What’s the Biggest Wolf Ever Recorded?

Check out this answer from Consensus:

The largest wolf ever recorded varies by species and historical context. The dire wolf was notably large, comparable to the size of a spotted hyena. Among modern wolves, the gray wolf exhibits significant size variation, with the largest individuals found in higher latitudes. The maned wolf, while the largest canid in South America, is smaller in comparison to the dire wolf and the largest gray wolves.

The topic of interest is the largest wolf ever recorded. Various research papers provide insights into different species of wolves, including the maned wolf, dire wolf, and modern gray wolf, each with unique characteristics and historical records.

Key Insights

• Maned Wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus)
  • The maned wolf is the largest canid in South America, weighing up to 30 kg1 4 6 7.
• Dire Wolf (Canis dirus)
  • The dire wolf was a top predator in North America during the Pleistocene and had a body mass nearly overlapping with the spotted hyena, indicating its large size2.
• Modern Gray Wolf (Canis lupus)
  • The modern gray wolf shows significant size variation based on geographical location, with larger sizes observed in higher latitudes following Bergmann’s rule5.
  • Fossil records indicate that some European glacial wolves, such as Canis lupus maximus, were particularly large during cold phases5.