Description of a Wolf

A relative of the modern domesticated dog, wolves are also the largest members of the canine family. Wolves live in packs of six to ten, hunting animals large and small, from moose to lizards, and eating as much as 20 pounds of meat in a single feeding. Many wolf species are now endangered due to hunting and man encroaching on their habitats, making their protection vital to their survival.

  1. Gray Wolf

    • Gray wolves hunt for live food, but also scavenge.

      There are five subspecies of gray wolves, which live in Canada, the United States and Mexico. The largest member of the canine family, members of the gray wolf species range in color from pure white to a mottled mix of black and white. According to Defenders of Wildlife, gray wolves are 26 to 32-inches tall and 4 1/2 to 6 1/2-feet long, from nose to tail. Weighing 55 to 130 pounds, gray wolves can live up to 10 years in captivity.

    Red Wolf

    • The red wolf is an endangered species.

      Native to North America, red wolves are named due to the ruddy fur around their ears, neck and legs. However, the rest of the wolf is typically brown or tan with patches of black. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports the average red wolf weighs 45 to 80 pounds and is roughly four feet long from the nose to the tip of the tail. Red wolves live in packs, hunting for rabbit, deer and rodents and avoid encounters with humans.

    Abyssinian Wolf

    • The Abyssinian wolf lives in the rural mountains of Ethiopia.

      Described as "elegant and long legged" by the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Program, the Abyssinian wolf is found only in the highlands of Ethiopia. The Abyssinian wolf bears a superficial resemblance to a fox, with delicate features and reddish fur with white markings around the ears, muzzle and chest. The animal has a bushy tail and weighs 24 to 42 pounds, measuring 3 1/2 to 4 1/2-feet long. Fewer than 500 Abyssinian wolves survive in the wild.

    Shared Traits

    • Wolf pups are guarded by adult wolves while their parents hunt.

      Though the wolf family is diverse, members of the species have various traits in common. Wolves breed once a year, from winter to spring and gestation lasts just over two months with the average litter consisting of five pups. Armed with 42 teeth, wolves can exert 1,500 pounds of pressure per square inch of their bite, according to the California Wolf Center, which allows them to bite through the bones of their prey.