The wolf has long been thought a mystical and secretive creature, but it has actually been heavily studied by scientists. The wolf is the ancestor of the family dog. It lives in many parts of the world.

What family of animals does the wolf belong to?
The wolf is a member of the dog family. This family also includes foxes, jackals and coyotes. They are called canids (kay-nidz).

Is a wolf warm- or cold-blooded?
A wolf is a mammal. All mammals are warm-blooded, have hair or fur, bear live young, nurse their babies with milk, and breathe air with lungs.

To what are dogs related?
Dogs are related to cats, bears, racoons, and sea lions. Scientists list them in the order of animals called carnivores. They each have four special teeth adapted to slice meat.

Where are wolves found?
Wolves and other dogs species live in almost every country in the world, except in Antarctica and some islands. Once common in all but the driest parts of the US, today they are found mainly in Canada and Alaska. Recently the wolf was taken off of the endangered specia list and now can be found in some of the more northern parts of the US. The small red wolf can be sound in the southern part of the US..

How large is a wolf den?
The entrance to a typicals wolf's den is about 14-25 inches (36-64 cm) across and oval-shaped. The tunnel into it is usually about 6-14 feet (2-4 m) long and they are normally located in high ground areas with a water source nearby.

What is a pack?
A wolf pack is like a family. Each pack is led by one male and one female who make the decisions and face most of the dangers, known as the Alpha Male and Alpha Female. The lower- ranking wolves are also important to the pack since they help hunt and feed and take care of the young.

How many wolves are in a pack?
A pack of wolves can have as few as two or as many as 20 members. Usually there are about six or seven wolves in a group. The pack size depends on many different things, such as whether the wolves eat large animals, the age of the wolves in the pack, and how much food is around their territory.

How do wolves communicate?
An angry wolf bares his teeth and scrunches his nose as he growls. A suspicious wolf squints his eyes and pulls his ears straight back. If he is afraid, he may sit down or roll over to show submission. The Alpha wolf holds his or her tail high while the lower-ranking members of the pack hold their's lower. The lowest-ranking, or Omega wolf, holds his tail between his legs.

How long does a wolf live?
Wolves and their relatives live for about seven to ten years. According to scientists, the oldest wolf known was 17 years old.

Why do wolves howl?
Wolves howl for many different reasons. When they are spread out, pack members will howl to stay in touch with the rest of the group. Wolves also warn other wolves away with their howls. Sometimes they howl to celebrate as a pack a successful hunt. On a calm day, howling can be heard 120 square feet.

The Wolf's Body and Reproduction

The wolf's body is adapted for pursuing other animals for food, as well as for survival in the environment where it lives.

How large is a wolf?
Gray and Timber wolves grow to 5 to 6 1/2 feet long and almost 30 inches high at the. females usually weigh about 80 to 85 pounds, while males usually weigh in at about 90 to 95 pounds. Its paws can be as big as an adult's hand.

How many teeth does a wolf have?
Wolves and most of their relatives have 42 teeth. The canine teeth hold on to food. The incisors tear meat off bones, and the carnassials cut meat into smaller pieces as our molars do.

How many toes does a wolf have?
All canids have 5 toes on each front foot, except for the African wild dog, which has 4 toes. All canids have 4 toes on their back feet.

What is a dew claw?
The fifth tow on the front foot is very small. It is located above the foot pad on the inside of the leg. This is called a dew claw.

How many types of fur do wolves have?
Wolves have two types of "fur coat" that they wear at the same time. The undercoat (the short fur closest to the skin) is soft and keeps the wolf warm. The overcoat is made up of long hairs, which act as a weather barrier.

Do wolves shed their coats?
Yes. Wolves can shed their fur once a year. Wolves' bodies respond to changing amounts of daylight. For example, summer has longer days, triggering various hormonal changes.

Do wolves sweat?
Wolves pant if they get too hot, but according to scientists, the only sweating they can do is through their foot pads. Wolves drink a lot of water and even wade when they get too hot.

When do wolves sleep?
Wild dogs tend to rest during the hottest times of the day. For desert-dwelling canids, this means that they sleep most of the day when it is hot, and hunt at night, when it is cooler. Wolves hunt at any time of day or night.

How fast can a wolf run? Gray wolves can usually run for a few hours at about 7-8 miles (11-13 km) per hour without getting tired. Wolves can sprint as fast as 35-40 miles (56-64 km) per hour for short distances.

Do wolves ever get sick?
Like other animals, wolves can get sick. Diseases like rabies and distemper can kill wolves by making them too weak to hunt for food. These diseases can spread quickly and have been blamed for the deaths of many wild dogs.

Do wolves mate for life?
Yes. A mated pair of wolves will try to stay-together for life. When a mate dies, the single wolf will have to try and find another mate.

How long is a female pregnant?
After mating, the female is pregnant for about nine weeks.

What is a baby wolf called?
Wolf babies are usually called pups, or puppies.

How many pups does a mother wolf have?
Wolf mothers usually have four to six pups in a litter. Sometimes as many as 10 pups are born at a time. Wolf pups weigh about a pound (.5 kg), are about eight inches (20 cm) long, and are very dependent on their mothers because they are born blind and deaf.

Where are pups born?
Puppies are born in a den, which is often a small, dark, place underground with a tunnel leading to it. Some dens are used year after year, but sometimes, a new den has to be dug by the mother. In other cases, a mother wolf will find some other animal's den, kick them out and make it a little larger to suit herself.

Do wolves babysit?
Yes. Adolescent and adult wolves in the pack will often help care for other pups by bringing them food, watching for danger, and playing with them. Some may teach the puppies how to catch their own food.