Wolf Talk

Last night at my Master Naturalist meeting, our speaker was Peggy Callahan from the Wildlife Science Center. This was her second time speaking to us.  The first time she started late and didn't finish.  She is a lively and engaging speaker.  She speaks quickly and she uses acronyms I am not familiar with.  I think she must have ADHD.  Before I can raise my hand to ask what a particular acronym is, she is five topics beyond that already.  She was full of facts. She spoke about the current legislation.  She is not happy with Amy and Al's (Kloubachar and Franken)decisions on wolves.  I doubt I caught everything she was trying to say.  One thing that stuck with me is that as far as predators of the white tail deer, wolves eat fewer Minnesota deer than black bears and coyotes.  They have studied the physiology of wolves asleep, at rest, eating, playing, chasing, and being chased.  It was amazing how high the heart rate and temperature of a wolf go up when they are being chased.  Another fact that surprised me is the high percentage of wolf on wolf mortality.  Wolves have a tough life.  It's no wonder they howl at the moon.