Arctic Wolf

Animal Details

Common Name

Arctic wolf

Scientific Name

Canis lupus arctos

Type

Mammal

Status

Least Concern

Diet

Carnivore

Geographic Range

This sub species of gray wolf occupies tundra and taiga in extreme northern Alaska and Canada.

Life Span

6-8 Years in the wild, up to 17 years in captivity

Offspring

up to 6 pups

Meet The Animal

Arctic wolves, a subspecies of the gray wolf, are smaller in size and lighter in coloring, which helps them blend into their snowy surroundings. Wolves are legendary because of their spine-tingling howl, which they use to communicate. A lone wolf howls to attract the attention of his pack, while communal howls may send territorial messages from one pack to another. Some howls are confrontational. Much like barking domestic dogs, wolves may simply begin howling because a nearby wolf has already begun.

Their Behavior

Wolves are part of the carnivore family, but sometimes they will consume berries, roots, or other non-meat items. You may think this makes them omnivores, but they are actually considered facultative carnivores. This means that they primarily eat meat, but are able to ingest and obtain some nutrition from non-meat items as well. However, they cannot thrive without meat as a major part of their diet.