Wolves were mistakenly viewed as a pest species and almost exterminated. We are more enlightened today, although this opinion still remains among ranchers and farmers. Through the efforts of ecologically-minded people, and with Endangered Species Act funding, the wolf is being reintroduced in Montana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Wyoming and Michigan.

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GRAY WOLF - Canis lupus
Habitat: Forests
Range: Michigan, Wisconsin, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Minnesota, Alaska
Population: 2,500 in lower 48 states, 10,000 in Alaska

RED WOLF - Canis rufus
Habitat: Coastal pairies and marshlands, the territorial range being 25-50 square miles.
Range: it was once found throughout the southeastern United States, from the Atlantic coast to central Texas and from the Gulf Coast to central Missouri and southern Illinois.

The red wolf resembles a coyote but is a bit larger. The color is more gray than red now, the pure red wolf having been wiped out in the wild. What remains is a couple of hundred in captivity. Today's red wolf is smaller than the gray wolf, with a narrower head. It's diet consists of medium-sized animals such as rabbits, rodents, and carrion. Red wolves released into the wild also rely on white-tailed deer for food.

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Subspecies - it is now believed that there are about 5 subspecies of the gray wolf in North America. New research, especially studies of skull measurements, showed that many wolves thought to be subspecies, were basically the same.

Arctic Wolf - Canis lupus arctos - is the wolf of the high arctic. It inhabits the far northern regions of North America, primarily arctic islands such as Ellesmere Island. Since the predominant color phase of this subspecies is a creamy white, which camouflages it in snowy surroundings, it is often called the white wolf or the arctic wolf.

Mexican Wolf - Canis lupus baileyi - the smallest North American gray wolf, originally found in Mexico and the southwest United States. It is commonly known as the Mexican wolf and, in Spanish, is called lobo. No known Mexican wolves remain in the wild in the United States, and only a few unverified sightings have been reported in Mexico. All known survivors of this subspecies are part of the government's captive breeding programs.

Eastern Timber Wolf - Canis lupus lycaon - inhabited the eastern portions of the United States and southeastern parts of Canada.

Buffalo Wolf - Canis lupus nubilus - has the largest range in North America and is commonly known as the Great Plains wolf or the buffalo wolf. It was thought to be extinct by 1926, but studies indicate that the wolves in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Upper Michigan are descendants of this subspecies.

Mackenzie Valley Wolf - Canis lupus occidentalis - is a large wolf from Alaska and western Canada. It is commonly referred to as the Mackenzie Valley wolf. A species quite similar to the gray wolf also exists in the United States.

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