Wolf populations in the NWT are generally stable. Biologists are concerned about over-harvest by hunters in some localized areas. Other threats include declining ungulate populations and canine diseases such as rabies. Wolf densities range from 1 wolf over anywhere between 100 to 950 square kilometers. Main prey for wolves there are caribou, musk oxen, bighorn sheep, beaver, mountain goat and moose. Wolf range is 100 percent of the map shown.
Species Information
Species
Common Name: gray wolf
Latin Name:
Canis lupus
Subspecies 1
Common Name: arctic wolf, high arctic wolf
Latin Name:
Canis lupus arctos
Subspecies 2
Common Name: plains wolf
Latin Name:
Canis lupus nubilus
Subspecies 3
Common Name: boreal wolf, northwestern wolf
Latin Name:
Canis lupus occidentalis
Current Wolf Population, Trend, Status
Number of wolves: 4,000 - 5,000
Population trend: Stable
Legal status: The wolf is a game species throughout the region
Wolf at Daring Lake, August 18, 2004, Dean Cluff
Ecology
Biology
Descriptions of species/subspecies present: physiology and unique
characteristics as well as information related to distribution of
wolves in the Northwest Territories.
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