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Page: The Gray Wolf
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The Gray Wolf, also known as a Timber Wolf, is woven into our
own history through stories, folklore and fantasy. During the
mid-1900’s there were many records and stories of wolves
attacking people, however in recent times there have been very
few North American reports of people being killed by wolf
attacks. According to statistics, more people are killed by
hippopotamuses every year than by wolves.
Gray Wolves stand up to 37” (95 cm) tall at the shoulders,
measure up to 80” (200 cm) from nose to the tip of the tail and
have a maximum average weight of 80 lb (36 kg). Usually a
grizzled gray, the coloration range includes white, beige, red,
brown and black.
DNA research has shown that wolves have undergone very little
evolutionary change in the last 300,000 years. Well adapted to
their environment, slight webbing between the toes, special
blood vessels in the pads and strong claws allow them to walk
through snow and on ice with relative ease. Additionally, a two
layer coat keeps wolves protected from the environment. Tougher,
longer hairs repel dirt and water while the undercoat, being
water-resistant, is the insulator that keeps them warm. This two
layer coat is such a good insulator that even during snow and
blizzard conditions a wolf will curl up, covering its nose and
paws with its tail and wait out the storm warm and content.
During the spring and summer, this undercoat is shed by rubbing
against trees and rocks.
In late spring to early summer, female wolves will give birth to
an average litter of 5 - 6 wolf pups. When born, these pups
weigh less than 1 lb (450gr), are deaf, blind and completely
dependent on the mother. By 5 weeks of age, they are venturing
up to 1 mile (1.6 km) from the den entrance and by 4 months,
some of the stronger pups accompany the adult wolves on hunts.
Wolves are very family oriented living in packs averaging 4 - 7
wolves, usually consisting of parents, new pups and immature
wolves between 1 – 3 years old. Once reaching maturity (between
3 - 4 years old) most wolves will break away from the pack and
find a mate to start their own pack.
Lone wolves are either usually older wolves driven from the pack
or young wolves that have broken away from the pack and are
looking for a mate.
Wolf pack territory is about 80 sq. mi (210 sq km). As a pack,
they usually travel and cover about 10% of this area every day,
however almost 50% of their time is spent and is focused on only
about 15 sq mi (38 sq km). While capable of sprinting at up to
40 mph (km/h), their main reliance, both when travelling their
territory and when hunting prey is on their stamina. Rarely will
wolves give a high speed chase to potential prey for more than
1,000 yards (915 m). With such a large territory to cover,
special scent glands in a wolf’s paw leaves a scent trail on the
ground so they know if they’ve been at a spot already. Combined
with howling, it is these scent markings that tell other wolves
that this is a claimed territory.
Wolves exhibit hunting traits that are unique to their species.
Communication amongst a single pack is achieved through the use
of a variety of barks, growls, yelps and howls, however, unlike
other carnivorous pack animals, they generally do not use sounds
to organize and work together on a hunt. Furthermore, when
chasing & hunting prey, wolf packs with more males tend to hunt
larger, slower animals while packs with more females tend to
hunt faster, smaller animals. While being primarily carnivorous,
it is found that wolves tend to evolve towards a more vegetarian
based diet with reports of wolf packs attacking watermelon
patches and plantations.
Other pages with extensive details
on our website:
Gray Wolf,
Tufted Puffin,
Steller Sea Lions,
Bald Eagle,
Mountain Goats,
Orca or Killer
Whales,
The Red Squirrel,
Humpback Whale
and
Grizzly Bear or Alaskan Brown bear
Video:
View videos of Wolf in
Glacier Bay |
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