Temporal range: Late Pleistocene – Recent |A wolf howling Wolf
howl audio The grey wolf or gray wolf (Canis lupus), also known
as the timber wolf or simply wolf, is a mammal of the order
Carnivora. It is the ancestor of the domestic dog. A recent
study found that the domestic dog is descended from wolves tamed
less than 16,300 years ago south of the Yangtze River in China.
Adult wolves are usually 6–7 feet in length from nose to tail.
As adults they may weigh between 29–175 lbs (pounds; 13–79 kgm),
though wolves over 200 lbs are uncommon and are usually found in
the far north. Wolves measure 20–38 inches at the shoulder.
Wolves have fur made up of two layers. The top layer is
resistant to dirt, and the underlayer is water resistant. The
color of their fur can be any combination of grey, white, red,
brown, and black. Wolves live in groups called "packs". The
members of the pack are usually family members, often just the
parents and offspring. Packs are up to 15 wolves. The leaders
are called the alpha male and