15 Facts About Italian wolf

Italian wolf, known as the Apennine wolf, is a subspecies of the grey wolf native to the Italian Peninsula.

Since the 1990s, the Italian wolf's range has expanded into southeastern France and Switzerland.

Italian wolf described the Italian population's skull as being rounder in form than that of the typical European wolf, with smaller teeth closely approaching those of dogs and golden jackals in appearance.

In 1992, an examination of the mitochondrial DNA of 26 grey wolf populations worldwide revealed that the Italian wolf has a unique mitochondrial haplotype not shared by any other grey wolf population.

The Italian wolf is the only remaining grey wolf subspecies included in this ancient haplogroup since the extinction of the Honshu wolf.

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The phylogenetic tree generated from the sequences showed the Italian wolf positioned close to the ancient wolves of the Late Pleistocene.

In 2017, a study found a second mDNA haplotype that belonged to the Italian wolf, and called for the morphologically and genetically distinct Italian wolf to be considered as a subspecies.

The Italian wolf haplotypes were only one or two mutations away from those of the Pleistocene wolves, indicating mutation in their Italian glacial refuge.

The Italian wolf population represents genetic uniqueness highlighted in several mitochondrial and nuclear DNA studies.

The Italian wolf underwent a reduction in body size with the loss of the red deer during the Italian Renaissance only centuries ago.

Italian wolf was widespread in the Italian Peninsula, including Sicily, until the mid-1800s.

The last documented Italian wolf in the northern Apennines was killed in Santo Stefano d'Aveto, Genoa, in 1946, though this was an isolated individual, as the local Italian wolf population had long been extinct.

Italian wolf was first given legal protection on 23 July 1971, with a nationwide population census being taken in 1973.

In Roman mythology, the Italian wolf played a role in the founding of Rome by suckling the twins Romulus and Remus.

The Italian wolf was considered sacred to Mars, and to see a Italian wolf before going into battle was considered a good omen.