ARCTIC WOLVES

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Arctic Wolves

Arctic wolves (Canis lupus arctos) are a subspecies of gray wolf (Canis lupus) that occur on Canada's arctic islands and the eastern and northern shores of Greenland. They are similar in appearance to other wolves, but are typically white or cream colored and have very long, thick fur. They may have some darker colored hairs on their backs. Arctic wolves are stockier in appearance than other subspecies of wolves and have shorter ears, legs and muzzles. These traits make arctic wolves well adapted to the cold, snowy environment they live in, where temperatures can drop as low as -60o F. Their long, white fur camouflages them against the snow and their shorter ears and snouts help prevent them from losing heat.

Prey is scarce in the Arctic regions so the wolves there often must travel twenty or more miles per day in search of food. The home range of a pack of arctic wolves can be up to 1000 square miles. The land that arctic wolves live on is covered in snow for most of the year with the exception of mid June to August when the snow melts and the land can support a variety of small plant and lichen species that are eaten by the animals the wolves prey upon

In terms of their behavior, arctic wolves are very similar to wolves that live at lower latitudes. Like other wolf subspecies, arctic wolves live and hunt in packs that have a social hierarchy. The typical arctic wolf pack is a family that consists of a breeding pair and its offspring. Arctic wolves usually give birth in late May to early June, which is roughly a month later than the time mosst southern subspecies give birth. This is because the winters in the arctic regions last very long and it is best for the mother wolf to give birth during the spring when temperatures are milder. The mother wolf will give birth to only 2-3 puppies, which is lower than the number generally produced by wolves at lower latitudes. Although they are white or cream coloured when they are grown, arctic wolf pups are born a dark brown colour and they gradually become lighter as they mature.

RESOURCE
Wolf Behavior

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