The gray wolf range
In North America, the gray wolf range went from coast to coast and from Alaska to Mexico. The East and the Southeast were occupied by red wolves. Wolves are quite adaptable to climate extremes, and are naturally found in many different areas and habitats, but government programs to control wolf population brought gray wolves nearly to extinction in the lower 48 states by the early 1900's. Changes in regulations and wolf rescue operations have helped increase the wolf population.
Gray wolf pictures & photos
Find a gift with a wolf picture or wolf photo. Here are some examples of what is available. There are grey wolf pics as well as red, timber and arctic wolves, and wolf pup pictures and photos. Click on any picture to see more.
Grey wolf behavior
Wild wolf packs normally include a breeding pair (the alpha pair), their offspring, and other non-breeding adults. Wolves are able to mate by 2 or 3 years old, and sometimes mate for life. An average litter has about 5 wolf pups, born in early spring. The whole pack takes part in the pup's care. Pups remain in their dens for about the first 6 weeks. These dens are often reused for many years, but sometimes they dig new dens or use another type of shelter, such as a cave.
A wolf mother is a good and devoted mother. A wolf pup depends on his mother's milk for the first month. Then they are gradually weaned and fed regurgitated meat brought by pack members. By 7 to 8 months old, when almost fully grown, the wolf pups begin traveling with the adults. After 1 or 2 years of age young wolves may leave and try to find a mate and form a pack. Lone dispersing wolves have traveled as far as 600 miles in search of a new home.
Wild wolf packs live within territories, which they defend from other wolves. Their territories range in size from 50 square miles to more than 1,000 square miles, depending on how much prey is available and seasonal prey movements. Wolves travel over large areas to hunt, as far as 30 miles in a day. Although they usually trot along at 5 m.p.h., wolves can run as fast as 40 m.p.h. for short distances.
A howling wolf is communicating with others of its kind. The wolf howl may be used before and after a hunt, to sound an alarm, or to locate other pack members when separated. A howling wolf is more frequently heard in the evening and early morning, especially during winter breeding and spring pup-rearing. Howling is also used by packs to warn other wolves to stay out of their territory.
