Wolves are fascinating canine creatures found on almost every continent. While there’s much debate on their genetics and just how many subspecies there are, most experts agree with the theory that domestic dogs descended from wolves. Here’s a look at some of the most interesting wolves of the world that may just be our dogs' long-lost canine cousin!
1. Arctic Wolf
Found in the Arctic tundras of North America and Greenland, the Arctic wolf is one of only a few wolves that are not currently threatened. This is due in part to their remote location and little contact with humans. Arctic wolves are an important part of their native ecosystems keeping populations of their prey species in check.
Arctic wolves are considered medium-sized wolves with the largest males of the species reaching weights of up to 145 pounds. They are known for their mostly white coats and are also sometimes referred to as white wolves or polar wolves. Scientists have noted that Artic wolf skull sizes have decreased since the 1930s. This is believed to have been caused by wolves breeding with domestic dogs, like Siberian huskies and Alaskan malamutes.
2. Eastern Timber Wolf
The eastern timber wolf is found throughout the northeastern region of the U.S. and southeastern Canada. Sadly, they only occupy around three percent of their historic range after being almost hunted to extinction in the early 1900s. They are currently on the threatened list with only around 500 eastern timber wolves left in the wild.
The timber wolf is believed to have originated from gray wolf and coyote breeding over 500 years ago. Today, there are two subspecies of the eastern timber wolf: the Great Lakes wolf found in the Great Lakes area, and the Algonquin wolf found in eastern Canada.
Eastern timber wolves are a smaller wolf species with the largest males reaching weights up to 75 pounds. They are very social animals and live in dynamic family packs led by an alpha male and alpha female wolf.
3. Gray Wolf
Gray wolves are one the most widely distributed wolves in the world. Their historic range includes North America, Europe, and Asia. In the United States alone, gray wolves once inhabited two-thirds of the country. With new land development came human-wolf conflicts, and they were brought to the brink of extinction in the early 1900s.
While gray wolf numbers will likely never increase to their once booming population, the species has been considered a conservation success in areas where population recovery was implemented. American gray wolves now have thriving populations in several states and most notably, Yellowstone National Park.
The historic Yellowstone Wolf Project was one of the best examples of just how important these apex predators are to their environment. The calculated reintroduction of gray wolves to Yellowstone National Park over the past 25 years brought immense benefits to the park’s ecosystem. The wolves' effect on their surroundings even led to fascinating changes in waterways and vegetation growth.
Gray wolves are also the largest of all wolf species. While 175 pounds is typical for a male, the largest gray wolf ever recorded was a whopping 227 pounds! Like all wolves, gray wolves live in familial packs with an alpha male and alpha female that mate for life.
4. Eurasian Wolf
Eurasian wolves once populated wide regions of land in eastern Europe and western Asia. Like many other wolf species around the world, they were hunted almost to extinction when human-wolf conflicts arose during land development.
Today, Eurasian wolves are found primarily in the forests of Poland, Norway, Sweden, Russia, and The Netherlands, with more rewilding efforts underway. Eurasian wolves are considered medium to large sized with sizes ranging drastically by region. Some of the largest recorded Eurasian wolves were found in northeastern Europe and weighed 110 pounds.
Conservationists continue to fight for protections and rewilding programs for the Eurasian wolf. Conflicts between farmers and wolves have been reduced with the introduction of livestock guardian dogs in some areas.
5. Ethiopian Wolf
The Ethiopian wolf is the only wolf species native to Africa. They are typically found in Ethiopian grasslands and mountainous regions. They are one of the smallest wolf species with the largest males only reaching weights of around 40 pounds. That’s the same weight as most Basset Hounds!
Listed as critically endangered, the Ethiopian wolf faces many threats from habitat loss due to agricultural production, hunting, and diseases like rabies and canine distemper. Only around 440 Ethiopian wolves remain in existence.
The African Wildlife Foundation has been leading conservation efforts for the Ethiopian wolf in recent years. They work with local communities on wolf education as well as track and vaccinate the wolves to prevent disease outbreaks.
6. Red Wolf
Red wolves used to inhabit a wide range of lands in the southeastern U.S. Like many other wolf species, the land development boom at the turn of the century almost led to their extinction. By the early 1900s, most of the red wolf population was gone.
Today, the red wolf is sadly known as the world’s most endangered wolf with a population of only 20 left in North Carolina. Captive breeding programs and red wolf reintroductions have had limited success. Despite these newly reintroduced wolves being protected and wearing radio collars, they have still become a target for hunters.
The Red Wolf Recovery Program continues to monitor the existing wild red wolf population and plans for the reintroduction of more captive-bred wolves.
7. Himalayan Wolf
The Himalayan wolf– also referred to as the Tibetan wolf, is a rare wolf species native to the Himalayan Mountains. These wolves are uniquely adapted to live at high altitudes and are believed to have a long line of evolutionary history.
Not much is known about Himalayan wolves in comparison to other species. The Himalayan Wolves Project was launched in 2018 by researchers in Nepal to get a better understanding of these wolves' genetic makeup, distribution, and habits.
Exact numbers of Himalayan wolf populations are not clear due to their remote nature, but they are listed as endangered. The biggest threats facing Himalayan wolves come from the illegal wildlife trade.
