Canines

Wolves are found in North America, Europe, and Asia. The gray wolf (Canis lupus) is the largest member of A blonde dingo. Photograph by Jim Steinberg. The National Audubon Society Collection/Photo Researchers, Inc. Reproduced by permission. the dog family, and is a widely distributed species. It lives in a variety of habitats, including forest, prairie, mountains, tundra, and desert. The red wolf (Canis rufus) is found only in southeastern Texas and southern Louisiana. The red wolf is smaller than the gray wolf, and it may be a hybrid between the gray wolf and coyote (Canis latrans).

The gray wolf lives in packs and is a territorial species. Territories are scent marked, and range from 50 to 5,000 sq mi (128-12,800 sq km) in area. Pack size is usually about eight members, consisting of a mature male and female, their offspring, and close relatives. A system of dominance hierarchy is established within the pack. The dominant male leader of the pack is called the alpha male, and the dominant female is the alpha female. Hierarchy is acknowledged among pack members through submissive facial expressions and body postures.

Only the dominant male and female breed. Gestation is about two months and the average litter size is four to seven pups, which are born blind. The young are weaned within five weeks and reach physical maturity within the year, but do not become sexually mature until the end of their second year. The non-breeding members of a pack will help to protect and feed the young. The prey species of the wolf include deer, moose, elk, caribou, and beaver.

Besides scent marking, wolves communicate by howling. It is believed that howling lets dispersed pack members know each other's position, and warns other packs off the territory. During the spring and summer, the wolf pack has a stationary phase and remains within its territory. It is during this period that the pups are raised. During the nomadic phase in autumn and winter, wolf packs travel widely, often following the migration of prey species.