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Greenland wolf |
|
He is a wild animal |
Origin |
Greenland | |
Translation |
Francis Vandersteen |
| The possession of this animal is not authorized |
| The Greenland wolf has been described as a white to pale wolf very similar to the Arctic wolf, and is resident in Greenland. It was classified as a distinct subspecies in 1935 by British zoologist Reginald Innes Pocock. That said, there is no evidence available to suggest that the Greenland wolf still exists or ever did. In fact, the validity of the Canis lupus orion subspecies is questioned by many scientists. It seems unlikely that the Greenland wolf has at any time developed subspecies characteristics distinct from its Canadian counterpart. The lighter weight of these wolves in Greenland is most likely due to malnutrition rather than a morphological difference between the Canis lupus orion and the wolves of the high Arctic tundra. It is generally accepted that Greenland wolves are migrants from Canada (Vibe, 1967), and documented reports of sea ice in the northern and southern parts of Nares Strait suggest that this migration is frequent and persistent (Dawes, 1978). If the Greenland wolf is a true subspecies, it is most likely extinct. |
English (United Kingdom) 
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