The largest member of the wolf family is the gray (or grey) wolf (Canis Lupus), also known as the Timber Wolf. It originated in Asia, later to Europe and North America, and probably shared a common ancestor with the domestic dog.

The grey wolf now inhabits only a small portion of its former range across Europe, Asia and North America, because so much of its habitat has been destroyed and because it has been specifically exterminated by humans. Wolves have begun to be re-introduced back into some of their former habitats, and the gray wolf is not considered close to extinction.

Gray wolves vary in size, and tend to be larger the further north they live… the largest wolf ever recorded was 189 lb from the former USSR. They hunt by tiring the prey rather than killing it quickly by speed, and their paws enable them to cope with a variety of surfaces (such as snow) better than most of their prey animals. Wolves typically live and hunt in packs, although single animals sometimes survive.

Other wolf species (or possibly sub-species of the gray wolf) include the red Wolf, Indian Wolf, Himalayan Wolf, Eastern Wolf and Ethiopian Wolf.

The Red Wolf, which is now highly endangered, used to range across the southern United States, from New York to Florida to Texas, and is currently being re-introduced into North Carolina. It shared a common ancestor with the coyote as well as gray and eastern wolves.

The Eastern wolf is related to the Red Wolf, and used to live across much of Canada. It is now concentrated in the Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, as well as parts of Quebec.

The Indian wolf is a small species adapted to semi-desert areas, and is a protected animal.

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