The Falkland Island wolf’s original range included both the East and West islands in the Falkland Islands. It is a scientific mystery. It is the only land mammal found on the Falkland Islands. No one knows whether they are more closely related to foxes found in South America or how they made their way to the Falkland Islands in the first place. Some scientists believe they may have been brought to the Falkland Island by native people similar to how the dingoes got to Australia. During the spring and summer the wolves would eat seal pups and penguins, but they often struggled to survive the harsh winters. Although their dense fur kept them warm, they struggled to find food in the winter. In 1690 Captain John Strong arrived in the Falkland Islands and was the first to note how tame the wolf was around people. It was so tame that he took one on his ship as a pet. Later on Strong’s journey a cannon was fired and the wolf jumped overboard and died. Its easily tamed and trusting nature is what led to its eventual demise. There are reports that the wolf would wade into the surf to greet people. In 1839 American fur traders came to the islands killing them for their dense brown fur. They would coax a wolf in close with a piece of meat in one hand and a knife in the other. In the 1860's Scottish sheep farmers came to the Falkland Islands and began intentionally poisoning and killing the wolves for fear they would attack their sheep. Charles Darwin visited the Falkland Islands in 1833 and also noted how tame the F.I.W. was. He predicted that soon the F.I.W. "would join the dodo among the extinct in a few short years". It was eliminated from the east island first, and a few years later the west island population faded rapidly. The F.I.W. was the first member of the canine family, (dogs, coyotes, wolves, foxes) to become extinct at the hands of humans. The last recorded Falkland Island Wolf was killed in 1876. Could the Falkland Islands wolf live in the Falklands today? Although Jurassic Park is fiction, scientists are working on several de-extinction projects. In fact, in 2003 scientists did bring back the extinct Pyrenean ibex, a type of wild goat, for 7 minutes before it died, showing de-extinction is possible. The Falkland Islands wolf might be a good candidate. Scientists would potentially use DNA from the 12 or so remaining museum specimens to use to try to bring them back to life. The Falkland Islands wolf is one of the national symbols of the island, even being on the islands’ soccer team. People have learned a lot since the Falkland Islands wolf’s extinction in 1876. There are laws there limiting how pets are kept, so they do not get loose and damage wildlife. The one struggle that might affect them is the fight for the islands between England and Argentina. In April 1982, the Falklands war between England and Argentina began. There were 200,000 landmines left on the island causing many civilian casualties. It is believed that as of October 2020, the islands are mine free, but maybe not. If the Falkland Islands wolf was brought to life, could it ever be reintroduced to its native homeland in the Falkland Islands?