Gray wolf, Wolf
The wolf (Canis lupus), also known as the Gray wolf or Grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of Canis lupus have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly understood, comprise wild subspecies.
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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ScavengerScavengers are animals that consume dead organisms that have died from causes other than predation or have been killed by other predators. While sc...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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CursorialA cursorial organism is one that is adapted specifically to run. An animal can be considered cursorial if it has the ability to run fast (e.g. chee...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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Pack huntersA pack hunter or social predator is a predatory animal that hunts its prey by working together with other members of its species. Normally animals ...
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Apex predatorAn apex predator, also known as a top predator, is a predator at the top of a food chain and has no natural predators. These animals usually occup...
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Pursuit predatorPursuit predation is a form of predation in which predators actively give chase to their prey, either solitarily or as a group. Pursuit predators r...
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NomadicNomadic animals regularly move to and from the same areas within a well-defined range. Most animals travel in groups in search of better territorie...
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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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Pack huntersA pack hunter or social predator is a predatory animal that hunts its prey by working together with other members of its species. Normally animals ...
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Ambush predatorAmbush predators are carnivorous animals that capture or trap prey by stealth, luring, or by (typically instinctive) strategies utilizing an elemen...
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MonogamyMonogamy is a form of relationship in which both the male and the female has only one partner. This pair may cohabitate in an area or territory for...
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Dominance hierarchyA dominance hierarchy (formerly and colloquially called a pecking order) is a type of social hierarchy that arises when members of animal social gr...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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Dangerous AnimalsThe Grey wolf is the largest extant member of the family Canidae. It is also distinguished from other Canis species by its less pointed ears and muzzle, as well as a shorter torso and a longer tail. The wolf is nonetheless related closely enough to smaller Canis species, such as the coyote and the golden jackal, to produce fertile hybrids with them. Females are smaller than males. Male wolves have straight tails and narrow chests. The feet of males are large and the legs are long. The overall color of the Grey wolf's fur is typically grey with black markings and lighter underparts, though wolves can occasionally be black, brown, red, or even pure white. Grey wolves have very thick fur, consisting of a coarse outer coat, which covers the soft undercoat. Due to the acute sense of hearing and keen sense of smell, the animal can successfully track down prey. In addition, the long legs allow them to make long steps, promoting high speed during the chase.
Grey wolves occur across North America and Eurasia, primarily found in remote areas and wilderness. These animals live in forests, inland wetlands, shrublands, grasslands (including Arctic tundra), pastures, deserts, and rocky peaks on mountains.
Grey wolves are social animals, living, hunting, and traveling in packs. An average wolf pack consists of 7-8 individuals, including the alpha male and female with their young as well as older offspring. The alphas are the leaders of the pack, establishing the group's territory, selecting the den sites, tracking down, and hunting prey. They live in close ties with the members of their pack, communicating with each other through a wide variety of calls, including barks, whines, howls, and growls. Grey wolves do not actually howl at the moon; they tend to howl when the night is lighter, which usually happens during the full moon. These animals are nocturnal predators. They move around their territory when hunting, using the same trails for extended periods. These follow the banks of rivers, the shorelines of lakes, and ravines overgrown with shrubs, plantations, roads, and human paths. Grey wolves prefer moving at night, being able to travel up to 200 km (124 miles) per day. Throughout the year, they undergo stationary and nomadic phases: the stationary phase takes place in the spring and summer months, when they grow up young, while the nomadic phase lasts from autumn to winter.
Grey wolves are mainly carnivores and scavengers. Their usual diet primarily consists of ungulates such as elk, moose, deer, and caribou. They also consume small species like rabbits or beavers. In times of scarcity, wolves will readily eat carrion. Nonetheless, wolves are not fussy eaters. They will also eat waterfowl and their eggs, and will prey on lizards, snakes, frogs, and large insects when available. Wolves in some areas may consume fish and even marine life. Wolves also consume some plant material. In Europe, they eat apples, pears, figs, melons, berries, and cherries. In North America, wolves eat blueberries and raspberries. They also eat grass, which may provide some vitamins but is most likely used mainly to induce vomiting to rid themselves of intestinal parasites or long guard hairs.
Within a pack, only the alpha male and female breed. The alphas are monogamous, mating for life until one of the mates dies, after which a new alpha male or female is determined, and the pair is re-established. Grey wolves breed from January to April. The female is responsible for digging a den, where she further gives birth and raises the pups. The gestation period lasts about 60-63 days, after which 1-14 helpless pups are born with an average of 6-7. For the first 45 days, all members of the pack participate in feeding the pups through regurgitation. The mother stays with the young for the first 3 weeks, after which the pups continue living in the den until they reach the age of 8-10 weeks. Females become reproductively mature at 2 years old, and males when they are 3 years old.
Primary threats include loss and fragmentation of their habitat, leading to a considerable reduction of their population. Due to being considered livestock predators, these animals are frequently killed both individually and in whole packs. In some areas of its range, the species is not legally protected and thus is widely hunted and trapped.
The Grey wolf is fairly widespread throughout its range. The overall population of the species is presently stable, estimated at about 400,000 animals. On the IUCN Red List, the Grey wolf is classified as Least Concern (LC).
Grey wolves feed upon a wide variety of animal species such as deer or elk, and thus control the numbers of their populations; this way wolves benefit different animal and plant species of their range. Carcasses of prey, left by wolves, are an important source of nutrients and food for other animals in the area, including scavengers and Grizzly bears.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...