Canis lupus pambasileus
| Yukon wolf | |
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| Yukon wolf in Denali National Park | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Suborder: | Caniformia |
| Family: | Canidae |
| Genus: | Canis |
| Species: | C. lupus |
| Subspecies: | C. l. pambasileus |
| Trinomial name | |
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Canis lupus pambasileus Elliot, 1905 |
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The North American wolf Canis lupus pambasileus is a subspecies of gray wolf that is called the Yukon wolf' in Canada and the Alaskan Interior wolf in the United States. It is native to the Alaska Interior and Yukon, save for the tundra region of the Arctic Coast.
This wolf was first described as a distinct subspecies in 1905 by Daniel Elliot who referred to it by its past name of the "autocrat timber wolf". Elliot distinguishes this wolf by the teeth in both jaws being large and heavy, and along with the skull exceed those of C. l. occidentalis (the Northwestern wolf) of a comparable body size. Its coat ranges from black to white or a mix of both. As of 2005[update] it is considered a valid subspecies by MSW3. However, it is considered as a synonym of C. l. occidentalis by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
The Yukon wolf has a height of 85 cm (33.5 in) with an average male weight of 43 kilograms (95 lb) and for females 37 kilograms (82 lb). Individual weights can vary from 21 kilograms (46 lb) to 55 kilograms (121 lb). In Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve male wolves average 50.3 kg (111 lb) and females 44 kg (97 lb); in Denali National Park and Preserve male wolves average 47.6 kg (105 lb). One specimen weighed 79.4 kilograms (175 lb). It was killed on 70 Mile River in east-central Alaska on July 12, 1939. One wolf was purported to weigh 212 pounds (96 kg), however large Alaskan wolves are known to hold up to 20 pounds (9.1 kg) of moose meat in their stomachs. The most common color for this subspecies is tawny grey or tan, but can also range from white to black. The lifespan ranges from 4 – 10 years, the oldest being 12 years.
Average pack size is 7 to 9 wolves, but can vary; like other wolves, the pack consists of a mated pair and their offspring. The pair is usually the only ones that breed. A wolf that has left its pack may travel up to 500 km (310.7 mi) to breed. The minimum breeding age is 1 year, and the average litter size is 4 - 6 pups.
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