Some people love them, a few fear them, others prefer that they be shot. On the Arctic Refuge, however, these differences are seldom voiced. The wolf is wild, beautiful, and inspiring. So is the Refuge. The two belong together.
People know it and expect it.
Cousin to the dog, the gray wolf is a highly social animal, preferring to live in packs. Gray wolves may be shades of gray, brown, black, or white. Wolves of all these colors roam the Refuge. Some five packs totalling 25 to 30 animals live on the Refuge's north slope east of the Canning River. The wolves are found primarily in the mountains and foothills along major rivers.