Fast Facts
Height: 26-32 inches (.7-.8m) at the shoulder.
Length: 4.5-6.5 feet (1.4-2m) from nose to tip of tail.
Weight: 55-130 lbs (25-59 kg); Males are typically heavier and taller than the females.
Lifespan: 7-8 years in the wild, but some have lived 10 years or more.
Diet
Wolves eat ungulates, or large hoofed mammals, like elk, deer, moose and caribou. Wolves are also known to eat beaver, rabbits and other small prey. Wolves are also scavengers and often eat animals that have died due to other causes like starvation and disease.skills and knowledge they need to succeed in their chosen field.
Population
There are an estimated 7,000 to 11,000 wolves in Alaska and more than 5,000 in the lower 48 states. Around the world there are an estimated 300,000 globally.
Range
Wolves were once common throughout all of North America but were killed in most areas of the United States by the mid 1930s. Today their range has been reduced to Canada and the following portions of the United States: Alaska, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Mexican wolves are found in New Mexico and Arizona.Thanks to the reintroduction of wolves in 1995, Yellowstone National Park is one of the most favored places to see and hear wolves in the native habitat.
Behavior
Wolves are highly social animals that live and hunt in packs, usually family groups of about 4–10 individuals. These packs are typically made up of a breeding pair and their offspring, and all members cooperate in hunting, raising pups, and defending territory. The dominant adults in a pack are the parents, and strong social bonds develop among family members as they work together for survival.
Did You Know?
Wolves can range in color, from pure white in Arctic populations, to brown, gray, cinnamon and black.
Wolves have a complex communication system ranging from barks and whines to growls and howls. While they don't howl at the moon, they do howl more when it's lighter at night, which occurs more often when the moon is full.
Reproduction
Proactive Wolf Efforts
Reproduction
Mating Season: January or February.
Gestation: 63 days.
Litter size: 4-7 pups.
Breeding season occurs once a year late January through March. Pups are born blind and defenseless. The pack cares for the pups until they fully mature at about 10 months of age when they can hunt on their own. Once grown, young wolves may disperse. Dispersing wolves have been known to travel 50 to 500 miles.
Threats
Proactive Wolf Efforts
Reproduction
Human expansion into wolf habitat remains a serious threat, leading to habitat loss for both wolves and their prey. However, the greatest challenge wolves face today is often fear and misunderstanding. Myths and fairy tales have long portrayed wolves as dangerous villains, which can fuel conflict and persecution.
To reduce conflicts with
Human expansion into wolf habitat remains a serious threat, leading to habitat loss for both wolves and their prey. However, the greatest challenge wolves face today is often fear and misunderstanding. Myths and fairy tales have long portrayed wolves as dangerous villains, which can fuel conflict and persecution.
To reduce conflicts with livestock, conservation groups work with ranchers to promote non-lethal deterrents such as fencing, lighting, alarm systems, and removing carcasses that may attract predators. These tools help protect livestock while allowing wolves to remain part of healthy ecosystems.
Proactive Wolf Efforts
Proactive Wolf Efforts
Proactive Wolf Efforts
Across the United States, organizations large and small help educate the public about wolves and their vital role in healthy ecosystems. Grassroots nonprofits like Wolf Education Project bring hands-on programs to schools and communities, while groups such as International Wolf Center, California Wolf Center, Wolf Park, and Wolf Haven In
Across the United States, organizations large and small help educate the public about wolves and their vital role in healthy ecosystems. Grassroots nonprofits like Wolf Education Project bring hands-on programs to schools and communities, while groups such as International Wolf Center, California Wolf Center, Wolf Park, and Wolf Haven International offer exhibits, outreach, and educational resources. Together, these efforts help replace myths with science-based understanding and encourage coexistence between people and wolves.
Reasons For Hope
Legal Status/Protection
Legal Status/Protection
Defenders of Wildlife and many other conservation organizations continue to advocate for wolves across North America — from opposing harmful management practices in Alaska to supporting recovery and coexistence efforts in the lower 48 states. As apex predators, wolves play a critical role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Defenders rema
Defenders of Wildlife and many other conservation organizations continue to advocate for wolves across North America — from opposing harmful management practices in Alaska to supporting recovery and coexistence efforts in the lower 48 states. As apex predators, wolves play a critical role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Defenders remains committed to ensuring this iconic species has a lasting place in America’s wild landscapes.
Legal Status/Protection
Legal Status/Protection
Legal Status/Protection
- Endangered Species Act (ESA): wolves throughout the Lower 48 United States are listed as endangered except in Minnesota where they are listed as threatened. In Alaska, wolves are not listed under the ESA.
- In Wyoming and portions of the Southwest wolves are designated as non-essential experimental populations, which isolates geographically
- Endangered Species Act (ESA): wolves throughout the Lower 48 United States are listed as endangered except in Minnesota where they are listed as threatened. In Alaska, wolves are not listed under the ESA.
- In Wyoming and portions of the Southwest wolves are designated as non-essential experimental populations, which isolates geographically-described groups from other existing populations and offers broader management regulations.
Historic Victory
Legal Status/Protection
Historic Victory
Ongoing Legal and Conservation Efforts for Northern Rockies Wolves
Since the 2010 court ruling that restored federal protections for gray wolves in the Northern Rockies, wolf management has continued to shift through lawsuits, rule changes, and state authority. Today, wolf protections vary by region, with some populations managed by state
Ongoing Legal and Conservation Efforts for Northern Rockies Wolves
Since the 2010 court ruling that restored federal protections for gray wolves in the Northern Rockies, wolf management has continued to shift through lawsuits, rule changes, and state authority. Today, wolf protections vary by region, with some populations managed by states while others remain federally protected under the Endangered Species Act. Conservation groups such as Defenders of Wildlife continue to challenge delisting efforts and advocate for science-based recovery, while the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service oversees federal policy. These ongoing actions aim to ensure wolves maintain viable populations and their essential role in western ecosystems.