Northwestern wolf

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Northwestern wolf
Canis lupus occidentalis
Temporal range: Late Pleistocene–Holocene
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Canis lupus occidentalis.jpg
C. l. occidentalis at the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center at West Yellowstone, Montana.
Status TNC T4.svg
Apparently Secure  (NatureServe) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus: Canis
Species:
Subspecies:
C. l. occidentalis
Trinomial name
Canis lupus occidentalis
Richardson, 1829 [2]
Synonyms [3]
  • ater (Richardson, 1829) [4]
  • sticte (Richardson, 1829) [4]

The northwestern wolf (Canis lupus occidentalis), also known as the Mackenzie Valley wolf, [5] Alaskan timber wolf, [6] or Canadian timber wolf, [7] is a subspecies of gray wolf in western North America. Arguably the largest gray wolf subspecies in the world, it ranges from Alaska, the upper Mackenzie River Valley; southward throughout the western Canadian provinces, aside from prairie landscapes in its southern portions, as well as the Northwestern United States. [6]

Contents

Taxonomy

This wolf is recognized as a subspecies of Canis lupus in the taxonomic authority Mammal Species of the World (2005). [8] The subspecies was first written of by Scottish naturalist Sir John Richardson in 1829. He chose to give it the name occidentalis in reference to its geographic location rather than label it by its color, as it was too variable to warrant such. [2]

According to one source, phylogenetic analyses of North American gray wolves show that there are three clades corresponding to C. l. occidentalis, C. l. nubilus and C. l. baileyi , each one representing a separate invasion into North America from distinct Eurasian ancestors. C. l. occidentalis, the most northwestern subspecies, is descended from the last gray wolves to colonize North America. It likely crossed into North America through the Bering land bridge after the last ice age, displacing C. l. nubilus populations as it advanced, a process which has continued until present times. Along with C. l. nubilus , C. l. occidentalis is the most widespread member of the four gray wolf subspecies in North America, with at least six different synonyms. [7]

Description

Northwestern wolves are one of the largest subspecies of wolves. In British Columbia, Canada, five adult females averaged 42.5 kg or 93.6 lbs with a range of 85 lbs to 100 lbs (38.6 - 45.4 kg) and ten adult males averaged 112.2 lbs or 51.7 kg with a range of 105 lbs to 135 lbs (47.6 - 61.2 kg), with a weight range for all adults of 38.6 kg to 61.2 kg (85 - 135 lbs). [9] In Yellowstone National Park, adult females were average about 40 kg (90 lbs) and adult males average about 50 kg (110 lbs), with a mean adult body mass in winter of 46.4 kg (102 lb). [10] [11] More recent studies have reported the average range of height and weight in the north-west of the United States, both sexes were between 68 and 91.5 cm (26.8 and 36.0 in) tall at the shoulder. Here the weight of males was reported at between 45 and 72 kg (99 and 159 lb), while the females were reported at 36 to 60 kg (79 to 132 lb). [12]

The Northwestern wolf is also one of the longest wolf subspecies, as its length usually ranges from 5 to 6 ft (152-183 cm) and can reach as long as 7 ft (213 cm). [13] [14]

In comparison, the mean adult weights of its nearest rivals in size, the Eurasian wolf (C. l. lupus) and the Interior Alaskan wolf (C. l. pambasileus), was reported as 39 kg (86 lb) and 40 kg (88 lb), respectively. [15] [16] Sir John Richardson described the northwestern wolf as having a more robust build than the Eurasian wolf, with a larger, rounder head and a thicker, more obtuse muzzle. Its ears are also shorter, and its fur bushier. [2]

Reintroduction

Wolves hunting bison in Yellowstone National Park Journal.pone.0112884.g001 a.png
Wolves hunting bison in Yellowstone National Park

In Yellowstone National Park, artificially relocated northwestern wolves have been well-documented feeding on elk. They usually stampede the herd using pack teamwork to separate the younger elk from the adults. They also will charge young calves separated from their parents. Winter-weakened or sick elk also play an important part of Yellowstone wolf diets, and it is estimated that over 50 percent of winter-weakened or sick elk in Yellowstone are killed by wolves. Of these, about 12 percent of carcasses were scavenged by other predators, including ravens, bald eagles, black bears, grizzly bears, and coyotes. [17] In the same national park, wolves also prey on bison, though such attacks usually involve sick animals or calves because healthy, adult bison can easily kill wolves with their hooves. [18]

Wolves are present in Canadian and British safari parks including Longleat, [19] Woburn, [20] and Parc Omega. [21]

Related Research Articles

Subspecies of <i>Canis lupus</i>

There are 38 subspecies of Canis lupus listed in the taxonomic authority Mammal Species of the World. These subspecies were named over the past 250 years, and since their naming, a number of them have gone extinct. The nominate subspecies is the Eurasian wolf.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hokkaido wolf</span> Extinct subspecies of the gray wolf

The Hokkaido wolf, also known as the Ezo wolf and in Russia as the Sakhalin wolf, is an extinct subspecies of gray wolf that once inhabited coastal northeast Asia. Its nearest relatives were the wolves of North America rather than Asia. It was exterminated in Hokkaido during the Meiji Restoration period, when American-style agricultural reforms incorporated the use of strychnine-laced baits to kill livestock predators. Some taxonomists believe that it survived up until 1945 on the island of Sakhalin. It was one of two subspecies that were once found in the Japanese archipelago, the other being the Japanese wolf.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tundra wolf</span> Subspecies of carnivore

The tundra wolf, also known as the Turukhan wolf, is a subspecies of grey wolf native to Eurasia's tundra and forest-tundra zones from Finland to the Kamchatka Peninsula. It was first described in 1792 by Robert Kerr, who described it as living around the Yenisei, and of having a highly valued pelt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steppe wolf</span> Subspecies of carnivore

The steppe wolf, also known as the Caspian Sea wolf, is a subspecies of grey wolf native to the Caspian steppes, the steppe regions of the Caucasus, the lower Volga region, southern Kazakhstan north to the middle of the Emba, and the steppe regions of the lower European part of the former Soviet Union. It may also occur in northern Afghanistan and Iran, and possibly the steppe regions of far eastern Romania, Hungary and other areas of Eastern Europe. Studies have shown this wolf to be a host for rabies. Due to its close proximity to humans and domestic animals, the need for a reliable vaccine is high.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Plains wolf</span> Subspecies of gray wolf

The Great Plains wolf, also known as the buffalo wolf or loafer, is a subspecies of gray wolf that once extended throughout the Great Plains, from southern Manitoba and Saskatchewan in Canada southward to northern Texas in the United States. The subspecies was thought to be extinct in 1926, until studies declared that its descendants were found in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. They were described as a large, light-colored wolf but with black and white varying between individual wolves, with some all white or all black. The Native Americans of North Dakota told of how only three Great Plains wolves could bring down any sized bison.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenai Peninsula wolf</span> Extinct subspecies of the gray wolf in southern Alaska

The Kenai Peninsula wolf, also known as the Kenai Peninsula grey wolf, is an extinct subspecies of the gray wolf that lived on the Kenai Peninsula in southern Alaska.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernard's wolf</span> Extinct subspecies of the gray wolf in the Canadian Arctic

Bernard's wolf, also known as the Banks Island wolf or the Banks Island tundra wolf, is an extinct subspecies of the gray wolf that was limited to Banks and Victoria Island of the Arctic Archipelago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Columbia wolf</span> Subspecies of the gray wolf

The British Columbia wolf is a subspecies of gray wolf which lives in a narrow region that includes those parts of the mainland coast and near-shore islands that are covered with temperate rain-forest, which extends from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, to the Alexander Archipelago in south-east Alaska. This area is bounded by the Coast Mountains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cascade mountain wolf</span> Extinct subspecies of carnivore

The Cascade mountain wolf is an extinct subspecies of the gray wolf that was once found in the Pacific Northwest, but became extinct in 1940.

Gregory's wolf, also known as the Mississippi Valley wolf, was a subspecies of the red wolf. It was declared extinct in 1980. It once roamed the regions in and around the lower Mississippi River basin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manitoba wolf</span> Extinct subspecies of carnivore

The Manitoba wolf, also known as the grey-white wolf, is an extinct subspecies of gray wolf that roamed in the southern Northwest Territories, northern Alberta, Saskatchewan, and south-central Manitoba. This wolf is recognized as a subspecies of Canis lupus in the taxonomic authority Mammal Species of the World (2005).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hudson Bay wolf</span> Subspecies of carnivore

The Hudson Bay wolf is a subspecies of gray wolf native to the northern Kivalliq Region, including the northwestern coast of Hudson Bay in Canada. It was first classed as a distinct subspecies in 1941 by Edward Goldman, who described it as being a white colored, medium-sized subspecies similar to C. l. arctos, but with a flatter skull. This wolf is recognized as a subspecies of Canis lupus in the taxonomic authority Mammal Species of the World (2005).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Rocky Mountain wolf</span> Subspecies of carnivore

The northern Rocky Mountain wolf, also known as the northern Rocky Mountain timber wolf, is a subspecies of gray wolf native to the northern Rocky Mountains. It is a light-colored, medium to large-sized subspecies with a narrow, flattened frontal bone. The subspecies was initially listed as Endangered on March 9, 1978, but had the classification removed in the year 2000 due to the effects of the Northern Rocky Mountain Wolf Recovery Plan. On August 6, 2010, the northern Rocky Mountain wolf was ordered to be returned under Endangered Species Act protections by U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy in a decision overturning a previous ruling by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They were later removed on August 31, 2012 from the list because of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming meeting the population quotas for the species to be considered stable. This wolf is recognized as a subspecies of Canis lupus in the taxonomic authority Mammal Species of the World (2005).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mackenzie River wolf</span> Subspecies of carnivore

The Mackenzie River wolf or Mackenzie Arctic Wolf is a subspecies of gray wolf which is found in Canada's southern portion of Northwest Territories. Not much has been published on Canis lupus mackenzii but one of the most comprehensive studies was done in 1954 by W.A. Fuller, Wolf Control Operations, Southern Mackenzie District, Canada Wildlife Service Report. This wolf is recognized as a subspecies of Canis lupus in the taxonomic authority Mammal Species of the World (2005).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baffin Island wolf</span> Subspecies of carnivore

The Baffin Island wolf, also known as the Baffin Island tundra wolf, is a subspecies of grey wolf which resides exclusively on Baffin Island and several nearby islands. It was not formally recognized as a subspecies until 1943, when it was given its taxonomic classification by Anderson. This wolf is recognized as a subspecies of Canis lupus in the taxonomic authority Mammal Species of the World (2005).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mogollon mountain wolf</span> Extinct subspecies of gray wolf

The Mogollon mountain wolf is an extinct subspecies of gray wolf whose range once included Arizona and New Mexico. It is darker than its more northern cousins, and has a highly arched frontal bone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas wolf</span> Extinct subspecies of gray wolf

The Texas wolf is an extinct subspecies of gray wolf, distinct from the Texas red wolf, whose range once included southern and western Texas and northeastern Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alaskan tundra wolf</span> Subspecies of carnivore

The Alaskan tundra wolf, also known as the barren-ground wolf, is a North American subspecies of gray wolf native to the barren grounds of the Arctic coastal tundra region. It was named in 1912 by Gerrit Smith Miller Jr., who noted that it closely approaches the Great Plains wolf in skull and tooth morphology, though possessing a narrower rostrum and palate. It is a large, white-colored wolf closely resembling C. l. pambasileus, though lighter in color. This wolf is recognized as a subspecies of Canis lupus in the taxonomic authority Mammal Species of the World (2005).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Rocky Mountain wolf</span> Extinct subspecies of the gray wolf

The southern Rocky Mountain wolf is an extinct subspecies of gray wolf which was once distributed over southeastern Idaho, southwestern Wyoming, northeastern Nevada, Utah, western and central Colorado, northwestern Arizona, and northwestern New Mexico. It was a light-colored, medium-sized subspecies closely resembling the Great Plains wolf, though larger, with more blackish-buff hairs on the back. This wolf went extinct by 1935. Wolves of the subspecies Canis lupus occidentalis have now been reestablished in Idaho and Wyoming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mongolian wolf</span> Subspecies of mammal

The Mongolian wolf is a subspecies of gray wolf which is native to Mongolia, northern and central China, Korea, and the Ussuri region of Russia.

References

  1. "Canis lupus occidentalis". explorer.natureserve.org.
  2. 1 2 3 Richardson, J. (1829) Fauna boreali-americana, or, The zoology of the northern parts of British America, London : J. Murray [etc.], pp. 60-65
  3. Wozencraft, W. C. (2005). "Order Carnivora". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 532–628. ISBN   978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC   62265494.
  4. 1 2 Wozencraft, W. C. (2005). "Order Carnivora". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN   978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC   62265494.
  5. Mech, L. David (1970), The wolf: The Ecology and Behaviour of an Endangered Species, Natural History Press, ISBN   978-0-307-81913-0
  6. 1 2 Mech, L. David (1981), The wolf: The Ecology and Behaviour of an Endangered Species, University of Minnesota Press, p. 352, ISBN   0-8166-1026-6
  7. 1 2 Chambers SM, Fain SR, Fazio B, Amaral M (2012). "An account of the taxonomy of North American wolves from morphological and genetic analyses". North American Fauna. 77: 1–67. doi: 10.3996/nafa.77.0001 . The findings and conclusions in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
  8. Wozencraft, W. C. (2005). "Order Carnivora". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 575–577. ISBN   978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC   62265494. url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JgAMbNSt8ikC&pg=PA576
  9. Table listing the 1996 Northwestern wolves introduced into Idaho Archived 2019-06-07 at the Wayback Machine . Forwolves.org (2002-11-01). Retrieved on 2012-12-29.
  10. "YS 24-1 Yellowstone Wolf Facts". National Park Service. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
  11. Metz, M. C., Vucetich, J. A., Smith, D. W., Stahler, D. R., & Peterson, R. O. (2011). Effect of sociality and season on gray wolf (Canis lupus) foraging behavior: implications for estimating summer kill rate. PLoS One, 6(3), e17332.
  12. Castellò, Josè R. (2018). Canids of the World. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press Princeton and Oxford. p. 88. ISBN   978-0-691-17685-7.
  13. "How big is a northwestern wolf". amazing-animals-planet.com. 2022-01-01. Retrieved 2022-08-01.
  14. Sather, Patrick (2022-05-23). "The 10 Largest Wolves in the World". a-z-animals.com. Retrieved 2022-08-01.
  15. Heptner, V. G. & Naumov, N. P. (1998) Mammals of the Soviet Union Vol.II Part 1a, SIRENIA AND CARNIVORA (Sea cows; wolves and Bears) , Science Publishers, Inc. USA., pp. 184-187, ISBN   1-886106-81-9
  16. "Gray wolf (in the Yukon)" (PDF). Environment Yukon. Government of Canada. 2017. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
  17. "Yellowstone Elk". National Park Service.
  18. "Wolf -Bison Interactions in Yellowstone National Park". University of Nebraska.
  19. "Longleat|Wolf Wood". www.longleat.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-08-06.
  20. Canadian Timber Wolf
  21. "Grey wolf- Parc Oméga". Archived from the original on 2019-06-06. Retrieved 2017-01-23.