Wolves Research Paper (3rd) The gray wolf is the largest member of the dog family. The color of their fur varies from black to completely white or grizzled grey. The gray wolf resembles the German shepherd because it is the ancestor of the domestic dog. (Basics) They eat moose, caribou, moose and deer. Gray wolves hunt, travel and live in packs of 4-8 members on average. (Basic Facts) The gray wolf migrated from Asia to North America in the Rancholabrean era approximately 750,000 years ago. (Wikipedia) They then went on to repopulate and inhabit much of North America. The first humans to associate and interact with gray wolves were Native Americans. (Thiel) They had a strong relationship with animals and nature because they considered them important and sacred aspects of their lives. Some Native American tribes formed wolf clans. Myths about the origin of the wolf were popular in Native American culture. Most Native Americans saw wolves as teachers because they had always been a spiritual guide to them. (Thiel) Native Americans used wolves as a model for hunting other animals. When the first European settlers landed in North America in 1608, interaction with wolves was imminent. Before European settlement, approximately 200,000 wolves lived in North America. (THE WOLF). Early settler farming wiped out most of the wolf food supplies in the West. Wolves were forced to find food and instead turned to domestic livestock (United States). This led to the first conflict between wolves and humans. Wolves were then hunted throughout North America. Wolves have been depicted in drawings and literature since the colonization of North America. This has caused the bad reputation of species such as the “Big Bad Wolf”, both Little Red Riding Hood and the Three Little P...... at the center of the paper ......ng of the ecosystem. This would help build a better society and friendlier environment in the northern Rockies. The gray wolf is an American animal that must be protected by the federal government. Wolves are an asset to American life. The wolf is a species that characterizes American society. The wolf is a symbolic species for Americans. The wolf relies on teamwork when traveling with a pack, but can also be independent. Wolves are expert hunters and exercise dominance over their prey. Wolves are extraordinary creatures that should be admired rather than despised. Wolves may resemble the ideal American. Wolves are intelligent creatures that were part of North America before Westerners arrived here. The ecosystem benefit and symbolic effect it has on our future generations is the primary reason why wolves should be protected and build a population in the northern Rocky Mountains.