Wolf color ranges from white to shades of black, brown and gray. The coat is a thick layer of soft and fine fur topped by long hair that gives the coat its color. The hair can be as long as 6 to 7 inches in the mane. Wolves can raise and lower this hair and use it to communicate with other wolves. The hair on the mane and at the end of the tail is usually darker than the rest.
Wolves appear thinner in summer because their coat thins out.
Wolves have an average life span of six to eight years in the wild and can live for 16 years in captivity. Wolves travel long distances in the course of a day. It is not unusual for wolves to travel 20 miles in a 24-hour period. They cover the distance at a trot. If you are trying to track a wolf, the front paws are larger than the rear feet and the toes are spread out more.