The wolf is the largest extant wild member of the family Canidae.
The gray wolf, Canis lupus, is generally larger and more powerfully built than other living wild canids, including coyotes, African wild dogs and jackals. Its broad skull, strong jaws, deep chest and long legs are adaptations for travelling over large territories and tackling substantial prey. Body size varies widely by geography, with northern populations tending to be larger than wolves from warmer regions.
Wolves are highly social predators that commonly live in family-based packs. Cooperative hunting allows them to pursue animals far larger than themselves, including deer, elk and moose. Their famous howls help maintain contact and may reinforce social bonds within and between packs.
The domestic dog and dingo are closely related to wolves and are sometimes included in broad taxonomic discussions of Canis, but the quiz asks for the largest wild extant canid. The red wolf is also a canid, yet it is smaller and is treated taxonomically as a distinct, endangered wolf lineage.