Incorporated in 1989, Wolf Song of Alaska has distinguished itself as a highly visible and credible organization that is devoted to understanding the wolf, its natural, history, its varied relation to humans throughout the ages, and its role as a major symbol in folklore, myth, legend, art, and religion. Wolf Song of Alaska education programs have greatly impacted the general public's knowledge about the wolf. This magnificent exhibit toured North America since 1983 and was viewed by over 2.3 million visitors in major cities across the continent. Wolves are adaptable and exist in a wide variety of habitats extending from the rain forests of the Southeast Panhandle to the arctic tundra along the Beaufort Sea. Presently wolves are common over much of the state with a density as high as about one wolf per 25 square miles in favorable habitats.
Densities are low in the coastal portions of western and northern Alaska.
Although the distribution of wolves had remained relatively constant in recent times, their abundance had varied considerably as prey availability, diseases, and harvests have influenced their numbers. Early taxonomists recognized about 24 New World and 8 Old World subspecies of Canis lupus , with four subspecies thought to occur in Alaska. Recent studies of skull characteristics, body size and color suggest that differences are slight with considerable overlap in the characteristics of wolves from various areas. Only two Alaska subspecies are now recognized. Wolves in Southeast Alaska tend to be darker and somewhat smaller than those in northern parts of the state.