The Southern Rocky Mountain Wolf

The Southern Rocky Mountain Mountain Wolf was classified as a gray wolf subspecies in 1937 by senior biologist Edward A. Goldman. It was given the Latin name Canis lupus youngi in recognition of Stanley P. Young who worked for the U.S. Government in overseeing extermination of the wolf. Go figure.

HABITAT
They were found throughout the Rocky Mountain region from Northern Utah and Southern Wyoming, south through Utah and Western Colorado To Northern Arizona and Northern New Mexico. They then became more and more dispersed going west to Central Nevada and as far south as the Providence Mountains in Southern California.

CHARACTERISTICS
In size, they varied from medium to somewhat large, similar to the Northern Rocky Mountain wolf. They were 4 feet to over 5 feet in length, averaging about 90 pounds, though they were found weighing up to 125 pounds. They had light buff colored fur, similar to the Great Plains wolf.

STATUS
The Southern Rocky Mountain Wolf officially became extinct in 1935 from excessive hunting, trapping, and poisoning.