Canis lupus
Lifespan: Gray wolves live 8 to 10 years in the wild and as much as 18 years in captivity.
Weight: The weight of Gray wolves varies from 75 pounds (35kg) to 170 pounds (79kg).
Sexual differentiation: Adult males are usually slightly larger than the females.
Gestation period: 61 – 66 days
Breeding and reproduction:
Gray Wolves become sexually mature between 2 and 3 years of age. Mating takes place once a year between January and April. The Alpha male and female are normally the only pair that mate within the pack. Other members are discouraged from mating through physical domination.
4 to 7 pups are born in a den which is often dug by the female. The female may also den in a hollow log or cave. The Gray wolf pups are born blind and deaf and are able to see and hear after 3 weeks.
As the pups are totally dependent on their mother for the first 3 weeks, the mother will stay with the cubs exclusively for this period. The pups are weaned between 6 and 8 weeks and are then moved to the surface of the den. Once out of the den, the female carries the pups in her mouth and moves them to various “rendezvous” den sites where the cubs will learn to play and hunt.
The weaned pups feed off regurgitated meat which is partially digested from the adults. The pups stimulate regurgitation by nipping the adults on their muzzles. By 5 months of age will join the adults on hunts.
Social Life:
Gray Wolves are social animals, living in packs of 2 to 12 members. The size of the pack will often be related to the availability of prey within the area.
There is a definite hierarchy in the pack with an Alpha male and Alpha female, the dominance or rank of an individual Gray wolf is determined by aggression, strength and subordination. The Alpha’s choose den sites, hunting areas and defend their territory which may cover 20 – 120 square miles (32 – 193 square kilometres) or more.
Habitat:
The Gray wolves habitat has been greatly restricted due to human settlement but they can be found in forests, mountainous area, savannahs and open tundra.
Diet:
The Gray wolf is a carnivore feeding mainly on deer but will also eat moose, bison, beavers, hares, mice, squirrels, and other small mammals. Beavers are only hunted in the summer months as in the winter months they are able to swim safely under the ice. The wolves will also feed on carrion as well as steal prey from other predators.
Interesting facts on Gray Wolves
