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SPECIES PROFILE
Gray Wolf (Canis lupus)
Canis
IUCN STATUS
Least Concern
CONSERVATION STATUS
Least Concern
CLASS
Mammalia
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
Formerly across North America; now primarily in the northern Rockies, Great Lakes, and Pacific Northwest after reintroduction
DIET
Carnivore
HABITAT
Wilderness forests, grasslands, and tundra; requires large territories of 200–1,000 km²; pack structure essential
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Mammalia
ORDER
Carnivora
FAMILY
Canidae
GENUS
Canis
📋 Description
SIZE
Males 40–60 kg; body length 1.5–2 m including tail; shoulder height 66–80 cm
COLORATION
Variable coat: grey, black, white, or tawny; bushy tail held horizontal when running (not tucked like a coyote)
ADAPTATIONS
Endurance hunting in coordinated packs; complex social hierarchy with dominant breeding pair; territory marked by howling and scent
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
Wilderness forests, grasslands, and tundra; requires large territories of 200–1,000 km²; pack structure essential
DIET
Carnivore
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
Formerly across North America; now primarily in the northern Rockies, Great Lakes, and Pacific Northwest after reintroduction
REPRODUCTION
Dominant pair breeds in late winter; 4–7 pups born in April in a den; whole pack participates in pup-raising
DIET DETAILS
Elk, deer, moose, and bison targeted in coordinated hunts; also smaller prey, beaver, and carrion
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
Historical extermination from predator control; current threats include hunting, livestock conflict, and habitat fragmentation
💡 Interesting Facts
1
Gray Wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone in 1995 after a 70-year absence; their return triggered a trophic cascade that changed river morphology by altering elk grazing behaviour.
2
Wolves can travel up to 80 km per day and their howls can be heard from 10 km away; each pack has a unique howl signature recognisable to neighbouring packs.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Lamar Valley in Yellowstone National Park, WY, is the premier location worldwide to observe wild Gray Wolves
North Fork of the Flathead River near Glacier National Park, MT, has resident wolf packs
Sawtooth Valley near Stanley, ID, has wolf packs in central Idaho wilderness
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
December to March for pack activity and howling in Lamar Valley, Yellowstone; Wolf Project staff with spotting scopes help visitors locate packs.
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
Winter. Lamar Valley in Yellowstone is the best place in the world to reliably observe wild wolves, particularly at dawn and dusk.
