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Common Name: Gray Wolf
Scientific Name: Canis lupus
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Feeding Type: Carnivore
Statistics: Weight: 80-100 lbs (175 lbs is possible but rare); Body length including tail: 6-6.5 feet; Shoulder height: 2.5 feet.
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Description: There are 6 subspecies of Canis lups: Arctic wolf (C. l. arctos), Mexican wolf (C. l.
baileyi), Eastern Tiber wolf (C. l. lycaon), Buffalo wolf, also known as Great Plains wolf, (C. l.
nubilus), MacKenzie Valley wolf (C. l. occidentalis) and ... the domestic dog! (C. l. familiaris). The
gray wolf comes in a variety of colors from white to black but are predominantly buff tans grizzled
with gray and black. Ears are upright and end in a rounded point. The muzzle is broad and the jaws
are powerful. The body is muscular, lean and narrow with a "keel like" chest. Legs are long and the
feet are large.
Range/Habitat: Once found throughout N. America in a variety of habitats. The arctic wolf
inhabits the far northern regions, primarily arctic islands. The Mexican wolf was originally found in
Mexico and the southwestern U.S. but now extinct in the wild. All known survivors of this
subspecies are part of the government's captive breeding program. The eastern timber wolf, now
gone from most of its range, once inhabited the eastern portions of the U.S. and southeastern
Canada. The buffalo wolf had the largest range in N. America and is commonly known as the Great
Plains wolf. It was thought to be extinct by 1926 but studies indicate that the wolves in Minnesota,
Wisconsin and Upper Michigan are descendents of this subspecies. The MacKenzie Valley wolf is
a large wolf from Alaska and western Canada.
Adaptations: Their long, lean and muscular body type and long legs help them travel great
distances at a steady 5 mph trot. The wolf walks on its "toes", an adaptation for running. They have
well-developed senses of hearing, sight and especially smell. The wolf lives in a pack (a family unit).
Cooperative hunting enables the wolves to bring down prey much larger than themselves.
Courtship/Gestation/Birth: Only the alpha male and alpha female of a pack ("top dogs") are
allowed to breed. Mating occurs in February through March. Pups are born 63 days later in April or
May. The average litter size is 4-7 pups. All pack members share in the feeding and caring of the
young once their mother brings them out from the den. Females mature in 2 years, males mature in 2-3 years.
Prey/Predator: Predator
Diet: ZM- dry dog food, bones and meat. Wild- varied, depending on the habitat and prey available.
Wolves prey primarily on animals that are easy to catch and concentrate their efforts on
very young, old, sick, injured or dead animals (carrion). Prey species include: deer, elk, bison,
mice, beaver and livestock.
Status: The different supspecies of wolves in the lower 48 states are classified as endangered. The
Mexican wolf is considered extinct in the wild and efforts are underway to reintroduce them in the
southwestern U.S.
Special Notes: A wolf can run 35-40 mph (sprint speed, not distance speed). The average distance
a wolf travels in a day is 10-15 miles but sometimes they will travel 50 miles! About 50% of all
pups born die within their first year. In the wild, wolves generally live only 8 years but can live to 13 years.
In captivity, wolves can live as long as most domestic dogs.
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