Gray Wolf

## Locations

Yukon Valley Nature Reserve
Medved-Taiga National Park

"*One of the most widely researched species in the world, and simultaneously one of the most popular motifs in folklore and culture, the gray wolf is a staple of humanity's interactions with nature. The largest specimen of all wild canids, the Alaskan gray wolf can grow to 75.00 kg, but specimens this large are rare. Male gray wolves stand at nearly 1.00 m in height and over 1.50 im in length. Their social capabilities make them vicious and effective hunters, especially in larger packs and when led by an effective alpha pair, who eat first, lead the pack when traveling, and initiate the pack howl, known as a rally. In the event of a confrontation walk backwards and avoid making yourself look, small.*"
― In-Game Description

The **Gray Wolf** is a class 5 predator. It can be hunted in Yukon Valley, also it was backfilled to Medved Taiga with the Granite Update in December 2022. It was the first wolf species to be featured in the game. The second is the Iberian Wolf.

## Need Zone Times

 03:00 - 07:30
 06:00 - 10:00
 07:00 - 11:30
 11:00 - 15:30
 15:00 - 19:30
 17:00 - 20:00
 19:00 - 23:30
 23:00 - 00:30

## Fur variants

AlbinoDark GreyGreyEgg WhiteMelanisticRed Brown
## Tips

The **Gray Wolf** is one of a handful of species in game that can go aggressive. But unlike the Bison, hunting aggressive wolfs is logistically more challenging. You can prepare for an attack if you hear a un-trackable persistent growling. Once aggressive the **Gray Wolf** pack will try and surround you, sometimes even running in circles around you. Players have found that by killing the "Alfa" (*highest level wolf*) it seems the rest of the pack will run away. However, this is unconfirmed by the devs, and could just be a coincidence. Make sure to bring a powerful sidearm and some First Aid Kits. I recommend using the Rhino 454.

## Trivia

* The French name of this canid is "Loup Gris"
* The **Gray Wolf's** scientific name (*Canis Lupus*) literally means "Dog Wolf"
* It is one of TWO animals in game that use the American spelling of "Gray" rather than the English "Grey". The other is the Gray Fox.
* Wolf howls can be heard up to 6 miles (Nearly 10 km) in forests and 10 miles in a open habitat (plains, tundra, etc)
* Despite its prominence and significance in Native American culture, and American Culture more broadly, the **Gray Wolf** evolved in Eurasia before migrating over to North America. In fact, the only "Native Wolf" species to North America is the now extinct Dire Wolf (*Aenocyon dirus*) who, based off recent findings, isn't actually a wolf.
* Melanistic wolves are significantly more common in North American than in Europe. This is because of interbreeding that happened thousands of years ago between wild wolves and domesticated dogs.
* The **Gray Wolf** is one of 7 species of Canids in game. The others include the Red Fox, the Coyote, the Side-Striped Jackal, the Iberian Wolf, the Gray Fox, and the Raccoon Dog.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/dire-wolves-were-not-really-wolves-new-genetic-clues-reveal/
2. ↑ https://www.thoughtco.com/mystery-of-north-americas-black-wolves-129716