The tail varies from 30 cm to as long as 50 cm. Small wolves stand about 65 cm at the shoulder, while the largest reach 95 cm. Small females weigh 27 kg or less, while a large male can reach a weight of 45 to 80 kg. The known record weight for a wolf is 89.5 kilograms. This record was set by a huge male killed in Alaska.
Wolves vary greatly in colour.
The basic types are black, grey, and white. Arctic wolves are often white or whitish, but all shades of grey, buff or even black are found among them. Wolves are rarely a solid colour. Grey wolves are grey because of the mixture of tones in each individual hair. The hair is usually dark near the roots, light in the center, and often black-tipped.