The
wolf has very strong jaws. According to Barry
Lopez in Of Wolves and Men, the jaws of a
wolf have a "crushing pressure of perhaps
1,500 (lbs/square inch) compared to 740 (lbs/square
inch) for a German Sheppard."
The
dentition of the wolf consists of twenty-two
teeth: twelve incisors, four canines, sixteen
pre molars, and ten carnassials and molars.
The canines of the wolf are 1-inch (2.54 centimeters)
long, strong, sharp, and slightly curved.
These are the teeth used for grasping prey.
The wolf does not chew its food, using its
carnassials to scissor off a piece of meat
that can then be swallowed in a manageable
chunk.
The
wolf has five toes on each forefoot, but only
four are actually needed. The fifth toe, corresponding
to our thumb, has regressed. It is found up
on the middle of the foot and is known as
the dew claw. There are just four toes on
each of the hind feet. Each toe pad is surrounded
by stiff, bristly hairs, which act as insulation
and also provides a better grip on slippery
ice surfaces. The claws are strong and blunt
because the tips are worn off by constant
contact with the ground. These are used for
digging and in gripping the earth while running,
not for seizing prey.
Wolves
walk, trot, lope, or gallop. Their legs are
long, and they walk at about 4 miles (6.4
kilometres) per hour, but can reach speeds
of 35 mph during a chase. Their usual mode
of travel is to trot, which they do at various
speeds, generally between 8 to 10 miles (12.8
to 16 kiometres) per hour.
Wolves
do not run at full speed until they get close
to their prey as possible. At that point,
they make a high-speed chase to test the animal.
