Fun Tundra Wolf Facts For Kids

The wolf, a member of the Canidae family, may look similar to a dog but it is quite different. Dogs, who are also part of the Canidae family, are said to be a man's best friend, while on the other hand, a wolf is the exact opposite. Wolves are dangerous and not very fond of humans. Despite being a dangerous predator, wolves still manage to look like fascinating creatures. There are three main species of wolves known as timberwolves, red wolves, and grey wolves. Today, we are going to know all that is relevant about a tundra wolf, which is a subspecies of Grey wolf. Tundra wolf is also known as the Arctic wolf as the primary habitat of this sub-species is in the arctic region. There are various tundra wolf adaptations that allow the species to thrive in cold climates, such as having white fur to merge with the white snow, and small ears and short muzzle to prevent heat loss.

Arctic wolves (Canis lupus arctos) are pack animals with great hunting instincts. In general, the Arctic wolf habitat will be present around a region with diverse wildlife supply for their dietary requirements. So, without wasting any time. Let's have a look at some of the interesting Alaskan tundra wolf facts. After, do check our other articles on Eurasian wolf and Mexican wolf.

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What type of animal is a tundra wolf?

The Arctic wolf is a subspecies of the grey wolf. These Arctic wolves are carnivorous, which means a tundra wolf diet mainly consists of meat. Arctic wolves are always on the lookout to prey on deer, sheep, caribou, musk oxen, and other animals. Tundra wolf is a hunting species that engages in hunting with the entire pack.

What class of animal does a tundra wolf belong to?

A tundra wolf comes under the mammalian class of animals. Arctic wolves give direct birth to their offspring and prefer to like in packs for hunting and survival requirements.

How many tundra wolves are there in the world?

There are said to be around 200,000 tundra wolves in the world. The Arctic wolf population in the USA is estimated to be around 9,000-10,000; 60,000 in Canada; 30,000-40,000 in Russia; 30,000 in Mongolia.

Where does a tundra wolf live?

Tundra wolves are found in the Northern arctic and boreal regions of Russia, Northern Europe, Northern Asia, North America, and Greenland. As the Arctic wolf is a carnivore species, it prefers to live near its food source in the tundra region. The diet of Arctic wolves generally features wildlife like caribou, bison, and musk ox.

What is a tundra wolf's habitat?

An Arctic wolf habitat is located in the forest-tundra regions of North America. Arctic wolves can make homes in the caves and rocks found in the forest. Tundra wolf habitat will generally be around regions with abundant wildlife supply for their food requirements.

Who do tundra wolves live with?

Tundra wolves live in groups called packs. Usually, all the Arctic wolves in a pack are family members. A pack of Arctic wolves consists of an alpha male, an alpha female, and their offspring from the last few years. The Polar wolf pups who are born together are called littermates.

How long does a tundra wolf live?

The average life span of a tundra wolf is around 7-10 years. The lifespan of the Arctic wolf can vary slightly depending on the region where they are located and availability of food sources.

How do they reproduce?

The tundra wolves reproduce through sexual reproduction. The mating happens only between the alpha male and alpha female of the pack. A female Arctic wolf can give birth to two to six wolf pups and the average gestation period of a female wolf is 62-75 days. After the gestation period is over, the female Arctic wolf will give birth to a litter of around one to four pups.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of tundra wolf is of least concern. Tundra wolves reside in less populated areas, and that's why they face very few threats of being hunted and endangered. As per IUCN Red List of Endangered Species, the Arctic wolf has the conservation status of Least Concern which means that there are no immediate threats to their survival.

What do tundra wolves look like?

Tundra wolf (Canis lupus albus) is a subspecies of the gray wolf. Tundra wolves have white coats, shorter ears, and noses, which differentiates them from the other subspecies of the grey wolf. Tundra wolves also have a slightly smaller body than grey wolves. There are various physical adaptations that the Arctic wolf has undergone for its survival in the region including white fur, short ear, small muzzle etc.

How cute are they?

Arctic wolves are cute looking animals, their furry coat and dog-like appearance make them look cute and fascinating. Although Arctic wolves are more dangerous than dogs, because of their appearance they still manage to look cute. Arctic wolf pups look absolutely cute and adorable.

How do they communicate?

In order to communicate, they use the sense of smell and send chemical messages. The chemical messages being exchanged between members of the same species are known as pheromones. Sources of pheromones in wolves are in the tail, glands on the toes, eyes, anus, genitals, and skin.

How big is a tundra wolf?

Tundra wolves are big wolf species, and they are almost two times bigger than the Arabian wolf (Arabian wolves have a standing height of 25-26 in). Arctic wolves are usually between 44-54 in long, wherein the male Arctic wolf is slightly bigger than the female Arctic wolf.

How fast can a tundra wolf run?

The Arctic wolves can run at a top speed of 40 mph. Usually, all the Arctic wolves are fast runners and and the high speed allows this white wolf to catch prey easily for its food supply.  

How much does a tundra wolf weigh?

The average weight of a male Arctic wolf is around 88–108 lb and the weight of a female is between the range of 81–90 lb.

What are their male and female names of the species?

There is no specific name allocated to the male and female wolves. A male Arctic wolf will be called a male tundra wolf and the female Arctic wolf will be called a female tundra wolf.

What would you call a baby tundra wolf?

A baby tundra wolf will be called a tundra wolf pup. Females give birth to a litter of between one to four tundra wolf pups after the completion of gestation period.

What do they eat?

Arctic wolves are carnivores and prey on large animals such as deer, wapiti, caribou, moose, bison, musk, mountain sheep for their food. These pack animals also prey on Arctic hares, seals, and lemmings.

Are they aggressive?

Generally, Arctic wolves are not aggressive. There is no denying that Arctic wolves are dangerous, but they are not very aggressive animals. Tundra wolves always try to keep their distance from humans, and aggression towards humans is not common. Also, Arctic wolves usually live in areas where there are fewer or no humans present. But if someone comes and invades their privacy, then these wolves can become aggressive and dangerous.

Would they make a good pet?

Many of us would think that wolves and dogs are almost the same, and to some extent, this is true, but the behavior of these two species is very different. Dogs love humans, but the Arctic wolf species is not very fond of humans and do not wish to maintain any contact with them. And that's why wolves aren't well suited to be pets. But yes, if a Arctic wolf pup is raised by humans and is properly trained then such an Arctic tundra wolf could possibly make a good pet.

Did you know...

Cannibalism in wolves is quite common. Wolves can eat their dead pack members to make up for any shortage in their food supply. Sometimes wolves will kill their fellow pack member and eat them. Arctic wolves are said to be opportunistic and if they get a chance to eat their fellow pack member then they don't feel hesitant to do so.

Arctic wolves are smaller than the other grey wolves. Although, the difference between their size is not massively different.

Tundra wolves are not endangered. These wolves live in isolation and that's why they do not face threats of being hunted and losing habitat to human civilization.

Eurasian tundra wolf is known as a Turukhan wolf, and a tundra Arctic wolf is known as a polar wolf or white wolf.

How are gray wolves adapted to the tundra?

The gray wolf is well adapted to the tundra's icy environment. The coat of an Arctic wolf is made up of warm fur, which provides insulation, and the long hairs help in keeping out the moisture. Their shorter ears and snouts help in reducing the amount of heat loss. The grey-white color of the coat provides them with camouflage in the snow. The grey wolf has claws, larger paws, and fleshy pads, which provide them with better support and easy walking in the snow.

The hearing and smelling senses of Arctic wolf is very sharp. They can hear and smell things from a very far distance.  The eyes of the wolves have a reflective retina, known as a tapetum. This reflective retina or tapetum provides them with better and enhanced vision at night.

How much do tundra wolves eat?

Tundra wolves are carnivores and prey on large animals such as deer, moose, bison, musk, Mountain sheep. These wolves have a large appetite. On average, an adult Arctic wolf can eat around 20 lb of food in one go.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals including saarloos wolfdog, or pocket pitbull.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our Tundra wolf coloring pages.