The Labrador wolf feeds on local animals such as moose.
The Labrador wolf is a subspecies of the gray wolf. Its main habitat is in Canada and it resides mainly in the northern regions of Quebec and in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. This subspecies of wolf is also known as Canis lupus labradorius. It was first discovered in the late 1930s by the famous biologist and zoologist Edward Alphonso Goldman. The medium-sized wolf is considered an endangered species.
Due to the fact that wolves live in very rugged terrain and also due to their reticent nature, they have been one of the most difficult subspecies of wolves to observe and study. They are medium-sized wolves, and the average adult weight ranges from 60 to 70 pounds (about 27 to 32 kg). Labrador wolves have many of the characteristic traits of the gray wolf. For example, they have long, bushy tails, upright, pointed ears, and a gray tint to their fur, although Labrador wolf fur is usually white or a very light gray rather than a mottled dark gray.
Like all wolves, the Labrador wolf is a pack animal, which means that it lives and hunts with a pack of other wolves. Wolves are carnivorous, and the Labrador wolf feeds on other animals that are commonly found in the region where it lives. For example, it has been known to hunt elk, white-tailed deer, caribou, and beaver. During certain times of the year, when prey is scarce, the Labrador wolf tends to eat fish and rodents.
Well adapted to its harsh environment, the Labrador wolf’s thick undercoat keeps it warm even on the coldest days. The tough outer shell repels water, ice and snow. The large, powerful paws have bristly fur underneath, allowing wolves to deftly maneuver over rocky and uneven terrain, maintaining their traction even on heavy ice and snow.
Wolves are of the genus Canis and are close cousins of the dogs that many people keep as pets. Although they look like dogs, wolves are not domesticated animals and certainly do not make good pets. Like all wolves, the Labrador wolf is believed to have evolved from a type of prehistoric dog called a myacid. Many believe that the Myacids originated in Asia or possibly South America, and their descendants migrated and found their way to northern areas.
There are about 50 known subspecies of wolves in the world. Several species of wolves are considered extinct or endangered. The extinction or endangerment of wolves is due to several reasons, including environmental factors, hunting and habitat destruction. The Labrador wolf is on the endangered species list and is considered endangered.