Species Project ap environmental Science
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Gray Wolves Canis lupus Keystone Species Background Information: The Gray Wolf lives in packs that constantly travel. Most packs have four to nine members, but the size can range from as few as two wolves to as many as 15. A pack can get as large as 35 members as well. In the pack there is the alpha wolf male. They can live in a range of habitats such as temperate forests, mountains, tundra, taigas, and grasslands. The Gray Wolf is a carnivore and a scavenger. They eat large-hoofed animals such as deer, elk, and bison, but they can also eat smaller animals such as beavers and hares. Wolves communicate through body language, scent marking, barking, growling and howling. In the wild, the wolf can live 8-13 years. In captivity, the gray wolf can live up to 15 years. The Gray Wolf is an essential predator in its ecosystem, making it a keystone species. 
Identifying Characteristics: Gray wolves are canines with long bushy tails that have a black tip. The coat color is a mix of gray and brown with buffy facial markings and undersides. However, the color can change from solid white to brown or black depending on where they live. Wolves also change in size depending on where they live. Wolves in the north are usually larger than those in the south. The average size of a wolf's body is 3-5 feet long. Their tails are usually 1-2 feet long. Females typically weigh 60-100 pounds, and males weigh 70-145 pounds. 
Reasons for their Status: Wolves were once common throughout all of North America but were killed in most areas of the United States by the mid-1930s. Wolves were considered very dangerous and a threat to farms. The Gray Wolf would eat chickens and livestock. Humans started to hunt the Gray Wolf or set traps that would kill it. Urbanization and deforestation has also reduced the population of the Gray Wolves by a destruction of their habitat. There are only 7,000 to 11,200 wolves in Alaska and more than 5,000 in the lower 48 states. Around the world there are an estimated 200,000 in 57 countries, compared to up to 2 million in earlier times. Solutions/Successes/Possible Course of Action for Protection or Removal: In 1973, the Endangered Species Act was passed by the United States Congress to protect declining populations of gray wolves from becoming extinct. At the time, there were only about 400 wolves in the lower 48 states. By 1999, the population had swelled to an estimated 3500 individuals scattered mostly throughout the Rocky Mountains and Great Lakes areas. However, many judges are considering that they are taken off the endangered species list since they are so abundant in some areas. When the Gray Wolf was in critical condition, the species was reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park in 1995. The Gray Wolf thrived and reproduced to no longer be a critical condition. Farmers are now being introduced to different activities that can help keep the Gray Wolf out of the farms but not hurt them. Range: The Gray Wolf used to be found in all of North America. Today their range has been reduced to Canada, Alaska, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Mexican wolves are found in New Mexico and Arizona. The gray and purple is their historic range and the purple is their current range. 
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