Wolves of the World

Tibetan wolf (Canis lupus chanco)

The Tibetan wolf (Canis lupus chanco) is a subspecies of gray wolf native to Central Asia from Turkestan throughout Tibet to Mongolia, northern China and the northern and northeastern parts of India.

Habitat:

Tibetan wolves can be found in central China, the Manschurai, the jungles and deserts of Mongolia, North Sikkim, Tibet, south-western Russia, the Himalayan regions of India, Nepal and Bhutan.

Characteristics:

Tibetan wolves can vary from 58 to 65 inches (from nose to end of tail) and from 27 to 30 inches high, weighing from 65 to 70 pounds. Compared to the Eurasian wolf, they are slightly larger, with shorter legs. They have a long shaggy coat which seasonally varies in color, usually a blend of white, yellow, brown, grey, and black.

Diet:

Tibetan wolves are amazing hunters with excellent survival skills. It is known to hunt both during the day and at night either alone or in packs. Its preferred prey includes deer, blue sheep, and other large mammals. When food becomes scarce, it will feed on smaller animals like marmots, hares, ground squirrel, and mice. When hunting, the wolf can reach speeds up to 40 mph.

Breeding:

Tibetan wolves reached sexual maturity in their second years. Breeding season usually occurs in the Spring. To maintain strength of the pack, only the dominant male and female breed. Two months later, four to six pups are born weighing roughly one pound each. At three to four weeks they will leave the den. They are nurtured by their mother for two to three months after which they begin to tag along with their parents hunting. In the wild, they live anywhere from six to ten years. They can long as twenty years in captivity.

Status:

Endangered.