Arctic wolves quick facts
- The 200,000 figure often quoted is for all grey wolves, not Arctic wolves.
- Greenland had only about 50 Arctic wolves at the last update in 2020.
- One Ellesmere Island pack roamed 6,640 km², the largest wolf range ever reported.
- Arctic wolves keep hunting through four months of total darkness.
- Arctic tundra caribou herds have fallen by about 65% in two to three decades.
Arctic wolf numbers at a glance
Many websites say there are about 200,000 Arctic wolves left. That number is wrong. It is the estimate for all grey wolves in the world, not for Arctic wolves.
The honest answer is that nobody knows exactly how many Arctic wolves there are. This guide explains why they are so hard to count, what the real estimates say, and what threatens them. The facts come from the Government of Canada, the International Wolf Center, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, NOAA and scientific studies.
| Arctic wolves at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Canis lupus arctos, a grey wolf subspecies |
| Where they live | Canada’s far north and northern and eastern Greenland |
| Worldwide count | None exists |
| Greenland (2020) | About 50 |
| Nunavut (2013) | 5,000 to 6,000 wolves, including some tundra wolves |
| Status in Canada | Data Deficient |
| Grey wolf status worldwide | Least Concern |
What is an Arctic wolf?
The Arctic wolf is not a separate species. The International Wolf Center says it is a subspecies of the grey wolf. Its scientific name is Canis lupus arctos.
A subspecies is a group within a species that looks a bit different or lives in its own area. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo says scientists have described 39 subspecies of grey wolf.
Not everyone agrees the Arctic wolf is truly separate. The International Wolf Center reports that one recent study argued that northern wolves form a single pool. Scientists are still debating this.
So how many Arctic wolves are left?
No one has counted every Arctic wolf. The Government of Canada says there is no worldwide count. Canada’s wildlife committee, known as COSEWIC, lists the Arctic wolf as Data Deficient.
Data Deficient means there is not enough information to judge the wolf’s risk. It does not mean the wolf is endangered. It means scientists need more facts before they can say.
The only figures that exist cover parts of the Arctic wolf’s range. The table below shows them. Each one comes with a warning about what it does and does not include.
| Area | Estimate | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenland | About 50 Arctic wolves | 2020 | Trend unknown (International Wolf Center) |
| Nunavut, Canada | 5,000 to 6,000 wolves | 2013 | Includes tundra wolves in the far south (International Wolf Center) |
| All of Canada | 50,000 to 60,000 grey wolves | Undated | All kinds of grey wolf (Government of Canada) |
| Whole world | About 200,000 grey wolves | Undated | All grey wolves in 57 countries (Smithsonian) |
Where the 200,000 figure comes from
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo estimates that there are about 200,000 grey wolves in 57 countries. That count includes every kind of grey wolf, from Europe to North America.
Arctic wolves are only a small part of that total. Mixing up the two numbers makes Arctic wolves sound far more common than anyone can prove.
The Nunavut figure has a similar problem. The International Wolf Center says Arctic wolves live in most of Nunavut above 62° north. But tundra wolves live in the far south of the territory. So the 5,000 to 6,000 estimate is not all Arctic wolves.
Where Arctic wolves live
Arctic wolves live in the far north of Canada, in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. The Government of Canada and the International Wolf Center say they also live in northern and eastern Greenland.
NOAA describes their home as the High Arctic, between about 75° and 90° north. That stretches from the northern edge of North America up towards the North Pole.
The land there is free of snow only from about mid-June to mid-August, NOAA says. That short summer is when the plants that feed muskoxen, caribou and hares can grow.
Why Arctic wolves are so hard to count
Counting Arctic wolves is very difficult. They live far from towns and roads, in some of the emptiest land on Earth. They also roam over enormous areas.
In 2009 and 2010, wolf scientist L. David Mech and Canadian biologist Dean Cluff put a GPS collar on a wolf on Ellesmere Island. Their study says the wolf’s pack roamed an area of 6,640 square km (2,564 square miles). That is the largest wolf range ever reported.
The collared wolf travelled at least 5,979 km (3,715 miles) between July 2009 and April 2010. Its pack had at least 20 wolves, including about 9 pups.
Darkness makes counting even harder. On Ellesmere Island, it is dark 24 hours a day for four months, from about 18 October to 23 February.
Studying wolves on Ellesmere Island
Much of what we know comes from Ellesmere Island, in Canada’s far north. NOAA says L. David Mech studied Arctic wolves there from 1986 to 1996. He kept visiting in summers until at least 2004.
The Ellesmere wolves had rarely met people. So they were not very afraid of humans, which let Mech watch them closely. He found that pack territories covered at least 2,590 square km (1,000 square miles).
The GPS study found something surprising. Arctic wolves did not slow down in the dark months. They moved about as much in winter darkness as in other seasons.
What Arctic wolves eat
NOAA says that in the High Arctic, wolves mainly eat muskoxen, Arctic hares and Peary caribou. The International Wolf Center adds that in Greenland they also eat lemmings.
Wolves can eat a lot at once. Animal Diversity Web says a wolf can eat up to 9 kg (20 lb) of meat in one meal. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo says wolves eat about 1.4 to 1.8 kg (3 to 4 lb) of food a day on average.
Because food is scarce, Arctic wolf numbers rise and fall with their prey. When prey is plentiful, more pups survive. When it is scarce, fewer do.
When prey disappears
Mech saw this happen. NOAA says heavy summer snow in 1997 and 2000 was linked to very low numbers of muskoxen and Arctic hares in his study area.
The wolves suffered too. From 2001 to 2003, no wolves raised pups in Mech’s traditional study territory. Then, in 2004, a new wolf pair arrived and had four pups, which were still alive in mid-July.
This is why a single count, even a good one, can quickly go out of date. Arctic wolf numbers can change a lot from one year to the next.
How a warming Arctic affects wolves
The Arctic is warming. The NOAA Arctic Report Card for 2024 says the most consistent Arctic climate signal since 1980 is warmer autumns.
A warmer climate can bring more rain falling on snow, and deeper snow. NOAA explains that this can make it harder for plant-eating animals to reach food. When plant-eaters struggle, wolves struggle too.
Caribou show how big the changes can be. The 2024 Arctic Report Card says Arctic migratory tundra caribou herds have fallen by about 65% over the past two to three decades. The Bathurst herd has fallen by 97% since the mid-1990s.
Those herds are mostly tundra caribou, not the Peary caribou of the High Arctic. But they show how quickly Arctic prey can decline.
Are Arctic wolves endangered?
The grey wolf as a whole is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, according to Animal Diversity Web and the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. That is the lowest level of concern.
In Canada, the Government of Canada says northern and southern grey wolves are “Not at Risk”. The eastern wolf is “Special Concern”. The Arctic wolf alone is “Data Deficient”.
Wolves still live in about 80% of their original range in Canada, the government says. Worldwide, the International Wolf Center says grey wolves now live in only about two-thirds of their former range.
So Arctic wolves are not listed as endangered. But with no reliable count, scientists cannot say for sure how they are doing.
Wolves and people
The International Wolf Center says wolves are a game species throughout Nunavut. That means people are allowed to hunt them under local rules.
The Government of Canada says fewer than 10% of wolves are usually harvested each year across the country. The Arctic wolf’s remote home keeps most of them far from people.
How Arctic wolves live
Animal Diversity Web says wolves in Arctic populations can be pure white. NOAA adds that Arctic wolves keep their white coats all year. They have slightly shorter noses and ears than other grey wolves, which helps them lose less heat.
A wolf pack is a family, usually a breeding pair and their young. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo says most packs have 5 to 8 wolves, though packs of up to 36 have been reported.
Wolves usually have litters of about six pups. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo says wild grey wolves typically live seven to eight years. Their howls can be heard by other wolves 10 to 11 km (6 to 7 miles) away.
Arctic wolves share their frozen home with other hardy animals, such as the Arctic fox and the polar bear. All of them depend on the same fragile Arctic ecosystem.
Three things people get wrong
Myth: there are 200,000 Arctic wolves. The Smithsonian’s figure of about 200,000 covers all grey wolves in 57 countries. No reliable count of Arctic wolves alone exists.
Myth: Arctic wolves are endangered. The grey wolf is Least Concern worldwide. In Canada, the Arctic wolf is Data Deficient, which means there is not enough information, not that it is endangered.
Myth: Arctic wolves rest through the dark winter. Mech and Cluff’s GPS study showed Arctic wolves keep travelling and hunting through four months of total darkness. Grey wolves do not hibernate.
Did you know? A GPS-collared Arctic wolf on Ellesmere Island travelled at least 5,979 km in under a year, from July 2009 to April 2010.
Try it
Look at the population table. Which figure is closest to a true Arctic wolf count, and why? Write down one question scientists would need to answer to count them properly.
Knowledge check
What does Data Deficient mean?
Show answer
There is not enough information to judge how much risk the animal faces.
What do Arctic wolves mainly eat?
Show answer
Muskoxen, Arctic hares and Peary caribou, and lemmings in Greenland.
Frequently asked questions
How many Arctic wolves are left in the world?
No worldwide count exists. The International Wolf Center gives about 50 in Greenland (2020) and 5,000 to 6,000 wolves in Nunavut (2013), including some tundra wolves.
Are Arctic wolves endangered?
No. The grey wolf is Least Concern worldwide. In Canada, the Arctic wolf is listed as Data Deficient, meaning scientists lack enough information to judge its risk.
Are there 200,000 Arctic wolves?
No. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo estimates about 200,000 grey wolves in 57 countries. That figure covers every kind of grey wolf, not just Arctic wolves.
Why are Arctic wolves hard to count?
Arctic wolves roam huge areas far from people, and their home is dark for four months each year. One pack covered 6,640 square kilometres.
Where do Arctic wolves live?
Arctic wolves live in Canada’s far north, in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, and in northern and eastern Greenland, between about 75° and 90° north.
What threatens Arctic wolves?
Arctic wolves depend on prey such as muskoxen and hares. NOAA says a warming Arctic with deeper snow and rain-on-snow can make food harder to find.
Sources
- Government of Canada: grey wolf non-detriment finding — Canada’s wolf numbers, the Arctic wolf’s Data Deficient status and harvest
- International Wolf Center: wolves of Greenland — the Greenland estimate (2020); its Nunavut and wolf types pages were also used
- Smithsonian’s National Zoo: grey wolf — the world estimate, subspecies, packs and lifespan; its wolf questions page was also used
- NOAA: L. David Mech on Arctic wolves — Ellesmere Island, prey and pup failures; the NOAA Arctic Report Card 2024 was also used
- Mech and Cluff (2011), PLoS One — the GPS-collared wolf, its range and winter darkness
- Animal Diversity Web: grey wolf — white fur, meal size and IUCN status
