The gray wolf is Canis species.
Canis is a genus of canids containing multiple extant species , such as wolves , dogs and coyotes . The gray wolf or grey wolf ( Canis lupus ) , also known as the timber wolf or western wolf , is a canine native to the wilderness and remote areas of Eurasia and North America . It is nonetheless closely related enough to smaller Canis species , such as the eastern wolf , coyote , and golden jackal to produce fertile hybrids .