What Are Wolves' Diets?

Milk

• Like all mammals, the first food of wolf pups is milk from their mothers. Wolf pups are born weighing about 1 lbs. The pups will nurse in three- to five-minute sessions four or five times per day and will gain weight rapidly; during the first 14 weeks of life, female pups gain an average of 2 1/2 lbs. every week, and males gain 3 1/3 lbs. per week. At about 2 weeks of age, the pup can begin eating small pieces of meat that have been regurgitated by an adult. At 5 weeks of age, the process of weaning from their mother begins and by 8 to 10 weeks of age, the pups are feeding solely on meat provided by adult wolves. At 6 months of age, they begin to learn to hunt. By 7 or 8 months of age, they begin actively hunting for food and are nearly indistinguishable from adults in appearance.

Large animals

• An average adult male wolf stands about 3 feet high at the shoulder and weighs a 100 lbs. Adult wolves consume an average of 3 to 10 lbs. of meat each day. Living in packs of five individuals, or as many as 30 individuals during winter or times of stress, wolves usually hunt for large animals to fulfill their dietary requirements. They prey predominately on hoofed animals such as deer, moose, bison, elk and caribou. Wolves will eat large animal carrion and also prey on old and weak animals, which are easier prey for the wolves. Wolves typically eat as much as 95 percent of the meat on their prey, with the first choice of meat going to the alpha male. When wild prey is unavailable, wolves will occasionally take livestock, for which they have been hunted ruthlessly in the past.

Small animals

• Wolves are opportunistic and will hunt small prey, such as birds and small mammals, when the opportunity arises. Small animals such as mice, rabbits and squirrels make up a larger part of the diet of wolves during seasons when large prey is unavailable. Small mammals are also a common first animal for pups to hunt on their own. In some areas, beavers make up as much as 60 percent of the wolf's diet during the summer months. There are also reports of wolves catching and eating fish.

Vegetation

• Although primarily carnivores, wolves will occasionally supplement their diet with vegetation. They will eat small amounts of wild berries or other fruit, and may eat grass when they have eaten something that is making them feel ill.