Wolves Canis lupis

Nearly all caribou herds are accompanied by their main predator, the wolf.

Caribou can usually out-run a wolf but the sick, old or very young are fairly easy prey for the hunting wolf. Even a strong healthy caribou which stumbles or hesitates can be caught by a hunting wolf pack. Wolves are very intelligent and hunt in groups and often use ambush tactics with great success.

The caribou calves are born on the wide open tundra which isn't a suitable place for wolves to den and have their own young. Therefore most of the wolves which follow the migrating herd stop in the hills south of the caribou calving grounds which are far more suitable for wolves to den and raise their own young. However, there are always some wolves that follow the herd all the way to the calving grounds and prey on the newly born calves. Fortunately the calves mature very quickly and can soon out-run a wolf. Some calves are always lost to wolves but the vast numbers of calves born each year ensure the continuing health of the herd

Wolves are members of the Canidae family, or dog family, and resemble a large dog. They have very long legs, long bushy tails and long pointed noses. They have enormous crushing power in their jaws and are very intelligent and efficient hunters. Wolves are not normally wasteful animals. They usually hunt for food for themselves and their young and rarely for the sport of a hunt. The largest, healthiest animals are usually safe from a hunting wolf. It is the weak and old which are the most vulnerable.

Wolf color varies from white to black with the in-between colors of gray and blond being very common. White is the color of the Arctic wolves. Wolf coats are thick with long, course, guard hairs, especially along the back.

Wolves communicate in several ways, one of which is howling. They howl in unison to summon other pack members or pups that have gone astray.

Wolves are members of close knit families with each member holding a certain rank within the family. Families can be quite large, but 4 to 8 seems to be a common range. A wolf family hunts, travels and eats together and raises the pups together. Normally only one male and one female will have pups each year.

They are territorial animals, marking scent posts such as rocks and trees with urine to mark the boundaries of their territory.

After a gestation period of 60 to 65 days the pups are born in litters of 2 to 8 pups in late May or early June. Sometimes wolf families will use new dens but very often an undisturbed family with a den in a perfect location will use the den for many generations, but if they are disturbed they will quickly move the pups to a new location they consider to be safer.