Photographers working in the Arctic Circle were left astonished after a close encounter with Arctic wolves. Terry Noah and his team captured the moment on TikTok while lying on the ice near Eureka, a research station on Ellesmere Island west of Greenland.
The footage, which has amassed 24 million views, shows the photographers staying low as a white Arctic wolf approaches, followed by a second. The wolves investigate the scents of the humans before one briefly settles beside them, then departs seemingly unperturbed.
Terry, who runs Ausuittuq Adventures, described it as 'one of the best experiences I ever had' on Instagram, adding 'the Arctic wolf was so calm felt like I can pet it.' He also noted the wolves had been hunting seals earlier.
Viewers commented on the wolves' behaviour, with one saying the alpha wolf 'rubbed his scent on the ice' to mark the spot. Another cautioned that while wolves are 'shy and curious', they are not necessarily friendly.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) notes that Arctic wolves are unafraid of humans due to never being hunted, but warns that climate change and industrialisation threaten their future.
