• Source: Newfoundland wolf

      • The Newfoundland wolf (Canis lupus beothucus) was a subspecies of grey wolf that was native to Newfoundland. As a food source, the species would prey and rely on the Newfoundland caribou. During the autumn and early winter, some wolves would turn white while others remained dark enough to look black.


      Description


      It was described as being a medium-sized, slender-skulled wolf with a white pelt, though melanists also occurred. In comparison to its mainland relatives it bears a striking difference in its internal accessory cusp angles allowing for distinction between subspecies. The last specimen was reportedly killed in 1911.


      Taxonomy


      This wolf is recognized as a subspecies of Canis lupus in the taxonomic authority Mammal Species of the World (2005). In 1912, Gerrit S. Miller Jr have concluded that in North America, specifically west of the Mississippi River and Hudson Bay, and north of the Platte and Columbia rivers, there are three types of wolves: timber-wolf, plains-wolf, and tundra-wolf.


      Recent sightings


      In 2019 a wolf was shot in Newfoundland after being confused for a coyote. DNA evidence found it, and a second wolf found on Newfoundland to be a Labrador wolf, which are often seen in neighbouring Labrador but rare on Newfoundland.


      See also


      Labrador wolf


      References




      Further reading


      Bergerud, Arthur T. (1971). "The Population Dynamics of Newfoundland Caribou". Wildlife Monographs (25): 3–55. JSTOR 3830370.
      Bergerud, Arthur Thompson (1969). The population dynamics of Newfoundland caribou (Thesis). doi:10.14288/1.0104108. hdl:2429/35483.

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