Did you ever wonder why dogs lick so much? Videos like this prove that the “licking” gene, may have been passed down by their wolf ancestors. These gorgeous gray wolves find a remote trail camera, and they just can’t stop licking it.
This will make you look at wolves in a different light!
Yellowstone National Park is home to many animals, but none are quite as majestic as the mysterious grey wolves
Founded in 1872, Yellowstone National Park is a sanctuary for wild animals that stretches almost 4,000 miles making it bigger than some states in the USA combined.
Grand Prismatic Spring.
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The park is home to a variety of wild animals, plant life, beautiful hot springs, and an array of breathtaking scenery that has made it top destination for tourists from all around the world. In addition to the animals that were already there, Yellowstone’s park rangers study and reintroduce species into the park.
Grey wolves were introduced to the park in the 90s, but their population has declined in the last 15 years
In 1995, they reintroduced the mysterious grey wolf back into the park after capturing them in Canada and other areas along the Northern border. For years, their population in the park thrived, but due to a decline in the elk population, disease, and most of all, humans, it has been slowly decreasing for the last decade and a half.
Back in 2007, there were 171 gray wolves in Yellowstone, but that number has since dropped to 94 wolves spread into 8 packs as of 2020. In February of 2020, one of those packs came across something that they were intrigued by, a trail camera.
One of the wolves was especially drawn to the camera, so he began licking it
Whoever said wolves are scary, has never seen this video. Just like your favorite pooch, the wolves smile from ear to ear as they can’t help but lick this mysterious object.
The video warmed hearts across the nation, gaining over 2 million views after being posted the Yellowstone National Park Facebook page. Over 62,000 people have also liked the video, and thousands left comments of admiration for the curious creatures.
While a decline in prey, and disease, play a part in the number of gray wolves declining, humans are by far their biggest threat
Out of all the dangers these beautiful animals face, none are as great as the threat humans pose to them, explains the Yellowstone National Park Facebook post:
“The most pressing issue facing wolves today is us, humans. Roughly 80% of wolves in the northern Rockies die from human-related causes. The value we place on intact ecosystems and our attitudes towards predators will continue to influence their future as a species. We look forward to having these conversations with you over the next month!”
Why are wolves so important to the ecosystem in Yellowstone?
Many animals benefit from the existence of gray wolves, simply by feeding off of their leftover prey. The National Park Service explains on their website:
Im not a photographer by any means but I got a great picture of this wolf eating a bison carcass at Slough Creek this evening!
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“Many other animals benefit from wolf kills. For example, when wolves kill an elk, ravens and magpies arrive almost immediately. Coyotes arrive soon after, waiting nearby until the wolves are sated. Bears will attempt to chase the wolves away, and are usually successful. Many other animals—from eagles to invertebrates—consume the remains.”
We must do better. With animals like this having their very existence threatened by humans, it’s only a matter of time before we reach a point of no return. You can donate here to the Yellowstone Wolf Project to help these gray wolves thrive again.
To see the adorable video of this gray wolf licking a trail camera, just watch the video below!
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