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Description

The gray wolf is the largest wild member of the dog family (Canidae). It possesses a muscular build with long legs and a narrow chest that’s designed for long-distance running. Gray wolves have a broad skull tapering to a narrow muzzle, and a bushy tail that is often black-tipped. They have a dense, coarse outer coat and a thick underfur that provides insulation against harsh climates. Their coat color varies widely, ranging from pure white in Arctic populations to mixtures of gray, brown, cinnamon, and black, with some individuals being solid black or white. This variation in coloration is influenced by geographic location and genetic factors.

Adult gray wolves exhibit significant size variation depending on their geographic location. In general, wolves in northern regions are larger than those in southern areas. Males typically weigh between 70 and 145 pounds (32 to 65 kilograms), while females usually weigh between 60 and 100 pounds (27 to 45 kilograms). The body length of a gray wolf ranges from 3 to 5 feet (0.9 to 1.5 meters), with the tail adding an additional 1 to 2 feet (0.3 to 0.6 meters). At the shoulder, they stand approximately 26 to 33 inches (66 to 84 centimeters) tall.

Range

Gray wolves historically ranged across the northern hemisphere in Europe, Asia and North 皇冠体育app官网平台. The species once roamed across more than two-thirds of the United States, occupying a vast array of ecosystems from the forests of the New England to the deserts of the Southwest. However, widespread eradication efforts and habitat loss led to their near-extirpation from the contiguous U.S. by the mid-20th century.

Today, gray wolves have made a notable comeback in several regions. In Alaska, they remain widespread. In the contiguous United States, significant populations exist in the Northern Rockies— particularly in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming— as well as in the Western Great Lakes states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Smaller populations are established in Washington, Oregon, Colorado, and California.

Diet

Gray wolves are carnivorous predators with a diet primarily consisting of large, hoofed mammals, known as ungulates. Their preferred prey includes species such as elk, moose, deer, bison, and caribou. The specific prey targeted by gray wolves often depends on regional availability and seasonal factors. For instance, in the Northern Rockies, elk and deer are common targets, while in arctic regions, caribou and muskoxen are more prevalent. Gray wolves typically hunt in packs, employing coordinated strategies to isolate and bring down larger prey, though solitary hunting of smaller animals also occurs.

Gray wolves also consume a variety of smaller mammals, including beavers, hares, rodents, and occasionally birds and even fish. In fact, the Pacific Northwest population occupying coastal Vancouver is considered a separate subspecies called ‘sea wolves,’ for their semi-aquatic lifestyle and fishing habits. Gray wolves are also known to scavenge carrion and, in some cases, consume fruits and berries, particularly when animal prey is scarce. This opportunistic feeding behavior allows wolves to adapt to different environments and prey availabilities.

Gray wolves have a feast-or-famine feeding pattern. An adult wolf can consume up to 20 pounds of meat in a single meal after a successful hunt. However, they may go several days without eating if prey is not readily available.

Life History

Gray wolves live in packs. Most packs have four to nine members, but the size can range from as few as two wolves to as many as 15. Occasionally a pack can increase to 30 members, until some individuals break off to find new territory and form their own pack.

Packs are made up of a dominant breeding pair and several generations of their offspring. Some young adults break away from their birth pack and become ‘lone wolves’ seeking a new unoccupied territory and a mate with which to start a new pack. The new territory can be close by if there is a lot of prey. In some areas, young adults travel hundreds of miles to find a new territory.

Breeding pairs of gray wolves typically mate for life, but if one dies, the other will seek a new mate. In the northern United States, they breed from late January through March. The breeding season is earlier for wolves living farther south. Gray wolf pregnancies last for about 63 days and usually produce four to six pups.

The wolf pups are usually born in a den. At birth, they cannot see or hear and weigh about one pound. The pups are weaned at about six weeks. Since gray wolves often range far from the den site in search of prey, adult pack members swallow meat to bring it back to the den for their pups. After the adults regurgitate the food, the pups have a hearty meal. The mother wolf moves her pups to new den sites every couple of months until the fall, when the pack stops living at den sites. In the wild, gray wolves live 8 to 13 years, sometimes more. In captivity, they live upward of 15 years.

Conservation

Gray wolves are federally listed as endangered. While some populations are stable or even thriving, their overall population has significantly decreased from historic levels due to habitat destruction, anti-predator campaigns, conflicts with livestock and general persecution by humans.

Healthy gray wolf populations persist in Alaska and Canada, but by the mid twentieth century they were largely eradicated from their former range in the lower forty-eight states with the exception of the upper Great Lakes region. In 1995, gray wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park and have established a stable Northern Rockies population that has dispersed into the Pacific Northwest and northern California.

In Colorado, reintroduction efforts have begun in historic ranges, with the first wolves released onto public lands in December 2023. Additionally, the Mexican gray wolf, a subspecies, has been reintroduced into parts of Arizona and New Mexico. Extensive studies from Yellowstone show that reintroducing wolves to their historic habitats can restore their crucial role as an apex predator and help restore natural ecosystem function.

For the most recent and region-specific information on gray wolf status and conservation in the U.S., see .

Fun Facts

1. On average, a gray wolf requires about 5 to 7 pounds of meat per day to maintain health and support reproduction.

2. As a social species, gray wolves have complex communication using vocalizations and body language. When a gray wolf wants to show that it is submissive to another wolf, it will crouch, whimper, tuck in its tail, lick the other wolf's mouth, or roll over on its back.

3. The superiority of the “lone wolf” is a myth! Gray wolves are deeply social animals. Solitary wolves are usually dispersing to find a mate and start a new pack, not loners by choice, and often have a much harder time surviving.

4. Gray wolf pups are babysat by older siblings, who help feed, guard, and play with them while the parents hunt.

Resources and More Information

, Gray wolf, 2024

, Gray Wolf Wildlife Fact, 2021

, NWF blog, 2021

For Kids:

, Ranger Rick, 2020

, Ranger Rick, 2017

, Zoo Books, undated