WSC - The Wolf Science Center

The distribution of wolves

"Man and wolf are not only of one earth, but they are also of one essence. The wolf is an endangered species today, thanks to man; and mankind, through his own actions in ignorance, is no less endangered."
From: Michael W. Fox - "The Soul of the Wolf"

History

Before the arrival of ancient man, wolves as effective predators and scavengers were widely distributed all over Eurasia and North America. Although dependent on the same game, all nomadic hunter-gatherers admired the wolf as reflected in their rituals, myths and medicine. Hence, the wolf is also an important animal in the context of the evolution of human culture and spirituality.

However, the attitudes towards wolves have changed when human economic culture turned from hunting and gathering into pastoralism, farming and the keeping of livestock.
Humans with a sedentary life style regarded wolves as foe, killing them in great numbers and in often brute ways, to protect their farms and livestock, for survival, to increase revenues, or for sheer "fun".

The wolf has gained a negative symbolic load in most Western societies. Wolves are feared and hated by many. Hence, wolves were prosecuted and killed to extinction in most areas.

Distribution of wolves today

Today wolves live in

Germany

Grey Wolf

Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf
Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Number of animals:
10 (4 packs)
Conservation Status:
full protection

Wolves returned to Germany between 1995 and 2000 - in 2000 the first wolf puppies were observed.

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Poland

Grey Wolf

Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Number of animals:
450-700
Conservation Status:
full protection
Subspecies:
Eurasian Grey Wolf

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France

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
protection with exceptions
Number of animals:
100-140
Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Subspecies:
Eurasian Grey Wolf

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Portugal

Grey Wolf

Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Number of animals:
220-460
Conservation Status:
full protection
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf

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Spain

Grey Wolf

Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Number of animals:
2000
Conservation Status:
protection with exceptions
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf

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Serbia

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
hunted
Number of animals:
500
Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf

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Bosnien Herzegovina

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
hunted
Number of animals:
400
Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf

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Macedonia

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
hunted
Number of animals:
800-1000
Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf

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Albania

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
hunted
Number of animals:
900-1200
Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf

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Croatia

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
full protection
Number of animals:
130-170
Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf

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Slovenia

Grey Wolf

Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Number of animals:
60-100
Conservation Status:
full protection
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf

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Greece

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
full protection
Number of animals:
500-700
Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf

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Bulgaria

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
hunted
Number of animals:
1000-2000
Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf

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Romania

Grey Wolf

Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Number of animals:
3300
Conservation Status:
protection with exceptions
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf

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Hungary

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
full protection
Number of animals:
10
Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf

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Slovakia

Grey Wolf

Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Number of animals:
500-900
Conservation Status:
hunted
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf

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Czech Republic

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
full protection
Number of animals:
5-20
Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf

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Russia, Belarus, Ukraine

Grey Wolf

Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus, Canis lupus albus
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf, Tundra Wolf
Conservation Status:
reduction and control even in nature reserves
Number of animals:
10 000-20 000

Tundra wolves are among the largest of grey wolf subspecies. Typically gray, with mixes of black, rust and silver, though full spectrum is represented.

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Estonia

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
hunted
Number of animals:
100-150
Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf

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Latvia

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
hunted
Number of animals:
300-500
Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf

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Lithuania

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
hunted
Number of animals:
400-500
Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf

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Finland

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
protection with exceptions
Number of animals:
190
Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf

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Sweden

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
protection with exceptions
Number of animals:
50
Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf

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Norway

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
protection with exceptions
Number of animals:
25
Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf

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Italy

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
full protection
Number of animals:
500-1000
Latin Name:
Canis lupus italicus
Subspecies:
Italian Wolf

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Switzerland

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
protection with exceptions
Number of animals:
3
Latin Name:
Canis lupus italicus
Subspecies:
Italian Wolf

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India

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
full protection but not enforced
Number of animals:
1000-2000
Latin Name:
Canis lupus pallipes
Subspecies:
Indian Wolf

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Turkey

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
hunted
Number of animals:
5000-7000
Latin Name:
Canis lupus pallipes, Canis lupus lupus
Subspecies:
Indian Wolf, Eurasian Wolf

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Syria

Grey Wolf

Subspecies:
Indian Wolf, Eurasian Wolf
Latin Name:
Canis lupus pallipes, Canis lupus lupus
Conservation Status:
hunted
Number of animals:
200-300

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Afghanistan

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
unknown
Number of animals:
1000
Latin Name:
Canis lupus pallipes
Subspecies:
Indian Wolf

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Iran

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
hunted
Number of animals:
1000
Latin Name:
Canis lupus pallipes
Subspecies:
Indian Wolf

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Iraq

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
unknown
Number of animals:
unknown
Latin Name:
Canis lupus pallipes
Subspecies:
Indian Wolf

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Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
hunted
Number of animals:
500-600
Latin Name:
Canis lupus pallipes
Subspecies:
Indian Wolf

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Egypt

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
hunted
Number of animals:
30
Latin Name:
Canis lupus pallipes
Subspecies:
Indian Wolf

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Jordan

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
hunted
Number of animals:
<200
Latin Name:
Canis lupus pallipes
Subspecies:
Indian Wolf

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Libanon

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
hunted
Number of animals:
<10
Latin Name:
Canis lupus pallipes
Subspecies:
Indian Wolf

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Pakistan

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
full protection but not enforced
Number of animals:
200
Latin Name:
Canis lupus pallipes
Subspecies:
Indian Wolf

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Israel

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
full protection
Number of animals:
150-200
Latin Name:
Canis lupus arabs
Subspecies:
Arabian Wolf

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Former USSR

Grey Wolf

Subspecies:
Tundra Wolf, Eurasian Wolf
Latin Name:
Canis lupus albus, Canis lupus lupus
Conservation Status:
hunted
Number of animals:
30 000

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Turkmenistan

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
hunted
Number of animals:
<1000
Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf

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Mongolia

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
reduction and control even in nature reserves
Number of animals:
<10 000
Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf

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China

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
full protection but not enforced
Number of animals:
6000
Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf

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Nepal

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
unknown
Number of animals:
unknown
Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf

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Bhutan

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
full protection
Number of animals:
unknown
Latin Name:
Canis lupus lupus
Subspecies:
Eurasian Wolf

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Alaska (USA)

Grey Wolf

Latin Name:
Canis lupus occidentalis
Number of animals:
6000
Conservation Status:
hunted
Subspecies:
Mackenzie Valley Wolf (Alaskan Timber Wolf)

On of the largest subspecies in North America

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USA (Northwest)

Grey Wolf

Subspecies:
Mackenzie Valley Wolf (Alaskan Timber Wolf)
Number of animals:
400
Latin Name:
Canis lupus occidentalis
Conservation Status:
protection with exceptions

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Alberta (Canada)

Grey Wolf

Latin Name:
Canis lupus occidentalis
Number of animals:
4000
Conservation Status:
hunted
Subspecies:
Mackenzie Valley Wolf (Alaskan Timber Wolf)

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Manitoba (Canada)

Grey Wolf

Subspecies:
Mackenzie Valley Wolf (Alaskan Timber Wolf), Great Plains Wolf
Conservation Status:
hunted
Number of animals:
5000
Latin Name:
Canis lupus occidentalis, Canis lupus nubilis

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Saskatchewan (Canada)

Grey Wolf

Subspecies:
Mackenzie Valley Wolf (Alaskan Timber Wolf), Great Plains Wolf
Conservation Status:
hunted
Number of animals:
4300
Latin Name:
Canis lupus occidentalis, Canis lupus nubilis

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Yukon (Canada)

Grey Wolf

Latin Name:
Canis lupus occidentalis
Number of animals:
4500
Conservation Status:
hunted
Subspecies:
Mackenzie Valley Wolf (Alaskan Timber Wolf)

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British Columbia (Canada)

Grey Wolf

Subspecies:
Mackenzie Valley Wolf (Alaskan Timber Wolf), Great Plains Wolf
Conservation Status:
hunted
Number of animals:
8000
Latin Name:
Canis lupus occidentalis, Canis lupus nubilis

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Labrador (Canada)

Grey Wolf

Latin Name:
Canis lupus nubilis
Number of animals:
1000-5000
Conservation Status:
hunted
Subspecies:
Great Plains Wolf

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Minnesota (USA)

Grey Wolf

Latin Name:
Canis lupus nubilis
Number of animals:
2600
Conservation Status:
protection with exceptions
Subspecies:
Great Plains Wolf

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Michigan and Wisconsin (USA)

Grey Wolf

Latin Name:
Canis lupus nubilis
Number of animals:
400
Conservation Status:
full protection
Subspecies:
Great Plains Wolf

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Ontario (Canada)

Grey Wolf

Latin Name:
Canis lupus lycaon, Canis lupus nubilis
Subspecies:
Timber Wolf, Great Plains Wolf
Conservation Status:
hunted
Number of animals:
<8500

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Quebec (Canada)

Grey Wolf

Latin Name:
Canis lupus lycaon, Canis lupus nubilis
Conservation Status:
hunted
Number of animals:
> 1000
Subspecies:
Timber Wolf, Great Plains Wolf

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Greenland

Grey Wolf

Subspecies:
Arctic Wolf
Latin Name:
Canis lupus arctos
Conservation Status:
unknown
Number of animals:
50

The Arctic Wolf is the only subspecies of the Gray Wolf that still can be found over the whole of its original range, largely because, in their natural habitat, they rarely encounter humans.

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Northwest Territory and Nunavat (Canada)

Grey Wolf

Conservation Status:
hunted
Number of animals:
10 000
Latin Name:
Canis lupus arctos, Canis lupus nubilis, Canis lupus occidentalis
Subspecies:
Arctic Wolf, Great Plains Wolf, Mackenzie Valley Wolf (Alaskan Timber Wolf)

The Arctic Wolf is the only subspecies of the Gray Wolf that still can be found over the whole of its original range, largely because, in their natural habitat, they rarely encounter humans.

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USA (Southwest)

Grey Wolf

Latin Name:
Canis lupus baylei
Subspecies:
Mexican Wolf
Number of animals:
2000
Conservation Status:
full protection but not enforced

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Mexico (Arizona)

Grey Wolf

Subspecies:
Mexican Wolf
Latin Name:
Canis lupus baylei
Number of animals:
<10
Conservation Status:
full protection but not enforced

By the 1950s, the Mexican Gray Wolf had been eliminated from the wild. In 1998, 11 gray wolves were reintroduced in east-central Arizona.

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Ethiopia

Ethiopian Wolf

Number of animals:
550
Latin Name:
Canis simensis
Conservation Status:
Critically endangered

The Ethiopian wolf is a small, reddish, fox-like wolf. Ethiopian wolves tend to hunt alone, but they social canids that form packs and defend their territories.

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Texas-Florida

Red Wolf

Number of animals:
80
Latin Name:
Canis Rufus
Conservation Status:
Critically endangered

They prefer to hunt alone or in small family groups; pack sizes are smaller than those of their gray cousins, consisting often of one adult pair and their offspring.

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More information in the section "Why Wolves"

Our Interest

Wolves are highly social carnivores that live in small family groups. All family members usually help with raising the offspring. Wolves are famous for cooperative hunting …
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Questions & Goals

Was it their social life, the power of their cohesive and cooperative group that made wolf packs so successful before the rise of the human species?
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Wolf - Dog - Human
Wolves in the form of dogs were companions over much of the human evolutionary history and cultural development …
- More on the Wolf - Dog - Human Triangle
- The behavioural repertoires of wolves and dogs

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