Wolves’ big canine teeth, strong jaws, keen senses and fast running skills equipped them to live as predators. They are the largest wild members of the dog family and usually live in packs. Here are the top 19 amazing facts about grey wolves that you probably don’t know.
1. Wolves’ Homes Are North America And Alaska.
Grey wolves, also known as the timber wolf or western wolves, can be found to be the amazing beasts in the wilderness and remote areas of North America and Alaska. They were once common throughout North America; however, they have sadly been wiped out in most areas of the U.S. by the mid-1930s.
2. Howling Is Their GPS
The same way we send our location, a wolf’s howl can serve as a GPS or a signal to communicate their whereabouts. Because of the high pitch, the sounds of a wolf howl can carry as far as 10 miles.
3. Cold Weather Is No Problem For Wolves.
There is an average of seven thousand to eleven thousand grey wolves in Alaska, thirty-seven hundred in the Great Lakes region, and seventeen hundred in the Northern Rockies. They are super chill with the cold, and we are super chill with getting to know Alaska.
4. Wolves Help The World.
They play an integral role in keeping ecosystems healthy, keeping deer and elk populations normalized, which benefits many plants and animal species.
5. Wolves Like Traveling.
The average wolf travels about 12 miles a day. They roam distances by foot, always ready for what will come their way. Wolf packs in the far north travel far longer distances, as they are following migrating herds.
6. Wolves Have Unique Howls
The pack is incredibly connected, able to communicate with one another through unique howls, like fingerprints that scientists, and other pack members, can use to tell them apart. Imagine being miles away from your friends and identifying their voice to help them whenever they need you.
7. Newborn Wolves Need Protection.
Pups are born blind and unable to defend themselves. The pack cares for them until they can hunt on their own, usually at about ten months. At this point, some newly grown wolves may disperse and travel alone to find their mate. This can be very dangerous, as they leave the protection of the pack. These rebel wolves took the “don’t follow the pack,” saying literally, and we’re pulling for them.
8. Wolves Have Great Hearing And Sense Of Smell.
Wolves are not exceptionally fast, having the sprinting capacity of about 35 miles per hour only in short bursts. Instead, they rely on their hearing and sense of smell to detect prey.
9. Wolves Feed Their Young By Mouth
Wolves feed their young by throwing up in their mouth. They carry chewed up foods in their stomach and then regurgitate it into the pup’s mouth when they return to the den. It’s sweet if you can get past the fact that it’s completely disgusting.
10. Wolves Stay In Packs
Wolves live and hunt in packs of about six to ten, never break bread alone. Packs include the mother and father wolf, known as the alphas, pups, and older offspring. If a wolf finds himself alone, he lets out his legendary howl to get himself back to his tribe. Not to mention, the alpha male is ready to ruin the homeboy’s life if he tries to mess with his pack.
11. Mating Season Is Once A Year For Wolves.
Wolves have only one breeding season per year: in the winter. They have their puppies in late April or early May in an underground hole or den. There are usually four to six puppies in the litter.
12. Wolves Are All About Their Community.
Wolves develop close relationships and strong social bonds. They exhibit deep attachment and love for their families and have even been known to give their lives to protect their pack.
13. Wolves Are In Danger Of Extinction.
The wolf is tremendously feared by man and has been persecuted more than almost any other animal. It is their intelligence and adaptability that have protected them from extinction. Still, the grey wolf is considered very susceptible to extinction across the regions, due to loss of habitat, trapping, shooting, and poisoning.
14. Wolves Live Relatively Long Lives.
In the wild, wolves live 8-13 years, sometimes more. In captivity, they live upward of 15 years.
15. They Communicate In Many Ways
While howling has become the most famous, wolves communicate in a multitude of forms such as body language, scent marking, barking, and growling. Most of their communication is about fortifying the social hierarchy of the pack.
16. Wolves Have To Be Careful Of Predators Too.
Wolf pups may be preyed on by Golden Eagles. Bears can also prey on young puppies. There are several records of several adult wolves decoying bears away from their pups’ den until they left.
17. They Can Eat A Lot.
he typical adult wolf can eat up to 20 pounds of meat a serving, being about 1/5th of their body weight. All 42 teeth sit in anticipation, waiting for the next meal. Not to mention, they go so hard! They prey on elk, deer, and moose, animals that are generally far larger than they. If large hoofed animals are not an option, they will also eat beaver, rabbit, birds, fish, snakes, and even fruit. It’s all for the commitment of making sure the pack eats well; this is a squad we could have a lot of love for.
18. They Are One Big Family.
Wolves generally mate for life, the real ride or die; only the alpha male and female mate. The wolves in the inferior hierarchy help care for the children. They have each other’s back, focusing on one common and harmonious mission: survival.
19. Wolves Rarely Fight Within The Pack.
Wolves have a very intricate social structure. There is a hierarchy for both males and females. Despite popular belief, fighting does not frequently happen within the pack for a higher ranking. Instead, they exhibit a well-functioning hierarchy structure used to protect the entire pack. The other members respect their positions and follow their leadership in almost all things. This is the kind of teamwork we, as humans, should learn from.
YOU MIGHT LIKE: MORE ENTERTAINMENT DATA
WERE YOU AMAZED OF THIS LIST OF THE TOP 19 AMAZING FACTS ABOUT GREY WOLVES? VISIT OUR CHANNEL ENDLESS AWESOME TO WATCH MORE POWERFUL ANIMALS LIKE THIS!
Contact us for more information.
