This section in the Wolf Sub forum contains generalized information on wolves.
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How big do wolves get?
o Average Length (from nose to tail): males- 5 to 6.5 ft.;
females- 4.5 to 5 ft.
o Average Height (at shoulder): 26 to 32 inches
o Average Weight: males- 70 to 110 lbs.; females- 60 to 80 lbs.
What is the average life span of a wolf?
o 13 years in the wild
o 14 to 19 in captivity
What are the common colors of wolf pelage?
o Gray but can also be white, brownish, or black.
o Usually corresponds to the wolves' environment.
How well do wolves hear?
o Wolves can hear sounds up to 6 miles away.
o While sleeping, its ears stand straight up. This helps catch prey
and warn wolves of danger.
How well do wolves see?
o Poor frontal vision beyond 100 to 150 feet. However, they have
very accurate peripheral vision
How acute is a wolf's sense of smell?
o Sense of smell is 100x better than a human's.
o It's nose is essential in finding prey.
o The wolf can smell prey more than a mile away.
o It can sense the presence of an animal's sent 3 days after the
animal has left the area.
Are there anything special about a wolf's legs?
o More than any other carnivore, a wolf is adapted to run.
o The anatomy of their front legs set them apart from other
canines.
o Their knees turn in, their paws turn out.
o They can reach speeds of 35-45 mph.
What are some details on wolves teeth?
o 42 teeth
o Four canine teeth are used for hanging onto or biting through
the flesh of prey.
o Specialized shearing molars, known as carnassials is one of the reasons that wolves have managed to survive
How warm is a wolf's coat?
o Wolves thick coat helps them survive the extreme cold of
winters, especially in the Arctic regions.
How do wolves communicate?
o Wolves howl to warn, to bond, to play, and to gather a hunting
group.
o They also growl, snarl, whine, yip, whimper, and bark to
communicate.
o They use facial expressions to show emotion and scent marking
to show territorial boundaries; warn nearby packs.
o NOTE - Wolves are very social animals, and they communicate
well with each other within the pack. Gestures of dominance and
submission keep the pack in order.
What about reproduction and maturity?
o Alpha Pair sometimes mate for life.
o Breeding Season: January to March.
o Gestation Period: about 65 days.
o Litter Size: 1-9; usually 6 pups.
o At Birth: Pups have blue eyes and weigh 1 pound
o Sexual Maturity: males- 3 years old; females- 2 years old
How big do packs get?
o 2 to 15 wolves ***sometimes larger***.
What is the wolf hierarchy?
1. Alpha Pair
2. Beta pair
3. Subordinates
4. Omega
5. Pups
Do wolves have any predators?
o The wolf has no natural predators. However, its competition
includes other predators in their range such as wolverines, bears, and
cougars. Also wolves tend to have problems with coyotes who try to steal
carcasses after a hunt.
What threats are there to wolves?
o Loss of habitat due to destruction, development, and
encroachment by humans.
o Persecution by humans
How do wolves hunt?
o Wolves stalk and chase large hoofed animals in groups,
working together to bring down the prey
o Usually hunt young, sick, or weak animals
o Common animals hunted: deer, elk, moose, bison, caribou
o When hunting alone, a wolf will eat small animals such as
rodents, rabbits, beaver, opossums, and even snakes or lizards.
o Occasionally, wolves will kill ranchers' livestock due to the
depredation of their own natural prey by humans
o Wolves almost always prefer wild prey
What conservational steps have been taken to protect the wolves?
o The wolf has been hunted, trapped, and poisoned by humans
for centuries. The government gave bounties for killed wolves in the past.
Now the government is protecting the wolf through the Endangered Species
Act (ESA). With the help of wildlife societies, the wolf is slowly being
restored to its natural range.
o Recovery of Timber Wolves in New York
o Recovery of the Mexican Wolves
o Reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone National Park and
Central Idaho
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I hope you found this section of the Wolf Information sub forum to be helpful and informative.
Inhabitants of Le Oubliée (A Literate Wolf RP Guild)
