Wolves tend to be loyal, respectful, and affectionate to their family members. Wolves learn, communicate, and amuse themselves in ways that mimic the tendencies of humans. Wolf packs are usually composed of an alpha male and an alpha female, their offspring, and sometimes a group of non-breeding adults. Some packs are composed of as many as 36 members. Wolves begin mating when they are roughly 2-3 years old and their young, usually an average of five pups, are born around April.
Pups remain in the den for about six weeks, and are cared for by the entire pack.
Wolf packs usually live in very large territories. In Minnesota, most packs reside in territories that range form 50 to 125 square miles, and the territories in Alaska are much larger. The gray wolf is second only to humans with regard to its adaptation to climate extremes, and the habitats that gray wolves are capable of handling range from deserts to temperate zones to the artic. In the continental United States, the wolf once ranged from the east coast to the west coast and from Mexico to Canada. The gray wolf s main prey species are deer, elk, and moose - hoofed mammals otherwise known as Ungulates.