Wolf Species
Facts About Wolf Species
There are currently four wolf species: North American Gray Wolf, North American Red Wolf, Eurasian Gray Wolf, and the Ethiopian Wolf. Each of these wolf species has several subspecies--the majority are extinct. Here is a look at the wolves currently in existence around the world.
The North American Gray Wolf (canis lupis) has the highest numbers of any wolf species in existence. There are five subspecies, which includes Mexican wolves, who are at the top of the endangered list. Mexican wolves are currently being introduced into the states of Arizona and New Mexico.
The gray wolf is not totally gray but can have a mixture of light brown, black and gray fur on their upper bodies. The fur on the legs and under the stomach is often yellowish-white. The Arctic Wolf is another member of the gray wolf family and is totally white. The Mexican Wolf can be black or white. Gray wolves can weigh anywhere from forty to one hundred seventy-five pounds. Gray wolves can be found in the Northern United States, especially Minnesota, the Rockies, Alaska, Canada, Russia and a very small number of other Eastern-European countries.
The North American Red Wolf has the lowest number in existence of any of the wolf species. There were originally three red wolf subspecies but two were made extinct by human predators. During the 1960s and 1970s, the remaining red wolves were trapped by scientists who wanted to keep the wolf in existence by captive breeding. In 1980, the wild red wolf was declared extinct. In fact, there had been so few of this species that it had started breeding with coyotes, which almost made it completely extinct. Out of 400 captured and genetically tested, only 14 pure red wolves were left. Captive breeding began and the red wolf was re-introduced in North Carolina and then later into the states of Mississippi and Tennessee.
The Red Wolf does not necessarily have a reddish tint as is often thought. While some do, others are a mix of grayish brown, cinnamon brown and black. They are smaller than the gray wolf, usually weighing between fifty-five and eighty pounds.
The Eurasian Gray Wolf and the Ethiopian Wolf are the two wolf species that do not live in North America. Today, the Eurasian Gray Wolf can only be found in parts of Russia, Poland, Spain, and Italy. The wolf is seldom seen and not much is known about population decline or growth. The Ethiopian Wolf is the second rarest wolf still in existence, with approximately five hundred scattered in the Ethiopian mountains. They are “endangered” and protected in Ethiopia. This wolf is smaller than the gray wolf, and with long legs and a long head looks much skinnier. They usually have a reddish tinge to their coats. Unlike other wolves who eat large mammals, the Ethiopian Wolf eats mostly rodents and hunts more alone than in a group.