4 Gray Wolf Facts For Kids
The gray wolf is a type of wolf that is found mostly in North America and also parts of Europe, and it’s one of the wolves that looks most like a dog. It has a thick fur coat that keeps it warm in the wintertime, is known for being more friendly than other wolves. It is also very expressive in how it communicates with other wolves and even people.
If you’ve ever seen a movie about wolves and thought you should be frightened, check out some fun facts about why these animals aren’t as dangerous as you might think.
What They Look Like
1. There are actually many different types of wolves, and the gray wolf is known for having shorter and thicker legs than other wolves, along with a longer snout. If you didn’t know better when looking at a gray wolf, you may assume you’re looking at a dog! Some gray wolves even mate with dogs and their puppies will usually have the short, strong legs of the wolf and its thick fur, but its face may more resemble that of a dog.
2. While the animal is called a gray wolf, it’s fur can be pure white or jet black and just about any shade in between. It can even be blonde or cream colored and a mixture of other colors. Typically the females will have fur that is slightly more red, but this isn’t always the rule. In North America, the gray wolf typically has more black fur than any other color.
How They Behave
4. Most gray wolves are very social animals, meaning that they like to be around other animals. They travel in groups that are called packs, and usually this group or pack is a pair who have puppies together, along with those puppies when they become adults. Some adult puppies go off on their own when there is not enough food in one area for all the wolves in a pack, but sometimes more than one pack will join up so they can all search for food together.
5. The gray wolf likes to find its own territory and will fight to keep it, which is usually the only time it’s dangerous to other animals or humans, unless it’s hunting for food. They are usually harmless unless someone or something threatens to take away its territory, which is when they’ll fight to protect it.
