The gray wolf or grey wolf (Canis lupus) is a canid native to the wilderness and remote areas of North

America, Eurasia, and North Africa. It is the largest member of its family, with males averaging 4345 kg (95
99 lb), and females 3638.5 kg (7985 lb).
[3]
It is similar in general appearance and proportions to a German
shepherd,
[4]
or sled dog, but has a larger head, narrower chest, longer legs, straighter tail, and bigger paws.
[5]
Its
winter fur is long and bushy, and predominantly a mottled gray in colour, although nearly pure white, red, or
brown to black also occur.
[4]

Within the genus Canis, the gray wolf represents a more specialised and progressive form than its smaller
cousins (the coyote and golden jackal), as demonstrated by its morphological adaptations to hunting large prey,
its more gregarious nature,
[6]
and its highly advanced expressive behavior.
[7][8]
It is a social animal, travelling
in nuclear families consisting of a mated pair, accompanied by the pair's adult offspring.
[9]
The gray wolf is
typically an apex predator throughout its range, with only humans and tigers
[10][11][12][13]
posing a serious threat to
it. It feeds primarily on large ungulates, though it also eats smaller animals, livestock, carrion, and garbage.
[14]

The gray wolf is one of the world's most well known and well researched animals, with probably more books
written about it than any other wildlife species.
[15]
It has a long history of association with humans, having been
despised and hunted in most agricultural communities due to its attacks on livestock, while conversely being
respected by some Native American tribes.
[14]
It is the sole ancestor of the dog,
[16]
which was first domesticated in
theMiddle East.
[17][18][19]
Although the fear of wolves is prevalent in many human societies, the majority of
recorded attacks on people have been attributed to animals suffering from rabies. Non-rabid wolves have
attacked and killed people, mainly children, but this is unusual, as wolves are relatively few, live away from
people, and have been taught to fear humans by hunters and shepherds.
[20]
Hunting and trapping has reduced
the species' range to about one third of its original range, though its still relatively widespread range and stable
population means that the species is not threatened at a global level, and is therefore classified by the
Gray wolf
Temporal range: Middle PleistoceneRecent