INTRODUCTION and DISTRIBUTION

- The Arctic Wolf is also called the Polar Wolf or White Wolf.

- It is a subspecies of the Grey Wolf.

- Arctic wolves live on islands in the Canadian High Arctic (Queen Elizabeth Islands, Banks and Victoria Islands, Baffin Island).

- They are also found on the northern and eastern shores of Greenland.

APPEARANCE and ADAPTATIONS

- They are usually white in colour and smaller than Grey Wolves (which live farther south).

- The white fur makes them harder to see in the snow.

- The muzzle and legs are shorter and the ears are smaller than the Grey Wolf.

- Smaller ears and a shorter muzzle helps to trap body heat.

- The Arctic Wolf has a thick undercoat of soft fur and an overcoat of long thick hairs.

- There are thick pads on the bottoms of the feet.

image credit - Andrew Johnson, Flickr, license - Creative Commons

HABITS

- Wolves hunt in small packs.

- Each pack hunts and lives in its own territory.

- They are able to live in darkness for months.

FOOD

- They hunt musk oxen, caribou, lemmings and arctic hare.

- Wolves will also eat birds, seals, arctic foxes and ground squirrels.

- When following herds of musk oxen or caribou, they usually pick on the young or the weak.

- They travel great distances to find food and can go for days without eating.

THE YOUNG

- A cave or crevice in rocks is used as a den.

- A female has a litter of 2 to 4 pups in May or June.

- The other members of the pack bring food to her.

- Pups are blind, deaf and helpless.

- Their fur is darker (brownish-grey).

- At first, the pups drink their mother's milk.

- In a month they are fed regurgitated meat.