Gray Wolf Basics
The gray wolf is the wolf most of us envision when we think of wolves.  There are several subspecies of the gray wolf, including the Artic wolf, the Mexican wolf, the Rocky Mountain wolf and the one most readily recognized the timber wolf.
The gray wolf is primarily gray, but can range in color from white to black, and various shades in between; often bearing rust and cream colors.
The male gray wolf is on average 5-6 1/2 feet in length and weighs 70-120 pounds.  the female is generally about 20% smaller.
Classification
Kingdom         Animals
Phylum           Chordata
Class               Mammals
Order              Carnivores
Family             Canidae
Genus              Canis
Species             Lupus (gray wolf)

CANIS LUPUS is pronounced CAN-NIS LOU-PESS


Common Names
Tundra Wolf, Timber Wolf, Gray Wolf, Arctic Wolf, Lobo Wolf, Plains Wolf, and the Buffalo Wolf.

Five Subspecies In North America,
• Canis Lupus Baileyi
• Canis Lupus Lycaon
• Canis Lupus Nubilus
• Canis Lupus Arctos
• Canis Lupus Occidentalis

Height: 2 - 3 feet at shoulders

Length: 4 1/2 to 6 1/2 feet long, tip of nose to tip of tail.

Weight: 50 to 150 pounds

Paw: 3 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches

Fur:   Wolves have two fur coats:
• Undercoat - This coat is thick like wool and traps air to help keep the wolf warm
• Overcoat (guard hairs) - These hairs are coarse and hollow. This gives another layer of insulation against the cold.
Fur Color: Wolves can be white, gray, black, brown, red, and yellow. Usually, wolves are a combination of colors.

Eye Color: Most wolves have golden to yellow eyes. Some wolves have brown eyes and there are a few with green eyes.
Puppies are always born with blue eyes.

Teeth:  Wolves have big mouths, with about 42 teeth

Wolf Talk: Wolves make many different sounds. 
• Howling
• Barking
• Growling
• Whining
• Yipping


Diet consists of:
deer, caribou, musk oxen, beaver, dall sheep, mountain goat, fish, birds, carrion, elk, bison, moose, big horn sheep, and small mammals


Breeding: Wolves will breed anytime between January and March. It all depends on where they live. The further north, the later in the season they breed.
It takes 63 days after breeding to have puppies. This is the same as the dog.   Not surprising since a dog is a true wolf.