Wolves are furocious meat-eaters. A wolf has five toes on each front foot and four toes on each hind foot. The claw on the fifth toe , located above the foot pads, is known as the dewclaw. Dewclaws can become quite sharp and curved. A hunting wolf uses these curved claws to help hold struggling prey. Some gray wolves change color and get lighter as they grow older. Each time they molt, the wolves fur changes slightly in shade and tone. One captive black wolf changed to light gray by the time he was eight years old. Wolves have extremely powerful jaws and teeth that can crack bones and tear meat. The wolves like to crack bones open so they can get to the nutrient-rich marrow that is inside. Wolves have a good sense of smell and can recogize another pack's territory by their scent posts. If wolves smell the scent post of a strange wolf, they urinate to cover the smell with their own scent. During regular travel, wolves move at 5 to 9 mph (8 to 14 kph), but they can speed up to 35 to 43 mph (56 to 72 kph) for short distances. If neccesary, a wolf can travel over 20 miles (32 km) without a rest.
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