The English 'wolf' stems from the Old English wulf, which is itself thought to be derived from the Proto-Germanic * wulfaz. Wolf attacks on humans are rare because wolves are relatively few, live away from people, and have developed a fear of humans because of their experiences with hunters, ranchers, and shepherds. Although the fear of wolves exists in many human societies, the majority of recorded attacks on people have been attributed to animals suffering from rabies. The wolf is also considered the ancestor of the domestic dog. Wolves have a long history of interactions with humans, having been despised and hunted in most pastoral communities because of their attacks on livestock, while conversely being respected in some agrarian and hunter-gatherer societies. The global wild wolf population was estimated to be 300,000 in 2003 and is considered to be of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Pathogens and parasites, notably rabies virus, may infect wolves. Single wolves or mated pairs typically have higher success rates in hunting than do large packs.

The wolf is mainly a carnivore and feeds on large wild hooved mammals as well as smaller animals, livestock, carrion, and garbage. Wolves are also territorial and fights over territory are among the principal causes of wolf mortality. Offspring may leave to form their own packs on the onset of sexual maturity and in response to competition for food within the pack. It travels in nuclear families consisting of a mated pair accompanied by their offspring. Of all members of the genus Canis, the wolf is most specialized for cooperative game hunting as demonstrated by its physical adaptations to tackling large prey, its more social nature, and its highly advanced expressive behaviour. The banded fur of a wolf is usually mottled white, brown, gray, and black, although subspecies in the arctic region may be nearly all white. The wolf is nonetheless related closely enough to smaller Canis species, such as the coyote and the golden jackal, to produce fertile hybrids with them. It is also distinguished from other Canis species by its less pointed ears and muzzle, as well as a shorter torso and a longer tail. The wolf is the largest extant member of the family Canidae.

More than thirty subspecies of Canis lupus have been recognized, and gray wolves, as colloquially understood, comprise non-domestic/feral subspecies. The wolf ( Canis lupus ), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America.

Global wolf range based on IUCN's 2018 assessment.

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