File:Common wolf walking in grass - DPLA - 87d2db6ab96e5bfd81d4d1523a754c5a.jpg

35 mm slide; color. Scientific Classification: Kingdom: Animalia; Phylum: Chordata; Class: Mammalia; Order: Carnivora; Family: Canidae; Genus: Canis; Genus species: Canis lupus. Animal characteristics: Head-Body Length: 1-1.4 m; Height: 66-81 cm; Weight: 12-80 kg; Identification: The common wolf has short dark fur; Habitat: Forests; Diet: Carnivore: deer, caribou, horses, mice, fish, crabs; Reproduction: Only the dominant pair of the pack is allowed to breed. They form a lifelong pair bond. Mating takes place in late winter. After a gestation period of 63 days, the whole pack will help care for the 3-8 pups from birth; Social Structure: Wolves are very sociable, forming packs with a strict hierarchy. The size of the pack depends on the availability of food; Behavior: Wolves move extensively and usually do so at night; diurnal activity may increase in colder weather; Status: Vulnerable: human hunting, habitat destruction; Interesting Facts: As a subspecies of the gray wolf, the common wolf is an ancestor of domestic dogs. By living in packs, wolves are able to hunt larger animals.