The question of whether wild wolves roam the forests of Maryland has a definitive answer: no established, wild populations of the gray wolf (Canis lupus) currently exist within the state. Wildlife authorities confirm the species has been locally extinct for over a century. Discussions regarding the presence of wolves center on isolated incidents, escaped captive animals, or the misidentification of other wild canids.
The Current Status of Wild Wolves in Maryland
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officially lists the gray wolf as an extirpated species, meaning it is locally extinct and no longer part of the state’s native wildlife. Maryland sits outside the current established recovery zones in North America. These recovery efforts are primarily concentrated in the Western Great Lakes region—Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan—and the Northern Rocky Mountains. Federal wildlife officials have noted that recovery is not considered a feasible goal in the densely populated regions of the mid-Atlantic. Unconfirmed reports of wolves are typically attributed to animals that have escaped from private captivity, as the vast distance and lack of corridor habitat make natural migration highly unlikely.
Historical Presence and Extirpation
Wolves were once a natural and widespread part of Maryland’s ecosystem, having inhabited the region’s forests for centuries. The species present was likely a mix of the Gray Wolf and the Eastern Wolf, both of which were found throughout the eastern United States. These apex predators played a natural role in controlling populations of large herbivores like white-tailed deer and American elk. Their disappearance began shortly after European settlement and accelerated as human activity expanded. Government-sponsored bounty programs, often dating back to the late 1700s and early 1800s, encouraged the systematic hunting and trapping of wolves. This persecution, combined with extensive habitat loss from deforestation and agricultural expansion, led to their local demise by the mid-19th century.
Mistaken Identity: What People Are Actually Seeing
The primary source of confusion for residents reporting wolf sightings is the Eastern Coyote (Canis latrans), a highly adaptable canid that has successfully expanded its range into Maryland. Eastern Coyotes are physically larger than their western counterparts, often weighing between 30 and 40 pounds, with some individuals approaching 60 pounds. This increased size is due in part to historic hybridization with wolves as the species migrated eastward, leading to the colloquial term “coywolf.”
A true wolf is substantially larger, typically weighing 70 to 100 pounds, and possesses a broader snout and shorter, rounded ears compared to the coyote’s pointed features. Coyotes have a shoulder height of 18 to 24 inches, while wolves are considerably taller and more robust, with a noticeably different gait. An Eastern Coyote tends to carry its long, bushy tail lower to the ground, unlike a wolf, which typically holds its tail straight out or slightly upward. Large domestic dogs or wolf-dog hybrids, which can inherit the massive size and appearance of a wolf, also occasionally escape or are released, contributing to inaccurate reports of wild wolves.