Complete Guide to Wolf Breeds and Subspecies

There are several sub-species of the wolf. A few of the most common are:

Gray Wolf (Canis Lupus)

The wolf from which most others arise, the gray wolf is the largest of the canid species.
They can be found in a wide variety of habitats throughout most of North America.
These animals survived the ice age and are thought to be the ancestor of domestic dog. They may not, however, survive mankind.

Arctic Wolf (Canis Lupus Arctos)

The Arctic Wolf can be found on the islands of the Canadian Arctic and the north coast of Greenland. Because of their extreme isolation and the harsh conditions of their environment, not much is known about this subspecies of gray wolf.
We do know that their coat grows almost pure white and thicker than their cousins to maximize wamth in constant cold.

Arabian Wolf (Canis Lupus Arabs)

The Arabian wolf was once found throughout the Arabian Peninsula, but now their territory has become scattered to bits of several different countries.
This subspecies is smaller than most and tend to live and hunt in small packs of 2 or 3 animals. They are also one of the few that aren’t known to howl.

Eastern Wolf (Canis Lupus Lycaon or Canis Lycaon)

Also called Eastern Timber Wolf, Eastern Canadian Wolf and Eastern Canadian Red Wolf, there has been speculation as to whether they are actually a subspecies of the grey wolf.
They are thought to be a hybridization between the grey wolf and red wolves or coyotes and a distinct species in their own right (Canis lycaon).
The Eastern Wolf is smaller than their cousins and often have physical characteristics similar to coyotes (who they’ve have been known to inter-breed with).

Eurasian Wolf (Canis Lupus Lupus)

Also called Common Wolf, European Wolf, Carpathian Wolf, Steppes Wolf, Tibetan Wolf and Chinese Wolf. Originally found throughout Eurasia, now they are only seen in Central Asia.
The fur of this subspecies is generally shorter, more dense and richer in color than their cousins in North America.

Mexican Wolf (Canis Lupus Baileyi)

The Mexican wolf is one of the most endangered canids on the planet. Originally they were found through most of northern Mexico and parts of the Southern US, and they were declared an endangered species in 1976.
What remains of the breed lives in zoos and wolf sanctuaries.

Italian Wolf (Canis Lupus Italicus)

Also called the Apennine Wolf, the Italian wolf is found in the Apennine Mountains in Italy, some areas of Switzerland and parts of southern France.
A medium sized wolf, their bloodlines are thought to be particularly pure and relatively unaffected by domesticated dogs.

Northwestern Wolf (Canis lupus occidentalis)

Also known as the Rocky Mountain Wolf, McKenzie Valley wolf, Alaskan Timber Wolf or Canadian Timber Wolf.
They are predators perfectly suited for their environment, so numbers remained large in spite of the hunting.

Russian Wolf (Canis Lupus Communis)

Found in north-central Russia and one of the 5 subspecies found within the Russian Federation. One of the largest of the grey wolves, the Russian Wolves are champion predators. Because of this, they thrive in the wild and their numbers grow quickly.
These animals are also known to be more aggressive towards humans than other greys. For these two reasons, the Russian wolf is legally hunted to keep their numbers down.

Iberian wolf (Canis Lupus Signatus)

These animals can be found in northern Portugal and northwestern Spain and differ physically from the more common Eurasian Wolf.
The Iberian Wolf gets their latin name from the dark marks on their tail and on both front legs. Signatus means “marked”.

Great Plains Wolf (Canis Lupus Nubilus)

Also called Timber Wolf and Buffalo Wolf, this is the most common subspecies of grey wolf in the continental US.
The range of these animals used to cover the whole of the US and southern Canada. However relentless hunting and habitat destruction has resulted in their protection as an endangered species.
Luckily the Great Plains Wolf has made a great comeback and their numbers are rising again.

Tundra Wolf (Canis Lupus Albus)

Also called Eurasian Arctic wolf, this animal is found throughout northern Europe and Asia, often in the arctic and boreal regions of Russia.
Among the largest of the grey wolves, these animals have a fine coat of fur and are often hunted for it.

Southern-East Asian Wolf (Canis Lupus Pallipes)

The Southern-East Asian Wolf (Canis lupus pallipes), also known as the Turkish or Iranian Wolf, is a subspecies of Gray Wolf which ranges from Northern Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Afghanistan, and Iran. Israel seems to be the last hope for the Southern-East Asian Wolf's survival in the Middle East because it is the only country in the region where they have legal protection.

Caspian Sea Wolf (Canis Lupus Campestris)

The Caspian Sea Wolf, also known as the Caucasian Wolf, is a critically endangered subspecies of the Gray Wolf, and was once found throughout the area between the Caspian and Black seas. Now an extremely rare animal, it exists only in a remote area in the extreme southeastern portion of Russia that borders the Caspian Sea.

Dingo (Canis Dingo)

The Australian Dingo or Warrigal is an ancient, free roaming, primitive canine unique to the continent of Australia, specifically the outback. Because of their attacks on livestock, dingoes and other wild dogs are seen as pests by the sheep industry and the resultant control methods normally run counter to dingo conservation efforts.

Vancouver Island Wolf (Canis Lupus Crassodon)

The Vancouver Island Wolf is a subspecies of grey wolf, endemic to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. It is very social with other wolves, and lives in packs of about five to thirty-five. It is an endangered subspecies, very shy, and is rarely seen by humans.

Eqyptian Wolf (Canis Lupus Lupaster)

Once found throughout the Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula, now the Egyptian wolf is only found in northern Egypt and northeastern Libya. This subspecies is relatively small and often mistaken for the Golden Jackal.
They are critically endangered due to overhunting.

As well as a few others~
◦ Himalayan Wolf - disputed as a sub-species of the grey wolf and was thought to belong to the Tibetan wolf species. Now, this species is critically endangered.
• Red Wolf - Found in eastern USA. This species is critically endangered.
• Prairie wolf - also known as coyote. This species is not endangered but is on the lower concern list.
• Eastern Canadian Wolf - a newly recognized species, thought to be a relation of both the prairie wolf and the gray wolf, and is something classified as a Grey wolf sub-species. This species is endangered.
• Ethiopian Wolf - A wolf that very closely resembles a fox. This species is endangered.
• Indian Wolf - Another recently recognize species, thought originally to be a sub-species of Southern-East Asian Wolf, now known to be a species in its own right.
• Maned Wolf - Found exclusively in South America. This species is critically endangered.

There are also several species of wolf that are now extinct. These include:

•Hokkaido Wolf - One of the two Japanese wolf species. Confirmed extinct in 1889.
•Honshū Wolf - The second of the Japanese wolf species, also extinct. Confirmed to be extinct in 1905.
•Dire Wolf - A prehistoric wolf. Estimated to have become extinct around 10,000 years ago.
•Newfoundland Wolf - A sub-species of the grey wolf, now extinct. Confirmed to be extinct in 1911.