Mammal. Gray wolves are the largest wild canids. They are born deaf and blind but can hear within a few days and see in eleven days. Wolves live in caves, cavities and between rocks. Male wolves can run 56 kilometers (35 miles) per hour and jump 3.6 meters (12 feet). Gray wolves communicate to each other through howling, body language, and scent, and can be heard from as far as 10 kilometers (6 miles) away. Wolves are social animals and have a specific hierarchy within their packs. The dominant male and female pair, called the alpha wolves, rule the pack. |
Scientific
Name |
Lifespan |
Canis lupus |
13 years, 15 in captivity |
Diet |
Carnivore. Field mice, beavers, bison, deer, wapiti (North American elk), moose, and caribou. |
Predators and Threats |
Humans. |
Habitat |
Very adaptable, gray wolves live in tundra, woodlands, forests, grasslands, and deserts of North America, with populations in Alaska and western states. |