Safari Ltd wolves' genders

Hi,

I need confirmation that the Safari arctic wolf and the last grey wolf are males. Comparison pics with Schleich counterparts would be appreciated even if I already know size won't be an issue.

Thanks in advance !

The newest safari gray wolf is male, the arctic wolf has no sex assigned But I would say male given its characteristics. 
Here is a comparison of several gray wolves
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Here is a big group shot with the arctic wolf
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If you need anything more specific I can take more pics tomorrow.

Thanks Paige, I expected you to answer considering the time difference

No need for more comparisons, don't bother yourself. It just would need the sex of the black howling wolf too. On TAI and ATB, it is tagged as a melanistic wolf, is it too black to be considered as a regular Mackenzie ?

About the Arctic wolf, do you think we can consider that the male genitals are hidden by the thick fur of that subspecies ? Why does its characteristics make you think about a male ?

Happy to help. :)

I can check for sure tomorrow, but I am fairly certain that the howling wolf also has not been assigned a sex. 

As far as your next question, I have 2 comments for you to consider. 1) the Mackenzie Valley wolf is not considered a subspecies by most scientists today and 2) totally black is not a realistic representation of black phase/melanistic
wolves.

Firstly with genetic studies it has been confirmed that the term "subspecies" is innacurate for wolves as they are really just regionally adapted animals rather than genetically separate populations (modern scientist preference is to use the term "variety" of wolf). This is a children's computer game site but it is affiliated with the top wolf scientists in the world currently and their explanation here is a good basic summary of the topic.
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And all black wolves have shading in their fur, none are completely black like a dog for example (puppies are brown, not black). They have white, gray, or brown highlights in the same places as gray phase wolves, so I would say any solid black specimen isn't truly realistic of a wild specimen... but both of these considerations hinge on how particular you wish to be with the model. For me, it is just a black phase wolf, no subspecies or real need for 100% accuracy in my collection in this consideration. Though remember, I am by no means telling what you to do, just trying to inform you on the current subject which is under a lot scrutiny currently. 

As for the Arctic, yes I'd say you can argue he is very fluffy and keeping everything covered up. Wolves are a species that aren't sexually dimorphic like birds for example. It is much more subtle. Females are just smaller and more gracile in build, while males are robust and larger in body size. I would make the case that this model presents a much more muscular build, especially in the head, than a female would. If you wanted a pair the Schleich appears much more feminine to me, while the Papo especially given it's size is also male in my opinion...

I hope this helps and informs! Happy wolf model hunting, I hope you can find good representations to your taste.

Saarlooswolfhound wrote:

Happy to help. :)

I can check for sure tomorrow, but I am fairly certain that the howling wolf also has not been assigned a sex. 

As far as your next question, I have 2 comments for you to consider. 1) the Mackenzie Valley wolf is not considered a subspecies by most scientists today and 2) totally black is not a realistic representation of black phase/melanistic
wolves.

Firstly with genetic studies it has been confirmed that the term "subspecies" is innacurate for wolves as they are really just regionally adapted animals rather than genetically separate populations (modern scientist preference is to use the term "variety" of wolf). This is a children's computer game site but it is affiliated with the top wolf scientists in the world currently and their explanation here is a good basic summary of the topic.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

And all black wolves have shading in their fur, none are completely black like a dog for example (puppies are brown, not black). They have white, gray, or brown highlights in the same places as gray phase wolves, so I would say any solid black specimen isn't truly realistic of a wild specimen... but both of these considerations hinge on how particular you wish to be with the model. For me, it is just a black phase wolf, no subspecies or real need for 100% accuracy in my collection in this consideration. Though remember, I am by no means telling what you to do, just trying to inform you on the current subject which is under a lot scrutiny currently. 

As for the Arctic, yes I'd say you can argue he is very fluffy and keeping everything covered up. Wolves are a species that aren't sexually dimorphic like birds for example. It is much more subtle. Females are just smaller and more gracile in build, while males are robust and larger in body size. I would make the case that this model presents a much more muscular build, especially in the head, than a female would. If you wanted a pair the Schleich appears much more feminine to me, while the Papo especially given it's size is also male in my opinion...

I hope this helps and informs! Happy wolf model hunting, I hope you can find good representations to your taste.

Thanks for that further information ! I can see from that post that wolves are really your thing (but one can already tell it from user name and avatar) !

It seems that more generally speaking, that subspecies thing is falling into disuse : they tend to disappear or become new species, the phenomenon can be seen with many species.

I didn't like that black wolf anyway so your opinion ends convincing me not to get it. The most recent wolf is slightly larger than my Schleich that's why I'm interested in it, it will be my Alpha male and I have already a dark wolf which represents the typical Northwestern American wolf's dark form (I consider my pack as North American)
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About the Arctic wolf, you guessed right, my plan was to pair it with the Schleich ! I also want it because I consider it as maybe the best Safari figure ever. I never got the Papo because of its size and also that typical Papo "plastic-feeling/looking texture". The Safari is more compatible with my Schleich female and I may anthropomorphize them a bit but I would say that even the Schleich's face looks more feminine while the Safari is more masculine !

Wonderful, wolfie topic

SUSANNE wrote:

Wonderful, wolfie topic

Yes, I definitely agree!
Very interesting to read Paige, thank you so much for this! And also what a fantastic collection of wolves- wow!

Glad I could help you with your decision! The safari arctic is hands down the most accurate and detailed model out there, I'd even say of Japanese models too. Everything from the posture to the fur detail to the facial expression is perfect. I personally really like the new gray wolf too, it is a shame the model wasn't given more movement in the end as it would have made it that much better.

I am a canine specialist in my animal knowledge, everything from domesticated to not-so-wolfy-after-all (maned wolves and dire wolves etc.). But the group I know most about are any wolf species as I have a local interest in them, I live only a few hours from Yellowstone National Park and such. I suppose that is why I have 115 wolf models and probably 100ish dogs and... and...