How Gray Wolves Hunt
           


-Wolves usually hunt in packs.  Each pack has its own territory in which it hunts and lives.  The pack defends and guards this territory from other intruding wolves.  The territory size depends on the availability of prey.  If prey is scarce, the territory may cover as much as 800 square miles (2,100 square kilometers).  If prey is plentiful, the area may be as small as 30 square miles (77 kilometers).

-Some wolves are not in packs, these wolves are called lone wolves.  They hunt by themselves while wandering around.  They usually target smaller, weaker creatures to hunt.  At some point the lone wolf might join another lone wolf and form its own pack to hunt with.

-At the beginning of the hunt the members of the pack gather together greeting each other with howls.  These howls will warn off other wolves in the area to stay out of the packs territory.  The pack will then roam through their territory until they find prey.  After finding and choosing a particular animal, they move in on it from the opposite direction the wind is blowing.  This prevents the prey from smelling the wolves coming, becoming alert, then running away.  The wolves will quietly close in on the prey, sometimes in single file.  Soon they will break into a run and the chase begins.

-If the wolves are able to catch their prey, they attack the rump or sides of the animal.  Nipping and biting they try to wound and weaken the animal.  Most of the bigger animals wolves hunt have horns on their heads.  These horns are used for defense against such animals as wolves.  When attacking the wolves will bite at areas away from the head of the prey avoiding the sharp horns.  After the animal has been weakened the wolves will take the animal down by grabbing it by the throat or snout.  Wolf hunts can last only a few minutes or as long *Has a few hours or more.

-After the hunt, the wolves will gorge on the kill if it was successful.  They have large stomachs, enabling them to eat 20 pounds (9 kilograms) of meat or more.  If the hunt is not successful the wolves will continue on searching for new prey, maybe one that is weaker, providing an easier kill.  Wolves can go without food for weeks at a time.