The arctic wolf, also known as the polar wolf, is a subspecies of the gray wolf and has the scientific name Canis lupus arctos. It belongs to the order of carnivores, family Canidae and the genus Canis, which it shares with foxes, dogs and coyotes, among others. It is also usual to be called a white or polar wolf, because it lives in extreme conditions of temperatures below 0 ºC, an aspect that not any mammal can do.
In this page of our site we present you information on the arctic wolf, so we invite you to continue reading so that you can find out about this beautiful animal.
Characteristics of the arctic wolf or polar wolf
Next, let's learn about the characteristics of this wolf, which undoubtedly make it a striking species:
- It is an animal size smaller than other wolves, like the gray. It measures from head to tail between 1 to 1.8 meters. As for height, it ranges from 60 to nearly 80 cm and weight is in a range between 40 and 80 kg.
- It is mainly white , although occasionally there may be individuals with a faint grayish or light brown color in some areas of the body.
- It has a first layer of long, waterproof fur to snow and water. It also has another lower layer, but with shorter hair, which helps to guarantee thermal insulation in the animal.
- As a particular trait of the arctic wolf, the outer coat, as the colder season approaches, becomes denser.
- It has strong legs and adapted to isolate the cold from the ground on which it must move. In addition, they are anatomically arranged to facilitate walking on snow.
- It is distinguished from other species by having a smaller skull Studies carried out in previous years [1]revealed changes in the skull of this wolf, on the one hand, the diminution of this structure, and, on the other, its enlargement. In addition, the facial region has been trimmed and his teeth have been reduced.
- As a possible strategy to reduce heat loss, the ears are smaller than other gray wolf subspecies.
If you like these fascinating animals, don't miss this other article where we name all types of wolves.
Arctic Wolf Habitat
Once you have reviewed the characteristics of the arctic wolf, where does it live? The arctic wolf has a distribution in North America, specifically in the extreme north of Canada, being found on islands such as Melville and Ellesmere. In addition, it is also distributed in Greenland In this sense, the habitat of the polar wolf is made up of the arctic tundra.
This type of ecosystem is characterized by its low temperatures throughout the year, reaching around -30 ºC in the places where this animal is located. They are extreme conditions throughout the year. In summer, with many hours of solar radiation, but calm nights; On the other hand, in winter, there is practically 24-hour darkness and winds with icy storms of strong impact in the region.
Arctic Wolf Customs
Arctic wolves are social animals that live in packs and carry out their activities together. The group is led by a couple, which will have offspring that will have a privileged position within the pack. These wolves have a migratory behavior during the winter, since the days are completely dark, making some aspects such as feeding difficult. Meet other Animals that migrate in this other article.
On the other hand, they are territorial animals, which move over wide ranges of the region they inhabit. Regarding their relationship with human beings, it has been proven that they do not usually fear people, on the contrary, they can approach without any problem with an attitude of curiosity, probably because due to the place where they live, their relationship is not common. with us. However, there are records of arctic wolf attacks on people and, although it is not something that happens very often, you have to be alert to its proximity.
Arctic Wolf Feeding
What do arctic wolves eat? The polar wolf is fundamentally a carnivorous animal, so its diet is based on hunting other species. Due to how inhospitable their habitat becomes, the availability of food is eventually restricted.
The main food of the arctic wolf is the musk ox (Ovibos moschatus), also includes the rodent known as lemming or lemino (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus) and arctic hares (Lepus articus). Studies [2] of the feces of this wolf revealed the presence of plastic and nylon remains, which indicates the consumption of garbage by these animals. Under certain conditions, they can also consume animals already dead in decomposition, adopting a behavior typical of scavengers.
The diet of the polar or arctic wolf can be seasonal due to environmental conditions, so also depending on the presence it can include certain birds, arctic foxes and beetles.
Arctic Wolf Breeding
Within the herd, as we have mentioned, there is a dominant couple, which has the reproductive privilege within the group. Arctic wolves are monogamous unless one of them dies, at which point a replacement for the deceased member will emerge.
Reproduction occurs only once a year, when the female comes into heat. The gestation period lasts around 60 days, a range that can vary, being a little less. The female looks for a den, which can be dug in the ground or used in a cave in a tree or in the rocks, where she will give birth to a litter of at least three pups or more. Newborns depend entirely on their mother's care and begin to emerge from the den at about eight weeks.
Arctic wolf packs, like packs of other wolves, are characterized by protecting the little ones among all. In fact, when they can feed themselves with food, several members of the group collaborate with this task by offering them food.
Arctic Wolf Conservation Status
Within the various types of wolves, the Arctic has been one of the least affected from the point of view of population decline. This has undoubtedly had to do with its distribution in remote places, however, other subspecies and even the gray wolf itself have not had the same luck.
But this animal is not completely exempt from threats, climate change affects the habitat of its main source of food, which is the musk ox. In this sense, when there is a decrease in the latter, the arctic wolf ends up being harmed. Thus, climate changes are a latent threat both to the polar wolf and to the biodiversity of these places in general.
