The national animal of Georgia is the Eurasian wolf, unofficially, which is a subspecies of grey wolf sometimes also called the common wolf. These animals are and have been abundant in Europe and Asia for virtually as long as humans have lived there, so they naturally have played an important role in many European and Asian cultures.
So, the national animal of Georgia may more simply be said to be the grey wolf, but is more specifically the subspecies known as Eurasian or common wolf.
It’s important to note, though, that officially, Georgia has no national animal.
The Eurasian wolf is considered the national animal by popular thought.
Let’s find out more.
What is the national animal of Georgia?
Officially speaking, Georgia has no national animal.
However, the animal that is very widely considered to be the unofficial national animal is the Eurasian wolf.
The Eurasian wolf is a subspecies of grey wolf, of which there are currently 38 recognized subspecies.
So, you might either say that the national animal of Georgia is the grey wolf or the Eurasian wolf; taxonomically, they are technically the same.
Of course, the main difference is that while all Eurasian wolves are grey wolves, not all grey wolves are Eurasian wolves.
The Eurasian wolf is the largest of the Old World grey wolves, averaging around 86 pounds in Europe.
Some individuals, though, have been recorded to weigh as much as 174 pounds.
The populations found in the east around Russia tend to be larger than their western European counterparts.
They have short, coarse fur, usually with a tawny color which many species of grey wolf lack.
They are an extremely wild distributed species, and so they survive on a wide variety of diets.
In places with heavy human habitation, they will often live mostly on livestock though also on human garbage.
Where they live more wildly, though, the mostly hunt ungulates such as moose, red deer, and wild boar.
This is their most common food source in and around Russia and so Georgian populations mostly hunt.
Wolves are pack hunters, typically, and they work together in large groups over endurance hunts to catch these large animals.
They are held in very high regard in Baltic and Slavic cultures, and so to the Georgian people they have been very important both literally and symbolically for many centuries and continue to be an important national symbol today.
Why is the Eurasian wolf the national animal of Georgia?
Again, it’s important to stress that Georgia has no official national animal, and so you may get very different explanations from any given person about why the wolf is the national animal of Georgia.
On the one hand, they are symbols of strength, power and, most importantly, unity.
They are pack animals that work together to achieve their goals.
This is an important aspect of Georgian values and so the Eurasian wolf is, on the one hand, very important symbolically.
On the other hand, given Georgia’s natural landscape and geographic position, the Eurasian wolf is seen as a very important embodiment of the country’s natural beauty.
They are the spirits of the alpine forest and cold climate of the country which is seen as typical of Georgian geography.
Wolves, as mentioned, have played some role in most human mythologies when they have been known to a given group of people, whether a favorable or unfavorable role.
So, to any one person in Georgia today, wolves may represent or embody a different aspect of national values and pride, but one thing is certainly clear: they are a known and important symbol in some respect to most people in this part of the world.
How many Eurasian wolves are left?
It is difficult to give precise estimates on the population figures of an animal that is so widely distributed.
There are estimated to be around 13,000 not including Russia, but no doubt there are a great many to be found in Russia.
By the IUCN Red List they are designated as of least concern, so they are not presently in any danger of extinction.
Their numbers have bounced back over the last couple of centuries since their systematic persecution beginning in the Middle Ages.
So, there may be upwards of 20-50,000 total in the wild; it’s very hard to say precisely with such a widely distributed species.
What is the largest wolf in Europe?
Eurasian wolves are the largest wolf subspecies to be found in Europe, though again individual populations can vary a great deal in size.
Often, the warmer the climate they live in, the smaller they get, so it may be that the largest individuals of this species are to be found towards Georgia and Russia.
By pure weight alone, though, on average, the Eurasian wolf is the largest wolf in Europe and the largest of all Old World wolf species.
Wolves do tend to be much bigger than people often expect, and the Eurasian wolf is a particularly strong example of this.
Wolves are one of the single most significant animals in the human imagination.
Wherever they are found, historically, they are likely to have played some role in the mythology and folklore of the people who live there.
This is true in Georgia, too, though they have not officially adopted the wolf as the national animal.
It is, though, the national animal in all but name and may one day be adopted officially.