Wolf species

Polarwolf

The polar wolf is also called the white wolf and has a white to cream-colored coat. It is found mainly on the Canadian Arctic islands, in Melville Island and on the north and east coast of Greenland north of the 68th parallel. It has become accustomed to the icy cold and feeds on snow hares, voles and lemmings, or reindeer, musk oxen or birds. Its hunting territory can be more than 1,300 square kilometers.

Safe from humans
Due to the uneconomical location of its areas, the polar wolf is safe from humans.

Rarely seen
In Europe, the polar wolf can only be found in a few zoos or animal parks.

Quieter than the others
In captivity, these wolves are less shy of humans than, for example, the black wolves.

Even within the pack, white wolves are usually calmer than their conspecifics and fights among themselves are less common..

Timberwolf

The timber wolf is also called the American gray wolf.

The timber wolf is actually one of the largest subspecies of the wolf and has 12 subspecies itself. Since 2013, however, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has classified it as a separate species. The timber wolf was once widespread across large parts of North America and was revered by the Native Americans until they were almost completely eradicated by hunters. Today, some of the animals also live again in southeastern Canada and in the eastern USA, in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. The timber wolf prefers to live in dense coniferous forests, which is where it gets its name from. The word timber means woodland in English.

The fur
The fur color of the timber wolf is usually black, but can also be brown or white. The puppies are all born black. The age of a timber wolf cannot be determined by the fur color, although the fur becomes a little lighter with each coat change.

Also almost extinct
In the best times, around 64,500 to 90,200 animals lived in Europe. Then the timber wolves were mercilessly hunted by humans until there were only about 500 to 1,000 animals left. Because farmers were worried about their livestock, bounties were even put on the wolves. In 1959, the Ontario government placed the timber wolf under protection and the population is slowly recovering.

European grey wolf

Eurasian Wolf

The European grey wolf was once found throughout Europe and was also widespread in Central Asia, Russia, southern Siberia, China, Mongolia, Korea and the Himalayas. In the Middle Ages, all wolves were called grey wolves because at that time the wolf was considered a bloodthirsty beast. Unfortunately, this is still partly the case today.

Almost extinct too
The grey wolf was also mistakenly hunted by people in Europe until only a few animals remained. Today, its population is slowly recovering and you can even see some wolf packs in certain places in Germany and Switzerland.

Different appearances
Depending on the area, the appearance of the European wolf can vary greatly because the animals adapt to their environment. A grey wolf that lives in southern Europe has a lighter coat and a larger body than its counterparts in northern Europe.

Prey
The grey wolf prefers to feed on hoofed animals such as deer, red deer and wild boar. Unfortunately, it also likes to kill livestock, which often leads to unpleasant discussions between farmers and wolf conservationists.

The fur
The fur of the timber wolf is usually black, but can also be brown to whitish. The age of a timber wolf cannot be determined by its fur color.

Almost extinct
There were once around 64,500 to 90,200 timber wolves living in Europe. Then the animals were mercilessly hunted by people and bounties were even offered for them because shepherds were afraid for their livestock. When the population of the timber wolf only numbered around 500-1000 animals in 1959, it was placed under protection by the Ontario government.

Tibetan Wolf

The Tibetan wolf is also called the Mongolian wolf.

The Tibetan wolf is also known as the Mongolian wolf and can be found in large parts of the Himalayas, over Kashmir and northwestern China as far as Mongolia. There it lives mostly in open landscapes or sometimes in alpine regions in the Himalayas.

The fur
The fur of the Tibetan wolf, as it is also called, can be light to dark brown.

The hunt
Tibet wolves usually hunt in pairs, groups of three or even alone and eat mainly hares and marmots in summer and sheep and goas in winter.

Ancestry of the dog
Based on its body structure, it is assumed that this wolf is the ancestor of the dog. Its lower jaw in particular is more similar to that of a dog than that of a wolf.