Iranian Wolf
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Iranian Wolf | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservation status | ||||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||||
|
The Iranian wolf (Canis lupus pallipes) is a subspecies of Grey Wolf which ranges from Lebanon, Northern Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran. The Iranian wolf is the most likely direct ancestor of the Dingo. [1]
Contents |
[edit] Description
Standing 18 to 30 inches tall at the shoulder, Iranian wolves weigh between 55 to 70 pounds.[2]
The short, pale color of their fur helps them to blend into the semi-arid landscape of their habitat. They have little to no undercoat, thus keeping them cool in the hot Middle Eastern climate.[2]
They apparently seldom howl.[2]
Lately research of the mtDNA of the Indian Wolf, formerly thought to be a variant of Canis lupus pallipes, confirms that this is a new species of wolf, now called the Canis indica, separate and distinct from other wolf species in the world.[3]
It is distinguished from the Arabian Wolf by it's darker fur, larger size and proportionately larger head.[4]
[edit] Current status
Israel seems to be the last hope for the Iranian Wolf's survival in the Middle East because it is the only country in the region where they have legal protection. There are between 150-250 wolves all over northern and central Israel. The biggest dangers to the wolves in Israel are the local dogs that interbreed with them, essentially contaminating the genetic purity of the subspecies.
[edit] In culture
The wolf, known in Turkey as the Bozkurt, was the main totem of ancient Turkish tribes and became the national symbol from the Hun to Ottoman Empire. Before the Turks adoption of Islam, a wolf’s head was used to be put on the tips of flag poles, replaced later by the crescent and star. In Turkish mythology, it is believed that the Göktürks were descended from a she-wolf called Asena, a legend paralleling the myth of Romulus and Remus. Also, a wolf was responsible for showing the Turks the way out of their legendary land locked mountain valley homeland Ergenekon.
[edit] References
- ^ The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Human Evolution, Cambridge University Press 1992
- ^ a b c The Iranian Wolf. Wolf Song of Alaska. Retrieved on 2007-10-06.
- ^ Blackwell Synergy - J Zoological System, Volume 45 Issue 2 Page 163-172, May 2007 (Article Abstract)
- ^ Bright, Michael (2006). Beasts of the Field: The Revealing Natural History of Animals in the Bible, p346. 1861058314.
