Interesting Facts about the Dire Wolf
There are many interesting facts about the dire wolves just as with other animals, however since the dire wolf does not exist anymore, there are many people who take it that the dire wolf is nothing but a mere myth. Interestingly, the dire wolf is not a myth; they actually existed before they went extinct after the last ice age.
The dire wolves were known scientifically by the name Canis dirus, and they actually existed, inhabiting North America as well as parts of South America with some scientists believing that they originally evolved while they were in South America and others believing they originated from North America. It is more possible that they came from the North considering that the fossil …show more content…
Characteristics of the Dire Wolf
The dire wolf was related closely to the gray wolf and it is considered to be an ancestor of the gray wolf, however, there are characteristics of the dire wolf that not only differentiate it from other animals, but from gray wolves as well.
Comparing the head size, it had a larger head compared to that of a gray wolf, and it had larger teeth as well, although even with a smaller head, the gray wolf had a larger brain as compared to the dire wolf. In terms of body size, the dire wolf was almost the same as the gray wolf, although it was larger by up to 25% at times. It was about 5 feet long and could weigh up to 80 kilograms in weight. It is considered to be the heaviest canine of all canines. It is however believed that they were not fat, but that they actually had big bones compared to other …show more content…
This involves breeding using animals that have some of the DNA and characteristics of the extinct animal so as to make the characteristics of the extinct animal to be more and more pronounced and eventually you will have an animal that is close to the extinct one.
Since dire wolves and modern dogs are related, there are programs that use the DNA of modern dogs so as to breed dogs that have characteristics of the extinct dire wolf. Modern dogs are taken through a process referred to as de-breeding so as to make them more like gray wolves, which are closely related to dire wolves.
One such organization that does this is the American Altisan Breeder’s Association that is combining several dog breeds so as to come up with a breed that looks like the dire wolf.
Dire wolves today are subjects of fascination and they are used as characters in various films, television shows and movies. Recently, the show called Game of Thrones has used dire wolves in the show and this has raised a lot of public interest concerning this magnificent wolf that once roamed the earth.
A famous band known as the Grateful Dead also mentioned the dire wolf in in one of the in songs in the album Workingman’s Dead in
There are many interesting facts about the dire wolves just as with other animals, however since the dire wolf does not exist anymore, there are many people who take it that the dire wolf is nothing but a mere myth. Interestingly, the dire wolf is not a myth; they actually existed before they went extinct after the last ice age.
The dire wolves were known scientifically by the name Canis dirus, and they actually existed, inhabiting North America as well as parts of South America with some scientists believing that they originally evolved while they were in South America and others believing they originated from North America. It is more possible that they came from the North considering that the fossil …show more content…
Characteristics of the Dire Wolf
The dire wolf was related closely to the gray wolf and it is considered to be an ancestor of the gray wolf, however, there are characteristics of the dire wolf that not only differentiate it from other animals, but from gray wolves as well.
Comparing the head size, it had a larger head compared to that of a gray wolf, and it had larger teeth as well, although even with a smaller head, the gray wolf had a larger brain as compared to the dire wolf. In terms of body size, the dire wolf was almost the same as the gray wolf, although it was larger by up to 25% at times. It was about 5 feet long and could weigh up to 80 kilograms in weight. It is considered to be the heaviest canine of all canines. It is however believed that they were not fat, but that they actually had big bones compared to other …show more content…
This involves breeding using animals that have some of the DNA and characteristics of the extinct animal so as to make the characteristics of the extinct animal to be more and more pronounced and eventually you will have an animal that is close to the extinct one.
Since dire wolves and modern dogs are related, there are programs that use the DNA of modern dogs so as to breed dogs that have characteristics of the extinct dire wolf. Modern dogs are taken through a process referred to as de-breeding so as to make them more like gray wolves, which are closely related to dire wolves.
One such organization that does this is the American Altisan Breeder’s Association that is combining several dog breeds so as to come up with a breed that looks like the dire wolf.
Dire wolves today are subjects of fascination and they are used as characters in various films, television shows and movies. Recently, the show called Game of Thrones has used dire wolves in the show and this has raised a lot of public interest concerning this magnificent wolf that once roamed the earth.
A famous band known as the Grateful Dead also mentioned the dire wolf in in one of the in songs in the album Workingman’s Dead in