Wolves are pretty mysterious animals... here are some interesting and impressive facts about you might not have known.
*Weighing only 80-100 pounds, wolves have been known to join together and take down a bison or grizzly weighing around 1,500 pounds!
*The size of the pack (group of wolves that hunt together) is often proportionate to the size of the prey. One pack in Yellowstone has as many as 35 individuals.
*Wolves have scent glands between their toes and are often scratching at the ground to deposit the scent. This is used to mark territory and can last 2-3 weeks.
*Howling coincides with scent marking to show territory. When wolves howl, they are vocally letting other wolves know that they are occupying an area and are willing to defend it if necessary.
*Howling is also used when trying to find a lost member of the pack. Wolves from other packs rarely answer another tribe’s howl.
*Facial Expressions
Happy - head is up; ears are forward; eyes are open wide; lips are relaxed in a smile
Angry - head is down; ears are back; eyes are narrowed; lips pulled back to reveal teeth
*Wolves have tremendous jaw pressure and can exert as much as 1,500 pounds of pressure per square inch! That being said, it's no surprise they are able to bite clean through, say a deer, rib and grind it with in seconds.
*Wolves are able to smell their preys scent up to a mile away and can hear a pack mates howl up to 10 miles away in an open habitat.
*For a short distance, wolves are able to run up to 45 mph
