A wolf is any of the various wild canine carnivores (genus Canis), especially the gray wolf, widely distributed throughout the Northen Hemispher: domestic dogs are thoguht to be descended from wolves.
A wolf dog is a hybrid of a wolf and a dog.
The wolf's remarkable powers of endurance are legendary. Although it is not a fast runner, it can maintain a loping run for many miles, running throughout the night if necessary. The gray, timber, and red wolves resemble shephard dogs, though their heads and muzzles are broader and their tails shorter and bushier.
Attacks on humans are believed to occur only in isolated cases of famine or epidemic among the wolf population. Where domestica animals are available, wolves often prey on because of their vulnerability; it is this practice that has resultedin the wolf's persecution by posioning, trapping, and shooting.
In regions where typical prey is small, packs consist of seven or less. Where larger animals are prevalent, packs of up to 30 individuals may occur. In this case the members of the pack cooperate in a grueling contest of wits and endurance, maneuvering in an attempt to make the hunted animal expose its vulnerable flanks.
The nuclues of the wolf pack is the breeding pair, and it is believed that the wolves mate for life. Only one male and one female in each pack will mate each year.
For centuries the wolf has been depcited as a symbol of fighting prowess, courage, and endurance. Beowulf, the legendary Anglo-Saxon hero, named himself after the wolf, and North American Indians used the name for their most powerful warriors. There have been numerous stories of wolves that have raised human children from infancy, as in the famous story of Romulus and Remus.
