Bernard's wolf facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Canis lupus bernardi |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Canidae |
| Genus: | Canis |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: |
C. l. bernardi
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| Trinomial name | |
| Canis lupus bernardi Anderson, 1943
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| Historical and present range of gray wolf subspecies in North America | |
| Synonyms | |
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The Bernard's wolf (Canis lupus bernardi) was a type of gray wolf that no longer exists. It was also called the Banks Island wolf or the Banks Island tundra wolf. This wolf lived only on Banks Island and Victoria Island in the cold Arctic Archipelago of Canada.
What Was Bernard's Wolf?
Scientists group living things into categories. This is called taxonomy. The Bernard's wolf was officially recognized as a special type, or subspecies, of the gray wolf. Its scientific name was Canis lupus bernardi. This was confirmed in a big book about mammals called Mammal Species of the World in 2005.
About This Wolf
The Bernard's wolf was described as having white fur with black tips along its back. It was officially discovered and named after Peter Bernard and his nephew, Joseph F. Bernard. They found an adult male wolf's skin and skull. These items were then taken to the National Museum of Canada for study.
Scientists have found very few examples of this wolf. Only about three or four specimens have ever been recovered. In March 1993, a group called the Department of Renewable Resources looked for wolves and caribou in the area. They found many caribou and other local animals. But they did not find a single Bernard's wolf.
It is believed that the Bernard's wolf on Victoria Island died out between 1918 and 1952. Some sources suggest it disappeared around 1920. This means the Bernard's wolf is now extinct.
