Newfoundland Wolf
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Newfoundland Wolf | ||||||||||||||||
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Extinct (1911 but dated 1930)
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| Canis lupus beothucus Allen & Barbour, 1937 |
The Newfoundland wolf (Canis lupus beothucus) was a sub-species of the grey wolf, Canis lupus, which existed on the island of Newfoundland off the east coast of Canada. This now-extinct wolf was said to have been a large, white animal with a black stripe down its spine.
Recently, coyotes, (Canis latrans) or eastern coyotes from mainland Canada [1] have filled the niche formerly occupied by the Newfoundland wolf.
[edit] History
European settlers were quick to view the wolf as a cattle killer, and so set out to destroy the island population by setting a bounty on the animal. On September 14, 1839, the colonial government proclaimed a wolf bounty of five pounds. Hunting, trapping and vigorous predator control methods quickly reduced the wolf population on the island. This, combined with a reported caribou population decline, seem the most likely causes of the wolf's demise. By 1911 the last wild wolf was shot, although the official extinction is dated 1930.
The subspecies was not formally described until after its extinction. Appropriately, its scientific name means "Beothuk Wolf" - after the Native American inhabitants of Newfoundland (the Beothuk) who are likewise extinct.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ Coyotes on the island of Newfoundland. Retrieved on 2007-09-02.
