The Honshu wolf (Canis lupus hodophilax) lived on the Japanese islands of Shikoku, Kyushu, and Honshu. It was the smallest species of wolf in the Canis lupus family, growing to about three feet in length, and 12 inches at the shoulder.
In the Shinto belief (the traditional religion of Japan), the ōkami (“wolf”) is regarded as a messenger of the kami spirits and also offers protection against crop raiders such as the wild boar and deer. There are an estimated 20 Shinto wolf shrines on Honshu alone.
Extinct animals in the world 