Unlike as in the Amerikan or Asian continent in Europe wolves are more uniformly coloured. Their fur in winter coat seems like is grey and in summer in the moulting period they get an open reddish-grey colour. Their hair especially on the back presenting  black, white and yellowish-reddish band in the same time. This fur with multicoloured hair can offer the perfect camuflage for wolves in most of the habitat types. They can remain unobserved irrespectively of the background colour of the habitat.

In the last few years, we have collected information about direct wolf observations taken by shepherds or hunters. The shepherds are using usually a specific language with specific periphrasis which may sound strange. In addition, their perception skill and attitude can distort the reality. In the first years we believed that shepherds’ observations of wolves could not be “usable” for us due to their poor explanation or their exaggeration. However, they can possess some valuable information.
We have just a few verified data about strange coloured animals. Some people believe that they are wolves while others believe them to be dogs.

Taking into account this fact mentioned above, we try to make a data selection about wolves described by shepherds to gain a picture about the abundance of strange coloured animals.

First, I will give a definition of the species called “wolf” by shepherds or hunters, according to our experience.

Usually shepherds and hunters are those who have the opportunity to meet wolves:

In the darkness

Generally, as wolves are categorized as those animals, which
- can be recognized after the barking of sheepdogs – wolves are coming usually in pack and when sheepdogs chase them their barking can be heard from several places in the same time.
- hold sheepdogs in alert for several hours or several times in one night
- kill a sheep or dog unobserved
- jump in the sheep-enclosure

In daytime

Generally, wolves are categorized as
- all observed wolves-shaped animals, including white, red, café, grey and black coloured animals wandering alone or in pack and presenting some wolf behaviour like timidity towards humans, tail holding.
The wolf-like animals, which are showing some strange characteristics (tail holding, body conformation, colouring, lack of shyness) are considered by hunters simply as feral dogs.
In this way, a number of data about wolf-dog hybrids or crossbreeds are lost.

Hunters and foresters are considering the possibility of wolf–dog hybridization in nature as unreal. They argue simply with the “well known fact” that the dogs are the most preferred prey of the wolves. However the existence of wolf-dog hybrids or crossbreeds in the wild is not just a myth. The existence of wolf–dog hybrids and their backcrosses were recorded in several countries.

Except for finding the real originator of the damages in shepherd’s camp, it is an increasing challenge for us to find out the number of feral dogs, wolf-dog crossbreed and backcrosses present in the Romanian wolf population.

We possess information of about 149 specimens, including stuffed specimens (16) or skins of shot animals (4).

From all of them (149)
- 10 specimens were black or very dark coloured:
- 5 black specimens observed in one group together with other wolves of different colours (not black or dark colour)
- 2 black specimens observed together, one of them was shot
- 1 black coloured wolf killed by shepherd´s dogs
- 1 black coloured wolf stuffed
- 1 black coloured wolf observed by hunters in Târnava valley

- 81 probably normal coloured:
- 19 specimens of grey colour
- 29 specimens of red, reddish grey, pale ferruginous colour
- 22 “normal” coloured specimens
- 1 “normal” coloured specimen, considered to be a dog between wolves due to his body conformation
- 2 specimens of brownish grey or greyish brown colour

- 4 yellowish specimens (their colour was emphasized by shepherds and by hunters)
- 4 white specimens (their presence emphasized by shepherds)

- 2 brown coloured specimens:
- 1 café brown specimen observed several times
- 1 brown specimen observed together with 2 “normal” coloured wolves

We have noticed also observations of hunters about a “wolf” specimen which was in lactation period late august and other observations of wolves not afraid of humans.

Conclusion:
The wolves observed under different visibility conditions and in different moulting phases could show a large scale of fur colour from darker through reddish or greyish to yellowish or even white. However in a group with other wolves strange coloured specimens can be sufficiently conspicuous and attract the observer’s attention.

We present below some interesting observations which were taken in daytime by different observers:

The skin of a “wolf” killed by shepherd’s dogs.  Note the colour reminiscent of the German shepherd-dog, the long and thin tail, the lack of the white mask around the mouth, and the presence of the “fifth finger wolf” the 5th finger or claw in the hindleg (Bahnea, Mures county, Romania)

The skins of a black and a red specimen. Look at the relatively shorther legs and the relatively thin tail of the black specimen, respectively the lack of the white bands on the dorsal hairs, and the dark red colour of the front legs in case of the red specimen. (both in the same hunting district, Neaua, Mures County, Romania)

An animal of unknown origin. (Natural History Museum of the Babes Bolyai University - Cluj Napoca, Cluj county, Romania)

An animal considered by hunters as a dog, but being shot from a wolfpack. (Natural History Museum of Kohl István - Reghin, Mures county, Romania )