Wolf Species of North America
When it comes to gray wolf conservation and biology, you hear the tell tale "the wrong wolf was imported into Yellowstone". This claim is based on subspecies, not species, so click that link if you want the nuts and bolts of that myth. This page is a basic breakdown of the three confirmed wolf species recognized in North America today: gray wolf, eastern wolf, and red wolf.
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Gray Wolf (Canis lupus)
When most people think "wolf", this is the species they most likely envision. It is the only species of wolf that spans both North America and Eurasia. Gray wolves migrated into North America in three different waves during the Rancholabrean, about 0.229 million years ago. They are highly specialized wolves, evolving to work together to take down large prey like moose, elk, and bison. It is the largest species of dog in the world- the largest gray wolf on record weighed 175 pounds. Gray wolves were exterminated from nearly all of the lower 48 states before being reintroduced as a "nonessential experimental population" in Yellowstone National Park and bits of Idaho and Montana in 1995.
Range: Western/ northern Canada, down to Wyoming. Population (lower 48 United States): about 3,000; if lumped with eastern wolves, about 5,000-6,000 Mean Weight: 88 pounds Conservation Status: Endangered (Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, western Oregon, western Washington); delisted (Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, eastern Washington, eastern Oregon) Known subspecies: Canis lupus occidentalis (MacKenzie Valley); Canis lupus baiyeli (Mexican), Canis lupus nubilus (up for debate), Canis lupus arctos (Arctic) |
Eastern Wolf/Timberwolf
Header image: Steve MacIntyre (@cdn_rebel on Instagram)