Medium-sized mammals, such as beaver and snowshoe hares, can be an important secondary food source. Gray wolves prey primarily on ungulates – large, hoofed mammals such as white-tailed deer, mule deer, moose, elk, caribou, bison, Dall sheep, musk oxen, and mountain goats. Most wolves hold territories, and all communicate through body language, vocalization and scent marking. All species and subspecies of wolves are social animals that live and hunt in families called packs, although adult wolves can and do survive alone. There are far more commonalities among wolves than differences. But one wolf is, in reality, like any other wolf in terms of natural history and behavior. The different traits we see in subspecies are likely the result of geographic range, available habitat, and prey base. They interbreed where their ranges overlap so that their populations tend to blend together rather than form distinctive boundaries. This is because wolves are so mobile and travel such great distances. Subspecies are often difficult to distinguish from one another. Some scientists maintain this wolf is a separate species, Canis lycaon. Canis lupus lycaon – the eastern timber wolf.Canis lupus occidentalis – the, Rocky Mountain or MacKenzie Valley wolf.Canis lupus nubilus – the Great Plains or buffalo wolf.Canis lupus baileyi – the Mexican wolf or lobo.The currently recognized subspecies in North America are: There are five subspecies, or races, of the gray wolf in North America and seven to 12 in Eurasia. The gray wolf, Canis lupus, lives in the northern latitudes around the world. WolfLink Virtual Learning for adults & groups.
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