the body weight by the total surface area of all four feet.

wild
not tamed or domestic. Wild animals provide their own food, shelter and other needs in an area that serves as a suitable habitat.

track
a print left by an animal. Wolf tracks are large in comparison to most domestic dogs and other canids such as coyotes. Wolf tracks can be up to five inches long with four toes on the front feet and five on the back. The front feet are larger than the back feet. Claws are usually visible. This is one way you can distinguish a wolf track from a mountain lion track. Mountain lions walk with their claws retracted just like your domestic cat does.

translocate
a term referring to the process of moving animals from one location to another. For example, wildlife managers translocated wolves from Canada to Yellowstone National Park and to Central Idaho as part of the reintroduction effort in the Northern Rockies.

theory
a working hypothesis given probability by experimental evidence or factual analysis but not conclusively proven or accepted as a law.

threatened
a species present in its home range but in declining numbers and in danger of becoming endangered. On the other hand, a species that has been listed as endangered but whose numbers are increasing may be moved from endangered status to threatened.

top predator
a predator, usually large in size, that is rarely killed by other predators and may kill smaller predators. Wolves are top predators and have few natural enemies. They often kill smaller predators such as coyotes. Sometime wolves and bears will tangle, but this is infrequent.

taxonomy
the classification of organisms in categories based on common characteristics.

territory
the portion of an animal's home range which is defended against other animals of the same species.

tame
brought from wildness into a manageable or easily controlled state. Tame animals may be handled by humans and used in some cases to perform work. Domesticated animals, on the other hand, are animals that have, over a series of generations, become accustomed to living with humans and which have, to varying degrees, become dependent upon humans to provide for their needs. Domestic animals that live in a wild state are called feral animals.

subspecies
part of the classification system scientists use to identify plants and animals. It is the lowest, or most specific, group of animals. Scientists disagree on how many subspecies of wolves there are. Domestic dogs are the same species as wolves (Canis). They have always been classified as a different subspecies, however. Wolves are Canis lupus. Dogs are Canis lupus familiaris. Some scientists think that both dogs and wolves should be classified as Canis lupus because they are genetically identical. Others disagree, saying that dogs have evolved so far from wolves that to give them the same classification is misleading.

stewardship
refers to responsible caretaking of the environment. Stewardship is based on the premise that we are managers of natural resources and that we are responsible to future generation for conserving and preserving these resources.

stress
a harmful pressure to an organism or a population. A drought or a flood or a severe winter would cause stress to a plant population and, therefore, to animals.

submission
the act of acknowledging another animal's dominance or higher rank. Wolves do this in several ways including lying on their backs and exposing their bellies, tucking their tails between their legs, flattening their ears against their heads, and assuming a lower body position. Another behavior exhibited by submissive wolves is food begging. Subordinates learn that they can sometimes get higher ranking members of the pack to relinquish food.

Species Survival Plan
an organized method of breeding endangered species in captivity to help increase their populations. Managed by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA), there is an SSP for Mexican wolves and one for red wolves. stalk

state wildlife agency
the state agency that has legal responsibility for the management of all or some of the wildlife in that state. It is usually responsible for regulations and for law enforcement.

stereotype
a conventional, oversimplified opinion, belief, or conception. A group or person or animal that is thought to be typical or to conform to a formula or a fixed pattern; lacking any individuality.

socialization
to socialize is to make fit for companionship with others; to make sociable. Socializing wolves in captivity with humans serves to lessen the stress by making them more comfortable with situations they do not normally encounter in the wild.

species
subgroup of genus. Part of the classification system scientists use to identify plants an animals. There are two species of wolves in the United States, Canis lupus (gray wolf), and Canis rufus (red wolf). The proper name of a species is made up of two words

scent post
an object or area an animal uses through scent marking to establish territory. Examples include trees, fence posts, and rocks.

small game
term designating smaller hunted species. Examples are rabbits, squirrels, pheasant, quail, and groundhog. Look up big game and nongame.

social animal
an animal that lives in a group with its own kind. Wolves are highly social animals because they live in a pack or family according to strict cooperative rules. The pack members are dependent upon one another for survival, and they all participate in the care and nurturing of the young.

scavenger
an animal that eats animals it did not kill directly but that die from other causes such as disease, starvation, or another predator.

scent marking
leaving a mark, such as urine, to establish territory and to communicate with other animals. When you see a domestic dog urinating on a fire hydrant, it is scent marking.

rendezvous site
the area to which wolves move their pups when they are 8-10 weeks old. It is a gathering place for the pack, and the pups are left at the site while the adults hunt for food.

resident wildlife
animals that are residents of a specific area on a year-round basis as opposed to migratory animals.

scat
animal poop - to put it plainly and simply. Scientists often identify the animals that have been in an area by looking at their scat. Wolf scat often looks like a hairy cocoon. Since wolves consume every part of the carcass except stomach contents, skulls, and antlers, scat is encased in hair so that bone fragments do not puncture the intestines.

recovery plan
a guide that identifies actions necessary for restoring an endangered or threatened species to being a self-sustaining member of its ecosystem. It is a structure or framework to guide biologists toward the objective of species recovery. A good recovery plan is critical to the success of species restoration.

regurgitate
to throw up food shortly after consuming it. Wolves will eat at a kill site and then return to their pups and regurgitate food which the pups eat.

reintroduction of species
a wildlife management strategy whereby an species is returned to its historic range.

pup
a wolf baby.

rally
to gather in a group. Wolves rally for various reasons - before a hunt and to greet other pack members, for example.

rank
the relative social positions of animals in a pack.The more dominant animals are higher in rank.

rare
wildlife species not presently endangered but with numbers so low that there is concern.

producer
In an ecosystem, this is an organism that can manufacture organic compounds. For example, a green plant is a producer because it manufactures simple sugars from organic substances (carbon dioxide and water).

public lands
land owned by the general public and managed by state or federal agencies such as the National Park Service or the Forest Service.

private land
land owned by private individuals.

predator
an animal that kills and eats other animals for survival.

preservation
protection of wildlife and habitat which emphasizes non-consumptive values and uses, such as no direct use by humans. Conservation, on the other hand, emphasizes both consumptive and non-consumptive use of resources.

prey
animals that are killed and eaten by other animals. For example, deer, elk, moose, and many small mammals are prey animals. The favorite prey of wolves are ungulates, the large hooved animals such as moose and elk. Depending on the location of our home range, our chief prey might be bison, deer, caribou, or musk oxen.

predation
the act of preying upon.

poaching
taking game illegally

population
all of the individuals from the same species (or closely-related species) that are closely associated and that occupy a certain area.

precaudal gland
a gland located on the top side of a wolf's tail. The exact purpose of this gland is unknown, but it may play a role in olfactory communication between wolves.

play face
an expression is used to elicit play. Basically, it is a big open-mouthed smile! The mouth is open and the teeth are bared, but the lips are not retracted in an agonistic pucker. This is a friendly face and can be paired with other actions such as rolling on the ground to show others that play is intended. And, of course, the play bow often accompanies the grin.

play bow
the wolf extends its front legs, raises its hindquarters, cocks its ears forward, and puts on a big play grin. Often it will pant and wag its tail.

pinch period
the period in the annual cycle when the conditions for living are least favorable.

plantigrade
walking so that the back part of the foot (the heel) touches the ground. Examples of animals that use this form of locomotion include humans, raccoons, and bears. Wolves and dogs, on the other hand, walk on their toes.

pelt
the skin and fur of an animal. Note that pelage is the hairy coat of an animal. The pelt is the skin and the hair or fur.

perspective
a point of view. People have varying perspectives about wolves.

phylum
part of the classification system scientists use to identify plants and animals. Wolves are in the phylum Chordata, which means they have an internal skeleton like humans, not an external skeleton like the lobster, or no skeleton like a jellyfish. Phylum is a subgroup of kingdom.

parasite
an often harmful organism that lives in or on another organism. For example, fleas are parasites. So are ticks.

passive submission
expressed when a low-ranking wolf is threatened by a dominant wolf who is expressing its authority by baring its teeth and growling. In this behavior, the low-ranking wolf tucks its tail between its legs, lies on the ground, and exposes its belly to the dominant wolf. The lower-ranking wolf may also demonstrate subordinate affection such as face licks and mouth nuzzling.

pelage
the hairy coat of an animal. Wolf coats can vary in color from black to white and many shades of gray and brown.

pack
a group of wolves. Packs usually consist of the breeding or alpha pair and their recent offspring - pups and juveniles. Pack sizes can be as small as two or three and as large as twenty or more. The size of the pack may depend on prey density and size. For example, wolves that prey on moose may form larger packs because moose are so large that they are easier to kill if the pack is composed of several wolves. However, the more wolves, the more quickly a kill is consumed and the sooner it is necessary to hunt again! In general, wolf packs number between five and eight animals. Order within the pack is maintained by a functional dominance hierarchy. Roles are expressed and reinforced through body language, vocalizations, and facial expressions.

omega
the lowest-ranking animal in a wolf pack. These subordinate wolves may become dispersers, especially if food is limited.

oral tradition
the tradition of telling stories and passing along information to new generations. This system of verbally reciting history has been practiced for many centuries by many indigenous cultures around the world. Native American cultures in the United States used this method of recording and reciting history.

order
part of the classification system scientists use to identify plants and animals. Wolves are in the order Carnivora, meaning meat-eating. An order is a subgroup of a class.

National Park Service
the branch of the United States government which controls public lands in the national park system, including Yellowstone National Park where wolves were reintroduced in 1995.

niche
(ecological niche) an ecological term used to describe a place or a position occupied by a plant or animal with reference to other organisms. The things that determine the niche, or place in society of an organism, are

non-consumptive use
any use of wildlife that does not directly kill wildlife.

nongame
wildlife species that are not generally hunted or consumed by humans. An example would be songbirds.

morphology
the form and structure of organisms.

myth
a traditional story that serves to unfold a world view of a people or to explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon.

national forest
an area designated and managed by the Federal Government to assure an on- going supply of natural resources. These resources include grazing land for livestock, minerals, timber, and opportunities for recreational and scenic use.

national park
a tract of land declared public property by the national government to be used for cultural and recreational purposes.

mate
one of a pair of animals that associates for breeding.

mange
a skin disease caused by a parasitic mite. Mange is characterized by intense itching and loss of hair.

locomotion
the act of moving from place to place.

mammals
animals that are warm-blooded, have hair on their bodies, and produce milk for their young with special glands call mammary glands.

keystone species
An organism whose abundance or activity is central to maintaining the nature of a habitat.

kingdom
part of the classification system scientists use to identify plants and animals.

legend
a story, often one that cannot be verified, that is passed down from one generation to the next.

litter
a group of wolf pups born at the same time. Wolf litters can range in size from 1 to 9 pups.

livestock
cows, sheep, and other farm animals.

interdependencies
the interrelationships of wildlife with one another and with the other elements in their environment.

interspecific
interactions of animals not of the same species.

interaction
the relationship of one organism to another; the action of one population affecting the growth or death rate of another population. Populations may compete for food with one another; one may in some way interfere with the other population. Interactions can be positive, harmful, or they can be completely neutral.

hypothesis
a tentative assumption made in order to test its validity.

indicator species
a specific species selected for monitoring by animals scientists in order to get a general indication of the health of the ecosystem in which that animal lives.

hybrid
the offspring produced by breeding plants or animals of different varieties or species. Since dogs and wolves can breed and produce pups, these offspring are referred to as hybrids. A hybrid can be half wolf and half dog; the percentages can, of course, be higher for wolf than dog or the reverse, depending upon the number of generations bred and who the parents are. A controversy rages on the subject of hybrids. Many people believe that if they obtain a hybrid, they will get an animal that looks like a wolf and acts like a dog. This is often not the case, however. Hybrids sometimes have a dog's aggressive nature combined with the wolf's shyness and fear of humans. That combination can be a dangerous one. Depredation of livestock is sometimes blamed on wolves when, in fact, the killer is a hybrid. Hybrids have attacked people as well.

hunter
a person or animal or searches for wildlife with the intention of killing it or catching it.

hunt
to stalk or to chase a prey animal, such as deer, for food.

home range (or range)
the area an animal like a wolf or a wolf pack uses to find food, shelter, and water to survive; the area over which the animal travel in the scope of normal activities. Ranges can vary from 30 square miles to over 1000 square miles, depending largely on the type and number of prey.

howl
a form of communication among wolves. Scientists aren't entirely sure why wolves howl, but this form of communication seems

harvest
the intentional gathering of plants, animals, and natural resources. In wildlife management, hunting is a form of harvesting in which animals are killed.

heartworm disease
a disease cause by a parasitic worm that lives in the hearts of carnivores. These worms can reach up to 30 cm in length.

hierarchy (or dominance hierarchy)
the ranking system among wolf pack members in which some are higher ranking, or dominant, and others are lower ranking, or submissive.

hackles
The guard hairs along the back of an animal, especially on the neck and shoulders. The hackles are often raised as a form of communication, especially to indicate aggression.

gestation
the time from fertilization of the egg to the birth of young; the period of pregnancy. Wolves have a gestation of approximately 65 days.

guard hairs
the long outer hairs of an animal's coat which keep the downy underfur from getting dirty or wet. The underfur keeps the animal warm by preventing heat loss from the body.