Gray Wolf
Wolf
Canis lupis
Wolves are Carnivores and eat meat. The ranks are Alpha, Omega, and Beta. Most of you know that alpha wolves are highest rank but a beta wolf is second lowest rank. The omega is the lowest rank in the pack. Wolves have many types of fur colours; gray, black, white, brown etc, and also most wolf pups starts out as a brown mix with gray and black and can not see or hear.
Wolf Packs and More About Wolf Ranks[]
A wolf pack's social hierarchy is very complex. Here is some additional information on ranks in a wolf pack:
The Alphas of a wolf pack are the dominant male and female, and the only pair in the pack allowed to breed. They don't give their pack orders, but they have the most freedom in choosing where to go, what to do, and when to do it, and the rest of the pack simply follows.
The Beta wolves are second-in-command to the alphas.
The Omega is the lowest ranking wolf and is picked on by higher.ranked wolves. They are the usual target of aggression and are the last to eat at a kill.
Body Postures and Behavior[]
Body language is very important to wolves. You can tell the alpha wolves dominate the others because of their erect ears, tail held high, standing tall and stiff-legged.
Active submission is when the ears, tail, and the entire body are lowered. The submitting wolf may also arch its back and tuck its tail between its legs. Passive submission is more intense, however. The wolf rolls onto its back, exposing its throat and belly, accompanied by whimpering.
Wolves also have an exceptional sense of smell. Enemy wolves know to stay away when pack wolves "scent mark" their territory. A wolf's sense of smell can also determine when prey or enemies are near.
Howling is also an important way of communication. Besides yipping, growling, and barking, wolves howl for many reasons. Howling helps pack members get in touch through long distances, and they also howl when claiming territory.
Gallery[]
Here is the list of Wolf Species:
Gray Wolf Sub-Species The Gray wolf has the most members of any wolf species (Canis lupus)
The Red Wolf Extremely Endangered (Canis rufus)
The Ethiopian Wolf The Ethiopian wolf is one of the rarest and most endangered canid in the world (Canis Simensis)
The Maned Wolf ( Chrysocyon brachyurus )
The Tasmanian Wolf Learn about the legendary Tasmanian Wolf (Thylacinus Cynocephalus)
The Dire Wolf Learn about this fascinating wolf that used to roam the earth over 9,000 years ago (Canis dirus)