Gray Wolf (Eastern Timber Wolf)

Gray Wolf (Eastern Timber Wolf)

Taxonomy

Kingdom - Animalia

Phylum - Chordata

Class - Mammalia

Order - Carnivora

Family - Canidae

Scientific Name: Canis lupus (lycaon)

Known as Gray Wolf but some scientists believe there is a subspecies called Eastern Timber Wolf.

Description

Height: 26-32 inches at the shoulder

Weight: 50-130 pounds

Length: 4.5-6.5 feet including the tail

• On average, males are typically taller and heavier than females.
• Eastern timber wolves are smaller than Western gray wolves.

Western gray wolves are the largest canine in North America. Their fur color can differ greatly even though the name suggests gray color. The white arctic/tundra wolves to black wolves are all different fur colors of gray wolves. The environment determines the color of their coat to increase their chances of camouflage  in the case of the arctic wolves.

Although similar in appearance, compared to their relative coyotes, gray wolves are significantly bigger, almost three times larger than coyotes. Eastern timber wolves are a bit more closer in look to the coyotes, only 20-40 pounds bigger. Also, even though the western gray wolves exhibit small rounded ears, eastern timber wolves have more pointier, larger ears, presenting features that makes them look more like the coyotes.



Distribution

Gray wolves are once known as the most widely distributed mammal except the humans. Their range was from all of the Northern hemisphere to South America and Southern Asia. They are widespread, and can adapt to living in different environments such as tundra, woodlands, forests, grasslands, and deserts.

Reproduction

Wolves live in packs. Within those packs, only the breeding pair, commonly known as the alpha pair, have pups each year to prevent the pack from getting too large. However, there has been documentations of other members of the pack breeding, primarily seen in Yellowstone National Park.

Wolves typically are monogamous and mate for life. They usually breed from late January through March in habitats such as the Northern United States, and the gestation period are around 63 days. To one breeding pair, average of 4-7 pups are born in one year.