BASIC FACTS ABOUT ARCTIC WOLVES

No other wolf in the world can offer the same coloring as the Arctic wolf. It is very unique due to the location of their native range. While some subspecies of wolves do have some white coloring, Arctics are almost completely white. They do offer some aspects of yellow, gray, and black in places.

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DIET

Due to the range of the Arctic wolf, they are very limited when it comes to the supply of food they can consume. Generally they will eat caribou and muskoxen. Since these animals are much larger than they are, it is a group effort to successfully take one down. Even though they are great hunters, their prey can often get away before they can attack from all sides.

When they do make contact though they will be successful. Arctic wolves have very sharp teeth as well as powerful jaws. They are able to rip into the flesh and crunch the bones of the animals they capture. They can eat more than 20 pounds of meat at a time. They often know that it may be a while before their next meal so they will consume all that they possibly can when it is readily available to them.

Due to the freezing cold, a large animal that they kill may offer enough food for the entire wolf pack for several days. When that is the case they will take turns feeding and also protecting the kill from other animals. There are other times though when they must go for weeks without much food at all. It may also be necessary for them to move according to the movements of their prey. Otherwise the risk of not finding a meal soon enough becomes reality.

For the young pups that are outside of the mother’s den but aren’t old enough to hunt yet, they still need meat. In order to get it, the other members of the pack will offer them regurgitated meat that they have partially consumed.

 

ANATOMY

Due to the extreme cold where the Arctic wolf lives, they have two thick layers of fur. The outer layer actually gets thicker as the winter months come along. They first layer helps to form a waterproof barrier for the skin. As a result their body temperature can stay warm enough even when it is bitter cold. This is how they have adapted to withstand temperatures down to -70 degrees fahrenheit.

These wolves also have smaller ears than other subspecies. Their ears also help them to regular their overall body temperature. Since the ground is permanently frozen they have partially webbed paws that are designed to offer them a good grip when they walk, almost like snowshoes!

 

HABITAT

Alaska is where the majority of the wild Arctic wolves live. Not only can they withstand the very cold temperatures, they don’t seem to mind the part of the year where they can experience darkness for up to 5 months consecutively. 

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Both Greenland and Canada have Arctic wolves that are found in various locations as well. However, the populations in these areas are drastically low. They have moved or they have perished due to a lack of food and habitat for them to survive. Around Alaska, the natural habitat for these wolves has been largely untouchable due to the land being too cold for people to thrive in.

 

BEHAVIOR

Some people believe that the Arctic wolf is a loner by nature but that isn’t true. Those that are seen alone may be away from their pack to search for food. They can also be on their own looking to make their own pack. The size of these groups can range from just a few wolves, up to twenty. Generally the size of the pack will depend on how much food happens to be available to them.

Arctic wolves happen to be very territorial, as are other subspecies. However, most of them do have hundreds of miles that they can cover within their home range. They will heavily mark their territory with urine and their own scent.

 

REPRODUCTION

As is the case with most species of wolves, only the alpha male and the alpha female will be allowed to mate. That is often the reason why younger wolves about two years of age head out on their own. The urge to mate is very common and it will encourage them to make their own pack where they can mate.

The pups are born a couple of months after mating. About a month after mating the female will start to find a place where she can give birth. Often she will spend a great deal of time digging in the layers of ice to make a den. Sometimes it will prove to be too difficult. Then she will have to repurpose an existing den which may be under rocks or even a cave where she can safely give birth.

Arctic wolves often have smaller litter sizes to maximize available resources for their young. They are about one pound when they are born. They can’t hear or see so they rely upon instinct and smell to survive in her care for the first couple of months of life.

She will need to leave them from time to time so she can feed herself. This can leave the young pups very vulnerable. When they are approximately three months old they will join the rest of the pack with her. The entire pack will do what they can to help ensure these young are able to survive.