Gray Wolf

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Wolves are the largest members of the dog family. Once found all over the Northern Hemisphere gray wolves were hunted to near extinction. Some have been reintroduced into places like Yellowstone through special programs. Few gray wolves survive in Europe though many live in Alaska, Canada, and Asia. Gray wolves live in packs of 5 to 10 consisting of the dominant male and female and their offspring. Once a male wolf pairs with a female, they stay together for life. Many wolves do not mate but instead help to rear the young by hunting for them. The female will give birth to 4-7 cubs, living in an underground den for six to eight weeks. Their territory size depends on available prey, which includes but not limited to moose, elk, small deer, wild sheep, and domestic livestock. One wolf can hunt the smaller animals, like deer, but to kill larger animals, like a moose, the wolves hunt in packs. After a kill, the dominant wolf eats first, eating up to one fifth of its body weight.

Gray Wolf - Fast Facts

Type: Mammal
Diet: Carnivore
Average lifespan in the wild: 6 to 8 years
Size: Head and body, 36 to 63 in (91 to 160 cm); Tail, 13 to 20 in (33 to 51 cm)
Weight: 40 to 175 lbs (18 to 79 kg)
Group name: Pack
Status: STABLE

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