Wolf Facts: How a Wolf Pack Lives, Hunts and Howls
Wolves are social animals that live and hunt in packs, usually a family made up of a breeding pair and their young. This puzzle follows that life: the pack and its "alpha", the territory it defends in the wild forest, the hunt that relies on instinct and teamwork, and the howl that keeps the pack in touch over long distances.
Moon is here because of the famous image of a wolf howling at the moon, although wolves do not really howl at it: they simply raise their heads to make the sound carry farther.
Wolf Vocabulary: 12 Words to Find
Words run across, up and down, and diagonally; 5 of the 12 read backwards. The longest word is Territory, with 9 letters.
- Alpha: A word once used for the "leader" of a wolf pack. In the wild, the so-called alphas are usually just the parents of the family.
- Forest: A large area covered with trees, home to bears, wolves and pandas.
- Howl: The long, loud call wolves use to keep in touch with their pack and warn other packs away.
- Hunt: To chase and catch animals for food.
- Instinct: Behavior an animal is born knowing, without having to learn it.
- Moon: The image of a wolf howling at the moon is a myth: wolves raise their heads to make the sound carry farther.
- Pack: A family group of wolves or wild dogs that live and hunt together.
- Predator: An animal that hunts and eats other animals.
- Social: Living in groups and interacting with others of the same kind.
- Territory: The area an animal or group lives in and defends.
- Wild: Living in nature, not tamed or kept by people.
- Wolf: The gray wolf, the largest wild member of the dog family.
How to Solve the Wolf Word Search
"Territory" is the longest word, 9 letters on a backwards diagonal, with the only Y and a double R. "Pack" has the only K and runs straight down, like "hunt". Watch out for the W words: "wolf", "wild" and "howl" are all short and easy to confuse.
Wolf Lesson Ideas: Packs, Predators and Ecosystems
- Read about the return of wolves to Yellowstone in 1995 and how it changed the park's ecosystem.
- Ask students to explain how a pack works together during a hunt.
- Discuss the alpha myth: what did scientists get wrong, and how did they find out?
Wolf Word Search FAQ
Who is the Wolf Word Search for?
Students aged 10 and up and fans of wolves and wild animals.
Which directions do the words run in?
Words run across, up and down, and diagonally; 5 of the 12 read backwards. 6 of them are diagonal.
Is there an answer key for the Wolf Word Search?
Yes. Download it from the printable section above: it is a separate PDF with all 12 words marked. Online, each word is crossed off the list the moment you find it.
More Mammals & Wildlife Word Searches
- Hyena Word Search: another pack hunter, on the African savanna.
- Bear Word Search: another animal of the northern forests.
More hard Mammals & Wildlife word searches (8 in this category)