Italian wolf

Italian wolf
C. l. italicus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus: Canis
Species:
C. lupus
Subspecies:
C. l. italicus
Trinomial name
Canis lupus italicus
Altobello, 1921[2]
Italian wolf range: red means stable presence; yellow means irregular presence

The Italian wolf (Canis lupus italicus[3][4] or Canis lupus lupus[5]), also known as the Apennine wolf,[6][7] is a subspecies of the grey wolf native to the Italian Peninsula. It inhabits the Apennine Mountains and the Western Alps, though it is undergoing expansion towards the north and east. As of 2022 the wolf population within Italy is estimated to be 3,307 individuals.[8] Although not universally recognised as a distinct subspecies,[5] it nonetheless possesses a unique mtDNA haplotype[9][10][11] and a distinct skull morphology.[12]

It has been strictly protected in Italy since the 1970s, when the population reached a low of 70–100 individuals. The population is increasing in number, though illegal hunting and persecution still constitute a threat. Since the 1990s, the Italian wolf's range has expanded into southeastern France[13] and Switzerland.[14]

The Italian wolf features prominently in Latin and Italian cultures, such as the she-wolf in the legendary founding of Rome.[15] For this reason it is unofficially considered the national animal of Italy.[16][17]

  1. ^ Boitani, Phillips & Jhala 2023.
  2. ^ Altobello 1921.
  3. ^ Altobello (1921); Nowak & Federoff (2002); Castelló (2018); Boitani, Phillips & Jhala (2023)
  4. ^ IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group ( Claudio Sillero). "Grey wolf Canis lupus". International Union for the Conservation of Nature - Canid Specialist Group.
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference msw3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Salari et al. 2017.
  7. ^ Sardella, Raffaele; Bertè, Davide; Iurino, Dawid Adam; Cherin, Marco; Tagliacozzo, Antonio (2014). "The wolf from Grotta Romanelli (Apulia, Italy) and its implications in the evolutionary history of Canis lupus in the Late Pleistocene of Southern Italy". Quaternary International. 328–329: 179–195. Bibcode:2014QuInt.328..179S. doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2013.11.016.
  8. ^ "Risultati: I risultati del Monitoraggio nazionale del lupo" [Results: The results of the National Wolf Monitoring]. Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (in Italian). 12 May 2022.
  9. ^ Wayne et al. 1992.
  10. ^ Randi et al. 2000.
  11. ^ Imbert, Camille; Caniglia, Romolo; Fabbri, Elena; Milanesi, Pietro; Randi, Ettore; Serafini, Matteo; Torretta, Elisa; Meriggi, Alberto (2016). "Why do wolves eat livestock?". Biological Conservation. 195: 156–168. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2016.01.003. S2CID 87399626.
  12. ^ Nowak & Federoff 2002.
  13. ^ Monnier & Figuet 2013.
  14. ^ Glenz et al. 2001.
  15. ^ Livy (1797). The history of Rome. George Baker (trans.). Printed for A. Strahan.
  16. ^ Minahan, James B. (2009). The Complete Guide to National Symbols and Emblems. ABC-CLIO. p. 436. ISBN 9780313344978.
  17. ^ Blashfield, Jean F. (2009). Italy. Scholastic. p. 33. ISBN 9780531120996.