Wolf

Wolves are the carnivores most closely related to dogs. In fact, our household pets probably began as domesticated wolves. They are also related to the wilddogs of Africa and Australia and to the jackals of Africa. Wolves have powerful teeth, bushy tails, and round pupils. Certain characteristics of the skull distinguish them from domestic dogs many of which they closely resemble.

There are two species of wolves: the gray, or timber, wolf that lives in Canada, Alaska, and northern Europe and Russia and the red wolf, found only in Texas and the southeastern United States.

An adult gray wolf measures up to 2 m including the tail and will weighs up to 80 kg. The red wolf is smaller in size and usually darker in color.

Wolves are very adaptive survivors equally at home on prairies, in the forest and on mountains. They are proficient pack hunters and very adept at cornering and driving prey. Small animals and birds are common prey but when hungry, a pack will attacks reindeer, caribou, sheep, and other large mammals.

In the spring, females have litters of one to eleven pups. Adult wolves sometimes feed young pups by regurgitating partly digested food for them. The pups normally stay with the parents until the following winter but may remain much longer. Parents and young constitute a basic pack. They are very territorial and will defend their home area against intruders.

Packs are led by an alpha male and his mate. Wolves have a strong hierarchical social structure. As social animals, wolves exhibit behavioral patterns that clearly communicate dominance over or submission to one another.

The communal howling of a pack may serve to assemble its members, communicate with other packs, advertise its territorial claims, or it may be simply a way of expressing pleasure. Visual and scent signals are also important in communication.

Scientific classification:

The wolf belongs to the family Canidae. The gray, or timber, wolf is classified as Canis lupus. The red wolf is classified as Canis Rufus.