The Wolf Almanac

by Robert H. Busch

This book about wolves is a pretty good overview. It reviews wolf evolution, classification, distribution, biology, behavior and predation, covering all in general. On the human side there's discussion of how wolves have figured in folklore and mythology, common misconceptions and false information still believed by many people today. The situation of wolves as game animals hunted for trophies, fur-bearers trapped for their pelts, and persecution by man due to fear and livestock losses is also discussed, alongside the place of wolves in zoos and sanctuaries and the conundrum of wolf-dog hybrids kept (and usually subsequently abandoned) as pets. Wolf conservation efforts, their status as an endangered species and efforts to re-introduce them to the wild round out the book. It's got a lot of statistics- maps and lists on numbers of wolves existing in various parts of the world, reported bounties paid, livestock losses, numbers sighted in different states during various years and so on. If you want to read a bunch of facts, it's great. Solid broad picture of what wolf is, how it makes a living and how mankind has treated it. The pictures are nice. But not what I would really call a fun or engaging read. The kind of book you would really depend on to write a school report (if kids read books for that nowadays).

I found this copy at a library discard sale.

Rating: 2/5      226 pages, 1995