Iberian wolf

Aug. 3, 2023

According to the regional government, the Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus), has been extinct in the historic region of Andalusia in the extreme south of Iberia since 2020.

About the Iberian wolf:

  • It is a subspecies of Grey wolf that has been isolated from mixing with other wolf populations for over a century.
  • These form the largest wolf population in Western Europe.
  • It is native to the Iberian Peninsula comprising Spain and Portugal.
  • They inhabit forests, inland wetlands, shrublands, grasslands, pastures, and mountainous areas.
  • They live, hunt, and travel in small packs. Each pack includes the alpha male and female with their young as well as older offspring.
  • The alphas are the leaders of the pack, establishing the group's territory, selecting the den sites, tracking down, and hunting prey. 
  • They are mainly carnivores.
  • Conservation status
    • IUCN: Vulnerable

Key facts about Iberian Peninsula

  • It is located on Europe’s southwestern tip.
  • It is part of the southern European peninsula, which comprises three peninsulas; Iberian, Balkan, and Italian peninsulas.
  • Its southern tip is separated from the African continent by the narrow Strait of Gibraltar.
  • This Peninsula lies between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean and is separated from France by the Pyrenees mountain range.
  • The highest mountain on the peninsula is Mount Mulhacén, with 3,478 m, located in the Andalusian Sierra Nevada.