Wolf

The wolf (Canis lupus) often called gray wolf, is one of the many natural species of animals that have evolved on Planet Terra.

Taxonomy & Evolution[]

The wolf was genetically categorized in 1758 by a man named Carl Linneaus, having evolved from a population of Canis chihiliensis in September of 808,000 BCE. As of 2005, there are 35 known subspecies of wolf, which started to diverge in 698,000 BCE.

Subspecies[]

1. Tundra wolf (Canis lupus albus)
2. Arabian wolf (Canis lupus arabs)
3. Steppe wolf (Canis lupus campestris)
4. Mongolian wolf (Canis lupus chanco)
5. Dingo (Canis lupus dingo)
6. Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris)
7. Tibetan wolf (Canis lupus filchneri)
8. Eurasian wolf (Canis lupus lupus)
9. Indian wolf (Canis lupus pallipes)
10. Arctic wolf (Canis lupus arctos)
11. Mexican wolf (Canis lupus baileyi)
12. British Columbia wolf (Canis lupus columbianus)
13. Vancouver Island wolf (Canis lupus crassodon)
14. Hudson Bay wolf (Canis lupus hudsonicus)
15. Northern Rocky Mountain wolf (Canis lupus irremotus)
16. Labrador wolf (Canis lupus labradorius)
17. Alexander Archipelago wolf (Canis lupus ligoni)
18. Mackenzie River wolf (Canis lupus mackenzii)
19. Baffin Island wolf (Canis lupus manningi)
20. Northwestern wolf (Canis lupus occidentalis)
21. Greenland wolf (Canis lupus orion)
22. Yukon wolf (Canis lupus pambasileus)
23. Alaskan Tundra wolf (Canis lupus tundrarum)
24. Kenai peninsula wolf (Canis lupus alces)
25. Newfoundland wolf (Canis lupus beothucus)
26. Bernard's wolf (Canis lupus bernardi)
27. Florida black wolf (Canis lupus floridanus)
28. Cascade Mountains wolf (Canis lupus fuscus)
29. Mantiboa wolf (Canis lupus griseoalbus)
30. Hokkaidou wolf (Canis lupus hattai)
31. Japanese wolf (Canis lupus hodophilax)
32. Mogollon mountain wolf (Canis lupus mogollonensis)
33. Texas wolf (Canis lupus monstrabilis)
34. Great Plains wolf (Canis lupus nubilus)
35. Southern Rocky Mountains wolf (Canis lupus youngi)

Characteristics[]

Size[]

They have a average shoulder height ranging from 80 to 85cm and a body length of 105 to 160cm, with the tail being 29 to 50cm. The weight of a wolf ranges from 12 to 79kg, with averages depending on the gender. While the female has a average weight of 36 to 38.5kg, the male has a average weight of 43 to 45kg, with 0.93 to 1.07% of the body weight being their heart.

Physical Features[]

The wolf has a fur which has a color variation of white, brown, red, gray and black, with hair which ranges from 6 to 13cm, depending where on the body it grows. The skull of the wolf has a length of 23 to 28cm, and has a width of 13 to 15cm, equipped with 9 to 10cm long ears. The jaw of the wolf has 42 teeth and a bite strength of 1500 psi. The hindlegs of the wolf have a length of 22 to 25cm, with which they can jump 5m wide. The wolf has a walking speed of 8 to 9km/h, and a top speed of 50 to 70km/h, which they can reach for 20 minutes. They can howl loud enough that they can be heard in a 130 square kilometer diameter, which is mainly done as a gathering signal or a alert.

Distribution[]

Homeworld Distribution[]

Originally, wolves were native to canada and alaska, but have eventually spread over to eurasia, reaching europe in 398,000 BCE and spreading to many parts of the double-continent, living in every type of habitat, may it be plains, tundras, semi-deserts or forests up to 3000 above sea level. Around the 15th Century AD, the wolf started to decline all over Terra, being exterminated in most of europe, asia and north america, becoming extinct on the british isles, japan, mexico, norway and most of the United States of America. Eventually, the wolves in europe started to recover in the 1950s AD, becoming more prevelant in smaller numbers across the continent.

Interstellar Settlements[]

1. Planet Mars
2. Moon Erinome (25th Satellite of Jupiter)
3. Moon Isonoe (26th Satellite of Jupiter)
4. Planet Asgard

Behaivour[]

Wolves are known to be highly territorial pack-animals, their territories being larger then needed for survive, with members being a average number of 5 to 11, with a maximum of 42. The typical pack consists of one or two fully-adult wolves, the leading couple, 3 to 6 juveniles and 3 to 6 cubs. A wolf can be member of a pack for 10 to 54 months before leaving to find or form a new pack, but many wolves are known to become loners. Dispensed wolves travel great distances from their parental groups, with said distances ranging from 206 to 670km.

In the past, they had strong relations to the first humans of their home range, with those who follow the humans become the domestic dogs. Even in modern times, some wolves are used as hunting assistants or shepherds. Despite this relation, they are seen as one of the two main rivals of the wolf, the other one being the tiger.

Diet[]

Wolves are known to be carnivorous in diet, often known as the most efficient pack hunters among mammals. The diet consists of ungulates, large birds, their eggs, rodents, martens, insectivores, lizards, snakes, frogs, monkeys, seals, and in rare occasions toads, large insects and humans. In contrast, they are known to use berries, nightshade, apples, pears and melons as supplements to their food.

Reproduction & Life Cycle[]

They reach sexual maturity at the age of 9 to 10 months, with mating season normally ranging from april to june. After a gestation period of 62 to 75 days, mostly during summer, the mother gives birth to a litter of 5 to 6 cubs, with rare occasions ranging from 14 to 17 cubs, which weigh 300 to 500g at birth. At the age of 9 to 12 days, they start seeing, and start eating solid food at the age of 3 to 4 weeks. Wolves have a average lifespan of 6 to 8 years, but can reach a maximum of 16 years.

Conservation Status[]

As of 2012 AD, the status of the wolf has been classified as Least Concern, with a homeworld-population of 300,000.