Canis Lupus - Basic Fact Sheet:
As the ancestor of the domestic dog, the gray wolf resembles German shepherds or huskies. The wolf is the largest member of the canine family. On average, wolves stand 26 to 32 inches at the shoulder and weigh 55 to 115 pounds. Females are usually slightly smaller than males. Wolves range in color from grizzled gray or black to all-white.
Gray wolves are listed as endangered in the Southwest under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and threatened throughout the other lower 48 states. Wolves in Alaska are not listed under the ESA.
By the way,
endangered means a species is considered in danger of extinction and threatened means a species may become endangered in the near future.
Today there are an estimated 7,000 to 9,000 wolves in Alaska and less than 3,500 in the lower 48 states. Around the world there are about 200,000 in some 57 countries; however, in earlier times there were up to 2 million wolves world-wide. Outside of Alaska , in the USA wolves can be found in the wild only in Idaho , Michigan , Minnesota , Montana , Wisconsin , and Wyoming .
Like man, wolves can live nearly anywhere: forests, tundra, deserts, plains, and mountains. Wolves normally prey (have for diner) on large hoofed mammals such as deer and elk but occasionally prey on smaller animals such as beavers or rabbits. Which, of course, are not good tidings for large hoofed animals and rabbits.
Wolves live in packs, which are complex social structures that include the breeding adult pair (alpha male and female) and their offspring. A hierarchy of dominant and subordinate animals within the pack helps it to function as a unit.
Wolves communicate by scent-marking, vocalizing (including howling), facial expressions, and body postures. For the most part large hoofed animals (also rabbits) have figured these singles out. This is generally not true of the domesticated cow which has no idea what to do when they see a wolf other than feel very nervous, but not for very long.
Wolves mate in January or February. Females give birth two months later to a litter of pups. An average litter is four to seven pups.
The illegal killing of wolves has become a leading threat to their survival. Another serious problem is human encroachment into wolf territory, which leads to habitat loss for wolves.
Source: Defenders of Wild Life; Kids Planet
Smart Facts:
Gray Wolf ( Canis lupus )
ORDER: Carnivora
FAMILY: Canidae
Also may be called timber wolf, tundra wolf, lobo, prairie wolf, Mexcian wolf, and arctic wolf
Gray wolves usually live in packs, led by an "alpha pair." The pack includes some of the alpha pair's offspring and may include some unrelated wolves.
A pack's territory can be as large as 13,000 square km. Howling probably helps advertise who "owns" a particular piece of territory. When pups are born, the mother stays near them for the first three weeks, and her mate and others in the pack bring food to her. The pups are weaned when they about nine weeks old. As adults, they may travel as far as 72 km a day with their pack and run as fast as 70 km per hour.
Weight: Average: 55 kg males; 45 kg females
Well:
If a pack’s territory is 13,000 square km, what would that be in feet?
If an adult wolf can travel 72 km a day, what would that be in miles?
If a wolf can run 70 km per hour, what would that be in miles per hour?
In pounds, how much more does a male weigh over a female wolf? |
