Arctic Wolf Natural History
Size
Males can weigh up to 46kg while females are lighter at 37kg. They reach lengths which vary between 100-180cm (39-71 inches).
Habitat and Distribution
Arctic wolves are a subspecies of the Grey Wolf and it inhabits the Arctic regions of Greenland and North America where temperatures rarely rise above 30 degrees Celsius. They also spend 5 months of the year in darkness.
Due to snow and ice covering most of their habitat virtually all year round there are few plants and therefore low quantities of prey. This means that they must travel across large areas to hunt.
Age
They can live for up to 10 years but 7 would be a more common life expectancy for this species in the wild.
Diet
These wolves hunt prey such as Oxen and Reindeer as a pack. They will also eat Arctic Hares, Lemmings and a variety of other small animals. Their strong sense of smell allows them to sense prey from 1.6 km away and will look for old, sick or injured animals which will be easier to catch. They eat the entirety of their prey including bones as they will only have a successful hunt on one of every ten attempts they make.
Groups and Breeding
They often live in packs of up to 10 individuals which has a very complex hierarchy. The dominant male and female mate for life and their breeding season is usually between the months of January and March. Only the alpha pair breed and the gestation period lasts up to 61 days. They form their dens within rocky outcrops and caves.
Mothers tend to have only two or three pups which are born deaf and blind and have dark fur. After one month they begin to wean at which point the whole pack starts to help with feeding them by regurgitating their own food. They start to explore outside of the den after a couple of months and at six months they start to travel with the pack. They become mature at 2-3 years of age.
Threats
While they are still currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, Arctic Wolves do face threats including as prey to Polar Bears and to the effects of global warming which is changing their habitat.
Interesting Facts
An Arctic Wolf’s coat is specially adapted to the cold climate in which it lives. It has a thick under fur which keeps it warm and it remains white year-round, providing the perfect camouflage.
They are usually smaller than other wolves with smaller ears, muzzles and legs which helps to reduce heat loss when exposed to such cold temperatures.
The Arctic Wolf During Your Day Out in Kent
Here at Wingham Wildlife Park we have two Arctic Wolves named Shadow and Ghost. Their names were chosen by the public in a Facebook competition. They were born in April 2019 and moved to our park from Sandwich Wildlife Park in early 2021. You can see these brothers in the Wolf enclosure close to the entrance.
The more you know…
Want to know more about this animal? Check out our keeper blogs about them here.