Background
There
are believed to be two kinds of wolves: Greys and Reds.
Their scientific names are Canus lupus and Canus rufus.
Grey wolves come in a variety of “flavors,” such as timber,
artic, buffalo, tundra, and Mexican and “colors,” such as
gray, brown, tan, and black. They are found throughout the
world. But, Red Wolves are “pure” and are found only in
North America.
Red wolves, like all Canus species, are smart animals that
live in social packs.
Quick facts about the redwolf
(adapted from Silverstein 1994):
|
Attribute
|
Description
|
| Size
|
Length
-- About 41 inches (104 cm) long plus a 14-inch
(35.5 cm) tail. Height – about 25 inches (63.5 cm)
|
| Weight
|
40-70
lbs (18-32 Kg)
|
| Color
|
Typically
tan or cinnamon-brown, streaked with black; some
coats have a gold or reddish tint; some are all
gray or black.
|
| Food
|
Small
animals, such as raccoons, rabbits, squirrels,
muskrats, rats, fish, small deer, and insects and
plant material.
|
| Reproduction
|
They
mate for life; they breed in February or March of
their second year; after 63 days a litter of 2-6
pups is born.
|
| Care
for young
|
The
mother leaves pups only to drink; the male brings
her food; both parents peek an eye on their young.
|
| Range
|
Southern
part of United States; now restricted to managed
wild colonies in North Carolina refuges and
breeding centers such as Tacoma, Washington
|
| Population
size
|
About
250 (1994)
|
| Social
behavior
|
Sociable
animals that live in family groups of parents,
children, and close relatives; they work together
as a team to raise the pups, hunt food, and defend
each other against enemies.
|
| Life
span
|
10
to 15 years or more in captivity; only about 6
years in the wild.
|