Range & Territory

Wolves once roamed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, occupying nearly every habitat with the exception of tropical rainforest and arid desert.

Wolves occupy territories and will defend their territory against other trespassing wolves or other canids. Usually, defense requires no more than intimidating an outsider with growling and baring of teeth. At times, a chase will ensue and in an extreme situation the chase may result in a physical confrontation. Boundaries of territories may overlap, yet separate packs will usually avoid one another at most costs.

Under most normal circumstances, the territory belonging to a certain pack of wolves will remain so for many generations. Younger wolves will often ‘inherit’ the territories belonging to their elders.

Expansion of territories depends upon land and the availability of prey. One wolf per every 10 square miles (ex: five wolves to fifty square miles) is thought of as a ‘comfortable’ amount of space. Some species of wolves will migrate in order to follow prey and when a pack increases in size it may split or some members might disperse in order to form their own packs.