Dire Wolf Fossils

Since the Dire Wolf is extinct the fossil remains are the only clues we have left to this incredible species existence. Everything we know about this ancient wolf is through the ancient fossils that we have found. The majority of Dire Wolf fossils have been found at the La Brea Tar Pits in California, these pits have collected us over three thousand different Dire Wolf fossils. The remains of the Dire Wolf show us that the Dire Wolves leg were shorter, sturdier, and stockier. Their skull was smaller, having smaller brain capacities. And finally the teeth were bigger, most likely to break bones.

Dire Wolf Tooth From the first fossil found near Pigeon Creek found by Linck in Evansville, Indiana there have been thousands of find since then. Over three thousand in the La Brea Tar pits alone, making it one of the greatest discoveries alone. Remains of the Dire Wolf are widespread throughout all of North America, but the greatest concentrations are found in California and Florida. This is due to the fact that these particular states had the most appropriate conditions for the preservation of Pleistocene animal remains.

Dire Wolf Skull The Dire Wolf fossils are perhaps best known for its unusually high representation in the La Brea Tar Pits in California. In total there are more than three thousand and six hundred individual Dire Wolves that have been recovered from these tar pits, more than any other mammal species currently. The number is still growing as numerous pits have yet to be excavated. The extremely large number suggests to Paleontologists that the Dire Wolf, like modern wolves and dogs, hunted in packs. It also suggests that the Dire Wolf packs were most likely larger than that of the modern wolf. These fossils also give insight into the pressures on the species placed near the end of its existence.