Standing at around 66 cm shoulder height and weighing an average of 18 kilos, the Arabian wolf is the smallest subspecies of wolf, yet the largest canid in Arabia. They have short grey-beige coats that become much longer and thicker in winter. Their ears are large compared with the rest of their body (similar to the maned wolf). Their eyes are naturally yellow with black pupils. However, many are found with brown eyes, revealing that somewhere along the line their ancestors crossed with wild dogs.
It is endangered in Arabia and extinct in the United Arab Emirates. Due to food shortages, they are only found in packs during the mating season from October to December, or when food is plentiful. It kills animals up to the size of a goat, but generally feeds on carrion, small birds, rodents, reptiles and insects. They also eat fruit and plants when meat is scarce. They dig burrows in the sand to protect themselves from the sun, and hunt mainly at night.
The only time we know that Arabian wolves are territorial is when their pups are born. Litter size can be as large as 12, but is usually only 2 or 3. They are blind at birth and weaned at around eight weeks when the parents start regurgitating food for them. |
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