Wolves Around America

How Many wild wolves are in North America?

Canada:

Canada hosts the world's largest wolf population, with more than 50,000 wolves inhabiting its vast landscape. Wolves are heavily hunted and trapped throughout the country, however, and are often killed when they stray from the protection of national and provincial parks.

Canada supports the second largest gray wolf population in the world, after Russia. Wolf habitat is diverse in this large country where, historically, wolves ranged in most areas. Currently, wolves in Canada occupy approximately 90 percent of their historic range. The 10 percent of Canada without wolves is primarily near the southern border, except near Lake Superior where wolves still live.

Current Wolf Population:
Number of wolves: Approximately 60,000
Population trend: Stable/increasing
Legal status: The gray wolf is a game species in most of Canada. The “Algonquin” or eastern wolf is listed as a Species of Special Concern under Canada’s Species At Risk Act (SARA) and is protected. Approximately 10.5 – 12.3 percent of Canada’s wolf population is harvested annually.
Most recent data available: 2018

ALBERTA AT A GLANCE

Extensive wolf populations have continued to exist across Alberta since before European settlement in North America. Main prey for wolves there are moose, caribou, bighorn sheep, deer, beaver, mountain goat and elk.

SPECIES INFORMATION:

• Common Name: gray wolf, western wolf, loup (French)
• Latin Name: Canis lupus
• Common Names: northwestern wolf, Rocky Mountain wolf
• Current Wolf Population, Trend, Status
• Number of wolves: Roughly 4,000, according to the Alberta Wilderness Association
• Population trend: Increasing
• Legal status: The wolf is a game species throughout the region

BRITISH COLUMBIA AT A GLANCE

Extensive wolf populations have continued to exist across British Columbia since before European settlement in North America. Main prey for wolves there are moose, caribou, bighorn sheep, deer, beaver, mountain goat and elk.

SPECIES INFORMATION:

• Common Name: gray wolf
• Latin Name: Canis lupus
• Region 1
• Common Name: plains wolf, boreal wolf, rain forest wolf
• Location: Coastal, temperate rainforests in the west
• Region 2
• Common Names: northwestern wolf, Rocky Mountain wolf
• Location: Most of the province
• Current Wolf Population, Trend, Status
• Number of wolves: 8,000
• Population trend: Increasing
• Legal status: The wolf is a game species throughout the region

MANITOBA AT A GLANCE

Extensive wolf populations have continued to exist across Manitoba since before European settlement in North America. Main prey for wolves there are moose, caribou, deer, beaver and elk.

SPECIES INFORMATION:

• Common Name: gray wolf, loup (French)
• Latin Name: Canis lupus
• Current Wolf Population, Trend, Status
• Number of wolves: 4,000 – 6,000 (2013)
• Population trend: Stable
• Legal status: The wolf is a game species throughout the region

• Common Names: great plains wolf, timber wolf
• Location: Southeast portion of province Gray Wolf Region 2
• Common Name: northwestern wolf, western wolf
• Location: Most of province

NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR AT A GLANCE

Wolf populations have continued to exist across Labrador since before European settlement of North America.  However, wolves have been extirpated in Newfoundland since 1911. Main prey for wolves in Labrador are moose, caribou, beaver, musk oxen and hares.

SPECIES INFORMATION:

• Common Name: gray wolf, loup (French)
• Latin Name: Canis lupus
• Current Wolf Population, Trend, Status
• Number of wolves: 1,000 – 1,500 (2013)
• Population trend: Stable
• Legal status: The wolf is a game species in Labrador

Northwest Territories at a glance

Wolf populations in the NWT are generally stable. Biologists are concerned about over-harvest by hunters in some localized areas. Other threats include declining ungulate populations and canine diseases such as rabies. Wolf densities range from 1 wolf over anywhere between 100 to 950 square kilometers. Main prey for wolves there are caribou, musk oxen, bighorn sheep, beaver, mountain goat and moose. Wolf range is 100 percent of the map shown. For more information on the wolf in this region, visit the Northwest Territories Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Species Information:

• Wolf in NWT, Courtesy of Environment and Natural Resources
• Species
• Common Name: gray wolf
• Latin Name: Canis lupus
  
  Region 1
• Common Name: arctic wolf, high arctic wolf
• Location: Arctic areas including northern islands and pack ice where prey is available
  
  Region 2
• Common Name: plains wolf
• Location: Southeastern areas
  
  Region 3
• Common Name: boreal wolf, northwestern wolf
• Location: Throughout province with the probable exception of Arctic areas
• Current Wolf Population, Trend, Status
• Number of wolves: 4,000 (2013)
• Population trend: Stable
• Legal status: The wolf is a game species throughout the region

NUNAVUT AT A GLANCE

Extensive wolf populations have existed across Nunavut since before European settlement in North America. Main prey for wolves there are moose, caribou, musk oxen and beaver. Prey densities, migration, and sheet ice presence may influence what portions of the region are used at a given time by wolves.

SPECIES INFO:

• Arctic wolf (Photo: Dave Mech)
• Common Name: gray wolf
• Latin Name: Canis lupus
  
  Region 1
• Common Name: arctic wolf
• Location: Most of the province above 62º latitude
  
  Region 2
• Common Name: plains wolf, tundra wolf
• Location: Very southern portion of province
• Current Wolf Population, Trend, Status
• Number of wolves: 5,000-6,000 (2013)
• Population trend: Stable
• Legal status: The wolf is a game species throughout the region

ONTARIO AT A GLANCE

Extensive wolf populations have continued to exist across much of Ontario since before European settlement in North America. Main prey for wolves there are moose, caribou, deer and beaver.

SPECIES INFORMATION:

• Current Wolf Population, Trend, Status
• Number of wolves: 9,600 (2013)
• Population trend: Stable
• Legal status: The wolf is a game species throughout this region

Great Lakes wolf Species

• Common Name: gray wolf, western wolf, loup (French)
• Latin Name: Canis lupus
• Location: Great Lakes Area and northern Ontario

Eastern wolf Potential species designation under debate by the scientific community

• Common Name: eastern wolf, timber wolf
• Latin Name: Canis lycaon
• Location: Great Lakes Area and eastern Ontario
• C. lupus and the potential C. lycaon are indistinguishable from each other physically, behaviorally and ecologically. The only way to tell the difference between them is a genetic test and comparison.
  
   

QUEBEC AT A GLANCE

Extensive wolf populations have continued to exist across much of Quebec since before European settlement in North America. Main prey for wolves there are moose, caribou, deer and beaver. Wolves are generally absent from the southeast portion of Quebec.

SPECIES INFORMATION:

Great Lakes wolf Species

• Common Name: gray wolf, western wolf, loup (French)
• Latin Name: Canis lupus
• Location: Great Lakes Area and northern Ontario

Eastern wolf Potential species designation under debate by the scientific community

• Common Name: eastern wolf, timber wolf
• Latin Name: Canis lycaon
• Location: Great Lakes Area and eastern Ontario

C. lupus and the potential C. lycaon are indistinguishable from each other physically, behaviorally and ecologically. The only way to tell the difference between them is a genetic test and comparison.

• Current Wolf Population, Trend, Status
• Number of wolves: 7,000 (2013)
• Population trend: Unknown
• Legal status: The wolf is a game species in parts of the region and is protected elsewhere

Saskatchewan at a glance

Extensive wolf populations have continued to exist across Saskatchewan since before European settlement in North America. Main prey for wolves there are moose, caribou, deer, beaver and elk.

Species Information:

• Common Name: gray wolf
• Latin Name: Canis lupus
  
  Region 1
• Common Name: great plains wolf, timber wolf
• Location: Southeast
  
  Region 2
• Common Name: northwestern wolf, western wolf
• Location: Most of province
• Current Wolf Population, Trend, Status
• Number of wolves: 3,000+ (2013)
• Population trend: Stable
• Legal status: The wolf is a game species throughout the region

Yukon Territory at a glance

Extensive wolf populations have continued to exist across the Yukon Territory since before European settlement in North America. Main prey for wolves there are moose, caribou, bighorn sheep, deer, beaver, mountain goat and elk. Wolf range is 100 percent of the map shown.

Species Information:

• Common Name: gray wolf
• Latin Name: Canis lupus
• Common Name: northwestern wolf
• Current Wolf Population, Trend, Status
• Number of wolves: 4,500-5,000 (2013)
• Population trend: Stable
• Legal status: The wolf is a game species throughout the region

United  States

Gray Wolves (Canis lupus) were once among the most widely distributed wild mammals. They inhabited most of the available land in the northern hemisphere. Due to the destruction of their habitat and persecution by humans, they now occupy only about two-thirds of their former range worldwide, and about 10 percent of their historic range in the continental 48 United States. Gray wolf populations according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and state agencies:

GRAY WOLVES IN THE WESTERN GREAT LAKE STATES

• Minnesota: 2,696 (Winter 2019-2020)
• Status: Federally endangered. Federally delisted in January 2021 and relisted in February 2022. More information.
   
• Wisconsin: 1034-1057 (Sept. 2020)
• Status: Federally endangered. Federally delisted in January 2021 and relisted in February 2022. More information.
   
• Michigan: 695 (July 2020)
• Status: Federally endangered. Federally delisted in January 2021 and relisted in February 2022. More information.
   
• Isle Royale National Park: 12-14 (Apr. 2020)
• By early March 2020, the wolf population was likely composed of 12 wolves, but could be as many as 14 wolves. This is a slight decline from March 2019 when there had been 15. (updated September 2020)
   
• Status: Federal protection reinstated via court order in December 2014. More information.
• NPS Wolf Relocation Project: September 2018 - National Park Service began its wolf relocation project - a planned "genetic rescue" of Isle Royale’s dwindling wolf population to keep the species going and allow the unique ecological study that began 60 years ago to continue. Between 2018 - 2019, a total 19 wolves were relocated to Isle Royale from the mainland of US and Canada.

GRAY WOLVES IN THE NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN STATES

• Idaho: ~1,556 (2020 - Based on remote camera surveys)
• Status: Population state managed. Idaho’s wolf management plan includes an annual harvest season. More information.
   
• Montana: 833 (2020 - Patch Occupancy Model)
• Status: Population state managed. Montana's wolf management plan includes an annual harvest season. More information.
   
• Wyoming: 327 (As of Dec. 31, 2020)
• Status: Population state managed. (Federal appeals court upheld the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2012 decision to remove gray wolves in Wyoming from the endangered species list -March 2017) More information.

GRAY WOLVES IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

• California: One pack with 5 wolves; one pack with at least 8 wolves; and a family of potentially 2 to 3 wolves. (as of December 2021).
• Status: Federally protected and State endangered. More information.
   
• Oregon: 175 (April 2022)
• Status: Wolves throughout Oregon were delisted from the state Endangered Species Act (ESA) on November 9, 2015. Wolves in the western portion of the state (west of Hwys 395-78-95) lost federal protections in January 2021 and regained federal protections in February 2022.  More information.
   
• Washington: 206 individual wolves in 33 family groups/packs (April 2022). Status: Federally protected in the western two-thirds of the state, state/tribe managed in the eastern one-third. More information.

MEXICAN GRAY WOLVES IN THE SOUTHWEST

• Total in the U.S: 196
• Arizona: 84 (2021 population survey)
• Status: Federally protected with exceptions as a nonessential experimental population.
   
• New Mexico: 112 (2021 population survey)
• Status: Federally protected with exceptions as a nonessential experimental population. Fact Sheet re 2015 Final Rule courtesy USFWS.

GRAY WOLVES IN ALASKA

• Alaska: 7,700 - 11,200 (2017)
• Status: Population state managed as both a big game animal and a furbearer, management includes intensive predator control programs.

RED WOLVES IN THE SOUTHEAST

• North Carolina: 17 known (As of April 2022)
• Status: Federally protected with exceptions as a nonessential experimental population.
• Learn about the ongoing Review and Evaluation of the Red Wolf Recovery Program.