Lots of information - North America is the primary focus, but there is some information from around the world.Ī non-profit organization dedicated to wolf recovery, rescue, reintroduction and protection. The Arctic wolf is the only subspecies of wolf which is not threatened - their remote home means that they are relatively safe from man's activities, both in terms of hunting and habitat destruction.Īn excellent presentation by Cora, from the Bank Street School For Children in New York. Birds are also occasionally part of the diet. Their hunting ranges are extensive, often 800-1,000 square miles, and they will kill and eat virtually any animal they can catch, from voles and lemmings to muskox and caribou. They are somewhat bulkier in build as well, and often weigh over 100 pounds (45 kg). Their coat is nearly pure white and somewhat thicker than a gray wolf, and to minimize exposure to the cold, their ears are smaller and more rounded, muzzles are slightly shorter, and their legs are noticeably shorter. Researchers have found that during the summer, much of their behaviour is identical to their southern cousins, although pack solidarity seems to be more solid, as an individual would be unlikely to survive.Īrctic wolves have special adaptations that make them distinct from other members of the broader Canis lupus family (gray wolves). This is only possible, however, due to a wolf pack's greatly reduced mobility when pups are young. Summer research has proven to be very productive due to the fact that scientists can watch the wolves' behaviour from distances far beyond what is possible in hilly and/or treed terrain. As a result, the details of their lives through much of the year are virtually unknown. Their world is extremely harsh as well as remote, and few scientists venture into that world during the long, dark winter - even the vast majority of Inuit live further south than the Arctic wolf. The wolf may be the most misunderstood animal in the world, and the Arctic wolf the least-known of all wolves.Īrctic wolves live on the islands of the Canadian Arctic, and the north coast of Greenland, roughly north of 70° North latitude.

Arctic wolf habitat