The Wolf
The wolf is the largest member of the dog family. It is a very powerful animal and
has great endurance. It is usually grayish or brownish, however in Arctic regions it
is white, and in parts of USA it is black.
Color and size of the wolf vary greatly in the different regions of its range. The wolf
is about four and a half feet long with a twelve to eighteen inch bushy tail. It weighs
from anywhere 40 to 170 pounds.
You need to know tha the gray wolf was almost extinct in the lower 48 states of the
United States by the mid 1900s. Thanks to the Endangered Species Act, the gray
wolf may be well on its way to recovery. Issues still remain as the wolf's successful
repopulation may signal an end to its full protection under federal laws.
They have strong jaws with sharp teeth, including their long canine teeth that can
tear flesh. They have excellent eyesight, sharp hearing, and a very keen sense of
smell.
Wolves hunts in their packs, the preferred prey being large herbivores such as elk,
deer, bison, and mountain sheep, but it will also take smaller game, most
commonly beaver and domestic animals. When food is scarce, they will eat smaller
things such as mice.
Cristo José Gorocica Ortiz