The wolf (Canis lupus), likewise called the gray/grey wolf, is a canine belonging to the wild and remote areas of Eurasia and North America. It is the largest extant member of its family members, with males balancing 40 kg (88 lb) and females 35.5– 37.7 kg (78– 83 lb). It is identified from various other Canis varieties by its bigger dimension and also less pointed features, specifically on the ears and muzzle. Its wintertime hair is long as well as bushy and also mostly a varicolored gray in colour, although nearly pure white, red and brown to black likewise occur. Mammal Species of the Globe (third ed., 2005), a conventional reference work in zoology, identifies 38 subspecies of C. lupus.

The wolf is the most customized member of the category Canis for cooperative huge game searching, as demonstrated by its morphological adjustments to dealing with big target, its even more gregarious nature, as well as its extremely advanced expressive behavior. It is however very closely related sufficient to smaller Canis species, such as the coyote as well as golden jackal, to produce productive crossbreeds with them. It is the only varieties of Canis to have a range incorporating both Eurasia and also The United States And Canada. It is a social animal, travelling in extended families consisting of a mated set accompanied by their grown-up children. The wolf is primarily a predator and feeds primarily on big wild ungulates, though it likewise eats smaller animals, livestock, carrion, and trash.

The international wolf population is approximated to be 300,000. It has a long background of association with humans, having actually been hated and also hunted in a lot of pastoral neighborhoods because of its strikes on livestock, while on the other hand being respected in some agricultural and also hunter-gatherer societies. Although the worry of wolves is prevalent in lots of human cultures, the majority of videotaped strikes on individuals have actually been attributed to pets suffering from rabies. Non-rabid wolves have actually assaulted and eliminated individuals, generally kids, but this is uncommon due to the fact that wolves are relatively few, live far from individuals, and also have established a worry of humans because of their experiences with seekers and guards.