General Information

This page provides a brief overview of many of the gray wolf's habits, food, habitat, and distribution. The wolf used to inhabit most of the Northern Hemisphere, but now is mostly found in a few places in the Northern contiguous United States, Canada, Alaska, and Eurasia as a result of hunters and other persecuters who overharvested wolf prey species (namely the aforementioned ungulates) in an attempt to drive the wolves out of areas in which people predominantly resided (http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/er/factsheets/mammals/Wolf.htm). However, wolves can live in a wide variety of habitats including forests, arctic tundra, and prairies (Mech & Boitani, 2003). The wolf is thus suited to tolerate a large amount of environmental conditions and changes, including temperature ranges from -70 to +120 degrees F (Mech & Boitani, 2003). They vary in size based on where they live; the colder the climate is, the heavier they are. The average length of the male wolf is 5.0-5.5 feet from nose to tail, while females are typically 4.75-5.25 feet long. Each stands roughly 2.5 feet off the ground, males being slightly taller. Males can weigh anywhere from 30 to 80 kg, the average being 55 kg; females range from 23 to 55 kg, with an average of 45 kg (Smith, 2002).

Courtesy of: http://wolf-web.tierranet.com/wolves/distribution.html

Similarly, their fur color changes with their geography (Smith, 2002). The fur color is typically pure white in Arctic wolf populations while more Southern populations usually have gray, brown, black, and cinnamon coloration. The North American gray wolves have three color schemes. The first type includes gray, brown, cinnamon, and black shades on the upper part of the wolf. The ears, nose and limbs all have cinammon coloration while the back and tail are predominantly black. The underneath part, including the belly, is usually white. The second type of coloration found in North American populations is marked by brown and/or black upper parts speckled with white spots. The third color scheme occurs when a wolf is young. The upper is gray with a brown and black portion. The under portions are paler in color and ear color can vary. All wolves have a thick layer of underfur that helps them maintain homeostasis and thermoregulation by providing them with a warm insulation layer during the winter.

Breeding occurs from January to April. The female gray wolf only comes into estrus once a year, and it lasts for 5 to 14 days (Smith, 2002). This is the time in which mating occurs. After mating, the female will dig a den to prepare for her litter to arrive in roughly 2 months. The litter size will likely range from 1 to 14, with an average of 6-7. Once the pups are born they remain in the den until they are about 9 weeks old. They do not leave the den at all for the first three weeks, and their mother will stay with them exclusively during this time. All other members of the pack will help assist in the feeding during this time, regurgitating food for them.

The pack is composed of the alpha pair and their offspring, and perhaps some unrelated dispersers. The dominance hierarchy within the pack determines which wolves mate and which eat first. Rank is demonstrated through agonistic behavior such as facial expressions and posture. Vocalizations are used to assemble the pack for hunts and to help mark the pack's territory. Pack size is usually around 6-10 wolves with the dominant alpha pair, their pups from various years, and subordinate adults that have joined. The dominant pair determines the den site, the rendezvous site, coordinates hunts, and establishes and maintains the territory, which can cover up to 120 square miles. Territories do not usually overlap with other packs. Non-breeding wolves can either stay with their pack or disperse to another pack, the decision to do so usually rest on their odds of obtaining breeding status. Dispersers face risks from other packs, and people, who are their main enemy.

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The wolf reaches sexual maturity at 2 years old, but does not reproduce unless given permission by the alpha pair (Smith, 2002). The alphas usually harass the subordinate adults and will only produce one litter a year per pack. The alpha wolves will breed in winter and the gestation period for the female wolf is 2 months. Once the pups are 8 weeks old the pack will leave the den and establish a rendezvous site. This area is the new center of activity for the pack.