Wolf

Timber wolves — © Zveriki.com, AI-generated image based on the original work of Curtis Carley, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic
Mass
43111–43687 g
Length
1000–1600 mm
Lifespan
4383–5844 days 12–16 years
18498
0
1
timber-wolves
en
timber wolves
Canis lupus
26
The gray wolf is a large predator from the canine family. This social animal lives and hunts in groups called packs.
The gray wolf differs from jackals and coyotes in larger size, strong jaws, and life in large packs. It is important for nature because it limits the number of herbivores and helps maintain the health of forests.
pack hunting
trophic:carnivore
#e9e8e4
Mass (adult carnivoran, male)
35000–80000 g
Mass (embryo)
150–351 g
Mass (puppy)
300–5000 g
Mass (adolescent)
8000–35000 g
Mass (adult carnivoran, female)
23000–55000 g
Length (adult carnivoran, male)
1200–1600 mm
Length (adolescent)
800–1400 mm
Length (puppy)
200–400 mm
Length (embryo)
1–15 mm
Length (adult carnivoran, female)
1000–1500 mm
Height
178–500 mm
Lifespan maximum
7305 days 20 years
Theoretical lifespan
3762–7139 days 10–20 years
Gestation
63 days 2 months
Litter size
1–14
Maturity
730–1095 days 2–3 years
Offspring
4–7
Repro interval
180–730 days 6 months – 2 years
Eyes count (puppy)
2
Teeth count (adolescent)
42
Tail count (adult carnivoran)
1
Legs count (adult carnivoran)
4
Teeth size (adolescent)
5–25 mm
Legs size (adult carnivoran)
650–850 mm
Tail size (adult carnivoran)
300–500 mm
Fur temp (adult carnivoran)
-40–30 °C
Reproduction
normal sexual
Comparable in mass
Nightstand
Realm
Palearctic realm
Biome
Taiga
Biome
Flooded grasslands
Biome
Temperate steppe
Biome
Temperate mixed forest
Biome
Tundra
Realm
world of Australasia
Realm
Domestic world
Realm
Indomalayan realm
Realm
Nearctic realm
Climate
Warm or hot summer
Landscape
terrestrial shrubland
Climate
Warm summer and lots of rain
Climate
Cool summer and lots of rain
Landscape
terrestrial herbaceous
Landscape
terrestrial forest
Landscape
terrestrial
Climate
Very cold
Climate
Always very wet
Landscape
terrestrial intertidal
Climate
Very hot and dry
Biome
Very hot and dry
Climate
Hot and almost no precipitation
Biome
Very dry
Climate
Very dry
Climate
Very hot and almost dry
Climate
Cold steppe
Climate
Hot steppe
Climate
Cold and almost dry
Climate
Cool summer
Climate
Very hot summer
Climate
Polar tundra
Climate
Winter with snow
Climate
Lots of rain and cool summer
Climate
Lots of rain and warm summer
Climate
Steppe
Climate
Tundra
Climate
Pleasant summer
Climate
Warm summer
Shelter
den
Trophic type
carnivore
Reproduction
caring mother
Reproduction
in a burrow
Reproduction
in fresh water
Reproduction
live birth
Reproduction
in a terrestrial nest
Reproduction
land
Physiology
Wolves shed in spring and autumn. In winter, the fur becomes very thick to avoid freezing.
4383.0
5844.0
3762.075
7139.450247072506
1000.0
1600.0
43111.43624267953
43686.50121054946
Wolves shed in spring and autumn. In winter, the fur becomes very thick to avoid freezing.
-1
-1
meadows, prairies, forb glades on land
homogamy, reproduction always with fertilization, no alternation of generations
Worker
Tail size
Were {name} like {animal}, then:
birth time
ambush
breeding
Hot and almost no precipitation
pursuit
very cold, short summer, lots of moss
Dogs, dolphins, lynx hang out for 9-25 years and party on their birthday three times a year
m
Map
will celebrate their {n} birthday
g
summer mild, +15…+20 °C
lots of rain, warm summer, snow in winter
Polar tundra
t
When your next jubilee falls in {name} life years
ground
Human
Legs count
very cold, short summer, almost no trees, lots of moss
days
Warm summer
How old you would be if you lived as {name}
summer from pleasant to very hot
Theoretical maximum lifespan estimated from the Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) mathematical model. This value reflects a biological potential derived from metabolic parameters, not from direct observation — real recorded lifespans are often significantly shorter.
adult carnivoran
Maturity
Nightstand
pack hunting
About health
milk
jaws
When your next birthday would fall if you lived as {name}
nest built on land near a river, lake, pond or swamp
carrion
Repro interval
results
land coast flooded by tides — salt marshes, littoral zone
Carrion
Eyes count
summer warm, winter not very cold
Southeast Asia and islands, always hot and humid
Colors
Cool summer
Sex
very hot and almost no rain
Upcoming jubilees
scavenging, eat already dead animals
Gremllins
mo
rains are very rare, almost a desert
Trophic type
Filters
dead mice, hares, deer
summer very hot, dry, lots of grass
Warm or hot summer
Tail count
Palearctic realm
in fresh water
den
Upcoming birthdays
protection
Winter with snow
eggs, roe or offspring develop in a nest built on the ground or close to it
Truly long lives: 40-100 years. Bowhead whales, albatrosses, giant tortoises recall their birthday at most once a year
Lifespan
in a burrow
Height
rains almost always, very humid
young are born live on land, not hatched from eggs or roe
Very hot and almost dry
Age (juvenile)
Age (from birth to death)
Age (embryo)
Domestic world
most of Europe and Asia, various forests, steppes and tundra
Wanderers
world of Australasia
Jubilee = every 10th birthday
dry, cold winter, lots of grass, few trees
More:
Tundra
Earliest developmental stage inside an egg or womb.
beasts
Business sausages
fruits
Lifespan average
in a terrestrial nest
adolescent
Juvenile stage following larval metamorphosis but not yet adult.
live birth
beasts
What do they look like?
Maturity
scavenging
emergence (insects)
end of lifespan
How do they live?
fertilization / egg laying
How do they behave?
birth / hatching
metamorphosis / end of larval stage
end of acceleration
Share
Find a pet...
Mature, fully developed individual capable of reproduction.
nest hidden in an underground burrow
very cold, lots of snow and ice
Actively hunting and capturing live prey.
Pets
Indomalayan realm
Nearctic realm
Indomalayan realm
terrestrial shrubland
Lots of rain and cool summer
Hot steppe
Legs size
{name} jubilee
live in homes and on farms
terrestrial shrub habitats — maquis, chaparral, bush
cm
boars
Old-timers
Find an animal or breed...
turns
islands and part of Australia, many unusual animals and plants
Rascals
terrestrial forest
terrestrial herbaceous
terrestrial intertidal
Tail color
Flooded grasslands
drink mother's milk in childhood
Teeth size
Litter size
Map data sources: Ecosystem classification — IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology (Keith et al., 2022), indicative distribution maps Keith et al. (2020), https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3546513; Large Marine Ecosystems — NOAA LME Program; Bathymetry — GEBCO Bathymetric Compilation Group (2026), GEBCO_2026 Grid, https://doi.org/10.5285/4f68d5c7-45eb-f999-e063-7086abc036fa; Climate data — Generated using Copernicus Climate Change Service information; Species occurrence data — GBIF.org, Derived dataset "all animals", https://zveriki.com/dataset/dataset.tsv; Terrestrial ecoregions — RESOLVE Ecoregions 2017 (Dinerstein et al., 2017), CC BY 4.0
temperate forest
How to care for them?
desert
Living from 25 to 40 years. Orangutans, bald eagles, African elephants celebrate their birthday twice a year
°C
Not specified
Share
Fur temp
Actively searching habitats to locate food items.
Where are they found?
hares and rabbits
nest hidden in an underground burrow, only the mother provides parental care for the offspring
steppe
lots of rain, cool summer, snow in winter
Legendary longevity: over 100 years. Galapagos tortoises, Greenland sharks, ocean quahogs celebrate with family once every 4 years
caring mother
Offspring
Elders
Bro
Very cold
normal sexual
Taxons
seeds, berries, fruits
carnivore
if born as {name}
cold, short summer, almost no trees
Actively chases and captures mobile prey in open space.
age
Predator remains still and concealed before launching a sudden attack.
birth date
Palearctic realm
rest
Fur color
Close
was
Career from 7 to 15 months. Dwarf hamsters, voles, field crickets celebrate their birthday twice a month
The basics
moose
My weight?
Non-stop carnival: they only live a few days. Mayflies, rotifers, midges celebrate their birthday more than twice a day
Insects
primary food sources
teeth
arid steppe
after transformation until death
Potential Habitat
lots of grass, few trees, rains are rare
Very hot summer
d
In husbandry
On the go from 1.3 to 3.5 years. Forest mice, anoles, rainbow fish party on their birthday once a month
lots of rain, summer not hot
Mass
live hares and rabbits
cold winter, lots of coniferous trees: spruce, pine
Mosquitoes, fruit flies, small crustaceans hustle for up to 7 months and throw a birthday party every week
Plants
Gestation
islands and part of Australia, many unusual animals and plants
land
summer very hot, above +25…+30 °C
{name} birthday
Nearctic realm
grass
Link copied
No results found
North America and Greenland, from tundra to forests
branches
Eyes color
On the map
lunge
Pleasant summer
all life stages
Female ♀
Cold and almost dry
Map data sources: Ecosystem classification — IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology (Keith et al., 2022), indicative distribution maps Keith et al. (2020), https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3546513; Large Marine Ecosystems — NOAA LME Program; Bathymetry — GEBCO Bathymetric Compilation Group (2026), GEBCO_2026 Grid, https://doi.org/10.5285/4f68d5c7-45eb-f999-e063-7086abc036fa; Climate data — Generated using Copernicus Climate Change Service information; Species occurrence data — GBIF.org, Derived dataset "all animals", https://zveriki.com/dataset/dataset.tsv; Terrestrial ecoregions — RESOLVE Ecoregions 2017 (Dinerstein et al., 2017), CC BY 4.0 Potential habitat modelled from GBIF occurrence data. Map © Zveriki.com, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
large mammals
birth year
lots of grass, few trees, rains occur
Shelter used specifically for reproduction or nesting.
Maturity
caring mother
terrestrial habitat, land surface outside water
sq mm
yr
comfortable summer, +20…+25 °C
How similar?
live in homes and on farms
Male ♂
until the celebration
puppy
Tundra
age as {name}
How do they breed?
On the go from 3.5 to 6 years. Hedgehogs, crows, lizards treat themselves to birthday snacks 6 times a year
What if eaten?
live mammals, mice, hares, deer and others
Very dry
Neither
from birth to adulthood
Young offspring still dependent on parental care.
What do they eat?
dry and cold almost all year round
Where do they live?
Immature individual that has not yet reached reproductive maturity.
Lots of rain and warm summer
much snow in winter, cold
Hard dental structures used to bite, tear, or scrape food.
forests on land — tropical, temperate, boreal
water often floods the land, lots of grass
boreal forest
Temperate mixed forest
6 to 47 kilograms, 0.9 – 2.5 meters
hares
Very hot and dry
group hunting
Duration
This is me
most of Europe and Asia, various forests, steppes and tundra
Steppe
Always very wet
Gamers
Teeth count
How are they built?
Cool summer and lots of rain
Temperate steppe
mm
Theoretical lifespan
arid
ml
Stars
Link copied
My age?
wk
My size?
very hot during the day, cold at night, almost no rain
terrestrial
Taiga
Asexual
nest near fresh water, only the mother shows parental care for the offspring
swap
deer
Southeast Asia and islands, always hot and humid
active predation
Who among us will transform as if by magic and become like {animal}?
Rabbits, falcons, red-eared turtles hang out for 6-9 years and party on their birthday four times a year
Where do they take shelter?
Denotes a grassland or steppe habitat preference.
Warm summer and lots of rain
inhabit and develop on land, outside water bodies
celebrated their {n} birthday
When you would have been born if you lived as {name}
Cold steppe
Daddies
Lifespan maximum
world of Australasia
very hot and almost no precipitation
Domestic world
foraging
Hermaphrodite ⚥
taiga
North America and Greenland, from tundra to forests
embryo
summer warm, many oaks, birches, maples
Length
kg
lots of rain, warm and pleasant summer
Rapid forward strike to seize prey.
Observations
◉{N} more on tap
puppy
pupa
imago
adolescent
timber-wolves
volk
adi-canavar
dhyb-rmady
vouk
gors-gayl
tairikuookami
mgeli
volk
hoesaegneugdae
karyshkyr
vuk
bure
bo-ri
lang
  • Female Arabian wolves (C.l. arabs) may weigh as little as 10 kg when mature. This makes this subspecies one of the smallest among wolves.
  • Instances of nearly human-like intelligence in wolves have also been observed, for example, when helicopter hunters drove them into a small grove.
  • Wolves are strong animals capable of tearing off poorly fastened bars, sheets of iron, and mesh.
  • Unlike many other predators, wolves often return to uneaten remains of their prey, especially during lean times of the year.
  • Wolves in cold climates are larger than those in warmer regions, according to Bergmann's rule. This is because larger bodies retain heat more effectively.
  • Female wolves have one estrus period per year, unlike domestic animals, which have two estrus periods per year. This timing ensures that wolf pups are born during the warm spring season.
  • In Siberia, individual wolves may weigh more than 92 kg, exceeding average values.
  • Wolves move by placing weight on their toes rather than the entire paw, making them "digitigrade" walkers.
  • The common wolf lives in steppes, semi-deserts, tundra, and forest-steppes, preferring open, lightly rugged areas rather than dense forests.
  • A wolf’s howl serves for long-distance communication.
  • Wolves are strong animals capable of tearing off poorly fastened bars, sheets of iron, and mesh.

Phenotype

  • Wolves move by placing weight on their toes rather than the entire paw, making them "digitigrade" walkers.

Size

  • Female Arabian wolves (C.l. arabs) may weigh as little as 10 kg when mature. This makes this subspecies one of the smallest among wolves.
  • In Siberia, individual wolves may weigh more than 92 kg, exceeding average values.

Habitat

  • The common wolf lives in steppes, semi-deserts, tundra, and forest-steppes, preferring open, lightly rugged areas rather than dense forests.

Geography

  • Wolves in cold climates are larger than those in warmer regions, according to Bergmann's rule. This is because larger bodies retain heat more effectively.
  • The common wolf lives in steppes, semi-deserts, tundra, and forest-steppes, preferring open, lightly rugged areas rather than dense forests.

Feeding

  • Unlike many other predators, wolves often return to uneaten remains of their prey, especially during lean times of the year.
  • Instances of nearly human-like intelligence in wolves have also been observed, for example, when helicopter hunters drove them into a small grove.
  • Female wolves have one estrus period per year, unlike domestic animals, which have two estrus periods per year. This timing ensures that wolf pups are born during the warm spring season.
  • A wolf’s howl serves for long-distance communication.