Arabian wolf

TheArabian wolf(Canis lupus arabs) is asubspecies of gray wolfnative to theArabian Peninsula—to the west ofBahrain, as well asOman, southernSaudi Arabia, andYemen. It is also found inIsrael’sNegevandAravaDeserts,Jordan,Palestine, andEgypt'sSinai Peninsula. It is the smallest gray wolf subspecies and a specializedxerocole(arid-adapted) animal that normally lives in smaller familial packs. Arabian wolves are omnivorous and opportunistic eaters; they consume small to medium-sized prey, from insects, reptiles and birds to rodents and smallungulates, such as youngNubian ibexand several species of gazelle (Arabian,goitered,Dorcas, andmountain gazelles).
Once thought to be synonymous withC. l. pallipes(theIndian wolf), the Arabian wolf was designatedCanis lupus arabsby the British zoologistReginald Innes Pocockin 1934.Pocock noted its smaller skull and smaller size.In the third edition ofMammal Species of the Worldpublished in 2005, the mammalogist W. Christopher Wozencraft listed under the wolfCanis lupusthe subspeciesCanis lupus arabs.A 2014 study suggests that genetically the Arabian wolf is closer toC. l. lupusthan it is toC. l. pallipesand supports the subspecies designationC. l. arabs.There has been admixture with domesticdogs, but it is unclear whether this is why this wolf is genetically closer toC. l. lupus.This raises a concern of extinction by hybridization as Arabian wolves are more adapted to desert life than wolf/dog hybrids.
In Israel and Palestine, there is some disagreement as to the exact taxonomic status of wolves. Some scientists hold that two subspecies of wolf are present:C. l. pallipesin the northern parts andC. l. arabsin the south. They point out that the southern wolves are smaller than the northern wolves, which are also darker and have longer fur.Other scientists consider the wolf in the area to beC. l. arabs, with no real distinction between northern and southern wolves.As in other countries, there is interbreeding with feral dogs, which adds an element of uncertainty.
In 2018,whole genome sequencingwas used to compare members of the genusCanis. The study found evidence of gene flow betweenAfrican golden wolves,golden jackals, and greywolves(from Saudi Arabia and Syria). One African golden wolf from the EgyptianSinai Peninsulashowed high admixture with the Middle Eastern grey wolves and dogs, highlighting the role of the land bridge between the African and Eurasian continents in canid evolution. The African golden wolf was found to be the descendant of a geneticallyadmixedcanid of 72% greywolfand 28%Ethiopian wolfancestry.
The Arabian wolf is one of the smallest subspecies of wolf. It stands on average 25–26 inches (64–66 cm) at shoulder heightand the adult weighs an average of 45 pounds (20.41 kg).The cranial length of the adult Arabian wolf measures on average 200.8 mm (0.659 ft), which is smaller than most wolves.Along with the Indian wolf, it is probably smaller than other wolves to help it adapt to life in a hot, dry climate.This is an example ofBergmann's rule, where mammal size varies by the warmth of their environment. Its ears are proportionally larger in relation to its body size when compared to other sub-species ofCanis lupus, an adaptation probably developed to help disperse body heat (Allen's Rule).
They have a short thin coat which is usually a grayish beige color,"... a mixture of black and slightly buffy grey" according to Pocock.Melanistic(dark) Arabian wolves have been recorded in Saudi Arabia's western highlands.Similar to othercanines, the Arabian wolf does not have sweat glands and so it must control its body temperature by rapid panting, which causes evaporation from the lungs.Occasionally the pads of the third and fourth toes are fused in the back; a feature which differentiates its tracks from a dog's.It is distinguished from the Indian wolf by its smaller skull, smaller size and thinner coat.
Arabian wolves do not usually live in large packs, and instead hunt in pairs or in groups of about three or four animals.They are most frequently active around water sources at sunrise and mid-afternoon.However, they more commonly travel at night. Due to food availability, Arabian wolves often associate with human settlements.
Arabian wolves are mainly carnivorous, but also omnivorous and in some areas largely dependent on human garbage and excess products.Their native prey includesungulatessuch asNubian ibex(Capra nubiana),gazelles(GenusGazella), andAsiatic wild ass(Equus hemionus onager), as well as smaller animals like hares, rodents, small birds, and reptiles.They also eat cats, sweet fruits,roadkilland othercarrion.Opportunistically, almost any small animal including fish, snails, baby baboons can be part of their diet.Because Arabian wolves can attack and eat any domestic animals up to the size of a goat, pastoralBedouinsand other farmers will often shoot, poison, or trap them.
There is at least one case inIsraelof astriped hyena(Hyaena hyaena) associating and cooperating with a wolf pack. It is proposed that this is a case ofmutualism: the hyena could benefit from the wolves' superior ability to hunt large, agile prey. The wolves could benefit from the hyena's superior sense of smell, to locate and dig out tortoises, to crack open large bones, and to tear open discarded food containers like tin cans.
As with other wolf subspecies, Arabian wolves can facilitate atrophic cascadeby suppressing smaller carnivores such asgolden jackals(Canis aureus) andfoxes(GenusVulpes). This allows smaller herbivores to become more abundant.Arabian wolves compete with other carnivores including thecaracal(Caracal caracal) andArabian leopard(Panthera pardus nimr).Historically they also competed with theAsiatic cheetah(Acinonyx jubatus venaticus), but this species is now extinct within the Arabian wolf's range.
The Arabian wolf was once found throughout the Arabian Peninsula, but now lives only in small pockets in southernIsrael,Palestine,Oman,Yemen,Jordan,Saudi Arabia,and some parts of theSinai PeninsulainEgypt.It is rare throughout most of its range because of human persecution.There is connectivity between the wolf populations of Egypt, Israel, and Jordan as wolves often cross borders between these countries.
In Oman, wolf populations have increased because of a ban on hunting, and they may naturally re-establish themselves in certain places within the region in the relatively near term.
In Israel, between 100 and 150 Arabian wolves are found across theNegevand theArava. The population is stable, as prey is abundant and much of the land is undeveloped and protected as nature reserves.They find additional food and water in agricultural areas near human settlements.They are strongly protected under Israel's 1955 Wildlife ProtectionLaw.
TheUnited Arab Emiratesand Egypt both have a captive breeding program, and the wolf is protected in Oman and Israel, but in Saudi Arabia, the wolf is protected in places and still exists in places with sparse human activity.