Wolves are one of the most famous and typical predators. Together with several closely related species - jackals, coyotes, wild dogs- They are part of the wolf family. There are only 2 species of true wolves in the world - gray and red. They can also include the coyote, which in essence is not much different from typical wolves. The appearance of these animals does not need a detailed description. They have all the signs of real predators: a dense but slender body, relatively long legs, an elongated muzzle, armed with a set of sharp and large teeth.

Gray wolf(Canis lupus).

Wolves' claws are worn down by contact with the ground, so they are relatively dull. These signs indicate an active lifestyle and pronounced carnivory of these animals. The color and size of wolves vary greatly depending on the area where they live. Thus, northern populations are large in size and have light, almost white coat color; wolves of temperate latitudes are usually gray, sometimes among them there are completely black individuals; wolves from southern regions small, with red or brown hair.

Alaskan wolves are white in color.

The range of wolves covers vast areas of the Northern Hemisphere, but in some parts of the range (Western Europe, British Isles) they are completely exterminated. These animals live in various landscapes - in the tundra, forests, mountains and steppes. Wolves lead a sedentary lifestyle, but can roam long distances in search of food. In general, these animals are characterized by great mobility: in search of food, wolves can walk almost a whole day without rest, covering up to 50-60 km at a time. It is especially worth noting the extreme endurance and vitality of wolves: a hungry wolf without food is able to remain fully active for up to 10 days; when wounded, it goes several kilometers away from hunters, surrounded by dogs, it fiercely defends itself until last straw blood, and the one caught in a trap bites off his own paw to escape his pursuers. There are known cases when a wolf, having received a broken paw during a hunt, remained lying on the ground, he remained motionless for 17 days, after which, as if nothing had happened, he continued to search for prey. Such a will to live is amazing! But wolves also have secret weaknesses: oddly enough, these brave predators give in to the sight of a flapping rag. This feature formed the basis of the famous wolf hunt with flags. In this case, hunters, having discovered a pack of wolves, surround (“enclose”) it around the perimeter with a stretched rope with scraps of fabric. The wolves, seeing the matter fluttering, do not dare to jump behind the flags and the hunters shoot the animals at point-blank range.

Wolves are pack animals. Each pack consists of several wolf families - a parent pair and grown-up young animals - and numbers from 7 to 30 individuals.

Wolves in a pack are related to each other.

The life of a pack is very complex and is governed by internal “wolf” laws. Expression " wolf law"has become a household word to denote injustice and unprincipledness. But is this how wolves really live? Observations show that in reality the situation is exactly the opposite. All behavior of the pack is subject to strict discipline and a clear hierarchy. There is a dominant pair of wolves in the pack (the so-called alpha male and alpha female), their behavior regulates the lifestyle of other animals. The leader leads the flock on a hunt and takes the most active part in it; he is the first to begin dividing the spoils.

The wolf bared his teeth, protecting the elk carcass.

In large flocks, the leading pair also limits the reproduction of other pairs, preventing other animals from mating. The remaining members of the pack are divided into ranks from strong to weakest. Each animal is subordinate to its superior in rank and “suppresses” those below it. But this pressure is not accompanied by violence! Wolves have a very developed language of facial expressions and sounds: with the help of various grimaces, grins, growls, whines and howls, they signal each other about their condition. So, if the leader is “dissatisfied” with the behavior of a subordinate, all he has to do is bare his teeth or growl and his message will immediately be understood.

The male of the dominant pair, with a grin, declares his right to be the first to eat the prey. The male of the second rank demonstrates a submissive posture and averted gaze, thereby recognizing the right of the stronger and begging for his share.

Weak members of the pack also signal their needs to the leader: whining, they beg for their share of the prey; roll over onto their back, showing their unprotected belly to the stronger one. This gesture means “I obey you” and is never rejected. Clashes between animals are rare and almost always initiated by lower-ranking members of the pack! If a wolf, who is in the second and third roles, believes that it is his time to be a leader, he stops accepting the leader’s indicating signals and enters into a fight with him. In general, the degree of dominance of an animal can be easily determined by a characteristic feature - the position of the tail. In the leader it is always raised victoriously, in animals of the second rank it spreads horizontally, in those following them it is lowered, in the weakest it is tucked in. It would seem that such a hierarchy looks cruel, but in fact it protects members of the pack from unnecessary rivalry. Each wolf “knows” its place in the pack and, if it obeys the laws, is completely protected from the aggression of other animals. In addition, a gregarious lifestyle provides advantages in hunting, allowing them to kill large prey. Sometimes individuals can leave the flock. Lone wolves, as a rule, lose to animals in groups. It happens that a strong lone wolf meets a lonely female, thereby giving rise to his own pack.

Wolves make their lairs in holes, often dug by themselves; less often, they occupy the burrows of other animals. Wolves spend most of the day in the hole, leaving it only at dusk. They hunt mainly at night. Only one pair of wolves lives in each hole, and they gather in a pack using an unsurpassed means of communication - howl. The wolf howl is not just a voice, it is literally words are a message in which certain signals are encrypted. Howling can be attractive during mating season; he can be the caller when the leader gathers the flock for the hunt; can be reciprocal when members of the pack respond to the call; the howl can be death-defying in animals in agony and, finally, the howl can be simply entertainment. Yes, wolves often howl for no apparent reason, just for fun.

The calling howl of a wolf.

Each animal has its own unique timbre of voice, by which wolves determine the location and condition of the pack members. Wolves listen with pleasure to sounds similar to howls, and this feature was again used by humans. To hunt wolves, a decoy is often used - a special horn that resembles a wolf's voice. Wolves respond to the sound of a decoy and reveal their location in the forest. One day, a wolf pack even responded to the sound of... a steam locomotive!

The basis of wolves' diet consists of medium-sized ungulates - roe deer, deer, fallow deer, mountain goats and rams, wild boars. During the winter period, which is unfavorable for ungulates, wolves can defeat larger animals - elk, bison, bison, musk ox. And vice versa, when there is no food, wolves catch smaller animals - hares, gophers, marmots, lemmings, voles. Sometimes wolves pick up dead fish, shellfish, and eat grass and berries. In the hunt, the wolf is helped by a keen sense of smell, good hearing, fast legs and the support of his brothers. Wolves starve out their prey, exhausting the victim with a long pursuit. When running, a wolf can reach speeds of up to 60 km/h; wolves' paws are wider than those of domestic dogs, which allows them to move quickly through deep snow.

In deep snow, wolves often move trail after trail.

During the hunt, the members of the pack share responsibilities, some of the wolves drive the prey, others cut it, if the victim has gone into the hole (taken up all-round defense), the wolves surround it with a tight ring and try to wear it down, alternately attacking from different sides. The wolf bite is very deep, animal small size(sheep, for example) the wolf bites the throat in one go. A wolf can also carry the carcass of a small animal, but usually the victim is eaten immediately. Since the percentage of successful hunts is small, wolves try to eat in reserve. At one time, a wolf can absorb up to 10 kg of meat; the remaining pieces of carcass are hidden in secluded places.

The wolf carries prey to hide in a secluded place.

The wolf remembers their location and after a while comes back for more. In especially favorable cases, when there is a lot of prey and it is helpless (domestic animals in a pen), wolves can kill almost all the animals. For this they earned the hatred of the farmers. Although the wolf prefers to eat fresh meat, in times of hunger it also willingly picks up carrion.

Wolves breed once a year mating games start in winter. Unlike dogs, wolves form permanent pairs for life; a change of partner can only occur if the previous one dies.

A couple in love plays catch-up.

The female gives birth in the spring, and there are 3-5 wolf cubs in the brood. Wolf cubs are born blind and spend the first weeks of life in a hole; from the age of one month they begin to crawl out of the hole, and from 1.5 months they begin to eat semi-digested meat, which is regurgitated by the male. Grown-up wolf cubs move further and further from their holes, and over time they begin to hunt small animals and wounded animals brought by their parents.

Wolf cubs take their first steps into the big world.

Females become fully mature by the age of two, and males by three. The life expectancy of wolves is 14-18 years. Wolves have few natural enemies. They can enter into conflicts with bears and lynxes over prey. Sometimes wolves die during hunting from injuries inflicted by elk, horses, and bison. The main enemy of wolves is hunger: both adult animals and young animals die from lack of food.

But the largest number of wolves were exterminated by humans. On the one hand, people were afraid of wolves because they were defenseless against the collective attack of predators. Primitive peoples still maintain respectful respect for the wolf (for example, the wolf is a totem animal among the Indians of North America). On the other hand, the development of civilization has outlawed wolves. In almost all countries of Asia and Europe, wolves have a negative image. They act as negative heroes of fairy tales, legends and myths (cannibal wolves, werewolves, symbols of deceit). In fact, the lifestyle of wolves has nothing in common with these fictions; their only fault is that they are food competitors for humans and sometimes attack domestic animals (cases of wolf attacks on humans are rare). People used this pretext for the total extermination of wolves, and the methods of hunting wolves are striking in both diversity and inhumanity. They are hunted with dogs (hounds, huskies, greyhounds), birds of prey (golden eagles), using trap fishing, tracking (tracking by tracks), fishing with flags and decoys, and simply hunting with a gun. Those who lack the talent to use these methods shoot wolves from cars and helicopters and use them for baiting fighting dogs. As a result, wolves became rare in many parts of their range. In fact, their extermination is justified in rare cases when wolves are carriers of rabies (such animals pose a real threat to people and livestock) or encroach on livestock in livestock herd areas. In other places, wolves perform the irreplaceable function of forest orderlies, destroying weak, old and sick animals. It has been observed that in reserves where wolves live, ungulate populations are healthier and more stable, and in those places where they are not present, deer and elk suffer either from disease or from starvation caused by overpopulation. Another threat is genetic interbreeding with feral dogs and coyotes. For this reason, the red wolf living in the southern United States is almost on the verge of extinction. Wolves are well tamed, but in captivity they retain the dignity of a wild animal, without stooping to the servility of a dog.

Throughout history, humans have associated the wolf with a dangerous predator. And the stories of hunters also contributed to the creation of such an image. According to them, these are very smart and cunning animals. But in reality, things are not quite like that. There are very few known cases of this animal attacking a person for no apparent reason. As a rule, they choose places to live away from people, and they hunt for a living.

General characteristics of the wolf

In the genus of wolves, it is customary to distinguish several species, among which the gray wolf takes pride of place due to its most impressive characteristics- weight and height. The gray wolf stands apart from the coyote and jackal because of its unusual DNA gene sequence, which is strong evidence to consider it the direct ancestor of domestic dogs.

Gray predators are accustomed to living in a strictly defined reality. A couple of centuries ago, the situation was such that these animals lived in large numbers in Eurasia and North America. However, for last decades the man was hunting them, which led to a decrease in their population. Moreover, this was also influenced by active human activity. In addition to the fact that cities were being built, as well as enterprises whose activities inevitably affected the surrounding landscape, wolf hunting became a popular entertainment.

In our country, the main representatives of this genus are the common wolf and the tundra wolf. Considering its size, we can say that it is the largest animal of the canine family.

• the body of a wolf from crown to tail can be up to 160 cm long;
• weight can reach 62 kg;
• height at the withers can be approximately 90 cm.

Wolves are distinguished not only by their beautiful appearance, but also by their intelligence. Today, it is customary to distinguish approximately 32 subspecies of wolves, which have a variety of sizes and fur colors. Wolves are entrusted with the function of orderlies, as they help maintain the balance of ecosystems. These animals can be found in a wide variety of natural areas- forests and steppes, tundra and taiga, mountain systems.

However, today a very sad picture is emerging: the number of wolves everywhere has become extremely low, and in some places it is the animal is on the verge of complete extinction. But man is not too concerned about this, and he continues to ruthlessly hunt these animals.

Appearance of a wolf

The appearance of a wolf is formed under the influence of the climatic conditions of the territory in which it lives. Therefore, in those places where low temperatures prevail most of the time, these animals will have the most impressive sizes. If we consider one population, then the males in it will certainly have larger sizes, unlike the females, and at the same time have a more forehead.

When you first meet this animal, you can easily mistake it for a large, pointy-eared dog. But if you look closely, you can note the characteristic signs of a predator:

• tall and strong legs,
• large paws with two middle toes extended forward.

Thanks to this paw structure, these animals can develop very high speeds, jump high and move silently. You can distinguish them by the following:

• it has a length of 15 cm and a width of 7 cm;
• A distinctive feature is two fingers that clearly protrude forward.

Head

All wolves have a wide muzzle, which is elongated and has whiskers on both sides, and a broad-browed head. Wolves experience different emotions, so they can show joy, fear, anxiety and calmness. All of them are clearly visible on his face. This feature did not go unnoticed by scientists, who were able to identify a group of facial expressions:

These animals have a large, massive skull, which explains its broad forehead. The nasal opening is wide and begins to decrease at the bottom. In males, the skull has a length of 268–285 mm, in females it is 251–268 mm. Cranial bone in males has a width in the cheek area of ​​147–160 mm, and in females – 136–159 mm. The eye sockets of males are 84–90 mm wide, while those of females are 78–85 mm wide. The upper row of teeth in males is about 108–116 cm long, and in females it is 100–112 mm long.

It’s not for nothing that they say that the wolf’s teeth feed him. This animal clearly confirms this expression in life. Thanks to them A wolf can not only defend himself from enemies, but also to get food for themselves. There are several types of teeth on the upper jaw, as well as on the lower jaw:

• incisors;
• fangs;
• premolars;
• molars.

Fangs are very important for the wolf, which help it capture and hold game and defend itself from attack. Thanks to molars and premolars the animal can cut up and chew food. It is not difficult for wolf teeth to cope with a load of more than 10 MPa. Therefore, for a wolf, teeth are a necessity, without which he simply cannot survive in the wild.

Tail

These animals have a long and thick tail, which is always lowered. The way he moves allows you to understand the mood of the wolf. This is very important for any hunter, since you can choose from a pack of wolves who are afraid or worried by their tail.

Fur

Of particular importance for these animals is fur, which is two-layered and has low thermal conductivity. It has a thick and long coat, so wolves give the impression of larger and more massive animals. Traditionally the first layer of wool is formed by outer hairs, which provides the wolf with protection from dirt and water, and also makes it easier to endure seasonal weather fluctuations. It also has an undercoat, which is usually understood as the bottom, second layer of hair. It's essentially waterproof down that keeps you warm. All wolves molt, and this happens in late spring or early summer.

Color

In these animals, the first layer of fur can have a different shade, which is formed under the influence of their habitat. Traditional wolf color - gray-brown, tundra wolves are almost completely white in color, desert wolves are completely red, predators living in the highlands central Asia, traditionally have a bright ocher color. There are also predators of other colors - white, pure white, red and black. What all wolves have in common is that they always have the same undercoat color - gray.

Coat color is very important for timber wolf, because it is used as camouflage. Moreover, for each specific species it becomes especially important, since it makes its appearance individual.

Also wolves differ in vocal frequencies, which can have a fairly wide range. Voice is necessary to inform each other about the location of an animal or a person. At the same time, they can make a wide variety of sounds:

• yapping;
• growl;
• grunt;
• whimpering;
• howling.

After receiving information from another wolf, the predator throws back its head and howls in a vibrating low voice that eventually rises to the highest notes.

Wolves that are members of a pack always live together and often take part in choral howls. The first party remains with the leader, who begins to howl at dusk or dawn. After this, it is the turn of the rest of the pack. The desire to participate in choral singing is associated with the expression of certain emotions, in a similar way that wolves demonstrate that they belong to their community.

The pack can only launch an attack if it hears the war cry of the leader: it is more reminiscent of the growl of a dog when it rushes at a person.

It is not so easy for wolves to provide themselves with food. Therefore, in search of food, they have to go long distances from their habitat. Their structural features allow them to withstand many kilometers of travel.: narrow, streamlined chest, strong legs and sloping back. Typically, predators can travel 10 kilometers per hour. But if they are being chased, they can move at speeds of up to 65 km/h, while jumping to a height of 5 m.

The structure of the wolf's paws deserves special attention. Thanks to him, they perfectly adapt to any living conditions. The paws differ in that have webbing between their toes. They allow you to redistribute the load, so in the forest these predators move faster than all other animals. Thanks to this structural feature of their paws, they can balance their weight while moving.

A wolf's paws contain special blood vessels that provide protection against hypothermia. The predator succeeds very easily maintain balance even on slippery surfaces, which is helped by blunt claws and bristly fur on the paws. Other distinctive external sign is the presence of scent glands between the toes. It is thanks to them that the wolf's tracks retain a characteristic smell. These animals need them to navigate the terrain and inform the rest of the pack about their location.

Spread of the wolf

For all the time that this predator has lived on earth, its distribution area has changed significantly. Today, it is mainly found in areas of the northern hemisphere. IN North America these predators can be found in the territory from Alaska to Mexico, in Japan There is no longer a single representative of these animals left, which is explained by the high level of urbanization. The common wolf is most represented in Europe and Asia - primarily in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Spain, the Balkans and Scandinavian countries.

These predators feel best in forest-steppe and steppe zones, as well as tundra and semi-desert. Less preferred habitats for wolves are densely wooded areas. Basically, he is used to settling in more open or less rugged areas.

These predators are accustomed to living near human settlements. If the taiga is cut down, this animal also begins to increase the area of ​​its possessions in the taiga zone.

Wolf packs are not prone to frequent movements and usually live for a long time in a certain territory. The area these animals occupy, usually has an area of ​​30-60 m in diameter. Predators living in the tundra and steppe behave somewhat differently: they are nomadic animals and regularly change their camp depending on the movement of the herd.

With the onset of the mating season, groups of pairs begin to separate out in the flock. The one that is the strongest takes the best place, and all other members of the flock are forced to look for food in other places during this period.

Wolves require certain conditions to breed offspring. To do this, they have to make a lair that looks like a secluded place. Most often it is found in crevices in rocks or in thickets of dense bushes. Sometimes she-wolves also make their home in the burrows of other animals– arctic foxes, badgers or marmots. The male is not inclined to constantly stay near the she-wolf, since he needs to get food.

To do this, it can move long distances from the den - 7–10 kilometers. Newborns wolf cubs differ little from puppies, their brown color also adds to their similarity. When the little animals grow up and master the skills of surviving in the wild, the she-wolf takes them out of the den, and after that they begin to live an independent nomadic life.

Conclusion

Wolves are one of the dangerous predators, about which each of us has heard since childhood. But, unfortunately, over the past decades, hostility towards this animal has reached such proportions that in some places its population has approached critical levels. These animals still retain representation on the territory of the Eurasian continent.

There are enough representatives of these predators in our country, mainly the gray wolf and the tundra wolf. These animals have special characteristics, which make it easy to distinguish them. It is especially worth mentioning that these are finger-walking creatures, which allows them to move in the forest faster than all other animals.

Through DNA research, it was discovered that there are about four genealogical lines of the wolf. African, which arose in the late Pleistocene, is considered the most ancient. All other lines belong to the Indian subcontinent. During major geological and climatic changes, the Himalayan wolf lineage emerged. Indian separated from it approximately 400,000 years ago. The Tibetan wolf, an inhabitant of Kashmir, is the most recent lineage. Its other name is the Holarctic clade.

The large Siberian wolf lived in Japan and the Korean Peninsula in the Pleistocene. The Sangar Strait separated Hokkaido and Honshu in the Holocene, causing climate change. They led to the extinction of large ungulates in this area. Lack of sufficient food led to insular dwarfism in the Japanese wolf.

Hokkaido, thanks to a constant supply of food and genetic interchange with large Siberian wolves, was significantly larger than the Hondo Japanese wolf.

Due to the disappearance of large prey, the dire wolf became extinct about 8,000 years ago. This process was accelerated by competition for the remaining food with the emerging common wolf.

In what regions does the wolf live?

Currently, the habitat of wolves has been significantly reduced. This is due to their uncontrolled extermination in the past. Most of the predators are located in the territory:

• Russia;
• Belarus;
• Ukraine;
• northern part of the Arabian Peninsula;
• Afghanistan;
• Georgia;
• China;
• Korea;
• Iran;
• Hindustan;
• Iraq;
• Azerbaijan;
• Scandinavia;
• Baltics;
• Balkans;
• Italy;
• Poland;
• Spain;
• Portugal.

From Mexico to Alaska, the animals are common in North America. In Russia they live everywhere, except for the taiga, the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin. In Japan, predators have become completely extinct.

Wolves are able to live in a variety of terrain, but they give preference to places with weak forest cover. They often live close to humans. In the taiga, they accompany him and settle in the territory cleared of forest by people.

In the mountains, predators live up to alpine meadows, where areas have weak ruggedness.

The wolf is a territorial animal. During the cold season, flocks live sedentary. The boundaries of the territory in which they live are marked with odorous marks. In winter, the area occupied by predators is up to 44 km. However, as spring approaches, the flock breaks up into pairs. The strongest representatives remain on their territory, and single individuals lead a nomadic life. Wolves often accompany herds of livestock and deer.

To breed offspring, animals make dens. Most often they are natural shelters - thickets of bushes, depressions in the rocks. In some cases, wolves occupy the burrows of other animals - badgers, arctic foxes, marmots. It is extremely rare to dig them yourself. The she-wolf is most closely attached to the den during the period of raising the litter. The male does not use it. Puppies grow in well-hidden places: on hills, in ravines, near the shores of lakes covered with thick reeds, and in dense bushes. Wolves never hunt near their lair. After the puppies are strong enough for long journeys, the animals leave their shelter. For rest, they look for new, but well-protected places every time. The cubs look like dog puppies and have brown fur.

How long does a wolf live?

Since wolves belong to the canine family, they live approximately the same amount of time as dogs. But the way of life of wolves wildlife very harsh and wolves die from disease, injury or lack of food, before their time. In the wild, on average, wolves live 10-15 years. But when good care And proper nutrition they can live up to 20 years.

What does a wolf eat?

The wolf is a predator that stalks prey. The main types of animals that it feeds on are:

• antelope;
• roe deer;
• moose;
• wild boars;
• deer.

Lone wolves catch mouse-like rodents, gophers and hares. In summer, waterfowl, representatives of grouse, and domestic geese become prey. In rare cases, a wolf attacks sleeping bears, raccoon dogs, and foxes. Predators often attack wounded or weakened animals.

Wolves often return to the remains of animals they have caught. Also, in times of famine, predators do not disdain carrion: carcasses washed up on the coastline, seals, and livestock corpses.

In addition to meat, animals eat melons, watermelons, mushrooms, fruits, and berries. More often this is caused not by hunger, but by thirst. Wolves need frequent, abundant water, which is sometimes difficult to find.

Cannibalism is a phenomenon that occurs in a flock. Sick and wounded animals are often eaten by stronger relatives.

Wolves are most active at night. Their communication occurs through vocal signals. Range sound waves, which a wolf is capable of producing, is many times greater than the capabilities of most animals. The only exceptions are bats and people. Animals are capable of barking, squealing, yelping, growling, grumbling, whimpering, howling. Absolutely every sound made by an animal has a wide range of variations.

Experts note that wolves react consciously to sounds made by their relatives. Thanks to sounds, the flock transmits various messages to its members and indicates the location of the game. At first, wolves listen to the information received from their relatives, and then throw their heads back and howl with a vibrating voice. At first their voice is low, and then moves to high notes that are heard by humans.

Only the leader of the pack can give the signal to attack. The sound is reminiscent of the growling of an angry dog.

You can hear the howling of wolves at dusk or dawn, but not every day. First, the leader howls loudly, and then the rest of the pack. The howling most often ends with a joint shrill bark. Wolf songs are a sign social life wolves. They have an emotional basis and enhance the cohesion of animals. In addition, the howl allows you to find lost members of the pack and communicate with representatives of other groups.

Wolves have a very developed sense of smell. The sense of smell allows predators to detect prey at a great distance. Wolves can distinguish approximately 199 million shades of scent. Animals receive most of their information through their sense of smell. Marking, sniffing partners, transmitting and receiving information through smell play an important role in the life of predators. Wolves obtain the necessary information from feces, urine and saliva. Feces indicate that the animal belongs to a certain species and its gender. The number of marks increases significantly during the rut and the formation of new pairs. In this case, the males leave their mark on top of the female’s mark. Such behavior strengthens couples and enhances sexual activity.

Experts have concluded that in 89% of cases, wolves detect their prey by smell, and not by hearing.

In the process of evolution, wolves have developed a number of physiological characteristics that allow them to travel long distances in search of food. Animals easily run a distance of several kilometers at a speed of about 9 km/h. During a chase, it increases to 66. At the same time, dogs are able to jump up to 4 meters without stopping running.

Physiological characteristics:

• sloping back;
• streamlined thoracic region;
• strong legs;
• membranes between the fingers reduce the load on the surface. Thanks to this, the wolf can quickly move across the snowy ground.
• When moving, predators rely solely on their toes, and not on the entire foot. This method movement makes it possible to balance the mass.
• The hind legs are shorter than the front legs. They lack the fifth additional toe on the metatarsal side.
• Blunt claws and bristly fur prevent falling from slippery surfaces.
• Special blood vessels warm the paws from the cold.
• There are scent glands between the toes. When moving, the predator leaves scent trails. They make it possible to navigate the terrain and inform members of the pack about the movement of the leader.
• The low thermal conductivity of fur allows the animal to live even in harsh climates.

When a pack attacks a victim, wolves simultaneously kill several animals. At the same time, they rip out their throats or rip open their bellies. First of all, predators eat the most valuable things in the carcass, and leave the rest as a reserve.

The wolf is a highly developed creature. He uses special tactics when hunting. Hunting for livestock, they wait for him in ambush. Some of the predators wait in the bushes, and the rest of the flock drives the prey there. When chasing large ungulates, for example, elk, they starve it to death. Several wolves run after the prey, the rest of the pack minces behind. When the predators participating in the chase get tired, they are replaced by their full-strength relatives.

Relations in the pack are altruistic in nature. Each animal completely subordinates its interests to common needs. Otherwise, the predator community would not have survived. Not only physical data, but also psychological characteristics affect the rank of the animal. This is explained by the fact that the leader must take charge of organizing the hunt and divide the food obtained among his relatives. Older wolves are responsible for the younger ones. Juveniles unquestioningly obey the demands of their older relatives.

There are seven ranks in the pack. Management of community members occurs without forceful influence. A clear organization, distribution of roles, complete freedom of choice to be or not to be in the pack - all this makes the wolf family a highly organized, well-coordinated mechanism. Social status in wolves it is associated with the age and sex of the animals. However, these indicators serve only to achieve the set goals. Having caught prey, wolves will never hunt again as long as they have food.

Unit in the pack:

• The leader plays the leading role. He bears full responsibility for the rest of his relatives. Its main tasks are a clear distribution of roles in the family, organization of actions, protection, selection of habitat, and management of hunting. The leader has the right to start eating first, but this rule can be violated by him. In some cases, an adult animal shares prey with puppies. This situation often occurs when there is a lack of food. Puppies are the future of the pack and the leader must take care of them.

The flock never disputes the right to the first piece of food. A weakened leader will not be able to provide security to his relatives.

The leader has no right to protection. In times of danger, only he decides how to act; the pack always listens to him.

• Warriors are the backbone of the pack. They provide food and safety for their relatives. When there is an external threat, only warriors enter into battle. This rank can be occupied by wolves of both sexes. However, a female with puppies never participates in guarding and obtaining food.

A senior warrior can replace the leader if he dies or for some reason cannot lead the pack. He, along with the main wolf, organizes protection and hunting.

• An adult female with experience raising wolf cubs is a mother. Its main functions are to take care of the pack's puppies. A female who has whelped does not automatically occupy this rank. When a flock is attacked, it is the mother who takes all weak relatives to safety while the warriors repel the attack.

The eldest female never competes with the main warrior, but if necessary, she takes the place of the leader. When the head of the pack dies, the most worthy animal begins to play his role. At the same time, there are no fights to identify the best contender for the status of leader.

During feeding and raising puppies, all mothers of the pack are under special care.

Reproduction occupies a special place in the life of animals. Once a year, the flock splits into pairs to reproduce. All members of the flock can reproduce. The main condition for this is awareness of one’s role in the pack. Those wolves who did not get a mate help their relatives raise their young and hunt. Pairs are always created for life. If one of the pair dies, the surviving wolf never looks for a partner again.

• A guardian is an animal that controls the wolf cubs. There are two subranks. Pestun is a young wolf who is not currently capable of becoming a warrior due to his age or is a young wolf from a previous litter. These animals completely obey their mother and follow her orders. This is how they learn to handle wolf cubs. Being a caregiver is the first stage of education that allows you to acquire the skills you need for life.
• Uncle is a male dog with no family. Helps raise young fish.
• The signalman is the eyes of the pack. It is he who alerts her to the impending threat. The received information is analyzed by more experienced wolves. Only after this is a decision made on further actions.
• The puppy bears no responsibility. His main task is complete obedience. Adult animals show him special care and guardianship.
• A disabled person is an elderly person who has the right to protection and food. Wolves always take care of their old relatives.

Wolves breeding

Once formed, a couple is never separated. If one of the partners dies, the second one never looks for a new one. Wolves always live in large families, numbering up to 42 individuals.

There is a clear hierarchy in the pack. At the head of the community are alpha animals, followed by adult representatives of the family, lone wolves. The lowest rank is puppies. The pack often takes in other wolves. When puppies reach the age of three, they leave their family and look for a mate outside of it. Animals from the same litter never mate.

The mating season is the most stressful time. It falls most often in the winter and spring months. The dominant pair protects itself from attacks by other animals. Free females are surrounded by males. The fight for their attention begins. Often fights end in death.

Once a pair is formed, it begins searching for a den. All necessary preparations are made before the onset of estrus. This time helps the couple get closer.

A she-wolf bears her offspring for about 64 days. Typically 3-12 puppies are born. They are born blind. Only after two weeks do their eyes open. After some time, the parents, along with the rest of the pack, feed the puppies with their burps of recently swallowed meat. When the young grow up, they eat prey that has already been caught. At the end of summer, the puppies are already starting to try their hand at hunting. At this time, the flock is joined by pereyarki - last year's litter, driven away for the breeding season. In this form, the family lives until the she-wolf's next estrus. Then the reeds can already participate in reproduction. In the first year of life, more than half of the litter dies.

Females reach sexual maturity at two years, males at three. Average duration life of predators is 16 years. The first signs of aging appear as early as 11 years of age.

Wolves have offspring only in the warm season. This allows you to get enough food for the puppies. This is how wolves differ from dogs, which come into heat twice a year.

People considered wolves to be dangerous animals. Therefore, they were mercilessly exterminated. However, predators play an important role in the ecosystem. They destroy sick and weakened animals, thereby preventing an epidemic.

How much does a wolf weigh?

Wolves are the largest representatives of the canine family. Their size and weight varies greatly species composition these predators. In length, depending on the species, a wolf can be less than a meter, or can reach two. And the weight ranges from 20 kg to 100.

Types of wolves

Experts count seven separate species of predators. In addition, the gray wolf has about seventeen varieties.

Arctic

It is the rarest subspecies of the common gray wolf. Habitat: Greenland, northern Canada and Alaska. The predator has preserved its natural habitat thanks to the rare appearance of humans in the harsh terrain covered with eternal snow.

The polar wolf is a large animal with a powerful build. Males reach a size at the withers of up to 99 cm. Weight can reach 98 kg. Predators exhibit sexual dimorphism. Females are approximately 16 percent smaller than males.

Predators have thick light fur with a slight red tint. The tail is fluffy, the legs are long, and the ears are erect and short.

Animals are perfectly adapted to the long absence of sun during the polar night. In search of prey, they travel considerable distances across snowy plains. An adult wolf is capable of eating eleven kilograms of meat in one go. There is no trace left of what is caught during the hunt. Even bones are eaten. Predators never chew meat, but swallow it in pieces.

Like other wolves, the polar one can only survive in a pack. Most often the group consists of 12 individuals. It is led by a male and a female. The rest of the community are puppies from previous litters and those recently born. In some cases, a pack accepts a lone wolf, but at the same time he obeys the leaders.

Only the alpha female in the group whelps. When cubs are born from other she-wolves, they are immediately killed. This severity is explained by the extremely difficult living conditions in which it is difficult to feed a large number of wolf cubs

The survival of animals depends entirely on the size of hunting grounds. That's why wolves protect their borders. With the onset of winter cold, a group of predators migrates to the south, where it is easier to get food. Most often they follow reindeer.

The polar wolf eats absolutely everything it can find. In summer, its diet includes beetles, frogs, birds, lichens, fruits and berries. In winter, predators eat mainly the meat of hares, lemmings, musk oxen, and deer.

The polar wolf pursues its prey using ambushes and changing riders. Best time hunting - spring. In warm weather, the crust melts, making it difficult for deer to move in such conditions and the predator easily catches up with them.

Healthy and strong herbivores are never in danger. The flock only attacks fawns or sick animals. Having attacked the herd, the predators destroy it. In this way they isolate the chosen victim and kill. When the herd manages to regroup and surround its offspring with a dense ring, the wolves have to retreat. Wolves manage to achieve a positive result in only 11% of their attacks.

Female raptors reach sexual maturity at three years of age. In males, this period begins at two. Some time before giving birth, the she-wolf begins to prepare a den. Predators cannot dig a hole in the ice, so caves or holes in the rocks serve as places for puppies to emerge.

Pregnancy lasts 74 days. There are no more than three wolf cubs in a litter. The appearance of more puppies is extremely rare. The puppies that are born are blind and helpless. Their weight does not exceed four hundred grams. For a month they do not leave the den. Only when they are fully strengthened do they begin to leave it. All this time the female feeds them with milk.

Caring for the offspring lies not only with the she-wolf, but with the entire pack. When the mother leaves the den to hunt, the young look after the puppies. Even with meager food supplies, adult wolves always feed the babies. In this way, it is possible to maintain the population size. Thanks to the harsh climate, wolves are not threatened by humans. There are no hunters in the Arctic.

Upon reaching sexual maturity, young animals leave the pack and try to create their own. They look for unoccupied territory and mark its borders.

The polar wolf is listed in the Red Book. Hunting for it is prohibited.

Ruffed

It gets its name from the long fur that covers its neck and shoulders. The hair in this area resembles the mane of horses. Aguarachai is found in Northern Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Brazil. However, its main habitat is South America.

The guara has red fur, large ears, and an elongated muzzle. Externally, the wolf looks light and lean. The weight of the animal does not exceed 24 kg.

The aguarachai has the longest legs among other wolf species. This structure of the limbs allows the predator to search for prey in tall grass. The wolf hunts alone. It feeds on reptiles, birds, pacu, agouti, plants, and fruits. Often attacks sheep and poultry when gathered in groups.

Guars live in pairs. They very rarely have contact with their relatives. There are up to three wolf cubs in a litter. They have black fur. The female gives birth to puppies in winter.

The species is listed in the Red Book. Today there is no threat of extinction. However, the animal is still very rare.

Japanese

The international classification identifies two subspecies of these animals:

• Hokkaido or Ezo. These predators lived on the island of Hokkaido. Outwardly they resembled an ordinary wolf.
• Khonshu or Hondossky.

The Meiji government offered a reward to anyone who brought the head of a predator. This marked the beginning of the complete destruction of the subspecies. In 1889, the Japanese wolf completely disappeared.

Lyry

Scientific research has shown that in South America wolves do not live. Since 2009, an attempt has been made to spread the legend about the supposedly existing subspecies of predators. It is currently impossible to confirm or refute the information received. Therefore, the Lyre Wolf remains more of a fiction.

Newfoundland

The species officially became extinct in 1911. There lived a predator on the eastern shores of Canada. The color was light with a dark stripe along the spine. He ate rodents and caribou.

Because of its thick fur, it was constantly hunted. In addition, starting in 1900, there were food shortages, which led to sharp decline number of caribou. All these factors led to the complete disappearance of the Newfoundland wolf.

Ethiopian

The phenotype of this predator is similar to that of a fox. The species is on the verge of extinction. Because of its amazingly beautiful fur, the animal is constantly hunted.

Makenzensky

The most common species of wolf in North America. Animals can reach a weight of up to 79 kg. Height at the withers - 89 cm. It feeds on deer, elk, musk oxen and elk, and bison.

The Alaskan wolf has been relocated to Yellowstone Park. There he adapted perfectly. Its number increased by 1290 individuals. Some predators eventually left the protected areas and settled in the border zone. They are hunted in these places.

An amazing animal is found in the mountains of Asia. It is extremely difficult to say exactly who it is based on appearance alone. His body is built like a jackal, his behavior is wolfish, and his beautiful fur resembles a fox.

The red or mountain wolf is an intelligent and beautiful predator. The weight of the animal reaches 22 kg, the length of the body does not exceed a meter. The color is bright, the tail is long and hangs almost to the ground, the fur is fluffy and thick. The muzzle is shortened, the ears are large, rounded, and set high.

Depending on their habitat, the red or mountain wolf has different coat colors. However, in most cases it is reddish. During the cold season, the fur becomes thick, dense and soft. By summer, the coat coarsens and becomes darker. Wolf cubs are brown in color at birth.

There are 10 subspecies of predators. They differ from each other in body size, color and thickness of fur.

The red or mountain wolf lives in various areas. However, its numbers are insignificant. Experts cannot say for sure whether he currently lives in Russia. The red or mountain wolf is mainly found in Asia.

The predator lives in gorges and rocks, where there is constant snow. On plains and forests it appears only in search of food or when moving from one territory to another. It is extremely rare for an animal to attack livestock.

Predators hunt in a pack. Its size does not exceed 13 individuals. At the same time, there is no clear leader in it. They most often get their food during daylight hours. The red or mountain wolf feeds on deer, antelope, lizards and rodents. A large flock can kill a bull and a leopard. When there is a shortage of food, the red or mountain wolf does not disdain carrion.

Despite the fact that the predator’s diet mainly includes meat, it does not neglect plant foods. Mountain rhubarb is always present in a den with newborn pups. Experts believe that it is fed to young animals by regurgitating plant inflorescences treated with gastric juice.

A red or mountain wolf attacks its prey from behind. It never grabs the throat of prey, unlike other canids.

The animal has a secretive character. It always hides from people. The den is made in well-protected places. They never dig holes. They swim and jump well. They have sensitive hearing.

Due to its secretive lifestyle, the biology of the predator has not been fully studied. Experts can only say with confidence that the red or mountain wolf creates pairs with one female. The male is responsible for raising the puppies. In captivity, the predator mates in winter. Pregnancy lasts 59 days. There are no more than 9 puppies in a litter.

In warm climates, young animals are born throughout the year. When born, the puppy is similar in appearance to an ordinary wolf or German shepherd. Only after 13 days his eyes open. After half a year, the puppy begins to weigh like an adult. At two years of age, puberty occurs.

Ginger

Outwardly, the red wolf resembles a gray one. However, it is slightly smaller in size, its body is slimmer, its fur is shorter, its ears and legs are longer. The body reaches dimensions of 129 cm, height up to 79, weight no more than 39 kg. The color of the red wolf is not monochromatic. The muzzle and legs are reddish, the back is black.

Predators live in prairies, wetlands and mountainous areas. Packs consist of animals of different ages. Aggression in groups is completely absent.

The red wolf eats not only meat, but also plant foods. The prey of the predator most often are rabbits, raccoons, and rodents. Very rare deer. Animals often eat carrion and berries. The red wolf sometimes becomes prey to lynx and alligators.

The breeding season lasts from January to March. She-wolves bring up to 7 puppies. Cases have been described where a female gave birth to 11 wolf cubs. Animals make their lair under fallen trees or along the banks of reservoirs. At half a year, puppies become independent. A wolf lives in captivity for about 13 years, in natural conditions - 4 years.

The red wolf is the rarest representative of the canids. It is listed in the Red Book.

Marsupial

The last representatives of the subspecies lived until 1936 in Tasmania. The marsupial wolf had a body length of about a meter and a tail of 49 cm. Older males could reach two meters in length.

The predator’s skull resembled a dog’s, but its tail was thin at the end and thick at the base; bent hind limbs spoke of its marsupial nature. The fur was coarse, short, and very thick. The back had a brownish tint. It had darker colored stripes. The belly was light, the muzzle gray. The ears are erect, short, rounded.

The marsupial wolf had a kind of pouch on its stomach, formed by a fold of skin that opened backwards.

Initially, the animal lived on grassy plains and sparse forests. However, with the arrival of man, his habitat changed. He moved to the mountains, where he made his lair in caves and under fallen trees. The marsupial wolf was a nocturnal predator, but sometimes came out to bask in the sun. The predator hunted alone, rarely in pairs.

The marsupial wolf ate lizards, birds, and echidnas. After humans settled in Australia, the animal began to attack livestock. The marsupial wolf often ate animals caught in traps. The predator left the caught and half-eaten game and never returned to it. The marsupial wolf had a piercing, guttural, dull, coughing bark.

The thylacine is a marsupial. She-wolves had a pouch on their stomach formed by a fold of skin. The cubs were fed and born in it. After three months, the puppies began to leave the pouch, but returned to it until they were nine months old.

Marsupial wolf artificial conditions did not reproduce and lived up to 9 years.

Forest

Depending on the habitat, the phenotype of wolves changes. The colder the climate, the more massive and large the animals living in these conditions. The average proportions of a gray wolf are as follows:

• weight 33-63 kg;
• body length 104-161 cm;
• height at withers 67-87 cm.

These indicators make the common wolf the largest in the family.

One-year-old animals weigh 19-31 kg. In the third year of life 34-46 kg. The wolf reaches its peak development at three years of age. In Alaska, animals reach a weight of 76 kg; in temperate latitudes, the figure varies between 51-61 kg.

Externally, the wolf looks like a large, pointy-eared dog. His legs are high and powerful. The paw, unlike a dog's, is more elongated. The wolf's footprint is up to 13 cm long and 7 cm wide. The paw print is more prominent, unlike dogs. It is easily distinguished by its two middle fingers extended forward. The trail of footprints resembles a straight line.

Description of the wolf's appearance:

• broad-browed head;
• on the sides of the elongated wide muzzle there are “whiskers”;
• high, heavy, large skull;
• wide nasal openings widening towards the bottom;
• the thick, long tail is always lowered. By its movement and position one can judge the wolf’s mood and position in the pack.
• The structure of the jaw speaks about the animal's lifestyle. Carnivorous teeth, which include the lower first molars and upper fourth premolars, are involved in the division of captured game. The fangs help the wolf drag and hold its prey. If teeth are lost, the animal is doomed to death.
• The fur is long, thick, and consists of two layers. It makes the wolf look much larger than it actually is. The guard hair, which makes up the first layer of fur, protects the animal from dirt and water. The undercoat, the second layer, is waterproof down that helps retain heat. As summer approaches, molting occurs. During this period, the fluff flakes off in small lumps. To speed up the process, animals rub their skin against various objects: tree trunks, stones.
• A wolf puppy has a dark, uniform coat that becomes lighter after a while. Fur color can have mixed shades among representatives of the same population. The undercoat of wolves is always gray, only the color range of the guard hair is different.

Many people believe that coat color is used for camouflage. However, experts say that fur coloring increases individual characteristics each individual.

• The eyes of animals are blue until 17 weeks of age, then they acquire an orange tint. It is extremely rare that the eye color of adult wolves remains blue.

• Thanks to long-term scientific experiments, a hybrid of a wolf and a dog was bred. Breeds such as the Sarlosa and the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog are recognized throughout the world.
• During the Middle Ages, the predator was considered a servant dark forces. Many legends, traditions and fairy tales were composed using his image. The most popular is the werewolf or werewolf.
• Wolves almost never attack humans. If this happens, the animal most likely has rabies.
• Many coats of arms of the European nobility were decorated with the image of a wolf. High-ranking officials believed that their family appeared thanks to werewolves.
• In order for the battle to be successful, the Vikings put on the skins of predators before it began and also drank their blood.
• Wolf land. This is what Ireland was called in the 17th century because of the numerous wolf packs that lived on its lands.
• When favorable weather conditions The predator is able to hear a sound at a distance of 17 km on the plain.
• The wolf is extremely difficult to tame. The dream of having a predator in your home who will guard the territory cannot be realized. Wolves are afraid of people, so they will hide from strangers rather than defend their territory.
• "Lupus" literally means "red wolf." Doctors in the past believed that this autoimmune disease occurred after being bitten by a predator.
• The animal swims well. It can cover a distance of 14 km thanks to small membranes located between the fingers.
• Hitler really liked wolves. He gave many of his military headquarters code names related to the name of the predator.
• The dire wolf is a prehistoric animal whose main prey was mammoths.
• The raven is often called the "wolf bird". This name was given to him due to his habit of following a predator. The bird eats the remains of the caught prey, and also uses the canids as protection.
• The Aztecs pierced the chest of a dying person with a sharp wolf bone. It was believed that death could be prevented in this way.
• Predator liver powder was used in medieval Europe during childbirth.
• Eating wolf meat can turn you into a vampire. This is exactly what the Greeks thought.
• The Cherokees never hunted this predator. They believed that the weapon used to kill the animal would “go bad.” They were also afraid of revenge from the brothers of the dead wolf.
• The predator has well-developed facial expressions. He uses it to communicate with his relatives.
• “Great God” is a translation of the word wolf from Japanese.

In India, primitive traps in the form of a pit with sharpened sticks at the bottom are used to catch predators.

Wherever does the gray wolf live? It can be found in Europe and Asia, North America and on the coast of the Arctic Ocean. It can live both in the taiga and coniferous forests (which everyone knows), as well as in the icy tundra and deserts. In Hindustan, the wolf lives up to approximately 16′ northern latitude. The lifestyle of many subspecies is different, in addition, they differ in size and color.

APPEARANCE, PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS, FEATURES

The wolf is the largest animal in its family: its body is 160 cm long (including tail); at the withers the height reaches 90 cm; weighs about 60 kg.

The body of a gray wolf is strong, muscular, and broad-chested. The legs are high, with tightly clenched toes. The head is forehead-shaped and at the same time graceful. The ears are not large. The dark stripes on the head are picturesquely combined with almost pure white cheeks and light spots above the eyes. The tail is not very long, hanging almost straight. The long, thick fur reaches 8 cm. The undercoat consists of hard, long, black guard hairs at the ends that repel water and ensure its waterproofness. The common wolf has completely different colors, varying depending on its range. There are even white individuals found in the Arctic. Other color options are various variations of white with brown, gray, cinnamon, black, sometimes completely black. North American wolves boast three different coat colors. The first is a mixture of gray, black and cinnamon, the top is brown. The second is a mixture of black and dark brown. The third is gray and brown.

LIFESTYLE OF THE GRAY WOLF

Habitat

The wolf lives in a variety of landscapes, but prefers steppes, semi-deserts, tundra, forest-steppe, avoiding dense forest areas. In the mountains it is distributed from the foothills to the area of ​​alpine meadows, sticking to open, slightly rugged areas. Can settle close to human habitation. In the taiga zone it spread after humans, as the taiga was cut down.

The wolf is a fairly territorial creature. Breeding pairs, and often flocks, live sedentary in certain areas, the boundaries of which are indicated by odorous marks. The diameter of the area occupied by the flock in winter is usually 30-60 kilometers. In spring and summer, when the flock breaks up, the territory occupied by it is divided into several fragments. The best of them is captured and held by the main pair, the rest of the wolves switch to a semi-vagrant lifestyle. In open steppes and tundra, wolves often wander after moving herds of livestock or domestic reindeer.

Sociality, habits, other features of life

Wolves live in packs - family groups of 3 to 40 animals. At the head of the pack are the leader, the strongest and smartest male of the pack, and his girlfriend. Single and young wolves unite around them. The leader enjoys unquestioned authority in the pack. Those wolves who do not like the power of the leader are expelled from the pack, or leave on their own in the hope of creating their own pack. Each flock has its own territory, which the animals carefully guard from uninvited guests.

The famous wolf howl, heard far around, is one of the ways to make it clear that this territory is occupied.

Nutrition, methods of obtaining food

The wolf's main prey is large ungulates. These could be moose, reindeer or other deer, roe deer, wild boar. Wolves also hunt smaller mammals: hares, ground squirrels, other rodents, and birds. In times of famine, this formidable predator will not disdain such “undignified” food as insects or carrion. IN winter time wolves hunt elk, deer or roe deer in a pack. Wolves master different hunting techniques: they starve the victim, attack from an ambush, replace each other in a grueling pursuit, try to single out a weak or sick animal from the herd and attack. However, only one out of ten wolf hunts ends successfully. The leader and his female are the first to get their fill, choosing the best pieces of the carcass.

Reproduction, growth, lifespan

During the mating season, skirmishes and serious fights occur in the flock, sometimes with fatal results. After the formation of a pair, the “young” are removed from the flock. Pregnancy lasts about two months, then the she-wolf gives birth to three to ten blind cubs. The whole pack helps feed the young offspring, bringing selected pieces of meat to the den where the she-wolf and her cubs are located.

Dens are built for breeding; They usually serve as natural shelters - crevices in rocks, thickets of bushes, and the like. Sometimes wolves occupy the holes of badgers, marmots, arctic foxes and other animals, less often they dig them themselves. The female is most attached to the den while raising offspring; the male does not use it. Young animals are bred in sheltered places: in the forest belt - mainly in dense bushes, on manes among marshy swamps; in the steppes - along ravines overgrown with bushes, gullies and dry reed beds near lakes; in the tundra - on the hills. It is characteristic that wolves never hunt close to their home, but at a distance of 7-10 km and further. After the wolf cubs grow up, the animals stop using a permanent den, but settle down to rest in different but reliable places. Small wolf cubs of a brownish color, very similar to ordinary domestic dog puppies.

INTERESTING FACTS!

Did you know that:

A wolf pack can consist of two or three wolves or contain dozens of individuals.

A hungry wolf is able to consume about 10 kg of meat in one sitting.

All newborns have wolf eyes blue color, and at the age of 8 months the eyes of these wonderful predators become yellow.

There are currently countless images of wolves in the world. However, the oldest ones were found in Europe. Their age is 20,000 years.

Under excellent weather conditions, the wolf is able to hear at a distance of up to 9 kilometers in forested areas and up to 16 kilometers on the plains

GRAY WOLF AND MAN

Harm or benefit?

For humans, the wolf has always been enemy number one: the beast attacked livestock and posed a danger to people, so the wolf was exterminated everywhere. Wolves are not nearly as numerous now as they once were in the past. Meanwhile, the wolf, being a large predator, plays an important role in the ecological balance: it regulates the number of large ungulates, hunts mainly sick and weak animals in the herd, thereby promoting the survival of the strongest. We should not forget about this and needlessly scold the “evil” and “predatory” wolf - there are no “unnecessary” and “useless” animals in nature.

DISTRIBUTION AREA, NUMBER, PROTECTION

IN historical time among terrestrial mammals, the wolf's range occupied the second largest area after the human range, covering most of the Northern Hemisphere; has now decreased greatly. In Europe, the wolf is preserved in Spain, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Portugal, Italy, Poland, Scandinavia, the Balkans, and the Baltic states. In Asia, it inhabits Korea, partly China and the Hindustan Peninsula, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, the north of the Arabian Peninsula; extinct in Japan (subspecies Canis lupus hodophilax). In North America it is found from Alaska to Mexico. In Russia it is absent only on some islands: (Sakhalin, Kuril Islands).

RELATED SPECIES OF THE GRAY WOLF (Canis lupus)

The gray wolf has a relative living in eastern North America, the red wolf (Canis lupus rufus). It is somewhat smaller and truly red in color. Unfortunately, this species is now on the verge of complete extinction due to excessive persecution by humans and is listed in the Red Book.

A wolf is a predatory animal belonging to the canine (canine) family. In science, names such as common wolf and gray wolf are also often found.

The wolf is considered the largest representative of the canine family. Its length reaches 1.5 meters without a tail, and up to 2 meters with a tail.

The height of a wolf from the ground to the seventh vertebra can be 0.9 meters, and its weight can reach 90 kilograms.

General characteristics of the species

According to some studies, the possibility of the origin of a dog from a wolf has been established. In ancient times, wolves were often tamed by people, as a result of which the the new kind, which is now a pet for many people.

Not so long ago, the places where wolves live were vast (Asia, Europe, America, etc.), the total number of individuals of this species was at the proper level. Currently, the spread of the wolf has slowed down, and, one might say, has gone in the opposite direction.

This is primarily due to the decrease in forest areas where the wolf directly lives. In addition, the wolf is a tasty prey for poachers, which also affected their numbers.

In the main habitats of the wolf, hunting for wolves is prohibited, but currently there are still areas where hunting for wolves continues legally.

The wolf is, in a sense, the orderly of the forest. It rids forest areas of sick and weak animals, which has a great effect on the general condition of the gene pool.

There are two types of wolves in Russia: tundra and common. Their total number is 32 subspecies.

Origin of the word "Wolf"

This word comes from the verb “to drag.” After a wolf kills its prey, it may grab it with its teeth and drag (drag) it to the location of its offspring. Hence the name.

Evolution of the species

The wolf began its evolution in ancient times in North America. There lived animals that were similar in appearance to the coyote and were called Canis Lepophagus. This animal lived together with another species of the canine family – borophages. They inhabited the same territory as Canis Lepophagus, and their rivalry interfered with the normal existence of both species.

Over time, the borophages became extinct, which gave the ancestor of the wolf the opportunity to develop intensively and enter a new stage of evolution. Thus, the brain and body of Canis Lepophagus subsequently increased in size, and its development began at a rapid pace.

About 1.8 million years ago, the ancestor of the wolf became minimally similar to the current wolf. Paleontologists discovered its remains in Eurasia and gave it the name Canis Priscolatrans.

The latter received maximum similarity to the modern wolf a little later, having gone through another stage of evolution. This new subspecies was named Canis Mosbachensis. Its existence continued for a long time.

About 500 thousand years ago, the modern wolf appeared, the evolution of which continues to this day.

Description of the modern wolf

The size of a wolf and its appearance depend on the climate in which it lives. The diversity of the animal world that surrounds it is also important.

If there are very few potential victims of a wolf where he lives, then this will affect his health, and accordingly his appearance and size.

The average height of an ordinary wolf at the withers is in the range of 65-90 cm. The average weight of a wolf has a large spread and can range from 30 to 90 kg. According to some reports, there are individuals weighing more than 90 kg.

One of the wolf subspecies is the Arabian wolf, weighing no more than 10-15 kg. This is the smallest wolf in the world.

Typically, female wolves are about 20% smaller than males.

A wolf travels from birth to maturity in an average of 3 years.

The difference between a wolf and a dog

The wolf differs from the dog in having stronger and higher legs. Moreover, the wolf’s paw itself is also much larger than that of a dog. The wolf's skull is wider, the muzzle is also wider, and more extended forward. The wolf has a lot of hair on the sides of its head, and its eyes are narrow.

The wolf's nose is extended forward, and its lower part is slightly expanded.

The wolf has approximately 42 teeth: 20 teeth on the upper jaw and 22 teeth on the lower jaw. There are two fangs on both jaws.

The wolf's fur is very thick and has a certain rigidity, which allows it to protect itself from inclement weather, dampness and humidity. In addition, the abundance of wool helps to cope with winter cold.

Closer to summer, the wolf sheds excess fur, so it becomes too hot for the animal in summer.

Wolf subspecies have different colors, which depend on the habitat of the predator. For example, a wolf that lives in the forest is gray-brown in color, in the tundra it is white, and in the desert it is gray-red.

All these differences between a wolf and a dog are clearly visible in the photo below.

Wolf eyes

Mostly wolves have yellow eyes. In very rare cases, a wolf's eye color can be green, blue-green or brown.

Although small wolf cubs have blue eyes for 2-3 months after birth, which then gradually changes to yellow.

Wolf sense of smell

The wolf's sense of smell has incredible power. A wolf can smell the scent of its prey while being at a distance of 3 km from it.

At the same time, a wolf's nose is capable of distinguishing millions of different smells. Therefore, a wolf’s sense of smell is its main reference point.

What do wolves eat?

The diet of the modern wolf includes large mammals animal species (elk, deer, bison, etc.). However, the wolf is not lazy in chasing smaller species, such as hare, roe deer, and various kinds of rodents.

Still, most of the wolf's diet comes from dying and sick animals, as well as carrion.

These are ready sources of food that do not require special labor to obtain them, so wolves use this very willingly.

Useful information about the wolf

On average, a wolf lives about 10 years;

Wolves do not live alone, they are always with their pack. At the same time, in a flock there is a male and a female, who are the parents of the entire flock;

The wolf is a predatory animal, and their main prey is large mammals, which they hunt in an organized manner as a whole pack;

These predators are currently in danger. Their total number has decreased greatly over Lately, due to illegal hunting by poachers and reduction of forest areas;

The average wolf while running can reach a speed of 45 km/h;

The wolf's endurance is very high. He can chase his prey for a long time (12 hours or more);

There are situations (very rarely) when a wolf leaves the pack, or is expelled from there by other members of the pack due to illness;

The wolf is the largest representative of its family.

Photo of a wolf