Arkansas mammals

Gray Wolf in Arkansas

Canis lupus

Native to Arkansas SX Presumed Extirpated in Arkansas

Not listed as nonindigenous in Arkansas by USGS NAS; native to its Arkansas range.

IUCN Red List status

LC – Least Concern

Widespread and abundant; not at risk.

Photo: Robbie Hannawacker · CC0Silver-gray wolf walking along a gravel bank in AlaskaPhoto: Alejandro Santillana · CC0A pale, cream-phase wolf on the move in Yellowstone. Coat color spans cream to coal black.Photo: Piotr Lukasik · CC BY 4.0A black-phase wolf in a Yellowstone meadow at last light.Photo: mefisher · CC0A wolf beds down in open grassland, tail tucked alongside.Photo: Norma Malinowski · CC BY 4.0A gray wolf in winter coat. From the front, the wide head and short rounded ears are unmistakable.

Cream-colored gray wolf walking through dry grass with its mouth open — Photo: Robbie Hannawacker · CC0Silver-gray wolf walking along a gravel bank in AlaskaPhoto: Alejandro Santillana · CC0A pale, cream-phase wolf on the move in Yellowstone. Coat color spans cream to coal black.Photo: Piotr Lukasik · CC BY 4.0A black-phase wolf in a Yellowstone meadow at last light.Photo: mefisher · CC0A wolf beds down in open grassland, tail tucked alongside.Photo: Norma Malinowski · CC BY 4.0A gray wolf in winter coat. From the front, the wide head and short rounded ears are unmistakable.

Gray Wolf in Arkansas, by the numbers

Presumed Extirpated in Arkansas 43rd most recorded of 78 mammals logged in Arkansas

17 occurrence records

Records from 2000–2026.

17 total records count every Arkansas occurrence from GBIF and iNaturalist; the monthly chart covers the 16 records with a full observation date.

When the gray wolf was recorded in Arkansas

Most historical records fall in December to March.

16 Arkansas occurrence records (iNaturalist and GBIF) by month of year, 2000–2026. Shows when the species is recorded, not a guarantee of presence. Based on a small number of dated records; the seasonal pattern may not be representative.

Monthly Arkansas records (table)

Month	Records
January	2
February	3
March	2
April	0
May	1
June	2
July	0
August	1
September	1
October	1
November	1
December	2

Monthly gray wolf occurrence records (iNaturalist and GBIF) in Arkansas, 2000–2026.

Seasonality

Historical records in Arkansas peak in December–March, with a smaller rise in June.

Occurrence map

Where Gray Wolf has been recorded in Arkansas

17 records mapped · zoom and drag to explore

16 Arkansas records mapped

Where gray wolf encounters are recorded

Park, forest, or monument	iNaturalist records
Camp Robinson Wildlife Demonstration Area	1
Bell Slough	1

Protected places with the most gray wolf records, from the USGS Protected Areas Database plus named mountain ranges, where encounters are most often recorded, not a full breakdown, so they don't sum to the total. Keep your distance and never approach one.

Where it's recorded in Arkansas

County	Records
Pulaski County	4
Garland County	2
Johnson County	2
Yell County	1
Izard County	1
Saline County	1
Perry County	1
Jefferson County	1
Crawford County	1
Faulkner County	1
Washington County	1
Other localities	1

The complete county distribution, spread across 11 Arkansas counties. Every occurrence record falls in one county, so these sum to the total. Counties from GBIF and US Census boundaries.

Arkansas has 17 gray wolf records for 2000–2026, all from GBIF. February leads with three entries, while April and July have none and the remaining records are thinly spread across the calendar. Such records document database occurrences; they do not count resident wolves.

NatureServe lists the species as SX (Presumed Extirpated) in Arkansas. Ozark National Forest, Buffalo National River, and Devil’s Den State Park are the three places named in the overlay, but neither the sparse record nor those suggestions demonstrate an established population.

Gray Wolf in other states

View all states →

Full species profile Gray Wolf Canis lupus Size 1.1–1.6 m3.4–5.2 ft Weight 23–80 kg50.7–176.4 lb Lifespan Up to 20.6 yr View the full profile

More mammals in Arkansas in the atlas

Data & sources

The data and visualizations on this page draw on these open sources:

GBIFCC-BY 4.0occurrence records behind the range map, elevation, and record counts
iNaturalistCC0 / CC-BY / CC-BY-SAobservations, photos, and audio recordings
NatureServe ExplorerCC-BYthe state conservation rank
IUCN Red Listattributed factthe global conservation status
USGS NASpublic domainnative / introduced status
Natural Earthpublic domainthe relief basemap
USFSpublic domainnational-forest boundaries
USGS Protected Areas Databasepublic domainthe named parks, forests, and refuges behind "notable places to look"