HABITAT

Wolves can live in a variety of habitats. They can live in the Artic or forest or

even the prairie. There must be food whereever they live. You will not find

wolves in the desert or high mountains.

SIZE

Wolves vary in size depending on where they live. Adults weigh from 40 to

l75 pounds. They are about 5 to 6 feet in length. Coat colors can go from

pure white to gray and even brown or black. Sometimes they are even red. Gray

is the most common color.

FOOD

Wolves eat deer, moose, elk, sheep. Sometimes they eat beaver. During the

summer, they eat rodents and berries.

ORIGIN

The gray wolf is a species within the dog family. Canis lupus is what their species is called. A wolfs' head is smaller than a dogs' head. This is the way to tell a wolf from a dog.

HABITS

Wolves travel in packs. Two to eight wolves usually travel together and mark

their territory. Howling is a way of communicating and getting the pack together.

Wolves can howl by themselves. They are very social animals. A pack is like a

a big family. They play together and learn how to hunt. Each one knows who is

the most important. The leader of the pack is the larget and strongest. His position

is like a King of a country. The pack does what the leader wants them to do.

USEFULNESS TO HUMANS

The wolf fits into the food chain in that it preys on large animals like the moose

and elk. There would be too many of them if the wolf did not exist. However, man

also hunts these same animals and therefore we are in competition for the same

food. So everyone wants the wolf to be captured or shot. They do not have many

places to go anymore.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Grolier Electronic Publishing, Inc. l993

Wolves, Creative Education. Inc. l986

Amazing Animals, Tormont Publication Inc. l993

Audubon, National Audubon Society, July/August l992

WolfTracks, Wolf Haven International, Fall l996