Friday, June 6, 2014

Swedish Big 5: the Wolf.

Wolves were once extinct in Sweden but they are now recovering. The number of wolves living in Sweden is not precise, but it seems to be around 400-500 specimens. 
They are shy and well camouflaged animals and often move during the night so it is very hard to see them. They prefer to live in the forests, far from human beings. In Sweden there are no wolves in the northern part and also in the very southern part; they can be found in the central part of the country, where almost every forested area is part of the wolves territory. 


The wolf lives in a family where there are two parents, often called the alpha pair and the cubs. Most of the cubs leave the family before they become sexually mature. The ones who don't are seen by the parents as baby sits for the younger cubs. A wolf family is often called for a pack. 
The wolves defend their marked territory against trespassing wolves and fights between them are not uncommon. 
Wolves do not go in hibernation, they remain active all winter long. 
A home territory usually measures from 800 to 1000 km2 and the determining criterion in the choice of where to live is considered to be the access to food. 


Wolves' most common preys are roedeers, mooses and raindeers but they also prey on deers, badgers, hares, rodents and beavers. They can survive in all types of habitat as long as there is enough food and little risk of being hunted. 
If you are planning to go to Sweden and absolutely want to see a wolf, Wild Sweden could be right for you. Here you can find two links of the website:
http://www.wildsweden.com/short-tours/wolf-tour-in-summer/
http://www.wildsweden.com/short-tours/wolf-tracking-day/

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