International Wolf magazine is our quarterly publication highlighting all aspects of the wolf story, from ranchers’ concerns to the spiritual thrill of meeting a wolf in the wild to in-depth articles by leading wolf biologists.
Our magazine archives contain a comprehensive collection of past editions of International Wolf magazine; however, issues from the last two years are only available to our members as an exclusive benefit.
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Spring 2026
Features
Overlooked diversity and connections in Asia
By Geraldine Werhahn
Asian wolves, including the ancient Himalayan and Indian lineages, face critical threats from habitat loss and human persecution. Despite their ecological importance, they remain scientifically neglected and lack the legal protections afforded to big cats. Researcher Geraldine Werhahn advocates for multi-species conservation strategies that utilize synergies with big cat projects. Protecting entire ecosystems is vital to halting Asia’s biodiversity crisis.
Why is the Voyageur’s wolf population at an 11-year low?
By Chad Richardson
Wolf density in Minnesota’s Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem hit an 11-year low, according to a 2024- 2025 Voyageurs Wolf Project report. The 19% annual decline stems from a white-tailed deer shortage following several severe winters. Researchers say the trend reflects a natural “ebb and flow” as wolves expand hunting territories and face lower pup survival.
The Wolf of the Indian Plains
By Yadvendradev Jhala
The Indian wolf, a distinct lineage 100,000 years older than North American wolves, was classified as vulnerable in 2025. Fewer than 3,300 wolves remain in India. Reversing the current population decline also requires strictly enforcing legal protections and improving rural infrastructure.
Wolf-dog hybridization: Is it common? Is it harmful?
By Tracy O’Connell
Research shows widespread wolf-dog hybridization across Eurasia, with dog DNA found in 62% of wolves studied. While usually occurring at low frequencies that preserve wolf distinctiveness, some dog genes provide immune system benefits. However, experts warn that increased hybridization could eventually threaten wild populations, emphasizing the need for continued genetic monitoring to ensure long-term success.
Departments
From the Executive Director
Symposium 2026
by Grant Spickelmier
In case you haven’t heard yet, the howl around the world has gone out – registration for the 2026 International Wolf Symposium has officially begun! For those who haven’t (or have) experienced a symposium, let me invite you to Minneapolis for a gathering of the wolf world unmatched in its breadth and scope. Over four days this October, biologists, wildlife managers, educators and other wolf enthusiasts from across the globe will come together to share their research, learn together, and discuss the challenges and opportunities facing wolves in our changing world.
Tracking the Pack
The Pups’ First Winter
By Giselle M . Narváez Rivera
Winter is typically a time of increased activity and heightened social interactions for our ambassador wolves. Then we usually see increased pair bonding behaviors between the dominant male and female as we approach the breeding season. This is also when we often see increased ritualized dominance displays and when subordinates may begin testing the dominant individuals. As the pups continue growing and finding their place in the pack, we have been paying close attention to their interactions with each other and with the adults.
Wolves of the World
By Giselle Narvaez Rivera and Denise Hughett
POLAND
Another recent study, led by Western University-Ontario biologist Liana Zanette, in collaboration with Dries Kuijper from the Polish Academy of Sciences, and other wolf experts, indicates that wolves retain a strong fear of humans, even in regions where laws are in place to protect them from hunting or harm. This research, conducted in Poland’s Tuchola Forest, used experimental methods to show that wolves and their prey—such as deer—alter their behavior significantly in response to human presence.
ETHIOPIA
The Ethiopian “wolf,” (Canis simensis) though not an actual wolf, is closely related to wolves and coyotes, and is facing a critical conservation battle in the Bale Mountains, with only around 366 individuals left in the wild.
IRAN
A recently published study by Kamran Almasieh and Alireza Mohammadi highlighted the importance of habitat connectivity among conservation areas for gray wolves in the central arid plains of Iran. Previous studies have reported a wolf population decline in many regions of the country mainly due to habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation. This also affects prey availability and may contribute to conflicts with humans stemming from livestock depredation and attacks on people. Some areas have experienced complete extirpation.
CALIFORNIA
In California, four gray wolves were euthanized by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). The Beyem Seyo pack is responsible for at least 87 livestock depredations across the Sierra Valley over seven months. In contrast, the whole state of Minnesota has approximately 2,900 wolves, and confirmed cases of depredation in 2024 totaled 136. In California, after months of attempting drone use, non-lethal bean bags, all-terrain vehicles, diversionary feeding, fladry, and continuous monitoring by staff, depredation continued. Kaggie Orrick, the director of UC Berkeley’s California Wolf Project said that “the rate and scale of these depredations are unprecedented for a wolf pack in the western United States.”
Personal Encounter
A Berry Important Encounter
By Austin Homkes
The beads of sweat on my forehead collected into drops and ran down the sides of my cheeks as I bushwhacked through the dense northern Minnesotan undergrowth. While the swarms of deer flies had at last begun to wane, the intense summer heat and thick humidity of this August day had not. It was my third summer studying wolf predation and reproduction with a research group that would soon be dubbed the Voyageurs Wolf Project, so burrowing through the forest had become routine.
A Look Beyond
The federal ultimatum: D.C. threatens to seize control of Colorado’s wolf reintroduction
By Chad Richardson
As we move into early 2026, Colorado’s wolf reintroduction program has reached a fever pitch of political and biological drama. What began as a narrow voter mandate in 2020 to reintroduce wolves has evolved into a high-stakes standoff between the state and the federal government.
International Wolf Magazine Archives
Our International Wolf magazine archives contain a comprehensive collection of past editions of International Wolf magazine; however, issues from the last two years are only available to our members as an exclusive benefit.
