Mexican Wolf

Canis lupus
There are five subspecies of gray wolves in North America, including Mexican wolves, the most endangered. Mexican wolves are on exhibit at the National Zoo.

Physical Description: The largest wild members of the dog family, gray wolves generally have grizzled coats, with gray, black, and light brown fur covering their head and upper body, and yellowish white fur on the legs and belly. Some subspecies—not Mexican wolves—have pure white or black coats. Thick winter undercoats give them the appearance of added bulk; when they shed in the spring, they look thin. They have bushy tails, legs longer than coyotes' and dogs' legs, and oversized paws.

Size: Gray wolves' head and body length is 40 to 58 inches (1 to 1.5 meters), plus a tail 13 to 20 inches long (one-third to half a meter). Their weight varies greatly by subspecies, ranging from 40 to 175 pounds (18 to 79 kg), with an average between 60 to 100 pounds (27 to 45 kg).

Geographic Distribution: Today, gray wolves can be found in Alaska, Canada, some northern U.S. states, particularly Minnesota, as well as Russia and a few eastern European countries. Mexican wolves have been reintroduced in New Mexico and Arizona.

Status: Depending on where they live, populations of gray wolves have differing status levels. Those in the western distinct population segment are threatened; those in the eastern group are considered threatened but are being considered for delisting; the subspecies of Mexican gray wolves in the southwest are endangered.

Habitat: Historically, gray wolves have the largest range of any land mammal, other than people. They have lived in all habitats in the Northern Hemisphere except for tropical forest.

Natural Diet: Gray wolves are carnivores, often preying on animals larger than they are, including elk, caribou, and deer, as well as beavers, hares, and other small animals.

Reproduction: After about two months, a litter of one to 11 pups is born, with an average of five or six.

Life Span: In the wild, gray wolves live about six to eight years, and sometimes up to 13 years. In zoos, they may live up to 17 years.

Behavior: Gray wolves live in packs of two to 12 wolves, although some larger packs have been seen. A pack may include a breeding pair, offspring from the previous year and the current year, and occasionally an unrelated wolf.

A Few Gray Wolf Neighbors:
Moose (Alces alces): Moose are the largest member of the deer family and one of the largest land animals in North America. Their name comes from an Algonquin word that means "twig-eater".

Grizzly Bear (Ursus arcos): One of the largest carnivores in North America, grizzlies grow until age ten or 11. These solitary animals can smell odors up to a mile away.

Fun Facts:

Adult gray wolves have 42 teeth, compared to 32 teeth for adult humans.

Their paws are as big as those of much larger dogs; the Zoo's 60-pound wolves have the same paw size as some 100-pound domestic dogs.