Wolf Facts
• If you look at the history of the wolf - facts show he is a relative of the domestic dog.
• Gray Wolves and Red Wolves live in North America.
• Wolves only reproduce once a year.
• Gray wolves generally weigh in the range of 75 to 130 pounds.
• Wolves are social animals, living in packs which are extended families.
• Wolves walk on their toes.
• Wolves have 42 teeth which are one-inch long.
• In the wild, wolves eat deer, elk, moose, bison, caribou, musk-oxen and beaver.
• An wolf pack on average has 6-8 members.
• Wolves travel, usually by trotting at 8 - 10 mph, but can run as fast as 35 mph in short spurts when pursuing prey.
• The lifespan of a wolf can be as much as 13 years in the wild but is usually closer to 8 years. A wolf in captivity can live up to 16 years. These are wolf facts.
• The main threat to wolves is human encroachment on habitat.
• Wolves typically breed in February and March and give birth in April and May.
• Wolves give birth to 4-6 pups in a litter.
• Wolves can hear up to a distance of six miles.
• The canine family includes the wolf, coyote, dog--plus golden, black-backed, and side-sriped jackal and dingos.
• Wolves in the wild can eat twenty pounds in one meal.
• Males and females in a pack have their own order of hierarchy.
• A pack of wolves usually consists of a mated pair and their offspring.
• The wolf at the head of the pack is called the “alpha” wolf
• The wolf at the lowest point in the pack is called an “omega” wolf.
• Wolves do not chew with their teeth but use them to hold the prey and tear off chunks which are swallowed whole.
• Wolves show affection by grooming one another. They also take care of older or injured family members in this way.
• The jaws of a wolf can generate 1500 lbs of pressure per square inch. In contrast, a German Shepherd’s jaw strength is half of that.
• Wolves have 42 teeth.
• Wolves are at the top of the food chain.
• Wolves communicate by sounds, such as howling, barking, yipping as well as facial expressions and body posture.
• One of the most disturbing wolf facts is that wolves are on the endangered species list.
• The state with the largest wolf population currently is Minnesota.
• Wolves in the wild move as much as 8 - 10 hours a day.
• Wolves have coats that are gray, red, white and black, with variations of each.
• Wolves become mature at about two years of age.
• Wolves are only violent when protecting their territory and family.
• Wolves are carnivorous and only eat meat.
• Wolves will eat small animals like mice when no larger animals are available.
• Wolves have a very advanced sense of smell--they can smell up to 1-¼ miles away.