The national animal of Italy is the Italian wolf (Canis lupus italicus), a subspecies of the grey wolf whose image is woven into the very founding of Rome. Though Italy has never enshrined an official animal in law, the wolf is universally recognised as the country's emblematic creature, thanks to its starring role in the legend of Romulus and Remus and its dramatic comeback from the brink of extinction across the Apennine Mountains.
Meet the Italian Wolf
The Italian wolf is a distinct subspecies of the grey wolf found almost exclusively on the Italian Peninsula. It is noticeably smaller than its northern European cousins. Males typically weigh between 25 and 40 kilograms and measure roughly 110 to 150 centimetres in body length, with females a little lighter. Its coat is generally grey-brown, washed with reddish and tawny tones, and marked by a darker stripe running along the back and down the forelegs that helps distinguish it from other wolf populations.
These animals are skilled, opportunistic predators. Their diet centres on wild boar, roe deer, and red deer, supplemented by smaller mammals and, where the two overlap, livestock. They live in family packs of around four to seven individuals and patrol territories that can stretch from 100 to 200 square kilometres. Largely nocturnal and famously shy, Italian wolves are rarely glimpsed by people, even in regions where their numbers are now healthy.
Why the Wolf Symbolises Italy
No animal is more bound up with Italian identity, and the reason reaches back nearly three thousand years. According to Roman legend, the twin infants Romulus and Remus were abandoned on the banks of the Tiber River and saved by a she-wolf, the Lupa, who suckled and protected them until a shepherd took them in. Romulus would go on to found the city of Rome in 753 BCE, and the nursing she-wolf became one of the most enduring images in all of Western civilisation.
That myth is made tangible by the Capitoline Wolf, a bronze sculpture of the she-wolf with the twins beneath her. Long held to be Etruscan in origin, it has served as a symbol of Rome for centuries and is displayed today in the Capitoline Museums. The motif endures in modern life too: the football club AS Roma uses the she-wolf nursing Romulus and Remus as its crest, keeping the ancient image in front of millions of fans every week.
Where Italian Wolves Live
The Italian wolf's heartland is the Apennine Mountains, the rugged spine that runs the length of the peninsula from Calabria in the deep south up toward the Alps in the north. Key strongholds include Abruzzo National Park and Majella National Park in the central Apennines, along with the wooded ranges of the northern Apennines.
Crucially, the wolf has not stayed put. As its population rebounded, it began naturally recolonising territory it had lost generations earlier, spilling over the Alps into France, Switzerland, and Austria. The wolves now establishing themselves in the French Alps trace their lineage directly back to this Italian population, making the subspecies a quiet conservation success story for the whole region.
From Near Extinction to Recovery
The wolf's status as a national symbol is all the more striking given how close Italy came to losing it. By the 1970s, after decades of hunting, poisoning, and habitat loss, the population had collapsed to perhaps 70 to 100 animals, scattered in isolated mountain pockets. Full legal protection introduced in 1971 proved a turning point, halting the persecution and giving the species room to recover.
The rebound has been remarkable. Today the Italian population is estimated at well over 3,300 individuals, and the wolf is strictly protected under both Italian and European Union law. The main challenge now is no longer survival but coexistence: conflict with livestock farmers remains the central management issue. Authorities address it through compensation schemes for losses and a return to traditional tools such as livestock guardian dogs and electric fencing, which reduce attacks without harming the wolves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Italian wolf Italy's official national animal?
Italy has no animal formally designated by law, but the Italian wolf is so closely tied to Roman mythology and national heritage that it is widely accepted and described as the country's national animal.
What is the scientific name of the Italian wolf?
It is classified as Canis lupus italicus, a recognised subspecies of the grey wolf native to the Italian Peninsula and smaller in size than wolves found in northern Europe.
Are Italian wolves dangerous to people?
No. Italian wolves are extremely shy and elusive, hunting mainly at night and avoiding humans. Attacks on people are essentially unheard of; the practical concern is occasional predation on unguarded livestock.
How many Italian wolves are there today?
From a low of roughly 100 animals in the 1970s, the population has recovered to an estimated 3,300 or more across Italy, with additional packs now spreading into neighbouring Alpine countries.
To explore more about the country itself, see our italy country guide.