Gray Wolf - Canis Lupus

The wolf is the largest member of the canine family. Gray wolves range in color from grizzled gray or black to all-white. As the ancestor of the domestic dog, the gray wolf resembles German shepherds or malamutes. Wolves are making a comeback in the Great Lakes, Northern Rockies and Southwestern United States.

Diet

Staples: Ungulates (large hoofed mammals) like elk, deer, moose and caribou.
Wolves are also known to eat beaver, rabbits and other small prey. Wolves are also scavengers and often eat animals that have died due to other causes like starvation and disease.

Population

There are an estimated 7,000 to 11,200 wolves in Alaska and more than 5,000 in the lower 48 states. Around the world there are an estimated 200,000 in 57 countries, compared to up to 2 million in earlier times.

Range

Wolves were once common throughout all of North America but were killed in most areas of the United States by the mid 1930s. Today their range has been reduced to Canada and the following portions of the United States: Alaska, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Mexican wolves are found in New Mexico and Arizona.

Thanks to the reintroduction of wolves in 1995, Yellowstone National Park is one of the most favored places to see and hear wolves in the native habitat. See a wolf range map >>

Behavior

Wolves live, travel and hunt in packs of 4-7 animals on average. Packs include the mother and father wolves, called the alphas, their pups and several other subordinate or young animals. The alpha female and male are the pack leaders that track and hunt prey, choose den sites and establish the pack's territory. Wolves develop close relationships and strong social bonds. They often demonstrate deep affection for their family and may even sacrifice themselves to protect the family unit.

Wolves have a complex communication system ranging from barks and whines to growls and howls. While they don't howl at the moon, they do howl more when it's lighter at night, which occurs more often when the moon is full.

Reproduction

Mating Season: January or February
Gestation: 63 days
Litter size: 4-7 pups
Pups are born blind and defenseless. The pack cares for the pups until they mature at about 10 months of age.

Threats

The most common cause of death for wolves is conflict with people over livestock losses. While wolf predation on livestock is fairly uncommon, wolves that do prey on them are often killed to protect the livestock. Defenders is working with livestock owners to develop non-lethal methods to reduce the chances of a wolf attacking livestock. These methods include fencing livestock, lighting, alarm systems and removing dead or dying livestock that may attract carnivores like wolves.

Another serious threat is human encroachment into wolf territory, which leads to habitat loss for wolves and their prey species.

Overall, the greatest threat to wolves is people's fear and misunderstanding about the species. Many fairy tales and myths tend to misrepresent wolves as villainous, dangerous creatures.

Reasons For Hope

Defenders and many other conservation organizations have been working tirelessly on wolf conservation in North America from aerial hunting in Alaska to restoration efforts in the lower 48 States. Wolves are an integral part of an ecosystem as a top tier predator and Defenders will continue to make sure this iconic symbol of America always has a place here.

Legal Status/Protection

• Endangered Species Act (ESA): Gray wolves are listed as endangered throughout the United States except for Idaho and Montana and parts of Washington, Oregon and Utah. Wolves in Minnesota are listed as threatened. In Alaska, wolves are not listed under the ESA
• In Wyoming and portions of the Southwest wolves are designated as non-essential experimental populations, which isolates geographically-described groups from other existing populations and offers broader management regulations.
  
• On May 4, 2009 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed the northern Rockies gray wolf from the endangered list. Although the regional population has rebounded to more than 1,600 wolves, the federal delisting plan allows 2/3 of current wolf population to be killed - down to only 450 wolves regionwide. Defenders of Wildlife and other conservation groups are challenging the delisting decision in court and seeking to restore endangered species protections for wolves in the northern Rockies until a sustainable delisting plan is adopted. Read more about Wolves and the Endangered Species Act >>
• Learn more about legal status and protection of wolves >>

How You Can Help

• Donate to Defenders of Wildlife, your donation makes a difference to wolves.
• Help gray wolves and other wildlife by adopting a wolf or making a wolf-saving gift today at our Wildlife Adoption and Gift Center!
• Stay Informed! Sign up to receive latest wildlife news via e-mail.

For additional information

Wolves
Get the details about Defenders' work with wolves

The Wolf & the Dog: First Friend to Best Friend
A book for kids about wolves and dogs

My Yellowstone Wolves Blog
Read our blog about wolves in the Greater Yellowstone and northern Rockies area.

Western Wolves
Website of the Western Wolf Coalition

Mexican Gray Wolves
Website working to protect these endangered wolves of the Southwestern U.S. 

Wolves in Yellowstone
Watch the CNN Planet in Peril video

Facts about Wolves
A collection of more detailed facts about wolves that we've pulled together for you!

Our wolf conservation efforts throughout North America