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Physical Traits
The tundra wolf is one of the largest of the Gray Wolf sub-species. Full-grown tundra wolves have a height of 28 to 38 inches and are about seven feet long from the end of their tail to their nose. A typical adult tundra wolf weighs between 100 and 125 pounds. Their fur is relatively thick with a heavy undercoat to protect them from the cold. The fur of a tundra wolf is usually light grey or silver, though they commonly have black and reddish fur.
Tundra Wolf Habitat
Like their name suggests, tundra wolves live in the tundra and along the adjacent boreal forests, or taiga regions, of Europe and Asia. Most tundra wolves live in northern Russia as far east as the Kamchatka Peninsula and as far west as northern Scandinavia, although most live in northwestern Russia. Historically, tundra wolves lived in the Russian islands of the Artic Ocean. However they have been eradicated from most of the islands.
Tundra Wolf Behavior
Unlike some wolves, tundra wolves actively hunt healthy large mammals, which may partially explain why wolf attacks on humans are more common in Europe and Asia than other parts of the world. Tundra wolves have a lifespan of about 16 years and mate for life. Most tundra wolves live in packs with up to 15 members, though dens of around eight are more common.
Tundra Wolf Conservation
Tundra wolves are relatively common in their natural habitat zones and so are classified with "least concern" population threat status. Wolves are often regarded as a nuisance in Russia, and there are no regulations there concerning hunting wolves for sport or extermination. However, this should be regarded as a recovery because the Gray Wolf species as a whole was classified as "vulnerable" until 1996 because of worldwide population decline.