The Diet of a Wolf

When it comes to the diet of a wolf, it can infact be quite varied with the amount of different things they consume.

Wolves predominantely eat and prey on hoofed animals, such as deer, moose, bison, elk, caribou, etc. Considering the fact that wolves tend to hunt for large animals, they have to work together as a pack in order to catch their prey. If you wish to learn more about how they hunt and the science before it, check out this topic by Strong/Cayden: http://www.seasonal-trackers.com/t845-the-science-before-a-hunt

Wolves usually eat a healthy, strong animal if they have the ability to catch it. On average, wolves need to consume 3-10 punds of meat per day.

Also, wolves will eat grass in order to purge their digestive system when they have eaten a meal that does not typically agree with them.

In terms of the actual food sources themselves, they are able to differ and change, depending on the season and the geographical area. So, for example, when large prey animals are scarce wolves will prey and smaller animals such as mice, rabbits, squirrels, etc. However, these do not provide a substantial part of a wolf's diet, yet it is able to supplement when large prey is scarce.

Beavers actually play an important roll as an alternative food source within the summer season, infact, in some areas 60% of the wolf's diet consists of beavers.

Fish is also apart of the wolf's diet, oddly enough. A biologist known as Bod Bromely managed to observe a wolf catch five fish within the space of 15 minutes.

Wolves will also scavenge occassionally. For example, within one study conducted in Algonquin park, only 4 of the moose within that area were killed by wolves - the rest died due to natural causes.

Additionally, these animals will also consume berries and other wild fruits, however, this is only a minor part of their diet.

Source of information: http://www.wolfcountry.net/information/WolfPrey.html