12 UKWCT WOLF PRINT

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

The Arabian wolf is a desert adaptedcanid and although one of the smallestwolves, is one of the largest canids inArabia.

Their coat hairs are thin, short, wiry andlight in colour, varying from light brownthrough to a greyish yellow, with thestomach being paler or white. The hairon the back remains long, which isthought to be an adaption against solarradiation. In winter their coats arethicker and longer, but not as long as itsnorthern subspecies.

An adult wolf stands approximately 25 - 26 inches (63- 65 cms)at the shoulder and weighs an average of 40 - 45 lbs (18 - 20kgs). The desert wolf is very lean; to survive it must carry noexcess weight or fat. It is honed down to optimum weight andphysique by constant exercise and the ceaseless effort ofseeking prey.

The ears are large compared to other wolves, this adaptionenables the Arabian wolf to dissipate heat and keep the blood

cool. As the Arabian wolf, like other canines, possesses nosweat glands, it helps control body temperature byevaporation from the lungs, by rapid panting.

Arabian wolves are unique, as their middle two paw toes arefused. Their eyes are yellow as with all wolves, but some arefound with brown eyes, thought to be an indication ofinterbreeding with feral dogs, which adds to the threat ofsurvival.

The Arabian or Desert WolfLife and behaviour of wolves Sandra Benson, UKWCT

HISTORICAL RANGE

The Arabian wolf (canis lupus arabs), is one of the smallestsub-species of the grey wolf. It was once found livingthroughout the entire Arabian Peninsula, but now can only befound in small clusters of Southern Israel, Oman, Yemen, Jordan,Saudi Arabia and possibly in parts of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt.

This small wolf lives in one of the most extreme environmentson earth; the arid and semi-arid areas of the Middle East.Inhabiting mountainous areas, gravel plains and desert fringes, these wolves have large home ranges which they patrol

constantly. They escape the heat by digging deep dens andburrows, but as they cannot survive without water, they do notwander far into the great sand deserts.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) desert has seen the extinctionof many indigenous species and among these is the Arabianwolf, not seen wild in this area since the 1980s. To see this wolfin the UAE one would need to visit Arabia's Wildlife Centre inSharjah (www.breedingcentresharjah.com)

Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: MammaliaOrder: CarnivoraFamily: CanidaeGenus: CanisSpecies: Grey Wolf (Canis Lupus)Sub Species: Arabian Wolf (Canis Lupus Arabs) - recognised in 1934Conservation Status: Critically endangeredLegal Status: No protection, except Oman but rarely enforced

Scientific Classification

Little is known about this rare sub-species of thegrey wolf. Sandra Benson tracks down the facts.

ISSUE 38 AUTUMN WINTER 2009/10 13

DIET

This is a true hunter constantly on the move tracking and killing prey.It has the stamina to cover long distances, but also has to cope withheat gain and water loss.

Arabian wolves will hunt small to medium animals from cape hares,dorcas gazelles and ibexes, foxes, small birds, reptiles, rodents andinsects. They are a solitary hunter which will take any carrion it can findbut like all wolves they will also eat fruit and plants.

They are opportunistic feeders, hunting mainly at night and will attackand eat any domestic animal up to the size of a goat, the consequencesof which result in farmers retaliating by shooting, trapping or poisoningthe wolf.

SOCIAL LIFE

They live in small groups mainly due tolack of prey, and tend to congregatetogether only during the mating season,but have been known to form largerpacks if food is less scarce.

They usually hunt solitarily, in pairs oroccasionally in small groups of three tofour wolves.

This sub-species has rarely been knownto howl, perhaps due to the fact that it isusually on its own.

The only time that the Arabian wolf isknown to be territorial is when its pupsare born.

PACK SIZE AND BREEDING

Unlike most of theirNorthern sub-species,their breeding seasonstarts in October andruns through toDecember. Gestationis 63 - 65 days,resulting in normallytwo to three pups, butlitter sizes of up totwelve have beenknown. This is unusualas most desert animalsusually only produce asingle young toincrease the survival chances of both theoffspring and the mother.

The pups, like all canines, are blind atbirth, and are weaned between six toeight weeks when the parents beginregurgitating food for them.

THREATS

Interbreeding with feral dogs is a hazardand a threat to the integrity of this sub-species.Arabian wolves in Oman have alsocontracted rabies. In the ArabianPeninsula and Jordan, vast areas are usedby the nomadic Bedouin for grazinglivestock, and they consider the wolf tobe the major predator of their goats andsheep. Systematic shooting, trapping andpoisoning has nearly eliminated theArabian wolf from most areas in theMiddle East.

CURRENT STATUS

In Oman, the wolf population hasincreased since hunting was banned andthere is a possibility that they will re-establish themselves.

In Israel, there are between 100 - 150over the Negev and the Ha'arava.Harassing or killing wolves is prohibitedbut there is no livestock damage orpredation compensation

In Syria, the Arabian wolf is unprotected;an exact population number is unknownbut is estimated at 200. There is nocompensation paid for livestock damageor predation.

The Lebanon has approximately 50Arabian wolves, with no legal protectionand no livestock damage compensation

Jordan's wolf population is unknown, butestimated at 200. There is no protectionand no livestock damage compensation

Saudi Arabia has between 300 - 600wolves with no protection and nolivestock damage compensation

In the UAE the Arabian wolf is extinct.

THE FUTURE

The primary concern for conservationof the wolf in Arabia is their safety.The ideal situation would be anational park, and protection status iscrucial.

Captive breeding is the second mostimportant focus. Arabian wolves arecurrently being bred in Oman andheld in captive breeding programmesin Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Compensation is required on proofthat there is livestock damage andpredation.

Greater education about thesebeautiful creatures could contributetowards helping people understandhow humans can co-exist alongsidethis rare wolf.