How big is a wolf? That’s a tricky question to answer because they vary in size by species and by location. But, while looking for an average measurement, it became clear that there are some real monsters in Canada.
Wolves in colder, more northerly spots can be 3–6 times bigger than their cousins in the Middle East and South Asia. This follows Bergmann’s Rule, which states that the closer to the poles you get, the bigger an individual in a species will be.
In general, a male gray wolf (the largest of the wolf species) averages at 43–45 kg (95–99 lb) and can hit 50–60 km/h on a clear run.
The heaviest wolf ever killed was in the Ukraine shortly after World War II. He tipped the scales at an impressive 86 kg (190 lb).
Unlike hunting dogs, a wolf’s sense of smell is pretty poor, so it’s not hugely important when they hunt. To make up for this, they have enhanced hearing compared with most dogs.
There’s an urban myth that wolves are scared of the sound of stringed instruments, and this might have some basis in truth.
Apparently, captive wolves show signs of fear when listening to low minor cords.
Although they haven’t been formally tested for IQ, wolves are generally considered smart. For instance, there’s good evidence that they can tell the difference between an armed and an unarmed man.
In areas where wolves have been hunted by gunmen mounted in aircraft, they learn to avoid open spaces when they hear aircraft.
On the other side of the coin, during the great slaughtering of bison, the wolves of the great planes learned to seek out the sounds of gunshot. They would watch patiently as the humans skinned the bison, wait for them to leave, then tuck in.
Here are the biggest wolves I could find on the internet. Unfortunately, they’re all dead. I’m certainly not a fan of hunting as a sport, it’s a pointless loss of life.
However, some of these may have been shot for the good of local residents; at least I hope that might be the case… although these guys look like trophy hunters to me.
It’s incredible to think that this beast was wandering around in Yakutia 40,000 years ago. The head measures 40 centimetres in length, which is around half the entire length of most modern wolves.
