Wolves

Wolves are the relatives of our modern dog.

There are various types of wolves although the most well known one is the Grey Wolf. An inhabitant of Northern  America.
Like their canine relatives wolves have an acute sense of smell. They are able to detect what the scent markings mean , for example: what gender the animal is and even what they have eaten recently.

There were once many wolves in parts of Europe , North America and Asia however they have been hunted almost to the point of extinction. Wolves are mainly recognizable by their spine tingling howl which they use in order to communicate. Wolves may howl to attract the attention of the pack or to send messages .

Wolves are the largest members of the dog family. Wolves and humans have had a long history of enmity. Even though they rarely attack humans wolves are considered one of the animal worlds ; most fearsome natural villains.

In the lower 48 states gray wolves were hunted to almost extinction point , some populations survived and others have since been introduced. There are few gray wolves in Europe however there are many in Alaska , Canada and Asia. Red wolves live in the south-east of America where they are endangered. In 1980 this animal became extinct in the wild. Scientists began a breeding programme with a couple of captive wolves and were eventually able to introduce the breed into North Carolina. Today there are about 100 red wolves in the wild.


Wolves live and hunt in packs consisting of 6-8 members. They are known to roam distances of 12 miles each day. They hunt together to catch deer , elk and moose. A single wolf can consume 9 pounds of meat in one sitting. They also eat smaller mammals , birds , snakes , lizards , fish and fruit.

The Giant Panda

Giant Pandas live in a few mountain ranges in China. They used to live in the lowlands but agricultural practices have forced them into the mountains. Pandas live in broad-leaf and coniferous forests , these places have bamboo shoots from a height of 5,000 to 10 000 feet. The forests are subject to torrential rains and are often covered by heavy clouds.

The Giant panda is a typical shape for a bear. It has black fur on its ears , eye-patches , muzzle , legs and shoulders. The rest of the body is white. Scientists think that the bold coloring acts as a camouflage against their surroundings. Pandas have large molars and strong jaws for crushing bamboo shoots. Although they may appear endearing , they are just as dangerous as other bears.

Giant Pandas are between  2-3 feet tall at the shoulder when standing on a fours and can reach a length of 6 feet long. Males are heavier than females and can weigh up to 250 pounds in the wild. Females rarely reach 220 pounds.

In the wild pandas will eat bamboo shoots as 99% of their diet. Occasionally they eat other grasses , small rodents and musk deer fawns. In captivity pandas will eat bamboo , sugar cane , rice gruel , high fiber biscuits, carrots , apples and sweet potatoes.

Red Squirrels

Most of us will have seen the grey squirrel , scampering about. Hunting among the leaves for acorns and seeds. However Britain's native squirrels are the red ones. Today they are rarely seen , apart from in some protected areas and parts of Scotland.Currently there are approximately on 140 000 red squirrels in Britain in comparison to 2.5 million grey squirrels. The grey squirrels have caused a decline in the indigenous red squirrels.

Red Squirrels build their homes in trees. The homes are called drays. Red Squirrels are fairly solitary creatures coming together only to mate. In the winter months , related squirrels may share drays for warmth.
Squirrels produce young called kittens, they are born in early spring. Females normally produce a litter of two to three however there can be as many as 6 born up to 48 days after mating.

Young squirrels are weaned off the mothers' milk after 10-12 weeks when they have gained a full set of teeth.

Red squirrels are seed eaters. They favour pine cones, but also eat larch and spruce. Their diet also includes fungi, shoots and fruits of shrubs and trees, and sometimes birds' eggs. They can choose between good and bad nuts by holding them in their paws. Reds do not hibernate and store fungi in trees to eat over the winter months. When food is plentiful, they put on weight in the autumn to help them through the winter. This is important for breeding females, so that they are in good condition for producing young.

Source: www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/red squirrel