Known as the world’s largest wild canid, the grey wolf (Canis lupus) has been a source of both fear and respect, inspiring a rich cultural history. In general appearance, this species resembles a large domestic dog, but has longer legs, larger feet, a narrower chest and a straight tail. The fur is thick, with an outer layer composed of coarse guard hairs, below which a soft undercoat is present. The coat undergoes an annual molt in late spring, with a short summer coat growing simultaneously, which continues to develop into a winter coat in the autumn and winter. The most common coat colour is gray flecked with black, with lighter underparts, but individuals and populations also occur that are red, brown, black or almost pure white. The gray wolf’s sensitive ears and nose help it to track down prey, while the long legs enable it to make high-speed, lengthy pursuits. A very intelligent predator, the gray wolf can work in a group to bring down large prey up to ten times its size. Gray wolves usually live in packs, with a dominant breeding pair.
