FEATURES
stature
In size and shape, it resembles a sled dog. The European wolf is usually grey-brown with a light saddle patch on the shoulder, which is bordered by a darker area below.
body length
100-150 cm
tail length
30-50 cm
shoulder height
60-80 cm
Weight
30–50 kg
life expectancy
On average 5-7 years, maximum 10-13 years
number of young
Usually 3-6
mating season
January - March
Sexual maturity / Gestation period / Rearing
Sexual maturity at 2 years. Gestation period approximately 63 days. Puppies are raised in a pack for about 1 year.
Characteristic features
Highly mobile species: dispersal distance more than 1,500 km, daily migration up to 100 km/day
habitat
Habitat generalist; only undisturbed retreat areas are important (during the day and for raising young).
Nutrition
Opportunistic feeders, primarily meat and carrion
Hunting behavior
Pursuit predators kill the slowest animals. They kill multiple animals at once when prey cannot flee (snow, herd instinct).
Territoriality
Territorial family groups, territory sizes in Central Europe between 100 and 350 km²
History of the wolf in Austria
The last Austrian wolf was killed in the Wechsel region in 1882. The first genetic evidence of a newly immigrated wolf in Austria was obtained in 2009.
The first wolf pack in Austria was confirmed in 2016 at the Allentsteig military training area (Lower Austria). Since then, there has been a continuous succession of wolf pups in Austria. See link regarding wolf distribution.
