Wolf

The gray wolf (Canis lupus), also known as the timber wolf or, simply, wolf, is a mammal of the order Carnivora. The gray wolf is the largest member of the genus Canis. Its shoulder height ranges from 0.6 to 0. more...

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9 meters (26–36 inches) and its weight typically varies between 32 and 62 kilograms (70–135 pounds). As evidenced by DNA sequencing and genetic drift studies, the gray wolf shares a common ancestry with the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris).

The gray wolf was once abundant over much of North America and Eurasia. However, as a result of habitat destruction and widespread hunting, it now inhabits a very limited portion of its former range. In some regions, gray wolves are listed as endangered or threatened, although considered as a whole, wolves are regarded as a species of least concern for extinction according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Wolves are still hunted in many areas of the world for sport and as perceived threats to livestock. Kazakhstan is currently thought to have the largest wolf population of any nation in the world, with as many as 90,000, versus some 60,000 for Canada, which is three and a half times larger.

Being apex predators, gray wolves are integral components of the ecosystems they typically occupy. The diversity of such ecosystems reflects its adaptability as a species, as the ecosystems in which wolves have been known to thrive include, but are not limited to, temperate forests, deserts, mountains, tundra, taiga, and grasslands.

Wolves feature in folklore and mythology of cultures ancient to modern across the northern hemisphere; from the Norse legend of the giant Fenrir to more sympathetic depictions in Central Asia and the suckling of Romulus and Remus in the foundation of Rome. More familiar still are the fairy tales where the wolf appears as a villain such as Little Red Riding Hood and the Three Little Pigs. Wolf legends have also given rise to the popular horror figure of the werewolf.

Behavior and physiology

Ecophysiology

Wolf weight and size can vary greatly worldwide, tending to increase proportionally with latitude as predicted by Bergmann's Rule. In general, height varies from 0.6 to 0.95 meters (26–38 inches) at the shoulder and weight ranges from 32 to 62 kilograms (70–135 pounds), which together make the gray wolf the largest of all wild canids. Although rarely encountered, extreme specimens of more than 77 kg (170 lb) have been recorded in Alaska and Canada. The heaviest wild wolf on record, killed in Alaska in 1939, was 80 kg (175 lb). The smallest wolves come from the Arabian Wolf subspecies, the females of which may weigh as little as 10 kg (22 lb) at maturity. Females in any given wolf population typically weigh about 20% less than their male counterparts. Wolves can measure anywhere from 1.3 to 2 meters (4.5–6.5 feet) from nose to the tip of the tail, which itself accounts for approximately one quarter of overall body length.

Read more at Wikipedia.org