Ferocious Wolf Pack Saved From Extinction By Country Physician [Article in Oshkosh Daily Northwestern]

Description

This article reports that three litters of wolf pups have been born at Dr. E. H. McCleery's wolf farm and six more litters are expected. Last year 38 pups were born at the park, though only seven remain. Four pups is the average litter size, and the birthing period lasts from mid-March to mid-April. The mother wolves are housed in a rocky den lined with iron and floored with planks.

When the pups are about three and a half weeks old, a stranger is employed to take them from their mothers. The den-robbing strategy is described. The pups are examined by Dr. McCleery and those with the best appearance and temperament are kept and the rest are destroyed. Dr. McCleery returns the pups to their mothers, which helps strengthen the bond between him and the wolves, though the wolves sometimes see through this trick and attack Dr. McCleery. The family structure and feeding of the wolves is described. At the time of writing, the pack consisted of 31 adult wolves - 29 lobos and two white arctics.

Date

May 6, 1939

Page Numbers

9

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