Tundra wolves include three subspecies of the gray wolf.
The term “tundra wolf” may refer to three different subspecies of the gray wolf species known as Canis lupus. Tundra wolves are generally larger than other gray wolves and have thicker fur that protects them from arctic air. In North America, the Alaskan tundra wolf and the Mackenzie tundra wolf inhabit parts of Alaska and Canada. A third subspecies is found mainly in northern Europe and parts of Asia.
European tundra wolves eat a variety of large mammals, including moose.
Alaskan tundra wolves, or Canis lupus tundrarum, live in the tundra regions near the north coast of Alaska and were classified as a subspecies by a zoologist named Gerrit Smith Miller in 1912. Most have white or light gray fur, although some have darker colored hairs. . Adults reach 50 to 64 inches (127 to 162 cm) in length. Females typically weigh between 80 and 120 pounds (36 to 54 kg), while males weigh between 85 and 176 pounds (38 to 80 kg).
The Mackenzie tundra wolf has been classified in the subspecies Canis lupus occidentalis since 1992. Zoologist Rudolph Anderson originally classified it as Canis lupus mackenzii in 1943. Mackenzie tundra wolves are found in the Northwest Territories of Canada, near Great Bear Lake and on the north shore. . The coat colors of this subspecies are usually white, black or gray, although they can also be a mixture of any of these shades. They are 60 to 65 inches (152 to 165 cm) long when fully grown.
Robert Kerr classified the European tundra wolf as the subspecies Canis lupus albus in 1792. The range of this subspecies extends from the Kamchatka Peninsula to the north coast of western Russia and into Finland. Their fur is usually a mixture of shades of reddish brown, black, gray and silver. Adults reach an average length of 84 inches (213 cm) and weigh between 100 and 125 pounds (45 to 57 kg).
Tundra wolves are skilled hunters, capable of capturing large prey when hunting in packs. Alaskan tundra wolves prefer to feed on deer, while Mackenzie tundra wolves primarily eat caribou. European tundra wolves eat a variety of large mammals, including bison, moose, muskox, and wapiti. Tundra wolves also feed on smaller mammals, such as rodents, when hunting alone or when larger prey is not available.