Gray Wolf Basics

The gray wolf is one of the most misunderstood animals on the planet. As you will learn here, the “big bad wolf” is not so big or bad after all. Rather, they are an integral part of a healthy Colorado ecosystem.

Gray Wolf Basics

The gray wolf once lived throughout Colorado and much of what is now the United States of America. In fact, wolves were once the most widely distributed land mammal in the world, ranging in North America from the arctic region to Mexico City. The arrival of European colonists to North America began a process of killing and habitat loss that caused the near-extinction of the gray wolf from what is now the United States. Similar patterns of persecution occurred across the European continent. The last gray wolf in Colorado was killed in the mid-1940s. Today, following the efforts of conservationists and lawmakers, the gray wolf population in the United States, including Alaska, is estimated to be between 15,000 to 20,000 individuals. Of those, some 8,000 live in the lower 48 states, with the majority residing in the northern portions of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. Colorado is currently home to about 30 wild wolves.

Here we provide brief overviews of key areas of the gray wolf and important areas of its life. There are links to videos that illustrate some of the key points being made. Some of these videos are graphic and may not be appropriate for children or others sensitive to wildlife aggression. 

gray wolf standing in a winter background staring directly into the camera

Scientific Classification

The gray wolf is one of two currently recognized species of wolves in North America. The other is the highly endangered red wolf, of which there are only 20 in the wild, which lives in a small area in eastern North Carolina. Scientific debate exists about whether other wolf species exist, and it has been proposed that the eastern timber wolf of North America is a distinct species. Scientists do generally agree that there are five subspecies of the gray wolf: (1) the Mexican gray wolf; (2) the Great Plains wolf; (3) the Northwestern wolf; (4) the Arctic wolf; and (5) the Eastern wolf.  These wolves are much more similar than they are different in physical appearance and behavior.

The gray wolf belongs to the canid family, as do coyotes and our best friends, domesticated dogs. Gray wolves, coyotes and domesticated dogs are genetically similar and are capable of mating and reproducing. The gray wolf is the largest member of the canid family and can thrive in a wide range of habitats, from the wet coastal forests of British Columbia and Alaska to arid regions such as southern Colorado, New Mexico, California and Arizona.

gray wolf with dark fur that is almost black standing in white snow with snow on it's nose looking at the camera

Physical Appearance

Gray wolves have long bushy tails. Their coat color is commonly a mixture of gray and brown but can also be solid white to mostly brown or solid black. Gray wolves are the largest wild canid species and vary in size, with more northern wolves being larger than those in southern habitats. The gray wolf averages about three to five feet in length and, when their tales are included, they can measure 6.5 feet in length. Adult females typically weigh 60 to 100 pounds, with males weighing from 70 pounds to up to 150 pounds. By contrast, a male Alaskan Malamute can weigh 80 pounds.  Gray wolves have long legs and can reach a height of nearly three feet.

The physical appearances of wolves vary somewhat according to the habitat areas they occupy.

pack of 9 gray wolves from above playing and standing in snow

Wolf Packs

Gray wolves typically live in family units, or packs, consisting of a breeding pair (sometimes called the alpha pair), offspring, and other relatives. Wolf packs sometimes accept unrelated wolves as pack members. Individual wolves are fiercely loyal to their packmates and will attack and sometimes kill intruding wolves. The use of the term “alpha wolf” is no longer generally accepted by most scientists.

The social structure of gray wolf packs is very complex and generally hierarchical. The breeding pair make many decisions for the pack, such as where to hunt and when to stand and fight against intruding wolves. The breeding pair also help establish discipline within the pack, which can appear ferocious. Members of a pack rarely cause serious physical harm to other pack members, however. Read more ⬈

mother gray wolf standing over it's pup

Reproduction and Pup Development

Wolves mate and reproduce once a year. In the Rocky Mountain region mating usually occurs in late winter, with 4-6 pups born 63 days later. Pups are born blind, with eyes closed, and are deaf with little sense of smell. Their eyes open at about two weeks and are blue in color. Around this time, they will begin to eat small pieces of meat regurgitated for them by adult pack members. They also will begin to stand, walk about, and making growling noises. They require constant feeding and supervision by pack members.

At about three weeks the pups will begin leaving the den and the weaning process begins. By about 12 weeks the pups are gaining independence, eating regurgitated meat brought by other pack members, and traveling short distances with adult pack members. By about six months of age, the pups are maturing and will hunt with other pack members. They will reach sexual maturity between 1-3 years of age and are considered fully adult. They will weigh up to 100 pounds.

It is estimated that 40-60% of wolf pups do not survive due to factors such as starvation, disease, and predation. The survival rate varies considerably over different locations and years. Wolf packs will aggressively defend their pups against intruders such as bears, though not always successfully.

a gray wolf charging towards a dead animal in a snowy landscape with birds flying around it

Hunting and Diet

Gray wolves are carnivores, though they occasionally supplement their diet with plant foods and insects. Wolves mainly feed on ungulates such as deer, elk, moose and caribou. The wolves’ diets generally correspond to the prey animals available in the habitat they occupy. They will eat small animals such as beaver, voles, mice, rabbits, and birds. Wolves are not adapted to survive on plant foods and require regular intakes of meat.

Scientists estimate that wolves require about four pounds of meat per day, on average, to survive. In reality, most wolves do not feed every day, and in fact often go days without eating. When wolves make a kill, they will gorge on their prey, consuming as much as 20 pounds of meat in a single feeding. If wolves are left undisturbed, they will consume all edible parts of the prey animal killed.

Gray wolves are also scavengers and consume animals that die of natural causes or that are killed by other predators. A harsh winter can cause the deaths of many prey animals, as can disease or injuries, and their carcasses are consumed by wolves and many other animals. Read More ⬈

a gray wolf with it's head tilted upwards howling

Gray Wolf Communication

Much like our domesticated best friend, the dog, gray wolves communicate through various vocalizations, body language, and body scent. The wolf’s howl, of course, is the best-known vocalization, and takes many forms and serves different purposes, known and unknown. Wolves will howl to communicate their presence to other wolf packs, to call out to their own pack members, and to rally the pack for a hunt or when intruding wolves appear.

Wolf packs communicate with other packs to signal their presence and to define their territory. They do so through scent marking, howling, and barking. As with domestic dogs, there is much wolf communication that humans are probably unable to detect, or to accurately interpret if detected. Some observers believe that wolves mourn the death or loss of a pack member through howling and other behaviors.

a gray wolf walking through a swampy water area looking for food

Wolf LIvestock conflict

Where wolves and livestock such as cows and sheep overlap, there is the potential for conflict. As previously noted, wolves hunt in a risk-averse manner, and cows and sheep (especially calves and lamb) present a lower level of risk to wolves than do ungulates such as elk, moose, and deer. In pursuing available livestock, therefore, the wolf is making a rational decision. And where non-lethal conflict minimization tools are being used, wolves often decide that the risk of pursuing livestock is too great and choose to hunt elsewhere. Scientific studies over the years have demonstrated that non-lethal conflict minimization tools, when properly used, are successful at reducing conflict. Read more ⬈

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