{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "gray-wolf",
  "name": "Gray Wolf",
  "scientificName": "Canis lupus",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "The gray wolf is the largest wild member of the dog family and the ancestor of the domestic dog. Wolves live and hunt in family groups called packs, communicate through howls, and range across forests, tundra, and mountains of the Northern Hemisphere. Wild wolves live around 6 to 8 years.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Carnivora",
    "family": "Canidae",
    "genus": "Canis"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 60,
    "lengthM": 1.6,
    "topSpeedKmh": 60,
    "lifespanYears": 13
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Canis lupus"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Forest, tundra, grassland, mountains"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "6–8 years in the wild"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "23–80 kg (50–175 lb)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 60 km/h (37 mph)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Forests, tundra, and mountains across the Northern Hemisphere.",
    "continents": [
      "North America",
      "Europe",
      "Asia"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "Boitani, L. et al. (2018). Canis lupus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/3746/163508960"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Mech, L. D. & Boitani, L. (eds.) (2003). Wolves: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation. University of Chicago Press.",
      "url": null
    },
    {
      "citation": "Mech, L. D. (1970). The Wolf: The Ecology and Behavior of an Endangered Species. Natural History Press.",
      "url": null
    },
    {
      "citation": "Harrington, F. H. & Mech, L. D. (1979). Wolf howling and its role in territory maintenance. Behaviour.",
      "url": null
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/gray-wolf/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/gray-wolf/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}