Wolf Scientific name:Canis lupus

Wolf
Scientific name:Canis lupus
Wolf is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family. It is not known for sure just when the divergence occurred that split the ancestors of our domestic dog.
Gray wolves are social predators that live in nuclear families. Wolves live in family groups called packs. A pack is usually made up of a male parent, a female parent, their pups and a few other adult wolves who are the older brothers and sisters. The pack works together to hunt for food and to take care of the pups.
Wolves are very shy around people and try to avoid them in the wild.
Range and habitat
Their preference on habitat ranges among Forests, Tundra, Taigas, Plains and Mountains. In the northern hemisphere, human encroachment on their habitat and persecution of the animals themselves have drastically reduced their range.
Wolves once had an almost worldwide distribution, but are now limited primarily to North America, Eurasia, and the Middle East and the red wolf, which now occurs only in Texas and the southeastern United States.
Physical characteristics
The body of a wolf allows it to be able to survive in a variety of different locations.
Adult wolves are 105–160 cm (41–63 in) in length and 80–85 cm (32–34 in) in shoulder height.[46] The tail is ⅔ the length of the head and body,[47] measuring 29–50 cm (11–20 in) in length. The ears are 90–110 millimeters (3.5–4.3 in) in height, and the hind feet are 220–250 mm. Wolf weight varies geographically; on average, European wolves may weigh 38.5 kg, North American wolves 36 kg, Indian and Arabian wolves 25kg and North African wolves 13 kg.
The intestines of adult wolves measure 460–575 cm, the ratio to body length being 4.13–4.62. The stomach can hold 7–9 kg  of food and up to 7.5 litres (8 U.S. qt) of water. The liver is relatively large, weighing 0.7–1.9 kg  in males and 0.68–0.82 kg in females.
All wolves are characterized by powerful teeth, bushy tails, and round pupils. Certain characteristics of the skull distinguish them from domestic dogs, some breeds of which they otherwise resemble.
They are also capable of running at speeds of 56–64 km (34–38 miles) per hour, and can continue running for more than 20 minutes, though not necessarily at that speed.
Wolves howl to assemble the pack usually before and after hunts) to pass on an alarm , to locate each other during a storm or unfamiliar territory and to communicate across great distances.
Subspecies
Wolf subspecies are divided into two categories:
"Northern wolves": large-sized, large-brained wolves with strong carnassials which inhabit North America, Europe and northern Asia.
"Southern wolves": native to North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and South Asia. They are characterised by their short fur, small brains and weak carnassials.
Hunting and diet
They can consume up to 20 pounds of meat in a single feeding.The wolf is somewhat opportunistic and will eat what it comes across as long as it is reasonably fresh.Wolves kill only to eat - to survive. Because wolves usually hunt for large animals,(live in nuclear families)  they work together to catch their prey. Wolves will eat a healthy, strong animal if they can catch it.Wolves need an average of three to ten pounds of meat each day.
Single wolves have occasionally been observed to kill large prey such as moose, bison and muskoxen unaided.wolves live mainly on the meat from such animals as deer, moose, elk or bison. They also eat beavers,rabbits and even mice. They do not eat humans. Wolves are not a threat to humans.
Reproduction
The wolf is sexually mature at two years old. The gestation period is 61–63 days and the pups are born completely dependent on their mother, with pups usually being born in the summer period. The average litter consists of 5–6 pups. Litters of 14–17 occur 1% of the time. Litter sizes tend to increase in areas where prey is abundant. Wolves bear relatively large pups in small litters compared to other canid species.
Pups are born blind and deaf, and are covered in short soft grayish-brown fur. They weigh 300–500 grams at birth, and begin to see after 9–12 days. The milk canines erupt after one month. Pups first leave the den after 3 weeks.
Predatory
Gray wolves are typically apex predators throughout their range, with only humans and tigers posing significant threats to them.Grizzly bears - Are known to eat wolf pups, wolves will chase away bears from the den area.
Life expectancy
Its life span is25 years.