History and Ecology

Wolves are native to Montana. Wolf packs occur primarily in western Montana, but wolves can be found anywhere in Montana. The wolf (Canis lupus) is the largest wild member of the dog family Canidae.

• Wolves are highly social animals that live in groups called packs. The average wolf pack in Montana has six to eight animals. Packs typically include a breeding pair, their offspring, and other non-breeding adults.
• Wolves are capable of breeding at 2 to 3 years of age. On average, four to five pups are born in early spring.
• Gray wolves are built for travel with narrow bodies, long legs, and large feet. Wolf packs live within territories, which they defend from other wolves. They can easily cover 10 to 20 miles in a day within their territory, which is approximately 150 square miles. In the Northern Rocky Mountains, lone dispersing wolves travel on average 60 to 70 miles but have traveled as far as 600 miles in search of a mate or territory.
• Wolves in Montana can be a light gray, dark gray, black, or even white as they approach old age. Full-grown wolves are about 2.5 feet tall and 6 feet long. An average male will weigh 80 to 110 pounds. Females are slightly smaller, usually 75 to 90 pounds.
• Wolves are carnivores at the top of the ecological pyramid. They seek large, vulnerable ungulates, such as deer, elk, and moose, as well as smaller mammals, such as beavers, rodents, and hares.