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Grey Wolf Research Paper

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B.C. Coastal Wolves: Pelt Colour Variation Due to Ecological Factors Introduction The Grey Wolf (Canis Lupus) is a widely distributed species throughout parts of the world, from the Arctic regions to dry deserts (Bohman. 2005). In British Columbia alone, the estimated population of this species is around 8,000 (Musiani. Paquet. 2004). Since the Grey wolf is such a widespread mammal, it is inevitable that you’d find diversity within a closely related species, which is a key concept of evolution. A variety in pelt melanin due to geographical factors is an example of a documented variation. When comparing British Columbian Coastal Wolves to mainland Grey Wolves, this theory is proved. Coastal wolves generally have grey pelts with a dark undercoat. In contrast, a white colour is predominantly present in Alaskan Grey Wolves. This suggests that colouration may play a vital role in the overall success of Coastal Wolves, as well as migration and maintaining genetic diversity. Method …show more content…

I tried my best to keep a bare minimum of 15-20. My strategy was to pick articles that emphasized on genetic variations in Grey Wolves. I found that the quickest way to sort through them all was to read the abstracts. Finding key works like Coastal Wolves, evolution, and genetic variation proved very useful. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find studies that predominantly focused on fur melanin. However, cross-referring the articles led me to helpful reports. I also noticed that a lot of the papers used the same sources. After ordering them from most to least useful, I began to write my literature review. The most challenging part was probably locating the necessary information, without straying from the main focus. Overall, all of the papers I have chosen tie into my literature review in one way or

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