In fairytales, one of the most prominent villains is the Big Bad Wolf.
Even outside fantasy, many cultures associate wolves with negative themes.
Known for their aloofness and killer instincts, wolves have a reputation as
excellent hunters with huge appetites. You might think that you know them,
but there are many misconceptions about the true nature of wolves.
Here are 30 Wolf Facts that’ll prove how they’re not as big nor as bad as you think they are.
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1. Wolves use facial expressions to communicate.
You may think of them as cold and aloof, but wolves can actually be expressive. In 2018,
experts found that wolves can display 9 different emotions through
distinct cues from their features.
2. A wolf’s howl can travel for over 15km.
One of the first things you’d associate with wolves is their trademark howl.
Depending on the area, you can hear a wolf’s howl from 10 to 16 kilometers away.
3. The wolf is the largest living member of the dog family.
At most, wolves can grow up to 6½ feet long, standing 3 feet high,
making them the largest living canine. During the Pleistocene period, canines such as grey wolves,
coyotes, and dire wolves all lived together. However, only grey wolves and coyotes survived
up until the modern day.
4. The alpha wolf is a myth.
Though most people believe that wolf packs live under a certain hierarchy,
it’s actually not the case. In 1947, biologist Rudolph Schenkel coined the term “alpha wolf”
from observing wolves at a German zoo. In his study, Shenkel claimed that wolf packs
are led by a dominant male and female. However, this behavior does not apply to wolves
in the wild. Instead, wolves naturally behave like families, with parent wolves
asserting dominance on their cubs.
5. Humans have better eyesight than wolves.
In terms of color and range, the human eye outshines a wolf’s vision.
However, the wolf’s eyes are more sensitive when it comes to tracking movement,
which makes it a very effective hunter.
6. Ireland used to be called “Wolf-land.”
During the 1600s, Ireland had a thriving population of wolves.
Because of this, nobles would even hunt wolves for sport using the Irish wolfhound.
7. Adult wolves feed wolf pups with regurgitated meat.
It may not sound like the most appetizing meal, but wolf pups mostly rely on puked up
meat for sustenance in their early days. Since they’re born blind and helpless,
wolf pups can only wait in their dens while their parents hunt for meat.
8. Wolves can eat over 20 pounds of meat in one sitting.
In the wild, wolves don’t have a steady supply of food.
While they can survive on as little as 2 pounds of meat a day, they can go on an all-out binge if
they encounter prey that’s large enough.
9. Only 2 kinds of wolves remain in the wild.
Throughout history, around 24 species of wolves have gone extinct. Currently,
scientists classify the remaining wolf species between the red wolf and grey wolf varieties.
However, the classification of wolves is still heavily debated. Some scientists would
claim there are actually 4 species, while some would argue that even more or less exist.
10. Packs can have 3 to 20 wolves per group.
You may describe a solitary person as a lone wolf,
but wolves actually value their social life. In some cases, wolf packs can even collaborate
to hunt for prey more efficiently.
11. Wolf mates usually stay together for life.
Throughout their lifetime, wolves maintain strong family ties.
Unlike other animals, wolves tend to be monogamous when it comes to their mates.
12. Wolves are a specialist species.
A specialist species can only thrive
under very specific conditions. Since wolves are specialized for coordinated hunting,
their dwindling numbers greatly affect their likelihood of survival in the wild.
13. The ancient Romans used to believe that wolves had medical purposes.
The first-century Roman scholar Pliny the elder claimed that wolf
dung could be used for treating colic and cataracts. Similarly,
he also stated that wolf teeth could be rubbed on a baby’s gums to ease the pain of teething.
14. Gray wolves don’t attack prey that stands still.
Instead, these wolves would wait for the prey to run before they engage it.
15. Saliva from a common wolf can heal wounds.
Grey wolf saliva has certain antibacterial
compounds that stimulate tissue growth and combat infection.
16. The Japanese word for wolf means “great god.”
The Japanese use the term Ookami for wolf.
This also translates to “great god” in the same language.
17. Indian wolves are the smallest wolf subspecies.
Only growing up to 3 feet long, these smaller wolves typically have a shorter coat.
These wolves also rarely howl compared to other wolves.
18. Himalayan wolves are a critically endangered wolf species.
Found in China, India, and Nepal, Himalayan wolves are known to coexist with Indian wolves.
Both wolf subspecies thrive on small to medium prey.
19. Wolves respond to humans imitating their howls.
The next time you try to imitate a wolf howl, you better be careful about who might hear
you. In fact, The International Wolf Center in Minnesota sponsors “howl nights” where people
could participate and hope for a response.
20. Wolves have small webs between their toes.
These webs allow wolves to swim distances of up to 8 miles or 13 kilometers.
21. The Bible referenced wolves 13 times.
Throughout the Scriptures, the Bible used wolves to symbolize greed and destructiveness.
22. The aboriginal Canadians had split beliefs on wolves.
For hunter groups, they saw wolves as sacred or revered creatures.
However, groups who relied on agriculture typically shunned wolves.
23. Adolf Hitler was fascinated by wolves.
The dictator often used wolf-themed aliases
and code-names such as “Herr Wolf” or “Conductor Wolf.” Similarly, he used the
codenames “Wolf’s Gulch” (Wolfsschlucht), “Wolf’s Lair” (Wolfschanze), and “Werewolf” (Wehrwolf) for
his military headquarters.
24. Cherokee Indians did not hunt wolves.
The Cherokee Indians believed that once you kill a wolf, its brothers might take revenge.
Following this belief, they would discard weapons that have been used to kill wolves.
25. The wolf is a common image in Roman mythology.
Romans mainly associate wolves to the god of war and agriculture, Mars. The Capitoline Wolf
also nursed Romulus and Remus, the sons of Mars and eventual founders of Rome.
26. Werewolf trials led to hundreds of executions in Europe.
In the 1600s, the people of Europe would accuse people with disabilities of alleged lycanthropy.
Much like the Salem witch trials, this period also claimed many innocent lives.
27. The Ancient Greeks once believed that eating wolf-killed meat could result in vampirism.
According to a Greek superstition,
consuming meat from a lamb killed by a wolf could turn you into a vampire.
28. Wolves may be the most widely-hunted animal in American history.
In the early 20th century, the U.S. Federal Government passed a wolf eradication program
in 1915. With the arrival of the Europeans, this law drove wolves into near-extinction.
29. Certain dog breeds can produce wolfdog hybrids.
Of all dog breeds, people prefer German Shepherds,
Siberian Huskies, and Alaskan Malamutes to create wolfdog hybrids.
Their similar genetic features also make people favor them over other breeds.
30. In 1926, the last wolf was killed in Yellowstone Park.
Wildlife conservation groups only reintroduced wolves into the park in 1995. Currently, around
136 wolves roam the said park.
With their speed, strength, and powerful jaws, it’s easy to see wolves as something to fear.
But historically speaking, it should be the other way around.
These animals prove that under certain conditions, the hunter can easily become the hunted.
As keystone species, these animals play an important role in maintaining the balance
of our ecosystems. This makes it all the more important to try and protect their numbers.
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