84. Gray Wolf, Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758

(IUCN Red List: LC)

Subspecies: C. l. pallipes Sykes, 1831 and C. l. arabs Pocock, 1934.

Distribution:Abundant but uncommon; populations are possibly decreased due to extensive persecution; widespread in almost all habitats across the country but in small numbers. Heavy persecution by the nomads in central Syria documented by G. Serra and MS Abdallah (2000–2010, unpublished report) and Serra (2002). (Fig. 91)

Previous records: 45 km southwest of Ain Al-Arous (Misonne 1957), Jabal Abd Al-Aziz, Buhayrat Al-Khatuniyah, Sabkhat al-Jabbul, Wadi Al-Azib, Jabal Al-Bishri, Jabal Al-Bilaas, Palmyra (Harrison 1968; Tohme et al. 1975; Evans 1994), in many regions across Syria (Shehab 2002), Palmyra, Jabal Al-Bishri, Efreen, and north of Slenfeh (Masseti 2009), around Palmyra (Serra et al. 2009a, b), Abu Qubays, Jabal Abd Al-Aziz (Daoud & Khalil 2009a, c), south of Al-Badia of Deir ez-Zor and Jabal Al-Bishri (Aidek 2010; Murdoch & Aidek 2012).

Recent records: Qal’at Jandal (1994), Jabal Al-Bishri, vicinity of Feidhat Ibn Muwyin’e, vicinity of Al-Mayadin (2006–2012), Deir Sawwan (2009), east of az-Zelif, an-Nasriyeh, vicinity of Salamiyah (2011), Fajlit, Al-Hjeifat, east of Latakia, Shahba, Jabla, Mesiaf, Salkhad, Rab’o, 10 km east of Rbeidha, Deir as-Saleeb, Al-Matikh, and Rsass, Al-Gheidha (2020–2023).

Remarks: Three subspecies were recognized in Syria by earlier authors: C. l. lupus Linnaeus, 1758, C. l. pallipes Sykes, 1831 and C. l. arabs Pocock, 1934 (Mech & Boitani 2004), but with undefined ranges. Misonne (1957) indicated that the Iranian subspecies C. l. pallipes occurs in Mesopotamia and around Tell Abiad, the northern subspecies C. l. lupus would be putatively confined to the mountains of north and northwest Syria, while the Arabian subspecies C. l. arabs occurs in the arid plains and wadies of south and southeast Syria. The current status and distribution of wolves in Syria are not fully known, hence, further research is needed.