During the day, individual wolves keep an eye out for prey moving within their territory.Īrctic wolves use teamwork and tactics to stalk their prey and ambush it. Territories vary in size according to food availability. To catch larger prey such as caribou or muskoxen, arctic wolves hunt in packs or family units where they cooperate to bring the prey down.Įach arctic wolf pack occupies a territory. Two wolves may work together to hunt faster small prey such as arctic hares, with one wolf chasing the hare towards the other wolf 4 (source: Arctic, L. A single wolf may pursue small prey on its own, using its keen sense of smell to find rodents. Between large meals, they snack on whatever rodents and invertebrates they can find.Īrctic wolves employ a variety of strategies to hunt. They can eat up to 20 pounds of meat in one sitting, but may then go days without eating anything 3 (source: International Wolf Center).Īrctic wolves live where large prey is scarce, and they require more energy to keep warm. However, arctic wolves live so far north that food type and availability is different from what gray wolves have available.Īll wolves feed sporadically, taking what they can whenever they can. Gray wolf and arctic wolf diets and feeding behaviors are similar. Its teeth and digestive system are highly-adapted to attack, kill, crunch, and digest all the parts of an animal, including bones.ĭuring the summer months, arctic wolves may eat some berries or chew on roots.Īrctic wolves are a subspecies (type) of gray wolf. The Arctic wolf has the large brain, high intelligence, and hunting instincts of a carnivoran.
They hunt and kill most of their food, but will also scavenge on carcasses left by polar bears and other predators. Although within their range, plant matter is only available in the warmer months.Īrctic wolves primarily eat meat including fish, invertebrates, and mammals such as lemmings, caribou, arctic hare, and muskox 2 (source: Canadian Journal of Zoology, F.Dalerum, et al, Vol 96, No. They have been known to eat some plants which is why some people may refer to them as hypercarnivores, which are animals whose diet consists of more than 70% meat. They belong to the order Carnivora, a large group named after the tendency of its members to eat meat.Ĭarnivorans tend to have large brains, hunting behaviors, and specialized digestive systems, teeth, and jaws 1 (source: Australian Museum), traits that the arctic wolf has. Are Arctic Wolves Omnivores or Carnivores?Īrctic wolves are considered to be carnivores because their diet mainly consists of meat.
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