WOLF FAQ
There are only two known species of wolf in North America--the gray wolf and the red wolf. Other subspecies in the U.S include:
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Northern Rocky Mountain gray wolf
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Mexican wolf
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Arctic wolf
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Eastern wolf
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Alexander Archipelago wolf
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Great Plains wolf
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Red wolves: Red wolves live at Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina. This is the only location where wild red wolves can be found today.
Canadian gray wolf: Canadian gray wolves are found in Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon, and the Northwest Territories of Canada and the northwest United States; such as Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska.
Mexican gray wolf: Mexican wolves are native to Arizona, New Mexico, and northern Mexico.
Algonquin wolf: the Algonquin wolf lives in the Great Lakes region and Algonquin Provincial Park in southeastern Ontario, Canada.Wolf packs function as a group, usually comprising of a breeding pair and their offspring. However, it is not uncommon for genetically unrelated wolves to join an already-existing pack. Family groups are multigenerational and can vary in size from 2-12 animals to nearly 30.
In the United States, wolves are responsible for less than 0.2% of unwanted livestock depredations. Respiratory issues, weather, illness, and digestive problems cause 94% of fatalities. According to USDA, out of the 3,773,000 livestock fatalities that occurred in 2010, only 219,900 were caused by predators. Of those predator-caused losses, 8,100 were attributed to wolves and 21,800 were attributed to domestic dogs; making livestock depredations by dogs 37.21% higher than that of wolves.
Source: Cattle Death Loss | USDA
In the wild, wolves typically live 2-3 years. The shortened lifespan is due to the numerous threats they face in the wild (eg., human interaction, rivalry with other wolves, and injuries sustained when hunting.) However, in captivity, wolves live much longer, with some documented exceeding 20 years of age. This is thanks to the safety from the dangers in the wild.
Generally, no. Wolves naturally fear people and avoid human contact. In the past century in North America, there have only been two cases where a wild wolf killed a human—one in British Columbia and one in Alaska.
Source: Wolf and Human Safety | Colorado State University
Wolves are seasonal breeders and mate during the months of February and March. The gestation period (length of pregnancy) is around 63 days. Wolf pups are typically born in May or early June. An average litter size for gray is 4 to 6.
Gray wolves in North America primarily prey on ungulates such as elk, white-tailed deer, mule deer, caribou, and bison. In Alaska and western Canada, wolves have even been observed fishing. In Northern Minnesota, wolves occasionally consume berries during summer. Red wolves typically prey on animals including white-tailed deer, rodents, and nutria.
The weight of a wolf generally depends on its species and sex. Male Canadian wolves weigh between 90-115 lbs, and females weigh 50-90 lbs. In smaller wolf sub-species (eg., Mexican wolf), adults typically weigh 50-80 lbs.
No. Wolves do not kill for fun. However, it is a common myth that they do. Surplus killing has likely been mistaken for "pleasure" killing. Surplus killing is when a predator kills more prey than they can consume. However, they always return to the caches over the course of several weeks or months to eat them when hungry. Surplus killing usually occurs when food is scarce and is done to gather as much of it as possible and reduce time spent hunting in the future. Wolves successfully secure a kill only 15% of the time. By having a sufficient food quantity, wolves feed themselves and their young. It is for survival. Not pleasure.
Source: The Truth About Wolf Surplus Killing: Survival, Not SportStatistics demonstrate sufficient elk and deer numbers in the states where wolves are found. 850,000 elk and 1,639,864 deer in all. In 2023, over 47,567 elk were harvested by hunters in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. With regards to wolves, packs in that region typically kill 22 elk a year. If you multiply that number by how many packs are in the northern Rocky Mountain states (181 in Montana, 80 in Idaho, and 49 in Wyoming) by the average number of elk killed by wolves each year (22) you get a 6,688 total of elk that are killed by all wolves in the northern Rockies combined. It confirms that human hunters have harvested the majority of elk herds.
Sources:
It depends on the species. Critically endangered American red wolves and Mexican gray wolves are categorized under the AZA SAFE Program, or Saving Animals from Extinction. SAFE assists in the recovery of endangered species through captive breeding and release.
Learn more about SAFE: AZA SAFE Program | American Association of Zoos & Aquariums
Dispersal occurs when a sexually mature adult wolf disperses (splits) from their natal to search for and establish available habitat and find a breeding partner. While most wolves disperse, some may choose to stay with their pack. Male wolves are more likely to disperse than females.
Phenotype is a term used when referring to the characteristics of an organism. Wolves and dogs may appear similar, but also have noticeable differences too. These include:
Wolves:-
Tail that hangs straight down
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Smaller chest width
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Yellow or golden eyes
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Ears are rounded at the tip
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Wolves do not bark
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Dense fur
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Large paws
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The majority of the misconceptions about wolves are equated to how people view them in folklore. Fictional stories like Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs prompted people to believe wolves were ferocious killers that stalked and ate innocent children. But this is completely false. Not only are these stories extremely over-exaggerated, but being attacked by or even encountering a wild wolf is a rarity. Within the past century, only 2 humans have been killed by wolves. In that same period, there have been only 21 non-fatal attacks.
Source: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=livewith.wolves