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Canids (Canidae) & Hyaenids (Hyaenidae)
Wolf (Canis lupus)
Wolf (Canis lupus)
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Wolf (Canis lupus)
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"Gray pelt wolves were found more often in areas with higher road densities than black wolves. As predicted, black, but not gray, wolves were positively associated with forest cover. "
 *This image is copyright of its original author I'm fairly sceptical about any explanatory power this has but interesting nonetheless Carnivores in color: pelt color patterns among carnivores in Idaho
Exploring durophagy among modern gray wolves from the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem with dental microwear texture analysis
Abstract Gray wolf (Canis lupus) dietary behavior can be highly variable; prey species for wolves span a range of ungulates to the consumption of smaller animals. While prey species for wolves are well documented, carcass utilization within and between wolf populations is less understood. This paper examines a modern population of wolves from the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) with dental microwear texture analysis (DMTA) to gauge utilization of bone resources, or durophagy, across biological, physical, social, geographical, and temporal variables. Results indicate gradation in durophagous behavior among GYE wolves does not correlate with sex, intra-population body size (as inferred from skeletal and soft tissue measurements), pack association, or age class. Together, findings suggest that feeding ecologies for wolves are not specific to these factors. We also found that antemortem tooth breakage rates are not positively correlated with dental microwear textures that infer durophagy. We further compare dental microwear measures with previously published data from Alaskan wolves, who were collected decades before the GYE wolf sample. Results imply elevated carcass exploitation in the contemporary GYE wolf population sample. If minimal inter-population differences are assumed, data presented here show dietary behaviors of North American gray wolves have changed over the past fifty years, indicating a possible long-term trend that may be linked to decreased winter severity and climate change. 
Wolves infected with a parasite that increases risk taking makes them 46x more likely to become pack leaders
Parasitic infection increases risk-taking in a social, intermediate host carnivore Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite capable of infecting any warm-blooded species and can increase risk-taking in intermediate hosts. Despite extensive laboratory research on the effects of T. gondii infection on behaviour, little is understood about the effects of toxoplasmosis on wild intermediate host behavior. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA, has a diverse carnivore community including gray wolves (Canis lupus) and cougars (Puma concolor), intermediate and definitive hosts of T. gondii, respectively. Here, we used 26 years of wolf behavioural, spatial, and serological data to show that wolf territory overlap with areas of high cougar density was an important predictor of infection. In addition, seropositive wolves were more likely to make high-risk decisions such as dispersing and becoming a pack leader, both factors critical to individual fitness and wolf vital rates. Due to the social hierarchy within a wolf pack, we hypothesize that the behavioural effects of toxoplasmosis may create a feedback loop that increases spatial overlap and disease transmission between wolves and cougars. These findings demonstrate that parasites have important implications for intermediate hosts, beyond acute infections, through behavioural impacts. Particularly in a social species, these impacts can surge beyond individuals to affect groups, populations, and even ecosystem processes.
Are there fully white wolves in Eurasia ?
When I read about wolves, I always see that fully white wolves are only present in the North America (Canada, Greenland and Alaska) and that in general American wolves display a bigger variety of colors than their Eurasian counterparts. There is however an old documentary about Russian/Soviet animals where you can see several fully white specimens as well as some others which are fully black which I did find odd ( link below the segment about wolves start at around 42:30). It’s an old documentary (prior to 2002 I think). Photos and videos of wolves in the Eurasian arctic are rare except for individuals kept in zoos, so I was wondering is there indeed fully white wolves in Northern Eurasia or did this documentary use footage (like stock footage) from various places? Thank you in advance for your answers. Link to the documentary in question: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZIupsoqcd8 (it's a part of a serie)  (08-30-2024, 11:01 PM)ashurGiga Wrote: Are there fully white wolves in Eurasia ? Giga Welcome to the forum! And thanks for the link to the old documentary. It's a nice one. My guess is it was first broadcasted well before the turn of the century. As to the question. Wildfact doesn't have a lot of members interested in wolves. Those we had, most unfortunately, left after a few years. As far as I can see, it doesn't seem to be very different in other forums. The best books about wolves I read were 'Of wolves and men' (Lopez, 1978), 'Säugetiere der Sowjetunion' (Heptner and Sludskij, German translation, 1980), 'Following the pack' (Link and Crawley, 1994), 'Wolves - Behavior, ecology, and conservation' (Mech and Buitani, 2003) and 'De wolf' (Okarma, 1997 - the Dutch translation was published in 2000). The best documentary (not about wolves in particular) I saw was 'El hombre y la tierra' (De la Fuente). Every now and then, the BBC broadcasts documentaries about wolves in Alaska, Canada and the USA. What I read, suggest white wolves are all but unheard of in Europe and the northwestern part of the Russian Federation. The only regions where they've been seen and filmed are North America (Alaska, Canada and the northern part of the USA) and some districts in the central and far eastern part of the Russian Federation. In all regions I referred to, long and harsh winters with a lot of snow are common. The stuffed Iberian wolves I saw in the natural history museum of Madrid fitted the colours of the region where they live (central and northern Portugal, the northwestern and central part of Spain, and a few districts in the south). Although they have a bit of white here and there, they're quite colourful. The groundcolour is darkish brown, mixed with spots of yellowish brown and a bit of grey. They also were larger than I expected. Males apparently can reach 45-50 kg. Wolves have recolonized The Netherlands. The wolves I saw (referring to photographs, videos and a very recent documentary) range between greyish and dull brown. Colourwise, they seem to be more uniform than their relatives in Iberia. Most wolves in the Netherlands are from Germany and central parts of Europe, but it could be some reached northwestern Europe from the south. The photographs and videos suggests they're quite large. Over here, wolves turn to sheep every now and then. Some people walking their dog in forested districts have seen wolves and one child was bitten by a wolf. The injury, however, wasn't serious. Wolf biologists think the individuals involved might have displayed territorial behaviour (wolves breed in a number of provinces). As a result, public discussions about eliminating 'problem' individuals started a number of years ago (referring to Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands). Farmers, as far as I know, do not use dogs to protect sheep. In the Baltic, Turkey and a number of former Sovjet republics in central Asia, conflicts between wolves and humans seem to be quite common. Every year, in central parts of Asia in particular, people are killed by wolves. Until quite recently, it wasn't very different in northern India. In North America, on the other hand, few people have been attacked. Reliable information, however, suggest the relationship between humans and wolves, to a degree, has changed.
Some informations about wolves average weight from various places:
Canada: - High Arctic Data 1 is literature (whatever that means): · Males (n=2) average weight≈ 36,2kg. · Females (n=1) average weight≈30,8kg. Source: Geographic Variation in Skull Morphology of the Wolf (Canis lupus) in Relation to Prey Size across North America, by John Dawson Ketchen. Data 2: · Males (n=2) average weight≈ 38,5kg. The weights were 43kg and 34kg. · Females (n=2) average weight≈24,2kg. The weights were 24,9kg and 23,5kg. Source: The High Arctic Wolf in the Jones Sound Region of the Canadian High Arctic - Baffin/northeastern Kivalliq Regions Data 1 : · Males (n=18) average weight≈ 31,23kg. · Females (n=9) average weight≈27,87kg. Source: Geographic Variation in Skull Morphology of the Wolf (Canis lupus) in Relation to Prey Size across North America, by John Dawson Ketchen. - East-central Kivalliq Region Data 1 : · Males (n=14) average weight≈ 33,8kg. · Females (n=18) average weight≈27,77kg. Source: Geographic Variation in Skull Morphology of the Wolf (Canis lupus) in Relation to Prey Size across North America, by John Dawson Ketchen. - Southeastern Kivalliq Region Data 1 : · Males (n=6) average weight≈ 36,9kg. · Females (n=6) average weight≈28,84kg. Source: Geographic Variation in Skull Morphology of the Wolf (Canis lupus) in Relation to Prey Size across North America, by John Dawson Ketchen. - Northwest Territories Data 1 (Kitikmeot & west Kivalliq Regions, Nunavut; North Slave Region, Northwest Territories ): · Males (n=7) average weight≈ 42,14kg. · Females (n=14) average weight≈33,46kg. Source: Geographic Variation in Skull Morphology of the Wolf (Canis lupus) in Relation to Prey Size across North America, by John Dawson Ketchen. Data 2 : · Males (n=18) average weight≈ 44,45kg. Heaviest 52,62kg, lightest 40,82kg. · Females (n=21) average weight≈38,56kg. Heaviest 49,9kg, lightest 31,75kg. Data 3 : · Males (n=80) average weight≈ 44kg. Heaviest 60,33kg, lightest 28,58kg. · Females (n=66) average weight≈37,65kg. Heaviest 53,98kg, lightest 22,68kg. Source for both: the Wolf, by L David Mech. - Inuvik region Data 1 : · Males (n=5) average weight≈ 41,4kg. · Females (n=4) average weight≈38,75kg. Source: Geographic Variation in Skull Morphology of the Wolf (Canis lupus) in Relation to Prey Size across North America, by John Dawson Ketchen. - British Columbia Data 1 : · Males (n=11) average weight≈ 52,62kg. Heaviest 64kg, lightest 30kg. · Females (n=12) average weight≈36,9kg. Heaviest 56,8kg, lightest 24kg. Source: Wolf predation risk to moose in north-central British Columbia, by Morgan Anderson, Matt Scheideman & Shelley Marshall. Data 2 (Vancouver) : · Males (n=4) average weight≈ 36,18kg. Heaviest 38,6kg, lightest 32,7kg. · Females (n=3) average weight≈30,47kg. Heaviest 31,8kg, lightest 28,2kg. Source: The Vancouver Island wolf (canis lupus crassodon) an initial study of food habits and social organization, by Barbara Mary Victoria Scott. - Wood Buffalo National Park & Northern Alberta Data 1 : · Males (n=17) average weight≈ 43,83kg. · Females (n=10) average weight≈38,73kg. Data 2 is literature (whatever that means): · Males (n=3) average weight≈ 49kg. · Females (n=5) average weight≈36,8kg. Source for both: Geographic Variation in Skull Morphology of the Wolf (Canis lupus) in Relation to Prey Size across North America, by John Dawson Ketchen. - Alberta and Jasper & Banff National Parks Data 1 : · Males (n=7) average weight≈ 46,34kg. Data 2 is literature (whatever that means): · Males (n>70) average weight≈ 50kg. · Females (n>60) average weight≈40kg. Source for both: Geographic Variation in Skull Morphology of the Wolf (Canis lupus) in Relation to Prey Size across North America, by John Dawson Ketchen. Data 3 are the wolves introduced to Yellowstone National Park in 1995 & 1996: · Males (n=8) average weight≈ 50,69kg. Heaviest 58,97kg, lightest 34kg. · Females (n=7) average weight≈47,50kg. Heaviest 52,16kg, lightest 40,37kg. Data 4 : · Mixed/not specified sexes (n=31) average weight≈ 48kg. Heaviest 68kg, lightest 35kg. Source: Wolf ecology and caribou-primary prey-wolf spatial relationships in low productivity peatland complexes in northeastern Alberta, by Andrew David MacDuff Latham. - Manitoba & Saskatchewan Data 1 (Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan): · Males (n=10) average weight≈ 48,45kg. · Females (n=9) average weight≈35,63kg. Source: Geographic Variation in Skull Morphology of the Wolf (Canis lupus) in Relation to Prey Size across North America, by John Dawson Ketchen. Data 2 literature: · Males (n=?) average weight≈ 42,18kg. Source: SUMMARY OF THE LARGE WOLVES OF CANADA, WITH DESCRIPTION OF THREE NEW ARCTIC RACES, BY RUDOLPH MARTIN ANDERSON. Data 3 (Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba): · Males (n=42) average weight≈ 45,95kg. Heaviest 53kg, lightest 36kg. · Females (n=54) average weight≈38,76kg. Heaviest 48kg, lightest 31kg. Data 4 (Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba): · Males (n=8) average weight≈ 39kg. Heaviest 43kg, lightest 34kg. · Females (n=12) average weight≈35,62kg. Heaviest 43,1kg, lightest 31,7kg. Source for both: Wolf body mass, skull morphology, and mitochondrial DNA haplotypes in the Riding Mountain National Park region of Manitoba, Canada, by Astrid V. Stronen, Graham J Forbes, Tim Sallows, Gloria Goulet, Marco Musiani and Paul C. Paquet. - Northern Ontario – Kenora, Rainy River, Thunder Bay, Cochrane, Algoma Districts Data 1 is literature (whatever that means): · Males (n>1040?) average weight≈ 35,27kg. · Females (n>980?) average weight≈28,98kg. Note: I put ? for the samples because I found these numbers really weird Source: Geographic Variation in Skull Morphology of the Wolf (Canis lupus) in Relation to Prey Size across North America, by John Dawson Ketchen. - Ontario (could be Eastern wolves here) Data 1 : · Males (n=40) average weight≈ 27,67kg. Heaviest 36,74kg, lightest 19,5kg. · Females (n=33) average weight≈24,49kg. Heaviest 31,75kg, lightest 17,69kg. Source: the Wolf, by L David Mech. - South-Central Ontario – Nipissing and southern Sudbury Districts Algonquin Provincial Park (could be Eastern wolves here) Data 1 is literature (whatever that means): · Males (n=129) average weight≈ 27,50kg. · Females (n=112) average weight≈23,50kg. Source: Geographic Variation in Skull Morphology of the Wolf (Canis lupus) in Relation to Prey Size across North America, by John Dawson Ketchen. Alaska & Yukon (Canadian and American part): - Alaska Data 1 : · Males (n=60) average weight≈ 38,56kg. Heaviest 50,8kg, lightest 27,22kg. · Females (n=50) average weight≈32,2kg. Heaviest 37,19kg, lightest 24,94kg. Data 2 : · Males (n=6) average weight≈ 40,82kg. Heaviest 50,8kg, lightest 29kg. · Females (n=9) average weight≈30,39kg. Heaviest 36,29kg, lightest 22,68kg. Data 3 : · Males (n=24) average weight≈ 40,82kg. Heaviest 51,7kg, lightest 32,66kg. · Females (n=20) average weight≈32,66kg. Heaviest 42,18kg, lightest 24,95kg. Source for all: the Wolf, by L David Mech. - Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve Data 1, I don’t know the exact number of males and females but the total sample is 179 wolves: · Males (n=?) average weight≈ 50,35 kg. · Females (n=?) average weight≈44kg. Source: Alaska department of Fish and Game: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?ad...les_id=503 - Denali National Park and Preserve Data 1 : · Males (n=?) average weight≈ 47,63kg. · Females (n=?) average weight≈39,92kg. Source: Alaska department of Fish and Game: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlifenews.view_article&articles_id=503 & National Park service: https://www.nps.gov/dena/learn/nature/wo...0%20pounds! - Yukon including the Canadian part Data 1 : · Males (n=10) average weight≈ 42,35kg. · Females (n=5) average weight≈33,92kg. Data 2 is literature (whatever that means): · Males (n=57) average weight≈ 45,45kg. · Females (n=73) average weight≈37,50kg. Source for both: Geographic Variation in Skull Morphology of the Wolf (Canis lupus) in Relation to Prey Size across North America, by John Dawson Ketchen. - Northwestern Alaska Data 1: · Males (n=23 adults & n=8 yearlings) average weight≈ 47,3 kg for adults and 46,2kg for yearlings. · Females (n=17 adults & n=9 yearlings) average weight≈42,2kg for adults and 41,9kg for yearlings. Source: Ecology of Wolves in Relation to a Migratory Caribou Herd in Northwest Alaska, Authors: Warren B. Ballard, Lee Anne Ayres, Paul R. Krausman, Daniel J. Reed andSteven G. Fancy. United States: - Yellowstone National Park Data 1: · Males average weight≈ 50kg. · Females average weight≈41kg. Source: National Park service: https://www.nps.gov/articles/yellowstone-wolf-facts.htm - Minnesota Data 1: · Males (n=3) average weight≈ 32,53kg. · Females (n=4) average weight≈26,55kg. Source: Ecology of the Timber Wolf in Northeastern Minnesota, Authors: Victor Van Ballenberghe, Albert W. Erickson and David Byman. Data 2: · Males (n=?) average weight≈ 40,8kg. · Females (n=?) average weight≈31,2kg. Source: Reproduktionspotential hos hanvarg i Sverige Reproductive potential of male wolves in Sweden Data 3: · Males (n=84) average weight≈ 35,38kg. Heaviest 51,7kg, lightest 22,68kg. · Females (n=60) average weight≈27,67kg. Heaviest 38,1kg, lightest 20,41kg. Source: the Wolf, by L David Mech. Finland: Data 1: · Males (n=17) average weight≈ 38,53kg. Heaviest 45kg, lightest 25kg · Females (n=18) average weight≈31,22kg. Heaviest 42kg, lightest 9kg Data 2: · Males (n=52) average weight≈ 40,56kg. Heaviest 55kg, lightest 26kg · Females (n=33) average weight≈31,96 kg. Heaviest 45kg, lightest 24kg Source: Studies on the wolf (Canis lupus l.) in Finland, Erkki Pülliainen. Scandinavia: Data 1 (Sand et al., 2014): · Males average weight between 45kg and 55kg · Females average weight between 35kg and 45kg Data 2 (Wabakken et al., 2001): · Males average weight 44,7kg ± 3kg Source for both: Reproduktionspotential hos hanvarg i Sverige Reproductive potential of male wolves in Sweden Data 3: · Males (n=51) average weight≈ 46,8 kg ± 1,1kg · Females (n=38) average weight≈38,3 kg ± 1,1kg Source: Journal of animal ecology 2015, Predator-dependent functional response in wolves: from food limitation to surplus killing Data 4: · Males (n=23) average weight of fully adults (number is not given) ≈ 50kg. · Females (n=22) average weight of fully adults (number is not given) ≈39,3kg. Data 5: · Males (n=38) average weight ≈ 41kg. · Females (n=25) average weight ≈31kg. Source for both: Utredninger i forbindelse med ny rovviltmelding Ulv - Bestandsdynamikk, levedyktighet og effekter av uttak Hans C. Pedersen Note: I don’t have data on the heaviest and lightest wolf in each sample, but I’ve read that the heaviest wolf caught in Sweden since 1977 weighted 57,5kg. Poland/Belarus: - Białowieża Forest : Data 1 : · Males (n=62) average weight≈ 34,8kg. Heaviest 44,8kg, lightest 23,3kg · Females (n=58) average weight≈29,2kg. Heaviest 36kg, lightest 21kg Source: mammals of the Soviet Union volume II, Geptner, V. G. - Carpathian mountains : Data 1 : · Males (n=?) average weight≈ 46,4kg. Heaviest 67kg, lightest 35kg · Females (n=?) average weight≈39,3kg. Heaviest 50kg, lightest 27kg Source: Prey choice and diet of wolves related to ungulate communities and wolf subpopulations in Poland - Belarus : Data 1 : · Males (n=22) average weight≈ 42kg. · Females (n=7) average weight≈36kg. Source: Волк, Д.И. Бибиков Slovakia: Data 1 : · Males (n=66) average weight≈ 39,9kg. Heaviest 60kg, lightest 23kg. · Females (n=55) average weight≈34,9kg. Heaviest 50kg, lightest 21,3kg. Source: Notes on somatic proportions of Canis lupus from eastern Slovakia (Carnivora: Canidae), Poznámky k biometrickým údajom populácie vlka eurázijského (Canis lupus) z východného Slovenska (Carnivora: Canidae) Latvia: Data 1: · Males (n=?) average weight≈ 45-50kg. Heaviest 60-65kg · Females (n=?) average weight≈35-40kg. Source: Волк, Д.И. Бибиков Lithuania: Data 1: · Males (n=62) average weight≈ 44,5kg. Heaviest 65kg, lightest 31kg Source: КРУПНЫЕ ХИЩНИКИ и КОПЫТНЫЕ: З В Е РИ, А в т о р ы : В. П. Макридин, Н. К. Верещагин, В. И. Тарян-ников, А. А. Калецкий, Н. С. Свиридов, Л. М. Баскин, М. А. Лавов, В. Е. Размахнин, С. К. Устинов, Е. В. Фадеев. Yugoslavia: Data 1: · Mixed/not specified sexes (n=?) average weight≈ 33,11kg. Heaviest 63,05kg. Source: the Wolf, by L David Mech. Russia: - Taimyr Data 1 : · Males (n=29) average weight≈ 44,1kg ± 0,7kg · Females (n=29) average weight≈35,5kg ± 0,6kg Source: ВНУТРИВИДОВОЙ ПОЛИМОРФИЗМ ВОЛКА (Canis Lupus) ПРИЕНИСЕИСКОИ СИБИРИ, Суворов Анаголий Прохорович. Data 2 : · Males (n=11) average weight≈ 46,8kg. Heaviest 52kg, lightest 41kg Source: КРУПНЫЕ ХИЩНИКИ и КОПЫТНЫЕ: З В Е РИ, А в т о р ы : В. П. Макридин, Н. К. Верещагин, В. И. Тарян-ников, А. А. Калецкий, Н. С. Свиридов, Л. М. Баскин, М. А. Лавов, В. Е. Размахнин, С. К. Устинов, Е. В. Фадеев. - Putorana Data 1 : · Males (n=29) average weight≈ 44kg ± 0,9kg · Females (n=29) average weight≈34,8kg ± 0,7kg Source: ВНУТРИВИДОВОЙ ПОЛИМОРФИЗМ ВОЛКА (Canis Lupus) ПРИЕНИСЕИСКОИ СИБИРИ, Суворов Анаголий Прохорович. - Chukotka Data 1 : · Males (n=15) average weight≈ 45,4kg ± 1,9kg · Females (n=11) average weight≈38,2kg ± 1,5kg Source: ВНУТРИВИДОВОЙ ПОЛИМОРФИЗМ ВОЛКА (Canis Lupus) ПРИЕНИСЕИСКОИ СИБИРИ, Суворов Анаголий Прохорович. Data 2 : · Males (n=9) average weight≈ 43,5kg. Heaviest 57,5kg, lightest 31kg · Females (n=5) average weight≈37,8kg. Heaviest 41,4kg, lightest 30kg Source: Волк, Д.И. Бибиков - Tydansky Peninsula Data 1 : · Males (n=28) average weight≈ 44,5kg. Heaviest 66kg, lightest 37,5kg · Females (n=16) average weight≈36,1kg. Heaviest 46kg, lightest 27,1kg Source: Волк, Д.И. Бибиков - Nenets National Okrug Data 1 : · Males (n=23) average weight≈ 40kg. Heaviest 49kg. · Females (n=23) average weight≈36,6kg. Heaviest 41kg. Source: Волк, Д.И. Бибиков - Yamal Data 1 : · Males (n=12) average weight≈ 42kg. Heaviest 49,5kg, lightest 37,5kg Source: КРУПНЫЕ ХИЩНИКИ и КОПЫТНЫЕ: З В Е РИ, А в т о р ы : В. П. Макридин, Н. К. Верещагин, В. И. Тарян-ников, А. А. Калецкий, Н. С. Свиридов, Л. М. Баскин, М. А. Лавов, В. Е. Размахнин, С. К. Устинов, Е. В. Фадеев. - Yakutia Data 1 : · Males (n=10) average weight≈ 40,7kg. · Females (n=10) average weight≈30kg. Source: ВНУТРИВИДОВОЙ ПОЛИМОРФИЗМ ВОЛКА (Canis Lupus) ПРИЕНИСЕИСКОИ СИБИРИ, Суворов Анаголий Прохорович. Data 2 (from tundra) : · Males (n=4) average weight≈ 39,5kg. Heaviest 41kg, lightest 38kg. · Females (n=3) average weight≈34kg. Heaviest 40kg, lightest 31kg. Source: Волк, Д.И. Бибиков - Evenkia Data 1 : · Males (n=25) average weight≈ 44,8kg ± 0,9kg · Females (n=25) average weight≈35,7kg ± 0,7kg Source: ВНУТРИВИДОВОЙ ПОЛИМОРФИЗМ ВОЛКА (Canis Lupus) ПРИЕНИСЕИСКОИ СИБИРИ, Суворов Анаголий Прохорович. - Northeastern European Russia Data 1 : · Males (n=33) average weight≈ 44,1 kg ± 2,1kg. Heaviest 78kg, lightest 30kg. · Females (n=26) average weight≈37,5 kg ± 1,7kg. Heaviest 56kg, lightest 28kg. Source: МАССА ТЕЛА И РАЗМЕРЫ ВОЛКА (CANIS LUPUS L., 1758) НА ЕВРО-СЕВЕРО- ВОСТОКЕ РОССИИ, И.С. Козловский. - Perm region Data 1 : · Males (n=5) average weight≈ 49kg. Source: Волки Справочник охотника и натуралист, Анатолий Матвеев. - Kirov region Data 1 : · Mixed sexes (n=9) average weight≈ 46,6-59,2kg (big range since I only have the lightest and heaviest, although the average is probably closer to 46,6kg). Heaviest 61kg (female), lightest 44,8kg Source: Волки Справочник охотника и натуралист, Анатолий Матвеев. - Baikal region Data 1 : · Males (n=16) average weight≈ 44,5kg ± 1,33kg · Females (n=?) average weight≈34,8kg ± 1,4kg Source: ВНУТРИВИДОВОЙ ПОЛИМОРФИЗМ ВОЛКА (Canis Lupus) ПРИЕНИСЕИСКОИ СИБИРИ, Суворов Анаголий Прохорович. - Altai/Sayan Data 1 : · Males (n=32) average weight≈ 37,9kg ± 1kg. Heaviest 53kg, lightest 26,2kg. · Females (n=31) average weight≈32,7kg ± 0,9kg. Heaviest 43,3kg, lightest 23,5kg. Source: МОРФОЛОГИЧЕСКАЯ ХАРАКТЕРИСТИКА ВОЛКА (Canis lupus) ЗАПАДНОЙ И СРЕДНЕЙ СИБИРИ. And ВНУТРИВИДОВОЙ ПОЛИМОРФИЗМ ВОЛКА (Canis Lupus) ПРИЕНИСЕИСКОИ СИБИРИ, Суворов Анаголий Прохорович. Data 2 : · Males (n=?) average weight≈ 39,87kg ± 0,81kg. · Females (n=?) average weight≈33,98kg ± 1,03kg. Source: МОРФОЛОГИЧЕСКАЯ ХАРАКТЕРИСТИКА ВОЛКА (Canis lupus) ЗАПАДНОЙ И СРЕДНЕЙ СИБИРИ. Note: In 1942, a wolf weighting 72kg was caught in the Altai region (could be closer to the Baikal region though). At the time, it was the heaviest wolf caught in the Russia or even the Soviet Union. - Khakassia Data 1 : · Males (n=5) average weight≈ 33,8kg · Females (n=2) average weight≈31,5kg Source: ВНУТРИВИДОВОЙ ПОЛИМОРФИЗМ ВОЛКА (Canis Lupus) ПРИЕНИСЕИСКОИ СИБИРИ, Суворов Анаголий Прохорович. - Southeastern Urals Data 1 : · Males (n=?) average weight≈ 48-50kg Source: Волки Справочник охотника и натуралист, Анатолий Матвеев. (02-01-2025, 05:20 PM)ashurGiga Wrote: Some informations about wolves average weight from various places: Few notes here (I'm not an expert so feel free to correct me if needed): 1- In case there ever any doubt, Canadian wolves (and especially those from British Columbia, Alberta and some parts of Yukon) are the largest in the world. However, some samples from Scandinavia and some parts of Russia are quite close to their Canadian counterparts in terms of weight. 2- Northwest Territories are geographically pretty close to East-central and southeastern Kivalliq regions but the wolves of the former are on average 7kg to 9kg heavier for males and 5kg to 6kg heavier for females. Perhaps the reason is that Northwest Territories' wolves are Northwestern wolves (canis lupus occidentalis) while those of the Kivalliq regions are Arctic wolves (canis lupus arctos). 3-Although the sample is very small, but Vancouver wolves, which I think are known as (canis lupus crassodon) are much smaller than inland British Columbia wolves (6kg difference for females and 16kg for males). I guess this is due to Vancouver having a much milder climate and being lower on altitude as well as the types of prey available. 4- Białowieża Forest wolves seem to be much smaller than Latvian, Lithuanian, Belarussian and Carpathians wolves by 8kg to 12kg for males and 6kg to 10kg for females and this despite all these wolves belonging to the same subspecies and the population being essentially continuous between the Baltics and Białowieża Forest. Perhaps the reason is due to the difference in ecoregion since Białowieża Forest belongs to the Central European Mixed Forest while the Baltics belong to the Sarmatic mixed forests and the Carpathians are yet another ecoregion. 5- Scandinavian wolves seem to be on average quite bigger than the Finnish wolves. Depending on the samples, the differences were between 4kg to 12kg for males and 1kg to 8kg for females. I find this quite remarquable because wolves were extinct in Scandinavia during the 70s or 80s and their current population descends from the Finnish one, but there shouldn't be enough generational differences for such differences to develop I think? (I'm not an expert anyways so I don't know). 6-It was often reported that contrary to the general myths, Arctic and Tundra wolves are actually smaller than the Northwestern wolves and Eurasian wolves respectively. And while this seem to be the case for the arctic wolf which average weight don't exceed 37kg for males and 30kg for females on average, Tundra wolves (canis lupus albus), especially those from Taimyr, Putorana, Chukotka and Gyda peninsula are on par with the biggest wolves of the old world with average weights for males between 43kg and 47kg. I do however note that the biggest individuals of these wolves rarely exceed 50kg and the smallest ones don't go below 40kg, so the variation is quite small. Tundra wolves were often persecuted and were easier to hunt since they live in open air, so perhaps the current population is actually the same as the Taiga wolves who migrated north to occupy the tundra. Or perhaps the tundra wolf isn't a real subspecies, since I don't know if genetic tests were actually done. |
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