Tibetan wolf
Canis lupus chanco
The Tibetan wolf , also known as the woolly wolf or the Himalayan wolf, is a gray wolf subspecies native to Asia from Turkestan throughout Tibet to Mongolia, northern China and the Indian subcontinent. In Tibet and Ladakh it is known as ''chánkú'' or ''shanko''.
''Canis lupus'' is relatively widespread with a stable population trend and has therefore been assessed as Least Concern by IUCN since 2004.
''Canis lupus chanco'' is regarded as a synonym of ''Canis lupus lupus'', reflecting a recent tendency to lump older subspecies and to name fewer new ones.
The Tibetan wolf is thought by some scientists to be the most likely ancestor of the domestic dog, on account of its small size and mandible morphology, noting that the uppermost part of the lower jaw is turned back on both the Tibetan wolf and the dog, though not so in other grey wolf subspecies.
''Canis lupus'' is relatively widespread with a stable population trend and has therefore been assessed as Least Concern by IUCN since 2004.
''Canis lupus chanco'' is regarded as a synonym of ''Canis lupus lupus'', reflecting a recent tendency to lump older subspecies and to name fewer new ones.
The Tibetan wolf is thought by some scientists to be the most likely ancestor of the domestic dog, on account of its small size and mandible morphology, noting that the uppermost part of the lower jaw is turned back on both the Tibetan wolf and the dog, though not so in other grey wolf subspecies.