The Interior Alaskan wolf, also known as the Yukon wolf, is a subspecies of gray wolf native to parts of British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, Interior Alaska, and Yukon. Wolves in Interior Alaska are likely descended from animals that inhabited Beringia during the ice age, while wolves in Southeast are genetically distinctive from “continental” wolves. The wolf lives throughout mainland Alaska, on Unimak Island in the Aleutians, and on all major islands in Southeast except Admiralty, Baranof, and Chichagof.
The wolf’s main habitats are boreal forests, alpine, subalpine, and Arctic tundra. Adult male wolves in Interior Alaska weigh between 85 to 115 pounds, with occasional weights reaching 145 pounds. Females average 10 to 15 pounds lighter than males and rarely weigh more than 110 pounds. There are at least five environmentally and genetically distinct North American grey wolf populations.
Wolves are able to adapt to a wide variety of habitats, from the rain forests of the Southeast panhandle to the Arctic tundra along the Beaufort Sea. They are found throughout interior Alaska and the Yukon Territory in Canada, but avoid tundra regions. Denali’s wolf packs live in territories maintained through scent marking, howling, and aggression. Wolf packs vary in size and range between Alaska’s parks, with some dispersing between Denali National Park and Preserve and other areas.
In summary, the Interior Alaskan wolf, also known as the Yukon wolf, is a subspecies of gray wolf native to parts of British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, Interior Alaska, and Yukon. These wolves are well-adapted to the harsh, cold environment of the region and are unique from the larger Interior Alaska (Yukon) variety.
📹 Alaska Wolf Management with Clay Newcomb
Clay Newcomb ventures to southeast Alaska in search of wolves and Sitka blacktail deer with his friend and outfitter, David Benitz.
What is the interior Alaskan wolf habitat?
The Interior Alaskan wolf, also known as the Yukon wolf, is a subspecies of gray wolf native to parts of British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, Interior Alaska, and Yukon. It is recognized as a subspecies of Canis lupus in the taxonomic authority Mammal Species of the World. First described in 1905 by American zoologist Daniel Elliot as Canis pambasileus, the wolf’s teeth in both jaws are large and heavy, and their skull exceeds those of C.
L. occidentalis (the Northwestern wolf) of a comparable body size. The wolf’s coat ranges from black to white or a mix of both. In 1944, American zoologist Edward Goldman recognized the wolf as Canis lupus pambasileus Elliot, 1905, and named it “Interior Alaskan wolf”.
Where was the wolf house?
The story revolves around Maria, a young woman who escapes from a German colony in southern Chile. She finds refuge in a house in the region, where she is praised for her outstanding craftsmanship and complex narrative. The film has received 25 user reviews and 36 critic reviews, with 86 Metascore. Although the intricate nature of the story may not be to everyone’s liking, the work and passion put into its creation make it an intriguing and mesmerizing animated film of the year.
Where does the wolf pack family live?
The Wolfpack is a 2015 American documentary film directed by Crystal Moselle, focusing on the Angulo family, who homeschooled and raised their seven children in their apartment in the Lower East Side of New York City. The family, consisting of Visnu, six sons, and their mother, Susanne, who homeschooled them, were locked away in the apartment for fourteen years. The children learned about the outside world through watching films and began to re-enact scenes using elaborate homemade props and costumes.
Their father, Oscar, had the key to the apartment and prohibited the children or their mother from leaving, except for a few monitored trips on the “nefarious” streets of New York City each year. However, at 15-years-old, Mukunda decided to walk around the neighborhood, against Oscar’s instructions. This led the brothers to gradually explore Manhattan and the world beyond their apartment. The film won the U. S. Documentary Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.
Where does the wolf family live?
The den, which can be a small cave or hole, is the first home for the pack. It provides protection for the mother and pups from inclement weather and other animals. It is possible that the same den may be used for several years or that a new one may be selected each year.
What wolf lives in Russia?
Seven subspecies of wolves exist in Russia: Eurasion Wolf, Tundra Wolf, Russian Wolf, Steppe Wolf, Caspian Sea Wolf, Tibetan Wolf, and Mongolian Wolf. Government-supported extermination of wolves ceased after the collapse of the Soviet Union, resulting in some stabilization of their numbers. However, they are still legally hunted. Around 15, 000 Russian wolves are killed annually due to fur sales, conflict with people, and persecution.
Wolves research has been largely discontinued due to lack of funding. In 2015, scientists at Daursky Nature Reserve began using mobile module transmitters to mark wolves, providing the fastest and cheapest way to track their movements.
What is the largest wolf in the world?
The largest wolf on record is an Alaskan wolf, weighing 175. 5 pounds (79. 6 kg). These majestic predators, known for their impressive size and power, have captured human imagination for centuries. They represent wilderness and strength in some cultures, with each species representing a unique adaptation to their environment. From the icy realms of the Arctic to dense forests of the Eurasian wolves, each species represents a blend of power, intelligence, and adaptability. The largest wolves in the world stand as majestic symbols of wilderness and strength in some cultures.
Where is lupus the wolf located?
Lupus is a constellation in the southern sky, with its brightest star, Alpha Lupi, having a magnitude of 2. 3. In ancient Greek and Roman mythology, the constellation was thought to represent a wolf or fox impaled on a pole by Centaurus. The association with a wolf can be traced back to Ptolemy’s Almagest, a Latin translation produced in the 12th century.
Where does the Mackenzie Valley Wolf live?
Mackenzie Valley wolves are native to western Canada and Alaska, including Unimak Island. They were brought from Canada in 1995-96 to restore populations in Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho. Pack sizes in Alaska range from 6 to 12 wolves, with territories averaging 600 square miles. Males weigh between 100 and 145 pounds, with females weighing 10-20% less. The heaviest recorded wolf was caught in Alaska in 1939, weighing 175 pounds. Mackenzie Valley wolves measure 32 to 36 inches shoulder height and 5 to 7 feet in length.
They have long, powerful legs that allow them to travel up to 70 miles a day and through rough terrain. Their skull measures about 12 inches long and their powerful jaw and neck muscles allow them to break bones and bring down large prey. Their size is partly due to their abundance of food, which includes wood bison, elk, caribou, musk ox, moose, Dall sheep, Sitka black-tailed deer, mountain goat, beaver, ground squirrel, vole, snowshoe hare, lemmings, and salmon.
Where does the Canis lupus wolf live?
Gray wolves, the largest wild members of the Canidae dog family, are found in North America, Europe, and Asia. They thrive in temperate forests, mountains, tundra, taiga, grasslands, and deserts. In North America, they primarily prey on medium and large hooved mammals like moose, elk, white-tailed deer, mule deer, caribou, muskox, and bison. Wolves have long legs, large skulls, and keen senses of smell, hearing, and vision. Pelt color varies from white to grizzled gray, brown, and coal black.
During the early 1900s, predator-control programs led to the elimination of wolves in most of the conterminous United States, except for northeast Minnesota. In 1978, the Endangered Species Act reclassified gray wolves as endangered at the species level in the contiguous United States and Mexico. However, wolves in Minnesota were classified as threatened. The Northern Rocky Mountains population was delisted in 2011, and Wyoming was delisted in 2017. Remaining wolf populations in the contiguous United States were delisted in 2021 due to recovery.
Where in Alaska do wolves live?
The Canis lupus is distributed across mainland Alaska, Unimak Island in the Aleutians, and all major Southeast islands with the exception of Admiralty, Baranof, and Chichagof. The lowest densities are observed along the coast of western and northern Alaska. The safety of wolves in Alaska and the precautions one should take when visiting wolf habitats are crucial aspects of wildlife conservation.
How many wolves are killed in Alaska each year?
Wolves in Alaska are managed as both big game animals and furbearers, with hunters and trappers harvesting around 1, 300 wolves annually. An additional 200 animals are taken annually through intensive management programs. Wolf pelts are valued intrinsically, representing a spirit of wildness and wilderness. Wildlife watchers cherish occasional sightings, especially in parks like Denali. Wolves are the subject of extensive research on predator-prey dynamics, with more information on intensive management in Alaska. The prices for wolf pelts vary annually. All harvested wolves must be sealed at an Alaska Department of Fish and Game or representative office.
📹 Hunting With the Dark Wolf | Wild Yellowstone
#NatGeoWILD #Wolves #WildYellowstone About National Geographic Wild: National Geographic Wild is a place for all things …
Predator hunting or trapping can be controversial. It’s strange how the level of controversy can be predator specific. The Meateater organization does a good job of explaining the situation. Thanks for not shying away from the subject. In addition the camera work and editing showing that gorgeous and unique country was exceptional. Thank you for documenting and sharing the story!
I was on my way to a wrestling tournament and I got the chance to meet clay on his way to this hunt, very very nice guy and it was super cool to meet him. It’s cool to see this article come full circle. I’m glad he enjoyed the part of Alaska I live in, looks like he got the whole southeast Alaska experience! Great article!
Interesting look into a tough trapline. I appreciate that Clay isn’t spewing any anti-wolf hate. Apex carnivores are needed on the landscape and they aren’t the only reason ungulates have decreased in some areas. Let’s find ways to live on the same landscape. Oh, and can we please get a article with Ryan and Clay together? They are my favorite down to Earth MeatEater personalities. Cheers!
Interesting to see everyone’s comments. I hunt. Not out of necessity but more because it connects me more to nature. As a hunter I’ve seen and understand more about the balance of nature than any non hunter will ever understand. Hunting is our biological right regardless of how someone might feel about the necessity of it. I never hear the protests when new neighborhoods irreversibly destroy wild life habitat. As a hunter every time see land developed I fully understand that the life it supported is gone forever. If you truly care about ALL of the natural world you should redirect your passion and start to protest urban sprawl. That’s the biggest negative impact to nature caused by humans.
This is an excellent article about wolves and trapping. As a trapper here in N. Idaho and having seen the impact they have on our elk, deer and moose, it is rewarding to help keep things in balance. We will never get rid of all of our wolves here and don’t want to either. They are an amazing animal, just like the others we have.
Last year I spent two and a half months in SE AK, 5 weeks consecutively aboard a power troller fishing for salmon. These views bring back memories. Alaska is such a wild and beautiful place. While I was there, I visited Le Conte glacier. article does not do it justice. It a very powerful and moving experience for sure.
Wolf conservation is even something I, as a wildlife conservationist struggle with. With that being said, I know it’s necessary in certain parts of the country, especially Southeast Alaska. Most people don’t understand how difficult predator hunting and trapping can be. I appreciate Meateater and Clay going into a bit of detail about these topics.
I’m confused. Everything I read about wolves states emphatically that they are well versed in moderating their own numbers with regard to locally available prey. Am a hunter and an environmentalist. Not a romantic. I don’t know Alaska so my opinion means nothing but I strongly disagree with the culling of wolves solely for the purpose of more deer to hunt.
I completely understand the necessity of keeping wolf populations in check. My conflict comes from two things: the first is that they look so much like my dogs that it’s hard for me to want to pull the trigger on them (or coyotes, here in SW WI). The second comes from the fact that the meat isn’t really utilized. And that is massively hypocritical of me because I do trap beaver and muskrat, both of which are edible, and I do not use the meat for that. I usually use muskrat for mink bait — also not edible — and beaver I give to a guy who’s dogs love it. Being human is an exercise in hypocrisy. This episode was real cool, and congrats to Clay and David on a successful trap check.
The issue with killing wolves is doing in the lower 48 is not the same as Alaska and most states have way too many deer and elk. The grazers hang out in riparian zones which are fragile and ruin it for other animals and plants. We need more wolves so the trout fishing and foraging will be better. Once we have the water ways protected and there is wolf numbers similar to pre colonization we can ethically hunt them in the lower 48. Until then (which is like never to happen) we gotta protect the ones in the lower 48 for now. There is a reason the biologist push for protection. But old colonial mind sets just don’t have a place in todays world. Now please comment and say how I don’t know what Im talking about.
I got a wolf while deer hunting this past season. The camera man captured Clay’s reaction perfectly. I was immediately drawn to the paws also. It was a surreal experience I felt gratitude and some remorse initially but was affirmed that it was ok from my hunting mentors. There is no closed season, no bag limit where I live. I see wolf highways in the snow; often out numbering the amount of deer and moose tracks I see in certain areas.
Management is not just key to the survival of the other animals but for the wolves as well, especially in micro ecosystems like islands where they will eventually run out of sustenance. In other areas, if unmanaged, wolves will eventually learn to hunt easier prays like livestock and get close to human establishment eventually loosing the natural fear tower people. A clear example is Italy where wolves (and brown bears) were reintroduced, idolised like gods and live unmanaged: today, after few decades, you can find wolves taking livestock from farms and even pet from mountain towns….bit you can also find them in places they don’t belong to like beaches or the rural south… And for that we need to thank those very same people, politicians and fanatics, who consider them god-like creatures
What’s interesting is the difference between “management” and “hunting”. Management means using specialized tools not approval for hunting. Traps, poison, dogs, not limits, etc. As we see here they have the animal in a trap and shoot it from 20 feet away. I’m a little a disappointed they did not show the kill shots more closely to display the full extent of trapping. If you are going to show trapping, show the kill shot too. Hunting implies fair chase and many of tools used in management are not legal in hunting. Land Managers and trappers are permitted differently or employed directly by a wildlife department. So I can see why it’s debated and controversial. This compared to a fair chase wolf hunt where the hunter is in the wilderness or on the shores trying to shoot a wolf would be quite different. I think a lot people wonder why management is not done more in the style of hunting, and a lot of hunters wonder why there are so many restrictions on hunting certain species in some areas. Especially if they are over popualted in said area. But the way humans have disrupted the environment has essentially necessitates some degree of wildlife management on every sector of planet earth. I would argue we love managing animals more than we actually love animals. But I suppose that’s better than nothing.
This might me the only article I had a small issue with and it has nothing to do with the killing of a wolf.. it’s the fact as hunters and conservationist on the meat eater chanel you guys are showing kill shots on almost everything literally everything except a trapped animal…. And for me as you guys know a trapped animal the killing is not the fun part and I feel you guys should be showing that and talking through it so others understand how it does affect anyone who does it but as a conservationist we have to help in ways to keep numbers of predators in check.. if we are going to hunt… And I hope I can hunt my kid can and so on and so forth
AT THE FIRST PLACE WHY THESE TRAPPED WOLVES IN THESE REMOTE HINTERLAND WHERE THEY R NO THREAT TO HUMANS OR VEGETATION R SHAMELESSLY & CRUELLY KILLED IN THE NAME OF CONSERVATION & ALASKA WILD LIFE NORM.ITS A DISTURBING SIGHT TO BEHOLD.KINDLY EXPLAIN WHY THESE INNOCENT WOLVES WERE FIRST TRAPPED & THEN MERCILESSLY HUNTED DOWN.
complementary sandwich- I watch almost everything you guys put out and I enjoy your contributions. MeatEater has never been afraid of showing a kill shot on other predators or prey… If you’re not consistent on showing a kill shot when taking wolves, it seems like you’re treating them differently when there’s no reason to. Other than public opinion (?) Conservation, in the forum you’re presenting and in my small opinion, should be consistent. Ahhh…and… Clay has nice boots… 😊
I’d like to hunt or have hunted most types of common animals. The one group that i never have and probably never will is the canine family. No foxes no coyotes no wolves. They are just too close to dogs. I dunno why. There is such a symbiosis and history with dogs and men that you can feel it when you look them in the eye. Even a coyote.
It was nice hearing some insight from a fellow Wolf hunter (David) – Also I believe his theory is the same here in North west Ontario… These Wolf numbers seem to climb every year & we continue to see more & more of them. After taking 5 Wolves myself just by sitting over a bait pile… a trapper where I am could easily get a pack of 12 & keep setting traps to get more… Just seems like they multiply the moment you remove 1 from the pack. 2 years back we counted 12 Wolf pups in one pack alone – This is a pack that we bait so the survival rate of those pups is darn near 100% at that point… When this pack lights up howling, its like an orcestra!!!
I hunt to feed myself as best I can, in Montana, in wolf and grizz territory. (Black bears actually account for most of the fawn/calf mortality). It isn’t easy. I’m not always successful. Most of the elk now move on to private land for the season and are only accessible to the rich at $5k to $10K a hunt. I put close to 150 miles on my boots last year. I work a 9-5 job. I can’t take tons of time off. Some years I get a cow elk, some years I get several whitetails or Muleys. And although I respect Clay, I don’t respect this, or agree with it. Wolves and Blacktail have been on that landscape for 1000’s of years. There is a balance already. The truth is that we, as hunters do not like that balance very much. It doesn’t work well for us. We like to tilt that balance toward things that taste good. Fair enough, but couching this event as some kind of benevolent management is romanticizing the concept. We manage for our own benefit, not for the deer or the wolf. We like deer, so we kill things that like deer. (Historically, this is the beginning of domestication) . In this case, we bait them in, into a leg-hold trap, and then shoot them. Except for the one that pulled free and is out there with, at best a sore paw and a lesson, at worst an infection and a slow death. We make a judgement and decide that this is ethical and then put the hides on the mantle and leave the carcass to rot. So let’s just call it what it is, instead of adding a soundtrack. That would be a discussion that I’d listen Clay have.
I live in Alaska. I’m a hunter and have no problem with trapping. But I have wandered around the beach in the areas these guys are working and it never occurred to me there would be traps around! Especially not along the beach. Have you ever had a human get injured by a trap? What do you do to prevent humans being hurt?
Liked the article, very interesting but my question is who does David work for? Himself? In other words is AK game and fish paying him to control wolves? A weeks worth of gas for 2 boats is a lot of money and 2 wolf pelts don’t pay for that fuel bill. I have been to AK twice and agree, seeing a glacier up close is amazing.
Great story of part of the eco systems in the great and vast Alaska. South East Alaska is a gem of its own. The beauty yet ruggedness of the land,the Weather, the waters,the people and the predators is a very fine balance of survival. Reverent and respect full management makes the whole experience of Alaska, Alaska. To learn more of wolf’s in Alaska, I would recommend the Book Frank Glasser, The Wolf man of Alaska.
I feel wolves wherever they are should be managed like any other game animal…for sustainability but also to support their important and well earned place in the ecosystem. That being said I don’t think I would ever hunt most predators unless I could be shown through peer reviewed studies that certain predator species had gotten overpopulated or I was coming into proven and direct conflict with them… (ie: they are actively destroying my livestock, pets, etc on my private property) People often seem to make the claim that certain predators are over eating certain prey species such as deer, elk and moose…I don’t think I can support that assessment. First off it makes the rather selfish judgement that humans are somehow more entitled to these prey species than the predators, and I simply can’t agree with that for a couple reasons. First off, wolves, cougars, bears, etc are killing and consuming those animals to survive…they have no other options. Humans are hunting (in the modern age) almost always as a form of recreation…we have a multitude of other options for sustenance and in most cases it’s far cheaper, both in time and money spent for us to pursue different food sources than the ones that the other predators hunt. I know that if I spent as much time and money tending a garden and raising animals for meat I would certainly get a far better caloric and nutritional return on my investments than I do hunting…but I still love hunting…and I can’t see that ever changing.
Real good to watch, love the life these boys live, fishing, hunting, trapping. I know I am conflicted about taking the life of an animal like a wolf or bear, but I don’t disagree at all with the sentiments and Dave’s reasons for participating. Good luck to both men, I hope the upcoming seining season is a good one for dave.
I am really conflicted with this. Seeing those wolves, trapped and still alive. Knowing they were being put down, and they are just doing what wolves do. Then again, they are on the other end of the predator line many times. So in a way youre the arms for the other animals. Idk its deep and im far too detached from vernacular to accurately describe my emotions. Its just hard.
I think it’s really unfortunate that people continue to censor death even in hunting. If you tell me something about family friendly, you are failing at a critical lesson that everyone will one day learn. That is death, and dying. Do you intend on letting your children confront this knowledge on their own or through someone else’s guidance? Or, will you do the job you were assigned when you brought a new soul into this world?
Good episode. Lots of failure and coming up empty handed but persistence pays off in the end. That’s hunting, trapping and life. Also, David seems like a super nice guy but he does not strike me a guy out trapping wolves in Alaska, even if it is southern AK. I don’t know why but my first impression was that he looks like an accountant. But damned if he didn’t pull off, not one, but 2 wolves so Kudo’s to him.
Great episode, but eems pretty thin on context. Besides the anectodotal evidence of “my friends notice there are more deer and moose after we trap wolves,” what are the actual estimated population of sitka deer, moose and wolves in SE Alaska that necessities trapping wolves? How many wolves need to be trapped a year to keep the ungulate and wolf populations healthy? What happens to harvested wolves? Does the trapper get paid by the pelt, and if so, by whom – the state of Alaska?. What happens to the carcass? Obviously humans can’t eat wolf meat, but presumably plenty of other wildlife would. . Letting a wolf dangle in a trap for days or weeks seems unspeakably cruel (especially if you’re a dog owner and can imagine the anguish) wouldn’t hunting them be a more ethical way of controlling the population? Most likely more difficult, yes, but less suffering for the wolves.
Management of the wolves is important, that is true, but I feel that trapping a wolf is not the way to do it. Simply out of respect for our long history with them and for the fact that we are both hunters, tracking and shooting them without the need for traps feels more dignified. Few things are as sad as seeing a trapped wolf. Again, that’s just my opinion, and I agree with managing the wolf population, we need to do our part as the top predators. Trapping a wolf just doesn’t sit right with me.
These particular wolves aren’t being managed, they’re perfectly fine and healthy and doing what wolves do best which is survive in wild places away from mankind. These particular wolves are being destroyed so that hunters can be more successful at bagging deer and moose. It’s sad for the wolves, and those who trap them for this reason are pathetic examples of mankind. Now watch how I get attacked by people attempting to defend these kinds of trappers.
Even as someone who’s cautious about animal population management, you have to take the bare numbers here at face value –they physically saw more wolves than deer while surveying a large area, and thats exactly what they want to see. Grab a couple wolves, so that there are many deer. As long as it doesn’t get out of hand, it appears the program is working as intended.
ive always loved wolves and always want to know more, so i’m just wondering why didn’t the wolves go in the stream to get to the elk. is it because of the cold water and if it get on the fur the water will turn to ice? or what?. ive always loved black wolves, even tho they are rare because of the genetics they are awesome
They’re such beautiful animals.🥰 I actually own a solid black, male wolf, who would fit in, seamlessly, with this footage! The differences between wolves and domestic dogs are incredibly pronounced though, and it is literally my full time job to care for him. Keeping a wolf healthy, happy, and manageable, requires an enormous investment, on my behalf, and stems from my extensive knowledge and several years of prior experience in working with them, in, both, natural environmental, and medical settings. I wouldn’t want it any other way, and I absolutely love my boy, but I would definitely NOT recommend, to anyone, that he or she attempt to keep a wolf as a pet. They are, very much, still wild animals, and the commitment level required, is not one to be, at all, underestimated!
Elk: in a deep, baritone voice “I defeated your uncle Victarion Greywolf and his wolf pack in Yellowstone, the first time your father declared himself pack leader. I held Yellowstone against the power of the pack for a year, and took Yellowstone from the Targarywolves. So tell me, Dark Wolf, what hunts have you won that I should fear you?”
As anyone can see, this elk is healthy and did not leave a blood trail as they claim. But I guess they have to ake the story interesting so people will watch, even if they mislead people. Wolves kill hundreds of elk every year that are perfectly healthy by runniing them down in deep snow until they drop.
They say animal predator is danger. But the most dangerous predator is human. Animal hunting only for they familiy food. They never crush our land or destroyed jungle. I hope animals and jungles can live long and healthy. I feel lonely if animals and plants extinction really happen. In Islam it make our God Allah realy realy angry.
Do Natural Disasters Help Bring People Together? We see people coming together and helping each other out more during crises. Nature sends such situations precisely in order for us to wake up to our connection, and to the idea that we need to consider the benefit of others as our own benefit. Nature is a live system. It is round, connected from beginning to end and vice versa. In other words, it is an integral system, which is in a constant reciprocal connection. When we change our attitudes to each other, we accordingly change the way the system of nature relates to us. If we relate positively to each other, we then feel nature’s influence on us as harmonious and peaceful. In other words, nature influences us the way we influence it through our attitudes to each other. Therefore, when we change our attitudes to nature on the human or social level, even though nature seemingly influences us on the biological level, then our response on the human or social level influences the entire system of nature. The way we then feel nature on the biological level also changes to one that feels harmonious and peaceful.