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Arctic Wolves and Their Prey
L. David Mech
Biological Resources Division
U.S. Geological Survey
One of the most fascinating creatures inhabiting the Arctic is
the arctic wolf (Canis lupus arctos). The arctic wolf is
a race, subspecies, or geographic variant of the gray wolf (Canis
lupus) species that originally lived throughout the northern
hemisphere north of 15°N latitude (12°N latitude in India).
Year-around white coats and slightly shorter noses and ears distinguish
these wolves from other races of the gray wolf, and the life of
the arctic wolf is basically the same as the lives of wolves everywhere.
The arctic wolf lives in the area along the
northern edge of the North American continent and northward to the
North Pole, as well as along the eastern and northern shores of
Greenland. Several large islands occupy the region between the north
edge of the continent and the Pole. Although ice and snow permanently
cover much of the area, parts of these islands become snow free
between mid-June and mid-August and support enough low-growing plants
to feed musk-oxen, Peary caribou, and arctic hares. These creatures
constitute most of the food supply for the white wolves [1]
that live in this place called the "High Arctic."
Some white wolves can be found as far south as Wood Buffalo National
Park in northern Alberta, Canada, at a latitude of 60°. At least
one white wolf has been seen as far south as northern Minnesota.
Because wolves sometimes disperse straight-line distances of over
550 miles, conceivably genes of the arctic wolf have found their
way to Minnesota. On the other hand, most wolves south of about
70°, which more or less borders the northern edge of continental
North America, are gray or black. North of there, most if not all,
wolves are white.
Coat color is actually a very superficial characteristic with which
to evaluate any species. The arctic wolf is a wolf. It is shaped
like any other wolf, acts like any other wolf, travels like any
other kind of wolf, breeds with any other kind of wolf, and behaves
like any other wolf.
The High Arctic (75° to 90°N) is mostly unsettled by people.
The northernmost Inuit (formerly Eskimo) village, Grise Fiord, nestles
at about 75°. This village of about one hundred people was built
in the 1950s by the Canadian government, and Inuit from farther
south were moved there. The only other year-round human outposts
in the region include a few weather stations and a military base.
All these settlements are relatively recent. And as a result, arctic
wolves really have never been hunted or seriously pursued in most
of the High Arctic, contrary to their counterparts throughout the
rest of the northern hemisphere. This makes them mostly unafraid
of any human beings they do run into. Rather than flee at the very
scent of a human, they merely stand and gaze. In some areas, they
can even be coaxed up close. Of course, they are very rare, with
pack territories covering at least 1,000 square miles.
This
lack of fear on the part of arctic wolves has allowed the author
[2] to befriend a pack of them. By having
discovered their den, the author managed to live with the wolves
during summers 1986 through 1996 and to learn many things he could
not by working with wolves farther to the south for some 40 years.
These experiences, including one instance in which a white wolf
came up and untied his bootlaces, are chronicled in a series of
articles and publications [3, 4].
As of summer 2000, all of the wolves he befriended in the earlier
years had died, and only one grandoffspring of the original "Mom"
of the 1986 pack was left. However, the author and an associate
continue to visit the area each summer to study prey populations
and any other wolves that might eventually colonize the area.
In 2001, 2002, and 2003, even this last grandoffspring was gone,
and no wolves were denning in the traditional den or the territory.
Probably this was a result of very low numbers of muskoxen and arctic
hares in this area. The low prey numbers seem to be related to snow
cover during the last half of summer, both in 1997 (Mech 2000) and
in 2000. Since then, weather conditions have improved, and prey
have begun to increase again. New wolves began to use the area in
2003, and a pair produced 4 pups in 2004, that survived at least
until July 15.
Gallery of Wolf Photographs
Please visit the gallery of wolf photographs, taken by the author,
at
http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/gallery_wolf.html
More wolf
photos and other
animal photos by the author at http://www.davemech.com/.
Footnotes and References
Additional References
Mech, L. D. (2000). Leadership
in Wolf, Canis lupus, packs. Canadian Field Naturalist 114(2):259-263.
Mech, L. D. (2001). Standing
over and hugging in wild wolves. Canadian Field Naturalist 115(1):179-181.
Mech, L. D. (2004). Is
climate change affecting wolves in the High Arctic? Climatic
Change 67:87-93.
Additional Information
A
Year in the life of the Arctic Wolf pup
The Arctic
Wolf
Arctic
Wolf pups make smooth transition into the Pack
International Wolf Center
The Gray Wolf (Canis
lupus) fact sheet from the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service
Listen to wolves
howl and growl
Gray wolf endangered
from US fish and wildlife
At
home with the Arctic Wolf—National Geographic Article Vol.
171, No.5 May 1987
Wolf
links from About.com
The author's website
Note
The author cannot accommodate visitors, photographers,
or filmmakers in the field, and the photography opportunities greatly
diminished with the demise of the original pack. The new pack has
kept its pups in a much less accessible area than the original pack
discussed above.
Acknowledgments
The following Canadian agencies have all cooperated
with the research via permits, approvals, and logistical support:
Polar Continental Shelf Project (PCSP), Atmospheric Environment
Services (AES), Department of Defense (DOD), Northwest Territories
Department of Resources, Wildlife, and Economic Development, the
Nunavut Department of Sustainable Development, and the Grise Fiord
Hunters and Trappers Association.
 
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