Grey Wolf
Canis lupus occidentalis

Size: Up to 102cm high, and 2.1 meters long. Males of the subspecies typically weigh between 45 and 80 kg , with females weighing a bit less.

Habitat and Distribution: They are a highly adaptable species and can be found in a wide range of habitats from temperate forests, mountains, tundra, taiga and grasslands. There are 36 different subspecies of grey wolf found around the North of America and Eurasia. The ones we have at the Park originate from Alaska and the northern Rocky Mountains of Canada and the United States.

Age: Up to 16 years.

Groups and Breeding: Wolves will breed anytime between January and March. It all depends on where they live. The further north, the later in the season they breed. It takes 63 days after breeding to have puppies. This is the same as the dog, as it should be, since dogs are descended from wolves.

Diet: Wolves are carnivores and have a varied (meat based!) diet including deer, caribou, musk ox, beaver, sheep, mountain goat, fish, birds, carrion, bison, and small mammals.

• The domestic dog is a direct descendent of the wolf and was first domesticated 12,000 years ago.
• Wolf hunting is legal in most of the area where our wolves originate from. Up to 20 per cent are hunted every year but the population is so large that it is thought that up to 40 per cent could be hunted before it affected their population prospects.
• This subspecies is an extremely efficient hunter. It has long powerful legs to allow it to travel through rough terrain and a very large lung capacity. This means that this wolf can travel up to 70 miles a day to find food, and can reach speeds of nearly 40 miles per hour.
• Wolves have scent glands between their toes, which allow them to navigate easily and keeps others informed of their whereabouts.