Fun Mongolian Wolf Facts For Kids

The Mongolian wolf (Canis lupus chanco) is a majestic and beautiful subspecies of the gray wolf. They are said to be closely related to dogs, however as they are wolves, they are naturally exceptional at hunting. They are sometimes also known as the Tibetan wolf too.

As their name suggests, these wolves are mostly found in Mongolia where they originate from. Now they can also be found in central Asia, Russia, northern China,  the Himalayas, Tibet, and Korea. In this region, it is said that there are 70,000 of these species in the wild.

Unfortunately, these stunning wolves fall prey to humans who hunt them for sport, or sometimes because the wolves can attack the livestock of herders. They are also not protected against hunting by Mongolian law. Luckily, they are not endangered yet.

It is important to get to know the brilliant and unique creatures found throughout our planet including the Mongolian wolf. So keep on reading for more information. If you are interested in other wolves, why not read about the tundra wolf and the arctic wolf?

‍

What type of animal is a Mongolian wolf?

The Mongolian wolf is a subspecies of the gray wolf, Canis lupus. There are 39 subspecies of gray wolf including the Mongolian wolf.

What class of animal does a Mongolian wolf belong to?

The Mongolian wolf (Canis lupus chanco) is a mammal.

How many Mongolian wolves are there in the world?

The population of Mongolian wolves is unknown.

Where does a Mongolian wolf live?

Wolves are not native to the country of China in particular. The Mongolian wolf (also known as the Tibetan wolf) was originally native to Mongolia, northern and central China, and Korea. Now, their habitat range has expanded to the large country of Russia and to central Asia.

What is a Mongolian wolf's habitat?

In Mongolia, the country where this species is most present, their natural habitat is open areas with an abundance of prey and sufficient cover for resting and hiding. They live in mountains too.

Who do Mongolian wolves live with?

Mongolian wolves mostly live in packs but in areas where they are more likely to be hunted, they are mostly found on their own. These packs are active during both the day and night time but are most often seen at dawn and dusk. Packs are also extremely territorial. Mongolian wolf packs are typically not large, normally containing just two or three members.

How long does a Mongolian wolf live?

This species can live for 15-16 years.

How do they reproduce?

Mongolian wolves reproduce sexually like other species of the gray wolf. They find a mate to who they are loyal for life. Mongolian wolves become sexually mature between two to three years of age. Pairs normally mate in December and the gestation period is between 62-65 days. Females give birth in June to between six and eight pups. They give birth in a den that they make in a small cave dug out from the ground. After seven to eight weeks, the pups are weaned.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of the Mongolian wolf (also known as the Tibetan wolf) subspecies is of Least Concern.

What do Mongolian wolves look like?

They have fulvous (dull orange) fur on their backs. This fur is mixed with black, brown, and gray hair. On their bellies, throats, chest, and the insides of their legs, they have pure white fur. The fur on their head is a light gray-brown and their foreheads have grizzly gray and black fur. The Mongolian wolf looks very similar to the common wolf, except it has shorter legs and some fulvous hair.

How cute are they?

If you are a fan of fuzzy wolves, they certainly can be cute! Wolves are dog-like in appearance and can remind us of humankind's best friend. For some, wolves can be quite terrifying and not so cute.

How do they communicate?

The Canis lupus communicates in a couple of ways. Firstly, they use vocalizations. Howling helps to signal their location to other members of the pack and gathers pack members for hunting. They also howl and use scent markings to communicate to other packs the boundaries of their territory and to mark ownership of their territory.

The Mongolian wolf (also known as the Tibetan wolf) can also display to other wolves their ranking within the pack through their body language and facial expressions. They may crouch, touch each others' chins and roll onto their backs to reveal their fuzzy bellies.

How big is a Mongolian wolf?

The Mongolian wolf is a bit smaller than other wolves. Males are usually bigger than females and their length is in the range of 37-62 in (93 - 158 cm). In addition to this, their tails are about 12-16 in (30-40 cm). Females, on the other hand, have a body length of 35-43 in (90-109 cm) and a tail length of 12-16 in (30-40 cm). In comparison, a domestic Labrador Retriever dog is about 21.5 - 24.5 in (55 - 62cm) in length. That makes the Mongolian wolf almost three times bigger than your domestic Labrador pet.

How fast can a Mongolian wolf run?

There is not much information on how fast the Mongolian wolf (also known as the Tibetan wolf) species can run. However, your average wolf can run up to 25 mph (40 kph) or distances up to 2 mi (3 km). At shorter distances, they can run up to 40 mph (64 kph).

How much does a Mongolian wolf weigh?

A fully grown male weighs between a range of 57-82 lb (26-37 kg) and a fully grown female weighs between 49-66 lb (22-30 kg).

What are their male and female names of the species?

A male wolf is called a 'dog' and a female is called a 'bitch'.

What would you call a baby Mongolian wolf?

Baby wolves are called 'pups'.

What do they eat?

Wolves are carnivores and feed on many different types of prey, specifically small birds and mammals. They tend to also eat Mongolian gazelles, wild horses, antelopes, deer, foxes, weasels, and blue sheep. They may even attack and feed on livestock if there is not much wild prey to be found.

They are mostly mobile in the summer, when they catch all kinds of animals. During the winter, as there is deep snow, they may only be able to hunt bigger mammals such as goats, sheep, deer, and other livestock if they are present.

Are they dangerous?

Wolves can be dangerous to people, however, cases of them attacking humans are extremely rare. In fact, wolves are wary and afraid of humans and so they tend to stay away.

Would they make a good pet?

Wolves do not make a good pet as they belong in the wild to prey on animals, specifically mammals, birds, and rodents. This species also require a lot of space for running around. Keeping one in the home would not be a good idea, they would definitely destroy your furniture!

Did you know...

The Mongolian wolf is also known as the Tibetan wolf and also goes by the name woolly wolf because it has a dense and wool-like undercoat.

These wolves are mostly found in the Mongolian forest-steppe, the Mongolian boreal forest or taiga, and the Mongolian desert steppe.

The wolf in Mongolian culture is an image of power, strength, and tenacity. In fact, Mongolian culture believes you will not see a wolf unless you are considered equally as powerful as the wolf. Mongolians also believe you cannot kill a wolf unless that wolf submits to you. Therefore, people in Mongolia highly respect this wolf and its cultural symbolism.

The rarest wolf breed is the red wolf and the most dangerous wolf is the Eurasian wolf. The biggest wolf is the Mackenzie Valley wolf.

Some people in Mongolia use eagles to hunt Mongolian wolves. These two hunting creatures would definitely make an interesting Mongolian wolf vs eagle battle, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Also, the eagle hunts many of the same creatures as wolves in Mongolia, including deer.

What is unique about the Mongolian wolf?

You can spot a Mongolian wolf as they have piercing and beautiful golden eyes. They are also a lot smaller than other wolves found throughout the entire world.

Is the Mongolian wolf endangered?

The Mongolian wolf is currently not endangered but they have been threatened in the past. There are no laws in Mongolia to protect these beautiful creatures from household and industrial hunting. This means that they are threatened by Mongolian wolf hunter humans who hunt them. Herders may hunt wolves who attack their livestock. As humans hunt these wolves so much, many owners of dogs in Mongolia throughout history have cut their dogs' ears to mark that they are not wild wolves and prevent them from being hunted. It is even believed that they are hunted for their bones which are then used as charms.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals from our blue sheep facts and antelope facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable mongolian wolf coloring pages.