The Gray wolf (Canis lupus) belongs to the order Carnivora
and the family Canidae family. Often referred to as simply 'wolf," the gray
wolf is native to Europe and the Americas,
enjoys a variety of habitats from woodland and mountainous to grasslands and
deserts and has been around since the first age ice. Wolves are not as popular
as they once were to due to human sprawl and loss of natural habitats.
The weight and height of the gray wolf depends on
geographical location and diet. Typically, wolves weigh anywhere from 50 to 80
pounds and measure 24 to 37 inches in height. With strong legs and backs wolves
are conditioned for fast movement that assists with hunting for prey. Other
features of the gray wolf include thick bristled fur, blunt claws for traction,
blood vessels in the paws that prevent freezing during cold weather and a water
resistant undercoat of fur.
Female wolves are pregnant for approximately two months and
give birth to a litter of blind, deaf dependent pups. Baby wolves stay in the
family den for the next two months being fed by their mothers. Wolves reach
their sexual maturity between two and three years off age. Wolves hunt for food
in packs and live in packs.
In captivity, gray wolves can live up to twenty years. In
the wild, wolves are lucky to live for ten years.