lup3 (Medium)Wolf (Canis lupus) belong to the family Canidae in the order Carnivora.

In Europe, wolves are distributed across ten populations ranging in size from a few individuals, as in the Sierra Morenna population in Spain to approximately 3,000 individuals in the Carpathian population. A key conservation issue for wolves is that some populations are isolated and at risk from local extinction.
Wolves are considered to be a keystone species, and play a critical role in maintaining the structure of ecological communities by influencing the behaviour, distribution and numbers of other species in the community.

Wolf facts

Weight Males 20 – 60 kg / Females 15 – 55 kg

Diet Mainly carnivorous: deer species and wild boar are the main prey items, but will also feed on small and medium sized vertebrates, invertebrates, carrion, as well as livestock.

Social organisation Wolves are territorial animals who form packs and normally with only one reproductive pair.

Home ranges 100 to 1000 km2

Wolves in Romania Within Romania, wolves can be found in hilly and mountainous areas across the Carpathian arc and there are estimated to be between 2,000 to 2,700 individuals. Despite Romania’s relatively large population, wolves are under threat from such issues as habitat fragmentation, poaching, inadequate implementation of management plans, and conflict with people’s negative perceptions towards bears.

More information on the biology, ecology and status of and threats to the wolves can be found at the following links:

http://www.lcie.org/

http://www.carnivoremari.ro/wolf.php