Manitobe Wolf

Facts about Manitoba Wolfs. The Manitoba Wolf is also referred to as the Gray-White Wolf or Elusive Wolf or the Grizzly Wolf and it is a subspecies of the Gray Wolf, Canis lupus. The Manitoba Wolfs have been described as large size white and grey wolves. The Manitoba Wolfs are simply believed to be Hudson Bay Wolves and their main food source is Caribou. Other food sources include; the hare, white tailed deer, moose, elk, and beavers.

Habitat of the Manitoba Wolf

Manitoba Wolf s apparently live in Manitoba, Alberta, Northwest territories of Canada, Saskatchewan, and also in the Newfoundland. Primarily, Manitoba Wolf s are restricted to tundra and boreal forests. Segregated wolf populations are mainly found in islands of habitat in agro-Manitoba. This includes the Duck Mountain Provincial Forest, the riding mountain park, and the Spruce Woods Provincial Park.
Manitoba is the home to timber or gray wolf for very many years. This wild animal fascinates and at the same time causes fear to human beings everywhere even on this national park. The Manitoba Wolf represents the exact description of wilderness, and the sight of a wolf is an exciting and exceptional experience to many. As top predators, the Manitoba Wolfs are the target to a balanced ecosystem and are good in controlling the number of preys by eating diseased or weak animals. However, the moose, elk, deer, as well as other preys have developed ways to prevent being preyed by these wolves.

Population of Manitoba Wolf

Manitoba Wolf population appears to be stable with numbers approximating to 4,000 wolves. Their population usually varies yearly depending on the availability of food sources, disease attacks, and removal of the wolves by human beings living in the parks environment. However, research shows that the Manitoba Wolfs do not travel for more than 6 miles (10 km) outside the park. In this area, the trappers and hunters are allowed to harvest wolves as this helps reduce the conflict between the wolves and agricultural interests.

Restrictions on wolf baiting in Manitoba Wolf

First, the Gray Wolves can only be hunted under the authority of any big game license, although there are no tagging requirements. Wolf baits must be well identified with the name and address of the guide, hunter, or outfitter and should not be placed 650 feet (200 meters) of a dwelling or a road, 1640 feet (500 meters) of a crown land picnic site, a cottage subdivision or a campground. The baits should not contain the hooves, head, hide, internal organs, or mammary glands of livestock.

Breeding of Manitoba Wolf

The season of breeding for the Manitoba Wolf is usually between February and April. The Manitoba Wolfs breed in February and the pups are delivered in late April, a period of approximately 63 days whereby they give birth to a litter size of five to seven pups.

Status of Manitoba Wolf

When compared to the endangered Hudson Bay Wolves, the Manitoba Wolf status is probably extinct. The Manitoba Wolf mortality is mostly through hunting and trapping by human beings living out of the wolf protected areas. Other causes of death involve injuries from the moose and elk as these preys try to defend themselves as well as attack by diseases especially the bovine tuberculosis mainly contracted by feeding on the diseased animals.