Wolf

wolf facts

main prey

deer, elk, moose

interesting fact

Wolves are top predators in packs and are essential to the health of most ecosystems

Habitat

grasslands and woodlands

predator

Humanity

diet

carnivore

"Wolves are top predators in packs and are critical to the health of most ecosystems."

Wolves are one of the most iconic predators in the animal kingdom. They appear in songs, legends and even modern movies. While the gray wolf (timber wolf) is the best known, there are more than 30 different subspecies in the northern hemisphere. Together, these specialized pack animals hunt, roam and play together, while playing important roles in local ecosystems.

Incredible animals: 4 facts about wolves

• Descendants of Dogs: The Latin name for dogs is Canis lupus familiaris . This means that, according to the standard of animal classification, all dogs are actually just a kind of wolf. Both dogs and wolves are the largest living canids!
• Mouth full of teeth: Wolves have an average of 42 teeth in their mouths. Their teeth can be up to 2.5 inches long.
• Fast Sprint: Wolves tend to travel as fast as 5 miles per hour when roaming in packs. However, when a wolf wants to run, it can sprint at speeds of up to 38 miles per hour.
• Long-term relationships: Many wolf species mate for life.

scientific name

The wolf's scientific name is Canis lupus . "Lupus" is the Latin name for "wolf," and "canis" is the Latin name for "dog." Wolves are in the same family of dogs as domesticated dogs, coyotes, raccoons, and many other carnivores.

subspecies

More than thirty different subspecies of this animal can be found in the northern hemisphere. Some of the most iconic wolf types include:

• Canis lupus lupus: The Eurasian wolf is the most common type in Europe and Asia. You can recognize the Eurasian wolf by the rusty sheen on its slate gray fur.
• Canis lupus albus: The tundra wolf is found throughout Russia and Northern Europe. They are exceptionally large and have shaggy, light-colored fur.
• Canis lupus rufus: The red wolf was once distributed throughout the eastern half of the United States. This unique subspecies can still be found in North Carolina today.
• Canis lupus occidentalis: The northwestern wolf is an iconic large, light gray subspecies that roams the arctic tundra. You'll find this animal in Alaska, British Columbia, and all of the Northwest Territories.
• Canis lupus arabs: The Arabian wolf, sometimes called the desert wolf, is one of the smallest wolves and is found throughout the Arabian peninsula.
• Canis lupus campestris: The steppe wolf is a medium-sized wolf that lives in Kazakhstan and northern Ukraine and plays an important role in the ecosystems of the region.
• Canis lupus chanco: Himalayan wolf or Tibetan wolf found throughout the Indian subcontinent and Himalayas. They can survive in mountain forests and alpine areas, but they are thought to prefer grasslands. They cause problems for local ranchers because they prey on yaks and sheep.
• Canis lupus arctos: The arctic wolf is a beautiful white wolf that lives in the far north of Canada. It preys on arctic hares, musk ox, reindeer, and sometimes arctic foxes.
• Canis lupus lycaon: Gray wolf (Eastern wolf or gray wolf) was once found throughout North America, but is currently only found in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario.
• Other subspecies: Mongolian wolf, New Guinea singing dog (dingo), Indian wolf, Mexican wolf, British Columbia wolf, Vancouver Island wolf, Hudson Bay wolf, Northern Rocky Mountain wolf, Alexandria wolf, Mackenzie River wolf, Baffin Island wolf, Greenland wolf, Alaskan interior wolf, Alaskan tundra wolf, Iberian wolf, Italian or Apennine wolf, and Labrador wolf.

evolution

There is some debate about the evolution of wolves, but they likely evolved from small early canid populations during the Pliocene that also descended from the same line that preceded the coyote. Wolves and coyotes diverged from a common ancestor 1.5 million years ago. Before that, jackals and other members of the Canis genus had split lineages.

About 20 million years ago, before wolves and coyotes appeared, canids and felines had branched into separate families. The first gray wolf , Canis lupus , likely appeared in Eurasia during the Pleistocene period about a million years ago. Wolves are thought to have migrated to North America about 750,000 years ago.

The dire wolf , Canis dirus , evolved earlier and coexisted with gray wolves in North America for about 400,000 years. Climate change 16,000 years ago wiped out the animals' prey – leading to the extinction of the dire wolf itself.

appearance and behavior

Wolves are large four-legged carnivorous mammals. They have pointy ears, a long thin snout and a bushy tail that curls behind them as a way of expression. Although there are many different subspecies, all with their own distinctive colours, most wolves have the same rough, thick gray or beige patterned fur. In many cases, the animals' natural colors will match the landscape they need to blend into.

The average wolf weighs between 80 and 160 pounds. Females are usually smaller than males, often weighing up to 40 pounds. Most wolves are about 4-6 feet long and stand about 2-3 feet tall. One of the largest wolf hunts ever recorded was hunted in Alaska in 1975; he weighed an impressive 175 pounds.

Wolves are pack animals that live and hunt in packs. Most packs contain about 4-8 adults, but packs of as many as 30 have been known to exist in some areas of Alaska. Wolves have territories ranging from 25 to 100 miles. For the most part, wolves are the only prominent predators in their chosen territories.

Habitat: Animals That Need Space

Wolves are native animals of the northern hemisphere, distributed in Europe, Asia and North America. They love living in habitats with plenty of game, cover, and room to roam. They're not limited to any one terrain, though; that's why you'll see wolves in arctic tundra, mountains, forests, plains, and just about every other northern environment. Due to their large size and thick fur, most wolves prefer to live in colder climates, so you are less likely to see wolves in the southern parts of their respective continents.

Most wolves spend their time in their territories and looking for prey. When wolves have had their fill, they move around looking for threats or sleeping in burrows, clearings, or other makeshift dens. While some species prefer to live in a single place, most wolves sleep in a different part of their territory each night.

Diet: Carnivore

These animals are carnivorous and will eat almost any type of prey they can catch. That being said, they typically prey on large hoofed mammals such as deer, elk, moose, sheep, goats, and bison. When large prey are not available, wolves may hunt smaller mammals such as rabbits or beavers.

An adult needs to eat about 5-7 pounds of meat per day to maintain a healthy weight. Typically, a group will kill a large mammal and survive on the flesh for a few days before moving on to the next opportunity. Wolves eat an average of 15 deer a year; this is why wolf packs need to maintain such large territories to survive.

For a complete analysis of wolf diets, be sure to read What Wolves Eat.

Predators and Threats: Animals at the Top of the Food Chain

These animals are apex predators, meaning they are at the top of the food chain within their designated territories. Still, they got together for good reason. There are plenty of bigger and meaner animals willing to consider them prey. Generally, these animals need to be wary of bears and big cats such as tigers or cougars. When they work together, a pack of wolves can kill a polar bear — but wolves alone might not be so lucky.

The real biggest threat to any wolf is human interaction. They are often shot by poachers, licensed hunters and farmers trying to protect their livestock. These animals are also affected by climate change caused by deforestation. When humans move in, their territories shrink, reducing prey selection and making survival difficult. Human presence has often been responsible for the dramatic decline in wolf populations in North America over the past hundred years.

Reproduction, Babies and Longevity: Dominant Animal Breeds

Each pack contains a dominant male and a dominant female. These two are the only ones that will breed if the pack is small. In larger groups, however, some other females may choose to carry cubs as well. The gestation period for these animals is about 3 months, and usually there are 4-6 litters per litter. Breeding season occurs in early spring, allowing pups to be born during the warmest time of the year.

The cubs are born with closed eyes and a stunted nose. Many pups are born weighing less than 1-2 pounds. However, pups develop rapidly, gaining 3 pounds per week during the summer. Cubs usually open their eyes and start walking within two weeks of birth.

The animal was able to hunt with wolf packs after surviving its first year. The small size of most wolf packs reflects the grim statistics of survival; each litter produces only one or two pups. If more pups survive, they will likely disperse to new areas for more game. When adequately nourished, most will continue to grow and reach their full size around 2 years of age.

The average lifespan of wild wolves is about 4-8 years. However, captive animals are known to live up to 15 years, and it is possible that some wild wolves can live that long. The oldest wolf ever recorded has been named Madadh; she lived to be 19 with the help of her caretakers. As these animals age, they can suffer from joint problems, battle injuries and famine.

Population: Large number of animals

The current global wolf population is approximately 300,000 individuals. About 16,000 of these animals live in the United States; most of them are in Alaska, and about 5,000 wolves live in neighboring states. At the same time, more than 60,000 of them live in Canada. The rest of the world's population resides in the northern regions of Europe and Asia.

After a dramatic decline in the population in the late 1900s, most conservationists are happy to report that population numbers have remained stable over the past decade. Wolves, especially gray wolves, are currently considered to be of the least concern. Some species, such as the red wolf, remain critically endangered.

Zoo Animals: Where Are the Wolves

These animals are a popular exhibit at nearly every zoo in the United States and around the world. You can find wolf packs at the San Diego Zoo, the Smithsonian's National Zoo, and most local city zoos. If you want to see endangered red wolves in person, head to Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo.

Learn more about wolves…

• Top 10 Largest Wolves in the World
• Are wolves dangerous?
• Do wolves really howl at the moon?

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