The wolf's adaptability allows it to wander among different terrains and climates. Wolves can tolerate an extreme range of temperatures, from -70° Fahrenheit to +120° Fahrenheit. They are also able to lope, climb and swim when necessary. While looking for food, wolves can traverse a distance of up to 43 miles a day. They have also been recorded to swim up to 8 miles a day, aided by the webs between their toes.
The widely distributed wolf can vary a great deal physically. Environmental factors, including climate conditions and availability of food, have large impacts on the body types of regional species. Tundra-dwelling wolves can weigh up to 175 pounds. On the other end of the spectrum, the desert-inhabiting wolf of Israel can weigh as little as 29 pounds.
Wolves prefer to hunt large prey such as elk, deer and moose. When a kill has been made, wolves do not hold back. They can gorge on as much as 22 pounds of meat in one feeding session. Due to the large geographical range of the wolf, it cannot solely rely on an elk, deer and moose diet. It also eats smaller animals, including birds, fish, snakes and lizards. In some environments, wolves also eat fruits and berries.
Wolf environments have been dramatically impacted by human encroachment. At one time, the wolf was abundant throughout much of Eurasia, North Africa and North America. Today, due to widespread destruction of habitat, the wolf frequents only a reduced portion of its former range. In some regions of the world, the wolf is even hunted for sport. Although far from being extinct, the wolf does face serious environmental threats at the hands of humans.
