For those in North America, this species of wolf is the most commonly known. Obviously, the gray wolf is best remembered for its thick coat of bushy gray fur. All subspecies of gray wolves come in shades of gray--whether it's true grey, stark white, or midnight black!
Many gray wolf subspecies are endangered. Earlier records suggest that there were, at one time, over 2 million species of wolf on the planet. Now, there is a dwindling 200,000. Sadly, this means that wolves are in danger of becoming extinct. Parks in North America have begun important projects geared towards repopulating certain subspecies of gray wolves.
How can you help?
If you ever come across a wolf in the wild with your parents, never ever feed it! These animals, though they look like dogs, have not been domesticated. This basically means that they will not behave like your pet no matter how hard you try. Instead of trying to befriend a wolf, appear large, make lots of noise, and do your best to keep it away from your food and supplies.
Too often, increasing human contact and tourism results in these beautiful animals' curiousity in, aggression towards, and hunger for human food and activity.
