Short answers, pulled from the story.
Carl Linnaeus published Systema Naturae in 1758 and listed the wolf as Canis lupus. He classified the domestic dog as a separate species called Canis familiaris due to its upturning tail.
The oldest fossils of the modern grey wolf date to 406,500 years ago at Ponte Galeria in Italy. Remains from Cripple Creek Sump in Alaska may be around one million years old.
Average pack size in North America contains eight wolves while European packs average 5.5 individuals. Exceptionally large packs may contain up to 42 wolves.
The global wild wolf population was estimated at 300,000 in 2003. The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the species as Least Concern due to its widespread range.
Wolves were exterminated in Great Britain by 1684 and in Ireland by 1770. These dates mark the end of native populations in those regions before modern reintroduction efforts.