Indian and Arabian wolves in the US?

elefante

elefante

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
Does anyone know if there are any zoos in the US that exhibit gray wolf subspecies like Indian wolves or Arabian wolves? I've not seen many gray wolves in zoos and the ones I have seen have been the larger timber wolves in all except the non-accredited Bear Country USA that has arctic wolves. I've always thought the Indian and Arabian gray wolves were interesting and unique subspecies and as rare as they are it seems they should be a subspecies focused on.
 
Some zoos display Mexican wolves, but I have never heard of any Arabian or Indian wolves in U.S. zoos currently displayed. I had a geneticist colleague who had to go to India to get Indian wolf DNA, so I'm pretty sure there are none here in the U.S.
 
@DavidBrown, I have heard of zoos keeping Mexican wolves and I think that is good as those are a distinct subspecies that have very few wild survivors. Red wolves are the other species often kept and this is good for the same reason.

@jbnbsn99, I have heard that some authorities do consider the Indian wolf to be a separate species. If that is true it is probably more important to have some in zoos.

Does anyone know if other zoos around the world exhibit them?
 
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I know its more of a physical not a genetic situation but they do look more coyote or jackal like. Could also be a function of climate (slender because of the heat) or niche (they are smaller so there is less prey competition with tigers)
 
tschandler71 said:
I know its more of a physical not a genetic situation but they do look more coyote or jackal like. Could also be a function of climate (slender because of the heat) or niche (they are smaller so there is less prey competition with tigers)
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Coyotes, Golden Jackals, Ethiopian wolves and Grey/Red/Indian/Dingo wolves are all very closely related and will interbreed. Where populations have become very small there is alot of potential for mixing of species where populations live side-by-side. Consequently you often end up with wolves that resemble coyotes or jackals, and vice-versa. Can be very difficult to distinguish in the field. The red wolf debate is testament to the problem of Canis taxonomy.

Also the southern wolf 'complex' - Indian, Arabian and African - are all more slender and smaller then typical northern wolves. Possibly a different 'subpopulation' and thus slightly different genetically from northern wolves (supposition, not sure if true).
 
It turns out that there is a facility in the United States that has Indian wolves (Canis lupus pallipes), that place is The Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka, Missouri, they list them as Iranian gray wolves though, which I think are the same thing as Indian wolves

Also when I was reading through the International Zoo Yearbooks at work, I found out that Catoctin Wildlife Preserve in Thurmont, Maryland had Indian gray wolves
 
ungulate nerd said:
It turns out that there is a facility in the United States that has Indian wolves (Canis lupus pallipes), that place is The Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka, Missouri, they list them as Iranian gray wolves though, which I think are the same thing as Indian wolves

Also when I was reading through the International Zoo Yearbooks at work, I found out that Catoctin Wildlife Preserve in Thurmont, Maryland had Indian gray wolves
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"Iranian wolves at the EWC?
The Endangered Wolf Center was home to Iranian wolves since it’s beginning in 1971. Marlin Perkins received four orphaned pups as a gift from the Shah of Iran. This lineage lived at the Endangered Wolf Center until the last Iranian in the wolf, Rafsenjahni, passed away after a full sixteen years of age. He was the last Iranian wolf in North America. We will remember him dearly."
 
Gulo gulo said:
"Iranian wolves at the EWC?
The Endangered Wolf Center was home to Iranian wolves since it’s beginning in 1971. Marlin Perkins received four orphaned pups as a gift from the Shah of Iran. This lineage lived at the Endangered Wolf Center until the last Iranian in the wolf, Rafsenjahni, passed away after a full sixteen years of age. He was the last Iranian wolf in North America. We will remember him dearly."
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Thank you for confirming this Gulo gulo
This is a very interesting story, I just mentioned Iranian gray wolves being in the United States because the Endangered Wolf Center still lists them on their website, also considering Marlin Perkins was the one to receive those wolves, did St. Louis Zoo ever have them ?, or just Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and The Endangered Wolf Center ?
 
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