Wolves are large canids (family Canidae) best known for their wide-ranging, highly social hunting and territorial behavior. “Wolf” commonly refers to three living species: the gray wolf (Canis lupus), red wolf (Canis rufus), and Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis). Wolves often live in family-based packs that defend territories that can range broadly. They communicate with vocalizations (including howls), body postures, and scent marking; they may hunt small prey alone but can cooperate to take larger ungulates in some regions.
