Gray wolf with begging pup, Montana

© Tim Fitzharris/Minden Picture

Welcome to the pack

This fuzzy pup is a young grey wolf, the largest member of the dog family (Canidae). Grey wolf pups are born between March and May, blind and deaf, but after about three weeks they're ready to leave the den and begin exploring their surroundings for the first time. They grow rapidly during their early weeks, gaining weight as the father hunts and provides food for the pups, which average in number around four to six. By six months they're almost the size of an adult if the food has been steady. Ideally, an adult wolf needs five to seven pounds of food a day but can survive on half that amount when food is scarce.