Evolution and Domestication of Wolves

1. Evolution and Domestication of Wolves By: Lacey Weddington Cody Ford

2. Evolution • Believed to have evolved from small-meat eating animals 65 million years ago, although controversial due to the fact that specialized teeth for eating meat occurred 55 million years ago in the species called Miacis

3. Scientific name • The Gray wolf belongs to the Canisgenus • The species of Lupus • The subspecies of Lycaonwhich includes the Eastern Timber wolf • The full scientific name of the Eastern Timber Wolf is : Canis Lupus Lycaon

4. Family • Wolves belong to the Mammalia class. • They belong to the Carnivora order. • Members of the Canidae family.

5. Similarities & Differences • Similarities • Morphology • Born blind and death. • Milk teeth appear in the same order. • Shedding of both is equivalent. • Behavior • Vocalization • Sent rolling and grooming. • Differences • The muzzle of the wolf is longer. • The wolf’s tail hangs straight down when it is at rest. • The dog’s tail is held high and may even curl over its back. • Wolves have a scent organ.

6. Domestication • Wolves and wolf hybrids do not make good pets. Wolves are wild animals, they cannot be domesticated. If they are raised by humans from birth, they retain their wildness. Wolves are relentlessly curious, a trait that enables them to survive but wrecks havoc in a home. Wolf hybrids create problems as well. An animal with a dog’s aggressive nature and a wolf’s desire to remain aloof from humans can be a dangerous combination.