Gray Wolf

About this species

Size

105–160cm body length

Weight

Mean approximately 40kg across the species

Diet

Mainly hoofed mammals, plus smaller animals, carrion, and livestock

Habitat

Forest, wetland, shrubland, grassland, desert, tundra, and mountains

Range

Eurasia and North America, including Mongolia

The gray wolf is the largest living wild canid. It has a broad muzzle, relatively short triangular ears, a deep chest, sloping back, muscular neck, and legs proportionally longer than those of many other Canis species. Its coat commonly mixes grey, brown, black, and white, although colour varies geographically. Adults measure 105–160cm in body length, but body mass and proportions differ among populations, so the species-wide mean weight should not be treated as a Mongolian measurement. Wolves are more heavily built than corsac and red foxes and carry a longer, less luxuriant tail. (Wikipedia, general species account)

Wolves occupy habitats ranging from forest and grassland to desert, tundra, wetland, and rocky mountains. They live in territorial family groups usually formed by a breeding pair and their offspring, communicate with scent and howling, and are adapted for cooperative pursuit of large prey. Eurasian diets centre on hoofed mammals such as moose, deer, roe deer, and wild boar, supplemented by smaller animals, carrion, and livestock. The opened account specifically reports a Mongolian population and describes traditional wolf hunting with trained eagles and large falcons, but gives no precise viewing locality. (Wikipedia, general species account)

Description: Wildlife of Mongolia guide, Wildlife of Everywhere (wildlifeofeverywhere.com); general species information paraphrased from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)