What do people know about wolves? What qualities of a wolf are the first to come to mind when it comes to these animals? Surely you think that they are dangerous and cruel, treacherous and treacherous. However, those who know almost nothing about the life of these animals think so. In this article we will try to tell you a little more about them. Perhaps some interesting fact about wolves will make you change your attitude towards them.

Genus Lupus (wolves)

This genus unites wolves, jackals, coyotes, dogs. These are the largest representatives of the wolf. All arctic foxes, foxes, maned wolves and

Each wolf is endowed with its own character - there are individuals who are cautious, self-confident and daring, some of them behave in the society of fellow tribesmen at ease and freely, while others prefer to keep in the shadow of their more active relatives.

Wolves live in the plains of the northern hemisphere, as well as in the mountains and forests. Unfortunately, in some countries they have been completely exterminated. And in Antarctica, white wolves are on the verge of extinction. They are listed in the International Red Book. Hunting for these animals is prohibited.

These predators live in various landscapes - in forests, tundra, mountains and steppes. Mostly they are sedentary animals, but at the same time, in search of food, they wander over very long distances. As biologists say, in the wild, they occupy their own niche. In their habitat, wolves are usually the largest group of predators that prey on large mammals.

External characteristics

A male wolf usually weighs about fifty kilograms, a she-wolf is five kilograms lighter. The height at the withers of an adult is 75 cm, and the body length can be up to two meters. This is, of course, averaged data.

Wolves have a thick and coarse coat with an undercoat. The color can be different. There are gray, black, red, red, white wolves.

Lifestyle

Wolves are animals that prefer to live in families. Any pack of wolves has its own "charter", in which each has its own role. Aggressive and strong young people rule, and those who need a strong hand obey them.

A wolf pack, in which animals are related by kinship, are led by a wolf and a she-wolf. The rest of its members, mainly their offspring (from completely unintelligent puppies to 3-year-old adolescents), obey them. Sometimes strangers nailed to the flock, for some reason left their flock. Usually up to 15 animals live in such a family.

Endurance and vitality of wolves

These qualities of a wolf deserve special attention. A hungry predator without food can remain active for up to ten days. The wounded animal leaves the hunters for several kilometers. Surrounded by hunting dogs, it fiercely defends itself until its last breath. A wolf, caught in a trap, bites off its paw to hide from pursuers.

There is a known case when a wolf, breaking a paw during a hunt, lay motionless on the ground for 17 days, after which it got up and continued searching for prey. The will to live of wolves is amazing.

But they have small weaknesses that experienced hunters know about. Surprisingly, these brave predators are lost at the sight of a rag that flutters in front of their face. This feature served as the appearance with flags. Hunters, having found a wolf pack, surround it around the perimeter with a rope with rags of any fabric hung on it. Wolves, seeing the fluttering flags, do not dare to jump for them, and the hunters shoot at the animals point-blank.

And one more fact. The wolf in the forest never attacks people first. He avoids a person, prefers to stay away from him.

Wolf's Lair

The wolf burrow is quite simple. As a rule, it has one entrance. In the forest-steppe regions of Siberia, they are about four meters deep, and the entrance diameter is about 50 cm.

In Transbaikalia, researchers observed wolves dig burrows in tarbagany in autumn, and wolf broods were found in them in spring. One of these burrows was over five meters long, forty centimeters wide and twenty-five centimeters high. The nest inside the burrow was half filled with dry grass bedding. It contained tarbagan skins.

In the Far North, these predators build burrows along the banks of streams and rivers. In these areas, the soil is well drained, there is no permafrost, so it is easy to dig a hole.

Many burrows can be found near the summer reindeer pastures. As a rule, wolves roam behind the herds of these animals. Before the puppies appear, they move forward, closer to their burrows, where the deer also come, but somewhat later.

Wolf howl

Each burrow is inhabited by one pair of wolves, and they gather in a pack using the means of communication available to them - howling. This is not just the voice of a predator, it is an encrypted message with specific signals. The howl is attracting (especially during the mating season), calling. It can be heard when the leader calls the pack to hunt. Howl can be in response when members of the pack respond to the call of the leader. It can be dying and, finally, entertainment. Oddly enough, wolves often howl for no apparent reason, probably because their wolf soul asks for it.

The social order of the pack

The strongest wolf becomes the leader of the pack. His faithful friend - a she-wolf helps him to manage. For pack members to obey, leaders must have strong character. All decisions that relate to family life, the wolf and the she-wolf make together. In a pack where the leader keeps order, males never fight among themselves. But outsiders who have violated the border of possession are usually severely punished. The wolf pack goes hunting only on its own, limited territory. The owners guard and mark her very jealously. This is a warning to neighbors that it is better for them to stay away from this land.

Sometimes in large packs of one wolf, for some unknown reason, all of his brothers are poisoned. Sometimes it becomes difficult for a rejected animal to live in a family, and he leaves it. He becomes a wandering loner. True, he has a chance to create his own pack if he meets the same lonely she-wolf. If these animals want to rule the flock, they must completely subordinate all its members to their will and make them obey the laws of the family.

How does the leader manage?

A pack of wolves unconditionally accepts the leadership of the leader. He dominates the males, and his girlfriend keeps order among the wolves. The leader does not get tired of reminding his subordinates who is the master in the pack - he growls at them, bites, even knocks them down, doing this in front of the whole family.

As a rule, one intent and stern gaze of the leader or his she-wolf is enough to subdue those at whom he is aimed. Grinning, and rather ingratiatingly, the wolves fall to the ground, and then, if they succeed, stealthily leave the place of punishment. Sometimes they lie on their backs, as if to say, "We agree that you are in charge."

An interesting fact about wolves - the position of a predator in a pack can be judged by how it holds its tail. The leader always has it high. For ordinary "subjects", it is omitted. And those individuals that are at the lowest step in the flock tuck their tail.

Family members show their love and respect for the leader and his girlfriend in a welcoming ceremony. With ears flattened, crawling and with smoothed hair, they crawl up to them, lick and carefully bite their muzzles.

Wild wolves are loyal animals

Probably not everyone knows that wolves are one of the most loyal animals. These strong predators are very attached to their packmates. They express their emotions and feelings with body movements and facial expressions. Thanks to the "wolf tongue" the flock rallies, acts at the same time. They express their tenderness and sympathy by licking each other, while they rub their muzzles.

Why does a wolf need a tail?

Not everyone knows that a wolf's tail is a kind of indicator that expresses his feelings. If it is raised high, and the tip is slightly curved, then this means that the wolf is quite confident in its abilities. A friendly animal lowers its tail, but its very tip is raised up. A wolf with its tail between its legs is either afraid of something, or reports its obedience.

Wolf family man

Only experts know this interesting fact about wolves. These dangerous predators have strong emotional attachments. They are monogamous - they choose their mate once and for life.

I must say that a wolf is an ideal family man. He does not make scandals, does not cheat on his wolf, does not disagree with her, does not start a young "mistress" on the side, brings all the spoils to the family.

Wild wolves are very fond of their young. The cubs are taken care of not only by their parents, but also by the whole flock.

The relation of the ancients to the wolf

This beast is sometimes called mythical. In ancient times he was revered and respected for his courage, endurance, ingenuity. Many warlike tribes perceived him as their ancestor. During the heyday of patriarchy, he was compared to the groom, the bride kidnapper.

For our ancestors, the wolf was like an intermediary between gods and people. He was considered a talisman against evil. When the wolf became a faithful companion of George the Victorious, he began to be perceived as a solar deity.

Apollo, the ancient Greek god of light, was sometimes called Apollo the Wolf. The ferocious predator was a sacred animal of the god Upuaut in ancient Egypt.

In the myths of the Scandinavian peoples, wolves are called "Odin's dogs." Romulus and Remus, who founded Great Rome, were suckled by a she-wolf sent by Mars.

There are about seven distinct species of wolves, and another seventeen (or so) varieties of gray wolves, resulting in a total of about 24 species that can be found around the world.

Wolf- a typical predator that obtains food on its own by actively searching for and pursuing prey. Ungulates are the main food for wolves everywhere: in the tundra, wild and domestic reindeer; in the forest zone - moose, roe deer, wild pigs, domestic sheep, cows, horses; near the steppe and desert - antelopes of various species and sheep; in the mountains there are wild and domestic goats.

polar Wolf (Сanis lupus tundrorum) is one of the rarest animals on our planet. The habitat of the polar wolf is the Arctic. The wolf is well adapted to the conditions of the harsh arctic climate. The wind-resistant, thick and warm wool helps it survive in extreme temperatures. The wolf has keen eyesight and excellent scent, which are indispensable in the hunt for small animals that inhabit these harsh places. Scanty reserves of biological food and difficulties in obtaining food lead to the fact that the wolf eats its prey whole, leaving after the meal neither the skin nor the bones of the caught animals. With an average weight of 60 to 80 kg with a growth of up to 80 centimeters, the polar wolf is able to survive without food in case of an unsuccessful hunt for several weeks, but then it can eat up to 10 kilograms of meat at one time. Polar wolves live in packs of up to 10 individuals, and hunt polar hares, reindeer and other animals. In one litter of a she-wolf, about 3 to 5 cubs are born. The unique fur of the polar wolf has always attracted increased attention of hunters, which put the polar wolf on the brink of extinction. Due to global warming and the melting of polar ice, the number of polar wolves continues to decline also due to abrupt changes in the climate of its usual habitats. Currently, the polar wolf is listed in the Red Book, and hunting for it is prohibited.

- a rare species included in the IUCN Red List and the RF Red Data Book. On the territory of Russia, it is endangered. Hunting is permitted in India, but only under a license. Outwardly, this animal has a peculiar appearance - the features of a gray wolf, fox and jackal are mixed. Body length 76-103 cm, tail - 40-48 cm, weight - 14-21 kg. The red wolf has thick long reddish-red hair on the back and sides, on the chest, belly and inside of the legs - cream color. The long fluffy tail looks like a fox, it is darker than the rest of the body, almost black at the end. A dark pattern is visible on the head around the eyes and on the nose. The red wolf is a predator, it feeds mainly on wild animals, but in the summer it also consumes plant food, namely mountain rhubarb. This plant is always found in dens with puppies. It is believed that wolves feed small wolf cubs with them, belching half-digested rhubarb inflorescences. Sometimes they eat carrion. Wolves hunt in packs of 15-20 individuals, they act very harmoniously, which allows them to catch even a large animal, for example, a buffalo. Thanks to their endurance, they drive their prey to exhaustion, after which its fate is decided. Red wolves are quite "talkative" animals. Awake animals almost constantly emit a quiet whine, apparently, maintaining communication with other members of the pack. In India, red pegs breed within six months. The duration of gestation of females is 60-68 days. Average litter size is 4-6 puppies. The cubs are dark brown in color, blind, weighing 200-350 g. Puppies leave the burrow at 70-80 days, and at seven months they already participate in collective hunting. Sexual maturity occurs at 2-3 years. Life expectancy in captivity is about 16 years. In captivity, this period is much shorter.

Marsupial wolf or thylacine, as it is otherwise called, is officially considered an extinct animal. According to official data, the last wild representative of this species was killed in 1930, and the last one kept in captivity in a private zoo died of old age in 1936. But there is still a possibility that the marsupial wolf still managed to survive in the wilderness of Tasmania (where it once prospered). But so far not a single animal has been caught or even photographed. But scientists do not lose hope. In 1999, scientists at the Sydney-based National Museum of Australia issued a press statement announcing the start of an ambitious project to create a clone of thylacin. Scientists intended to use the DNA of marsupial wolf puppies, which were preserved in alcohol. The DNA was extracted, but, alas, the samples were damaged and unsuitable for the experiment. The project was suspended. But in 2008, scientists managed to "revive" one of the genes of the marsupial wolf and "build" it into the mouse embryo. So who is this marsupial wolf? The marsupial wolf (Tasmanian wolf or marsupial tiger) is a mammalian animal, the only one in the thylacin family. His first studies and descriptions date back to 1808. These descriptions were made by a certain Harris, he was an amateur naturalist. His work has been published in the Linnaean Society of London. Thylacin was one of the largest carnivorous marsupials in the world. The length of its body reached one and a half meters, and even more with its tail. Height at the withers is approximately sixty centimeters. The weight of the marsupial wolf was twenty to twenty-five kilograms. But the most amazing thing in his appearance was his mouth - elongated and elongated, it could open as much as 120 degrees. An interesting fact is known that when a wolf yawned, its jaws formed a straight line (well, almost straight).

(Chrysocyon brachyurus) or guar, aguarachay got its name from the long hair that adorns its shoulders and neck, resembling a horse's mane. The habitat of the maned wolf is mainly the savannah of South America, but it can also be found in Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Uruguay and Northern Argentina, where it lives in the pampas and on the outskirts of marshes overgrown with tall grass. Lean and lightweight, the maned wolf has a reddish color of coat, an elongated muzzle and large ears, which makes it look distantly like a very large fox. The length of the maned wolf's body, from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail, is about 160 cm, the height of the wolf in the shoulder area reaches, on average, 75 cm, and the mass varies from 20 to 23 kilograms. Aguarachay is the tallest wolf species known. Long legs help the maned wolf locate prey on top of the tall grass covering savannahs and wetlands. The wolf hunts, as a rule, alone, and its prey is mainly small animals, such as agouti, pacu, various birds and reptiles. The wolf also eats fruits and other plant foods, carries poultry and is capable of attacking sheep when it gathers in flocks. Auarachai live in pairs, but rarely contact each other. Maned wolf cubs have a black coat and are born in winter, 2-3 wolf cubs in a litter. Aguarachai or maned wolves are listed in the International Red Book as an endangered species. Currently, there is no immediate threat of extinction, but the maned wolf still remains a very rare animal.

(Canis lupus arctos), also called the Ellesmere or arctic wolf, lives in North America on the group of arctic islands and in the northern part of Greenland. The Melville island wolf is slightly smaller in size than the common wolf, and its length, from ears to the tip of the tail, varies from 90 to 180 cm.The wolf reaches a maximum height of 69-79 cm, weighing about 45 kg, although it is especially large , adult males can weigh about 80 kg. The fur of the Melville Island Wolf is generally light white or grayish. The ears of a wolf are small, which helps it to efficiently use heat in low temperatures. For a more successful hunt, Melville wolves are united in packs of 5-10 individuals. The main objects of hunting of the Melville island wolf are reindeer and musk oxen, to which the wolf pack applies hunting tactics, attacking mainly on weakened prey that cannot offer strong resistance. The wolf also feeds on arctic hares, lemmings and, sometimes, moose. Permafrost is a significant obstacle that complicates the arrangement and digging of a lair for a wolf, therefore wolves use the natural landscape and place their dwellings in rock ledges, caves or small depressions. The Melville island wolf has few cubs, 2-3 cubs per litter, which is largely due to the harsh living conditions in the Arctic climate.

Belongs to the class of mammals and the order of carnivores. The name Japanese wolf comes from two subspecies of the common wolf family (Canis lupus), which once lived on the islands of Japan. In the world classification, the Japanese wolf belongs to the Hokkaido wolf (Canis lupus hattai). He is also known as Ezo, a wolf that lived on the island of Hokkaido. And the second subspecies is the Hondo wolf or Honshu wolf (Canis lupus hodophilax). Today, both species are considered extinct. In terms of external dimensions, Hokkaido was much larger than the Honshu wolf, and in parameters approaching the size of an ordinary wolf. In 1889, this subspecies became extinct due to the increased settlement of the island for the construction of farms, during the Meiji restoration.The existing Meiji government determined a reward for everyone who brings the head of a killed wolf, thereby organizing a campaign to destroy them.

Bold wolf found exclusively in South America

Newfoundland Wolf - Officially disappeared in 1911

Newfoundland Wolf (Canis lupus beothucus)The Newfoundland wolf lived on an island off Newfoundland on the east coast of Canada. The color was light with a dark stripe along the ridge. Sizes were an average 5.5 feet (from nose to tip of tail) Diet were: Caribou (as reindeer in Canada is called), beavers, voles and other rodents. Hunting and fur trade in the region of habitation led to the complete extinction of this species in 1911. The extinctions were also influenced by factors such as the severe food shortages in the 1900s, which led to a sharp decline in the caribou population.

A wolf very similar to a fox. This species is endangered, for the fur, which has no analogues (the color of the fur can reach yellow), the trade of this animal is widespread.

Also known as Mountain Wolf, Alaskan or Canadian Woodland. A direct relative of our forest wolf, but due to the specific habitat conditions, it has a thicker coat and a whitish color that remains even in summer.

On the territory of Russia there are wolves of six subspecies:

Tundra wolf, Central Russian forest wolf, Siberian forest wolf, Steppenwolf, Caucasian wolf, Mongolian wolf.

Contrary to popular belief, it is this wolf that reaches its maximum size on the Eurasian continent, and not the tundra one. The color is classic, and not lightened, like the tundra. The body length of adult Central Russian forest wolves can exceed 160 cm, and the height at the shoulders can reach 1 meter. Of course, such sizes can only apply to very large individuals. It is generally accepted that on average an adult male weighs 40 - 45 kg, a male (about 1 year and 8 months old) - about 35 kg, and a male (8 months old) - 25 kg. She-wolves weigh 15 - 20% less. Anyone who is familiar with the old hunting literature, or who had to visit the "wolf" corners and talk to the locals, must have read or heard about huge wolves. How much mass can wolves reach? For Central Russia, scientific works indicate the maximum weight in the range of 69 - 80 kg. (Ognev, Zvorykin). And here are the results of weighing specific animals. For the Moscow region - a male weighing 76 kg, the largest of the 250 wolves hunted by V.M. Hartuleri, a wolf-wolf known in the thirties and forties of the last century. For Altai - a male weighing 72 kg. The wolf, whose stuffed animal is in the zoological museum of Moscow State University, weighed 80 kg (5 poods). According to N.D.Sysoev, the head of the state hunting inspectorate of the Vladimir region, in the period from 1951 to 1963 641 wolves were killed, of which 17 were especially large. Among these animals, the largest mass was: 79 kg of males, harvested in Sobinsky district, females - 62 kg. The footprint of the right front paw of this huge, almost eighty-kilogram beast had a length of 16 and a width of 10 cm.I must say that wolves of even larger sizes are indicated for Ukraine - 92 kg from the Luhansk region and 96 kg from the Chernigov region, but the conditions for determining the mass of these animals are unknown. The Central Russian forest wolf lives throughout the forest and forest-steppe zone of the European part of Russia, and probably penetrates into Western Siberia. In the north, its entry into the forest-tundra is quite possible, however, in the same way as the tundra into the taiga.

It is also a large animal, in its average size not inferior to the previous subspecies. According to many scientists, as a separate subspecies, it has been isolated conditionally, since the systematics of Siberian wolves is still poorly developed. The predominant color is light gray, ocher tones are poorly visible or absent altogether. The fur, although not as tall and silky as that of the tundra wolf, is also thick and soft. Its habitat is mostly considered to be Eastern Siberia, the Far East and Kamchatka, except for the tundra zone, as well as Transbaikalia.

In general, somewhat finer than forest, with sparser and coarser hair. The color on the back with a noticeable predominance of rusty-gray or even brown hair, and the sides are light gray. Its range includes the steppes of southern Russia, including the Ciscaucasian, Caspian, Ural and Lower Volga regions. Poorly studied. The system of certain signs has not been developed. The abundance is low, especially in the western parts of the range.

The animal is of medium size with a coarse and short guard hair and a rather poorly developed undercoat. In color, it is noticeably darker than the above subspecies due to the black guard hairs evenly distributed over the skin. The general tone is dirty gray, dull. Within the limits of our country, the area is limited by the Main Caucasian ridge and its wooded foothills.

The Mongolian wolf is distinguished by the smallest size compared to all wolves that live in Russia. The average weight of males of this species does not exceed 40 kg. The Mongolian wolf has a dull, dirty gray shade, coarse and harsh coat. This subspecies of wolves is common in the eastern and southwestern Transbaikalia and in the Primorsky Territory.

The way of life of wolves. Migration of wolves in search of new territories

Wolf lifestyle

Wolves are active mainly at night, but sometimes they can be seen during the day. They let them know about their presence with a vowel howl, which is very different in nature in adult males, she-wolves and young, as well as depending on the situation. The fact is that with the help of various howls, wolves exchange information about the presence of prey, the appearance of other wolves on the territory of the pack, the appearance of people and other important events. Wolves also have a fairly developed facial expression - the expressions of their muzzle, posture and tail position can be very diverse, which reflects the emotional state of animals and is of paramount importance for establishing contacts between individuals or, on the contrary, preventing collisions. Of the analyzers in wolves, the most developed is hearing, some of which are weaker - sight and scent.
Well-developed higher nervous activity in wolves is combined with strength, agility, indefatigability, running speed and other physical characteristics, which significantly increase the chances of this predator in the struggle for survival. He can effortlessly carry a sheep in his teeth, holding it in front of him or throwing it behind his back. If necessary, the wolf develops a speed of up to 55-60 kilometers per hour, capable of crossing up to 60-80 km. per night, and on average per day (in the forest zone) to go over 20 km.

In the tundra, as well as in the mountains, wolves carry out seasonal migrations behind herds of wild and domestic ungulates. Sometimes there is a noticeable increase in the number of wolves in some area as a result of a sharp deterioration in living conditions in neighboring areas. Migration of wolves in search of new territories In a wolf pack, there is a strict hierarchical ladder, which is determined by a very complex complex of relationships in the pack, the age of its members and exploits in hunting. The least respected are young wolves, who occupy the lowest places in the hierarchy, it is they who often fight off the pack, showing pride and impatience for oppression from their older brothers. Such wolves migrate from the territory occupied by the pack over rather long distances in search of the same tribesmen or smaller packs with weaker leaders and available lone wolves. Lone wolves move carefully, avoiding encounters with humans, but not necessarily at night. On the way, the wolf stops to hunt, often for livestock. When meeting with lonely brothers, they stray into small flocks and continue their journey in search of free territories and rich hunting grounds. In this case, a flock of migrating wolves can be up to three, five individuals. When rallying in a flock, wolves often attack shepherds and enter small villages, but only when luck in the hunt does not smile at them for a long time. A meeting of migrating wolves with a pack of tribesmen can end in trouble for a weaker opponent. Thus, going through difficulties and trials, wolves master new territories, sometimes running hundreds of kilometers.

Hunting wolves. How wolves divide territory

Hunting wolves

Wolves belong to the canine family and are very similar to dogs in both appearance and habits. Well developed muscles and long enough legs allow them to run fast enough. Previously, wolves were very numerous in the Northern Hemisphere, but in many countries they have been exterminated. Wolves live in packs according to the laws of hierarchy (one wolf dominates the others) and communicate with the help of a whole range of sounds of different tones.
How do wolves hunt? They move in search of prey along the same routes over 160 kilometers long. Sometimes it takes them several weeks to go around all the trails. Wolves are predators, therefore they feed on meat. They attack other animals that come along the way. Wolves hunt deer, elk and other large ungulates. In Canada and Alaska, wolves follow on the heels of herds of caribou, attacking young and weak, sick animals. In the north, wolves hunt musk oxen. And if they see a herd of livestock left unattended, they will immediately attack it. Wolves also hunt hares and other rodents, but only if there is no easier prey within the proximity. Hungry animals, losing hope, eat fresh meat, content with forest berries.

How wolves divide territory

Owning a huge territory, for example, a pack of polar wolves, of course, will not be able to retain exclusive rights to it, but wolves living in the forest, whose possessions are much smaller, are forced to clearly understand the border of their territory .. Wolves mark their possessions with the smell of their own bodies, raising their paws like domestic dogs. They do this especially carefully on the border with the territory of another flock, so that the neighbors understand who they are dealing with and are afraid to violate the border. Smells play an even greater role in communication between wolves than sounds. If one pack of wolves, for example, in the process of hunting, intersects with another, then bloody showdowns with the victims are inevitable, therefore the wolves howl warning others about their whereabouts. Usually an alpha male starts howling, his howl is picked up by others .. Pursuing prey, wolves howl making shorter sounds, notifying their fellows where they are. All the nearby wolf packs respond to the howl of one of the packs, and an unthinkable forest cacophony immediately begins. However, it often happens that one of the flocks reasonably does not pick up someone else's howl, it is numerically too small, and therefore it needs to hide or retreat as quickly as possible for the same reasons. It should be noted that a lone wolf will never howl

Life in wolf's clothing

Have you ever wondered where this expression came from? For some reason, it is generally accepted that life in a wolf's skin is, first of all, a risk at any moment to run into a hunter, who, with his first intention, will try to take this very skin from you. It may well be that life in wolf's clothing is not at all the fear of dying at the hand of a hunter, but the fear of dying alone? In ancient times, it was believed that wolves embodied in their essence all the evil that lives in the forests. In all children's fairy tales, undoubtedly, the wolf appears in the image of a negative hero, and after all, if you think thoroughly, then it was we who made such an image of the wolf. Maybe, in fact, wolves are completely different? Once, stumbling upon a television program about tamed wild animals, I was able to imagine for myself a real image of a wolf, not inspired by false ideas. Like a faithful dog, a huge gray wolf, playing, licked the hands of its owner, a man who long ago picked him up as a wolf cub in the forest, cured him and gave, in fact, a new life. Why did the wolf, such a terrible and lonely animal, sincerely thank its savior and educator? Perhaps because he found himself a true friend among people and is now not afraid to die alone.

Wolf- This is, first of all, the highest symbol of freedom in the animal kingdom, a symbol of independence (whereas, the so-called king of animals - the lion is trained in the circus).
WolfIs also a symbol of fearlessness. In any fight, the wolf fights until victory or death.
Wolf does not pick up carrion, which means it is also a symbol of purity.
Wolf lives as a family, caring only for his wolf-wife, and the wolf-father himself brings up his wolf-cubs. Wolves have no such vice as adultery.
Wolf - it is also a symbol of high morality, devotion to the family (which cannot be said about males of other animals).
Wolf - a symbol of justice and ambition. Under normal conditions, the wolf will not allow, on its part, offending the weaker one.

45 comments on the article Breeds of wolves

1. The genus of wolves is one of the smallest
   Among mammals, the genus of wolves is one of the smallest. It includes only 7 species: wolf (Canis lupus); common jackal (Canis aureus); coyote (Canis latrans); red wolf (Canis rufus); black-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas); striped jackal (Canis adustus); Ethiopian jackal (Canis simensis), wild and domestic dogs. In addition, all foxes, arctic foxes, raccoon dogs and maned wolves belong to the wolf family.

   Appeared about 1 million years ago
   The wolf evolved from carnivorous predators that lived 100 million years ago, and about 20 million years ago, dogs evolved from the wolf. As a species, Canis lupus developed in Eurasia about 1 million years ago, and by the end of the Pleistocene it became the most widespread predator.

   Ancestors of wolves
   Dogs and wolves evolved from miacids, which lived on earth 50 million years ago. Their immediate ancestors were the race of carnivorous mammals Hesperocyon (35 million years ago). During the Miocene, the Canidae family was distinguished from the mammals Borophaginae. Fossil remains of representatives of the Canis family were found in Spain and date back to 7 million years. The immediate ancestors of the American steppe wolves settled in North America between 4 and 2 million years ago. During this period, an Etruscan wolf (Canis etruscus) lived in Europe, which became the immediate ancestor of European wolves (Canis lupus). The formation of the modern species took place 1 million years ago.

   The most common predator
   Among all land mammals, wolves Canis lupus have the widest range. At present, only the gray rat, with the help of humans, has been able to settle wider than the wolf. Wolves live in many regions of Europe, Asia and North America, where only large ungulates are found: from taiga, coniferous forests and icy tundra to deserts. The northern boundary of the distribution of the wolf is the coast of the Arctic Ocean. In southern Asia, in Hindustan, the wolf is distributed up to about 16 "north latitude. In its range, the wolf is very changeable, forming many subspecies, differing in size, color, some features of the way of life. Zoologists distinguish several dozen subspecies of the wolf. The largest wolves inhabit the tundra, the smallest are the southern regions.

   Between a coyote and a wolf
   American zoologists believe that the states of Texas, Pennsylvania and Florida are inhabited by a special species - the red wolf. This very rare animal is preserved in small numbers in the southwest of North America. It occupies, as it were, an intermediate position between a coyote and a wolf, given its size and some other characteristics. Some zoologists consider it a hybrid of a wolf and a coyote, others - a special subspecies of a wolf, others - give a separate species status.

   Large and small wolves
   There are 41 species in the canid family. The wolves of the northern populations are larger, the southern ones are smaller. On average, the length from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail is 1000 - 1300 mm (males), 870 - 1170 mm (females). Tail length 350 - 520 mm. Weight 30 -80 kg (males), average 55 kg, 23 -55 kg (females), average 45 kg. Height at withers (from foot to shoulder) 60 - 90 cm.

   Wolf color
   ... varies depending on the area of \u200b\u200bdistribution. In the Arctic, white individuals are found, other colors are variants of white with gray, brown, cinnamon, black, sometimes completely black. North American populations have three color phases. The first (normal) is a mixture of black, gray and a shade of cinnamon with a brown top. The second is black (a mixture of black and dark brown). The third phase is gray with brown. Similarly colored wolves of Canis lupus differ from coyotes (Canis latrans) and red wolves (Canis rufus) in size (they are 50-100% larger), wide muzzle, shorter ears and taller legs.

   Thick fur
   Thick fur up to 8 centimeters long protects the wolf from frost. The fur layer closest to the body is the undercoat, and the outer layer is formed by coarse, long guard hairs, black at the ends. They are water-repellent and the undercoat does not get wet. Swift deer can run away, and moose can fight back: these 600-kilogram giants with sharp horns and heavy hooves cost nothing to break a wolf's skull.

   Wolf teeth
   The wolf's weapon is teeth. There are as many as 42 of them in its mouth. In front there are 4 sharp, curved 5-centimeter fangs - two at the top and two at the bottom. With them, the wolf can bite through the dense skin of the victim. And the carnivorous, or carnivorous, teeth - as the molars of all predators are called - an adult wolf gnaws even the thigh of an elk.

   Smell and hearing
   On a hunt, the nose, not ears or eyes, is the first to tell wolves where to look for prey. In the wind, they catch the smell of even the smallest animal located 1-2 kilometers away, when it is not yet heard or seen. Thanks to their keen sense of smell, wolves can follow their prey. The hunter needs a keen ear, and in this respect, the wolves are lucky. When they hear a noise, they wiggle their ears and determine where the sound is coming from. The sound source can be several kilometers away.

   Moves silently and quickly
   Wolves hunt almost silently because they run at their very fingertips. Like horses and cats, the wolf does not touch the ground with his heel. He has strong muscular legs and a sweeping gait, and he can trot at a speed of 9 km / h for a long time, and accelerate to 60 km / h in pursuit of deer and elk.

   The social life of the wolf
   Wolves live in families, in which there are from 2 to 15, usually 4 to 8 animals. A flock is a family group of animals of different ages. Usually a flock consists of parents, newcomers (brood of this year) and perearkov (animals that have not reached puberty). But very often it also includes several adult animals, apparently not taking part in reproduction. In years abundant in food, a family can gather up to 30 wolves and more. Young wolves usually stay in the family for 10-54 months, after which they leave.

   The flock is a self-adjusting mechanism
   If the population density is low, then the flocks are small, the separation of the younger generation is faster. Under favorable environmental conditions, the population density increases, in this case the size of the flock increases, but up to a certain limit. Growth occurs only due to non-secret lone wolves occupying a subordinate position. Thus, in the pack there is a "core" of wolves with a high social status and subordinate wolves. With the deterioration of the ecology, at the birth of a new generation, it is the subordinate male wolves who independently leave the pack, and the females are expelled by the most important female.

   Males and females in a flock
   The wolf pack consists of a-male, a-female, b-male, low-ranking wolves of both sexes and puppies outside the hierarchy. During the mating season and before it, the a-female is extremely aggressive towards all sexually mature females. Although she prefers the a-male, she can also mate with other sexually mature males, including low-ranking ones. But she still maintains the largest number of contacts with the a-male. After the rut, her aggressiveness drops sharply, and she behaves friendly towards all members of the pack, which contributes to the establishment of a climate favorable for raising puppies in the family.
   The A-male, in the figurative expression of Tsimen, "the tolerant boss", is the real leader in the pack - he is friendly to all its members, but extremely aggressively meets strangers. Almost all the activity of the pack is concentrated around him, and he also owns the leadership in marking behavior.
   The B-male is the most likely successor to the a-male. Usually it is the son or brother of a-male or a-female, or their common. Thus, he is closely related by ties of kinship and with puppies, being their older brother or uncle. B-male shows high aggressiveness towards low-ranking members of the pack, but sometimes it is also addressed to high-ranking ones. The B-male, demonstrating aggression towards the a-male, periodically checks the status of the latter, since he is his successor in the hierarchy and is constantly ready to take his place.
   The role of low-ranking males is determined primarily by the advantages that the flock receives from collective hunting for large ungulates, often exceeding the size of the predators themselves. The chances of low-ranking males to leave offspring are very limited. They have to wait a long time for their turn in the hierarchical goal of leadership. At the same time, such animals are the most likely contenders for a leading position when entering a new flock.

   Family hunting area
   The survival of the pack depends on the size of its hunting grounds, so wolves protect them not for life, but for death. The boundaries of the territory (it can be 50-1500 sq. Km, depending on what animals the pack hunts) wolves designate odorous marks - they spray urine on stumps and large stones - and notify neighbors about their rights by howling. Family groups of wolves living in the same territory are closely related, the areas of neighboring families may overlap, but they never collide. If there is an abundance of food, then many generations of wolves live on one site.

   The size of the family area is highly dependent on the landscape
   ... and fluctuates widely. The largest family areas are in open landscapes of tundra, steppe or semi-desert, where they reach 1000 - 1250 km2. In the forest zone, they are less - 200 - 250 km2.

   Border signs
   Wolves mark their territory with urine, feces, or leaving scratches on paths, fallen trees, and free standing stumps. The droppings of wolves, when dry, acquire a white color and are visible in an open place at a great distance. The impression is that wolves sometimes deliberately choose the most visible places to leave their droppings. In Altai, droppings of a large wolf were found on the mower's seat, which rose one and a half meters above the ground. The mower itself stood for many days in the middle of a spacious clearing, very noticeable from the road, along which wolves regularly walked, gathering in places where marals roared.

   Wolves roam
   When wolves do not have small cubs, they rarely live permanently in one place. For the most part, animals go quite far and leave their habitable places for several days or weeks, in order to return here again when they find prey. The wolf undertakes its wanderings both in packs and alone, makes its way along mountain ridges, passes large steppes, passes from one forest to another, and as a result sometimes appears in areas where wolves have not been seen for several years in a row. It has been proven that during these wanderings, wolves run 40 to 70 kilometers in one night.

   They gather in flocks in winter
   In spring and summer, the wolf lives alone or in pairs, in the fall - as a whole family, in winter these predators sometimes gather in flocks, the size of which depends on the conditions of the area where they live. If a wolf and a she-wolf form a pair, then their union almost never breaks up; in spring, pairs are necessarily formed; in large flocks, males predominate.

   Sign language
   They express their feelings with facial expressions and body movements. "Wolf's tongue" rallies the flock and helps it to act at the same time.

   Tail
   If the tail is pulled up and its tip is slightly curved, this means that the wolf is quite confident in itself. A friendly wolf has a tail down, but its very tip looks up. A wolf with a tail between its legs is either afraid of something, or so it communicates its sympathy. The way the wolf holds its tail speaks of its position in the pack. In the case of the leaders it is raised high, in their "subjects" it is lowered, and those standing at the lowest degree in the wolf family set their tails between them. Dancing and wagging its tail, the wolf invites its congeners to play.

   Welcome ceremony
   Pack members show love and respect to the leader in a welcoming ceremony. Crawling, with pinned ears and slicked fur, they approach the leader or his girlfriend, lick and carefully bite his face.

   Aggression and tolerance
   Thanks to mutual tolerance, it is possible to unite the flock during group hunts, accompanied by a fine coordination of the actions of its members. Behavioral mechanisms based on mutual tolerance and the desire to unite prevail in the daily life of the pack. The frequency of aggressive contacts in wolves in natural and artificial conditions is probably very different. The limited space prevents wolves from avoiding mutual psychological pressure, maintaining a consistently high overall level of aggression. For animals with a highly developed psyche, such as wolves, psychological relief is of great importance. In the field, we have repeatedly observed that during the day during rest, the wolves were dispersed at a distance of tens and hundreds of meters from each other. Even the puppies that grew up by the end of the summer did not always stick together.

   Muzzle
   In a tide of tenderness, wolves lick each other and rub their muzzles. The wolves' faces are very expressive. Frightened, the wolf presses his ears and pretends to smile. The furious wolf bares its teeth, and turns its erect ears forward. Sensing danger, he pulls his ears back, bares his teeth and sticks out his tongue.

   The cruel laws of the pack
   In a pack where the leader keeps order, wolves usually do not fight among themselves. However, clashes often occur with strangers or lone wolves that have violated the border of possession. Each wolf pack hunts only on its own territory. The owners strictly guard and mark her, warning the neighbors to stay away. Any uninvited guest will be punished. In large packs, it often happens that a wolf is poisoned by all its relatives. Sometimes the outcast becomes completely unbearable, and he is forced to leave the pack.

   When wolves are especially dangerous
   In autumn and winter, the wolf becomes much more dangerous, as it constantly wanders around the still grazing herds and attacks both large and small livestock, however, it is wary of adult horses, cows and pigs when they are moving in a herd, and the wolves have not yet gathered in flocks. At the beginning of winter, he is getting closer and closer to villages and cities, and in small towns he hunts for dogs, which he loves very much and which often constitute his only prey in some places.

   Go in single file
   In winter, quite often, and in deep snow, almost always packs of wolves go in single file, and each animal, like Indians on a military trail, follows each other, stepping, if possible, on the same trail (lynxes do this too), so that even an experienced it is difficult for a hunter to know how many wolves a pack consists of.

   Distribution of responsibilities during hunting
   When wolves hunt in packs, they know how to distribute responsibilities among themselves very well: part of the pack chases after prey, while the other cuts its path and gnaws at it.

   Wolf vs bear
   In Russia, they say that hungry packs of wolves attack a bear and, after a long fight, will gnaw it. Observations of Kremenets confirm that wolves sometimes disturb the bear in his winter lair, chase wounded bears and try to capture the cubs.

   Attack people
   A pack of wolves, distraught with hunger, on occasion, of course, can attack people, even adults and armed; it may happen that wolves will both bite and devour a person, but in any case the danger from wolves in those countries where there are many of them is not at all as great as it is often imagined. A lone wolf rarely attacks an adult, even armed with only one club; such behavior can only be caused by special circumstances, for example, if the wolf is rabid or the she-wolf fears for her cubs.

   Sits in ambush for hours
   During the search for prey, the wolf approaches the chosen victim with all possible caution, imperceptibly sneaks up on the animal, grabs it by the throat with a dexterous jump and knocks it to the ground. On forest paths, he sometimes waits for hours at a time for prey, for example, a deer or roe deer, and in the steppe areas he patiently watches over a bobak hiding in a burrow in the same way. He follows the trail of the beast with unmistakable confidence.

   Hunting trick
   When hunting, wolves use cunning, making sure that the prey has gone far ahead, they stop pursuing, and when a deer or elk slows down, they attack it again. Often wolves refuse to attack the moose, which is actively defending itself, and leave to look for other prey. If the ungulate defends itself, and then tries to flee, this is a clear sign of weakness, the wolves pursue such a victim to the end.

   Wolves understand humans worse than dogs

   There is a unique genetic link between man and dog, which is inherited. Two containers were placed in front of the puppies and wolf cubs, one of which contained meat. Then the researchers made it clear to the animals in which food is hidden: the scientists indicated the "correct" container with gestures, touched or gazed at it. The puppies won a landslide victory - every time man's best friend "guessed" where the meat was, leaving the wolves no chance. Behavioral wolves are better adapted to wild habitats, where communication with people is not a top priority.

   Attacks the fox
   Foxes often fall prey to wolves. If the wolves meet a fox on the plain, then they try to surround it at once, and some set off in pursuit. But wolves only kill foxes, leaving them in place, and very rarely eat them. Many zoologists have noted this incomprehensible feature of the predator's behavior. There is a sign among hunters: where there are many wolves, foxes disappear

   Distracts from the herd of dogs
   Attacking a herd, wolves are very cunningly trying to distract dogs from it. When there are many wolves, and with the herd several dogs and shepherds, then some of the wolves attack the dogs, and the other - the sheep.

   They drive the ungulates to the crust
   In winter, wolves often drive ungulates to the present. The relative load on the track in wolves is 2 - 3 times less than in most ungulates. Therefore, the victims of wolves, running away along the crust, get tired very quickly, falling into deep snow, and often at the same time injure their feet on the sharp edges of the frozen snow.

   Ambushed or stumped
   Wolves are very good at finding their bearings. Many flocks constantly, from year to year, use the same areas of the territory to drive the victim to a dead end. Such dead ends can be tree heaps, a placer of stones or a dead end in the truest sense of the word - a sheer cliff or a deep gully in a ravine. Wolves often drive saigas into dried up lakes, where in autumn and spring the bottom softened by water turns into difficult-to-pass mud, and ungulates move with great difficulty. Getting into a dead end, the ungulates begin to rush, trying to escape from it. In rubble or heaps of stones, they often break limbs and then become easy prey for wolves.

   Long haunt the victim
   Often they can move behind the herd, not betraying their presence and waiting for a moment for decisive action. This passive pursuit can last for many days. Long-term active pursuit of the prey is not typical for wolves. As a rule, this is a short dash for several tens, less often - several hundred meters

   Wolves can mouse
   Like foxes, wolves can "mouse", hunting for small rodents and insectivores. After waiting until, for example, a vole appears on the surface, the wolf in a jump presses it down with its paw and eats it. This is a common hunting technique for solitary wolves, adults and young, in the summer. In the summer, the flock breaks up In the summer, when the parents feed the puppies, and the flock breaks up and the predators live alone or in small groups, the wolves eat insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and various mammals, on which they have also worked out skillful hunting techniques. More often than others, hares become victims of wolves.

   Wolf diet
   The basis of the wolf's diet is large ungulates - reindeer and red deer, elks, saigas, rams and goats, caribou, in the absence of which it hunts rodents, rabbits, and eats carrion. Where there are no ungulates, there are no or very few wolves. Wolves are also attracted to large concentrations of domestic animals. In areas of reindeer herding and sheep breeding, the presence of wolves is common.

   How much food does a wolf need
   A wolf needs at least 1.5 kg of feed per day, and much more - 2.3 kg - for successful reproduction. Wolves can go without food for two weeks or more. On average, wolves eat 4.5 kg of meat per day, and in case of successful prey they can eat even more - up to 9 kg. The wolf, due to its bloodthirstiness, did not exterminate many more animals than it needs to feed. Wolves kill young ungulates, or old and sick ones. Attacks on ungulates are especially frequent during the winter months, when the wolf has clear advantages when moving on the snow.

   In summer it feeds on fruits and berries
   In the summer, plant foods occupy a large place in the wolf's diet: fruits, berries, herbs. It was noted that blueberries were bitten by wolves in the vicinity of the family day on an area of \u200b\u200bmore than one hectare. The wolves nibbled the apical shoots along with the berries. The droppings of predators, numerous during the day, were everywhere painted in a soft blue color. The wolves regularly fed on mulberries and apples, many falling from trees.

   Storing feed
   A characteristic feature of the feeding behavior of wolves, like many other predators, is the storage of food. Once full, animals often bury pieces of meat. But they probably do not remember the exact place of the storeroom, but they remember the area where the victim was killed and eaten. Moving by shuttle, like a cop dog, wolves sense the storeroom by their instincts, and not necessarily their own.

   Howl
   It is believed that wolves howl to find out about the location of their family members, to announce the capture of prey, or simply from the desire to communicate with relatives. Under natural conditions, wolves usually howl in the late evening hours, less often at night and early in the morning. A wolf howl is heard at a distance of 10 km. Under artificial conditions, their sound activity can be strongly displaced, which depends on the general mode of activity of animals, due to the specifics of the diurnal dynamics of stimuli that stimulate consolidation motivation. In artificial conditions, the behavior of wolves is largely human-oriented. Contacts with him usually differ in a certain rhythm. For example, in the vivarium, wolves howled most often around noon, when people serving the animals usually passed by the enclosure. The wolves knew them well and reacted positively to them, as they regularly received random food from them. The expectation of people, their appearance and disappearance aroused the motivation of consolidation in the wolves. They began to whine and often the whining turned into a forehead, and then into a howl. During the year, wolves howl most often in winter, when flocking reaches its maximum. In winter, wolves keep the most close-knit and numerous groups, facilitating collective hunting for large ungulates. It is in winter that such hunts are especially characteristic of wolves. The activity of howling wolves also increases in late summer and early autumn, during the period of the development of the territory by puppies, when they begin to move especially widely across the family plot. But if in winter during the period of flocking, wolves are more characterized by a spontaneous group howl, then at the beginning of autumn - a single and evoked group.

   Shelter
   Wolves have no burrow, except for the den where the wolf breeds offspring. Usually the wolf curls up in a ball. covers the paws and nose with its tail and allows the snow to powder itself. The wolf's den is a burrow that is located high above the water level near a body of water. From the inside, it is not equipped with anything. The length of the tunnel is from 1.8 to 7.5 m, sometimes more. The wolf family has been returning to the same den for many years. The cubs leave the den at the age of 8 weeks.

   Wolf's lair
   Wolves lair in sheltered, well-protected areas. They can be sheds in rocks, deep cracks, niches, gullies in ravines, dead wood. Often, wolves use burrows of other animals for dens: foxes, polar foxes, badgers, marmots. Wolves expand alien holes and very rarely dig their own, choosing for this the soft, usually sandy ground of the Lair, as well as family days on which the cubs spend the first months of life, meet two requirements: the presence of shelters made of dense vegetation or microrelief and at the same time a good view of the area, allowing to detect danger. It is difficult to approach the lair of wolves unnoticed. As a rule, animals detect a person and have time to take cover before a person discovers them.

   Reproduction
   Only one pair per family enters reproduction, this happens in February, and in April 6-10 (usually 7) puppies are born. The eyes of wolf cubs open on the 9-12th day. At the end of the second week, they usually begin to respond to sounds, and after three weeks they first emerge from the nest and begin to taste meat at about the same time. In the neonatal period, the cubs are completely helpless. The mother helps them to toilet by licking under the tail. Puppies are not able to get to their feet at this time and move by crawling. They are constantly in bodily contact with the mother or with each other. The puppies sleep most of the time. The she-wolf carefully hides from prying eyes. If the family is in any danger, then the she-wolf transfers her cubs to another, more secluded place in the mouths in turn. In the early days, the she-wolf is constantly with the puppies. The wolf feeds her. He brings food in the stomach and regurgitates it to the female. Gradually, the she-wolf leaves the puppies alone, often and for a long time in search of food. According to Ya. K. Badridze's observations, the female leaves the cubs for 6.5 - 68 hours, that is, she can be absent for almost three days. The duration of the absence of the female strongly depends on the abundance of food in the vicinity of the den. The more accessible it is, the less time the she-wolf leaves the puppies. Usually, when the female leaves the den, the cubs are left alone, gathering in a heap to keep warm. The wolf is rarely in the den with them. But if the puppies crawl to the father, he does not drive them away, warming them with the warmth of his body. When the babies have grown up, the female leaves to hunt with the flock, and all family members feed the puppies, belching food for them. Growing up, puppies leave the den, but do not move away from it and stay nearby. Usually there is a lot of vegetation in this place and it is located near the water. Cubs learn to hunt by attacking mice and shrews. Young wolves grow until the third year and then become capable of breeding.

   Wolf mother
   does not show aggressiveness towards people close to her children. There are known cases when hunters took the whole brood from the den, put helpless puppies in a sack and carried them away, while the she-wolf watched restlessly at a distance and then accompanied the hunters to the village for several kilometers without attempting to attack.

   Near its nest, the wolf never hunts,
   that is why young roe deer and cubs often play together in the same clearing. The growing cubs can frolic in a completely open, well-visible place, but such a playground is necessarily adjoined either by dense thickets, or by a pile of stones and labyrinths of passages in rocks, ravines. In these shelters, wolf cubs, and adult wolves instantly "dissolve", not betraying their presence in any way.

   Foxes destroy wolf cubs
   A case of destruction by a male fox of a brood of wolves in the Badkhyz reserve in Turkmenistan is described. The cubs were about three weeks old, and they were left without parents for a long time, since the male for some reason was not there, and the she-wolf was forced to leave the den for a long time.

   Young wolves die
   Young wolves, whose mother has been killed, often disappear without a trace, and, in all likelihood, the stomachs of old wolves become their graves. If the cubs are not disturbed in their nest, then this should be attributed more to the vigilance of the mother than to the love of the father.

   Father wolves
   The father is involved in obtaining food for the young, but the question of this should be considered not yet resolved. Only later, when the young wolves grow up, the mother brings them to the old wolves, and they accept the babies into their society, always respond by howling at their screeching, teach, warn of danger and howl pitifully if the cubs die.

   How many wolves live
   Wolves can live 12-15 years; many of them die of hunger, others die from a multitude of diseases to which they are susceptible just like dogs.

   Wolves exterminated
   Under the influence of man, the wolf's range has sharply decreased over the past 200 - 250 years. Man exterminates the wolf, protecting herds of domestic animals, and drives it out of densely populated areas. There is currently no wolf in Japan or the British Isles. It was exterminated in France, Holland, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, throughout Central Europe.

   Rare beast
   In the northern hemisphere, the wolf is considered a rare animal and is listed on the CITES List (Appendix I) of India, Pakistan, Bhutan and Nepal and (Appendix II) in other countries. In North America, the gray wolf is an endangered species for Mexico and the 48 US states (with the exception of Minnesota, where the species is endangered). The protection of wolves is reduced to the preservation of the usual habitats of wolves, the prevention of its hybridization with domestic dogs and educational activities among the population, which has long been pursuing wolves.

   Norway is cleared of predatory animals

   The Association of Norwegian Forest Owners has announced its intention to seek the destruction of wolves in Norway, as well as to reduce the number of other large predators and bears, lynxes and wolverines.

   Wolves are exploring Swedish forests

   The number of wolves in Scandinavia began to decline rapidly in the early 20th century. By 1960, it was believed that they had completely disappeared. However, in the mid-1980s, wolves in Sweden suddenly reappeared. Scientists' research has shown that they came here, having traveled almost 1000 km from neighboring Finland. Periodic entry of new animals from the east contributes to the recovery of a small population, which is threatened with degeneration due to closely related crossing. Currently, there are about 100 wolves in Scandinavia, including 10 actively breeding groups.

   Wolf, wolves, about wolves, Falkland wolf, about Falkland wolf

   Wolves are highly adaptable animals that have habitats stretching almost all over the world (except for Antarctica and the islands); however, they are most numerous in the United States, Canada, and Arctic Russia. Wolves are social animals living in family groups called "packs". Some species prefer to hunt for prey and raise their puppies in the same territory, which they vehemently defend from other wolves. Other species, such as the tundra wolf, prefer a nomadic lifestyle and follow their migratory prey.

   Although wolves are most often associated with forests, in reality they also inhabit grasslands, mountainous areas, deserts and arctic regions of the planet. Wolves are better distributed in the remote regions of the Arctic, Russia and Canada, since there is much less competition with humans for the environment. Reintroduction programs in North America and recognition of their endangered status have allowed wolf populations that were once critically endangered to recover again. Found only in coastal North Carolina, the red wolf completely disappeared into the wild until the populations were reintroduced into their natural habitat thanks to a captive breeding program.

   Origin of the species and description

   The common wolf or gray wolf (from the Latin Canis lupus) belongs to the canine family. Together with, and a couple more species, they make up the genus of wolves. During the study of their DNA, it was revealed that the animal is the direct ancestor of the domestic dog, while the second is considered as a subspecies of the wolf.

   The most likely ancestor of the beast is Canis lepophagus, a canine with a narrow skull that existed in the Miocene period. After the extinction of borophages, in the course of evolution, C. lepophagus grew in size, the skull expanded. The fossil remains found in probably belong to the ancestor of all modern ones.

   Video: Gray Wolf

   The first gray wolves began to appear in the Pleistocene era, about two million years ago. Among them was the species Canis priscolatrans, which later evolved into C. mosbachensis, which outwardly is very similar to today's common wolves. About 500 thousand years ago, it evolved into Canis lupus.

   During the Holocene, the species settled in North America, where the dire wolf already lived. Due to the lack of large prey, the dire wolf became extinct about 8 thousand years ago. The appearance of the gray wolf caused competition for small and nimble prey, which accelerated the extinction process.

   The species has 37 subspecies according to the Mammal Species of the World and 38 according to the United Taxonomic Information Service, 13 of which are already extinct. Many populations were previously considered separate subspecies, but were later combined due to lack of genetic differences.

   Appearance and features

   

   A slender predator, with a powerful constitution, long legs, high withers. The neck is short and thick, the back is sloping, the head is relatively large with a wide forehead, the muzzle is short. The coat is tough; a dark stripe runs along the ridge, which is more pronounced in males. The color is gray, with brown and reddish shades. On the legs and belly, the color is lighter.

   Physique features:

   • body length - 100-160 cm;
   • tail length - 30-50 cm;
   • height at the withers - 75-90 cm;
   • weight - 35-70 kg;
   • weight in 1 year - 20-30 kg.

   Females are about 20% smaller and lighter. The size makes the animal one of the largest mammals in the family. Individuals reach adulthood at 2.5-3 years. By this time, they weigh about 50 kilograms. The inhabitants of Alaska are slightly larger, their weight is more than 70 kilograms.

   The animal is running with its head down. One ear is alert forward, the other back. When walking, the tail hangs down; when running, it is raised to the level of the back. The tracks are similar in shape to those of a dog, but larger, claw prints are more visible. Track length 10-12 centimeters. Unlike canine fingers, wolf fingers are kept in a "ball".

   Interesting fact: When walking, especially when jogging, the animal steps on the trail. The hind feet follow exactly the footprint of the front feet. Traces are arranged in a straight line.

   The skull is massive, the nostrils are wide. There are 42 sharp teeth in the mouth, which can withstand a load of about 10 megapascals. Loss of teeth for a predator is fatal and leads to starvation. According to the expressive face of the beast, scientists distinguish more than 10 types of mood - anger, anger, fun, threat, affection, alertness, fear, calmness.

   Where does the gray wolf live?

   

   In terms of habitat, the range of animals in the past ranked second after humans. This was most of the Northern Hemisphere. In our time, the places of residence of wolves have been greatly reduced. Today the beast is distributed in many European regions, in North America, on the peninsula.

   The northern border of the area is the coast of the Arctic Ocean. South - 16 degrees north latitude. Animals live in various landscapes, but emit,. Dense forest areas are avoided. The largest subspecies are found in the tundra, small ones inhabit the southern regions.

   In mountainous areas it occupies places from the foot to the alpine. They prefer open areas. They can settle near human habitation. In the taiga, it spread along the cutting strip of the taiga zone. Animals mark the boundaries of their plots with urine and feces.

   The territory occupied by one flock is 30-60 kilometers. In late spring-early summer, when the flock breaks up, the occupied zone is also fragmented. The best area goes to the main couple. In the steppes and tundra, you can often find individuals wandering behind herds of domestic animals or deer.

   When breeding offspring, natural shelters are usually used - thickets of bushes, crevices in rocks, burrows of other animals. Sometimes predators dig them on their own. After the cubs grow up, the family ceases to use the den; they settle in other safe places for a shelter.

   Now you know where does the gray wolf live... Let's see what this predator eats.

   What does the gray wolf eat?

   

   Wolves are inveterate predators. Food is obtained by active hunting, in pursuit of victims.

   In different regions, wolves are fed by different animals:
   

   • tundra -;
   • forest belt -,;
   • steppes and deserts -.

   Often the beast can be caught hunting livestock - cows, sheep, and sometimes. In the absence of large prey, they catch. In summer, they will not fail to destroy a bird's nest and feast on eggs or small chicks. Sometimes they can pull out a domestic goose from a flock.

   It happens that corsacs become the prey of an animal. Particularly hungry individuals can disturb the bear in the den. They will not disdain to eat the corpse of livestock, sick animals, weakened by a fight, shot by hunters. In a hungry season, they tend to return to the remnants of prey.

   Interesting fact: There is a known case when a pack of wolves killed a young one.

   On the seashore, they feed on the carcasses of the dead, washed ashore. A hungry animal without hesitation will attack, or a large one. Southern residents include berries, fruits, and sometimes mushrooms in their diet. In the steppes, they organize raids on melons and watermelons to quench their thirst, tormenting them in hot weather. Moreover, they do not eat the first watermelon they come across, but gnaw until they find a ripe one.

   Features of character and lifestyle

   

   They lead a nightlife. They make a loud howl to announce their presence. With the help of it, individuals communicate with each other at long distances, howl allows you to recognize each other, claim rights to their possessions, and care for their future partner.

   When hunting, wolves behave quietly, without making unnecessary sounds. Of all the senses in mammals, hearing is the most developed, followed by sense of smell, vision - in third place. Reflexes and mental functions are well developed and are perfectly combined with agility, strength, speed and other data that increase the chances of survival.

   Wolves can not only howl, but also growl, yapping, squealing, barking. In the pack, the signal to attack is issued by the leader. The others join him. This sound is similar to the growl of an angry dog \u200b\u200bready to charge. Most of the howling is heard in the evening or at night, but not daily. Collective howling refers to a sign of being in society.

   Interesting fact: Naturalist writer F. Mowet met in the Canadian tundra with an Eskimo named Utek, who understood the voice messages sent by wolves to each other.

   Smell allows creatures to hear prey up to 3 kilometers away. Their nose is 14 times larger than a human's, but their scent is 100 times better. Humans distinguish 5 million shades of smell, while wolves distinguish 200 million. Most of the information for the beast comes through smells.

   Predators never hunt near their den. In search of prey, they go 8-10 kilometers from home. Animals are capable of speeds of 50-60 km / h. During the night, they can cover 70-80 kilometers. To accelerate, they need 4 meters to race at full speed.

   Social structure and reproduction

   

   Gray wolves are different. They have a family lifestyle. The flock can contain from 3 to 40 individuals. It consists of an alpha male, an alpha female, their children and relatives. The couple will exist until one of the partners dies. Cubs of one litter do not mate, instinct makes them look for a mate in another flock.

   The breeding season is in January-April. As the partners of the alpha pair aggressively defend each other from other individuals, tensions hover in the pack. Males revolve around lone she-wolves. Often there are fights for females, often with a lethal outcome.

   Once a pair is formed, the partners immediately look for a suitable place for future offspring. At this time, the male and female flirt with each other, rub their sides. As soon as the she-wolf is in heat, pheromones are secreted with her urine, signaling the male to mate.

   Pregnancy lasts about 2 months. At one time, from 3 to 13 blind babies are born. After two weeks, they begin to see. First, the cubs feed on their mother's milk, then the parents regurgitate meat for them. Then killed victims are brought. The whole flock is involved in this process.

   By the end of summer, cubs begin to hunt. Although parents zealously protect their children, up to 80% of the offspring die in the first year. Females become sexually mature at 2 years, males at 3. Old age begins at 10-12 years. The average life expectancy is 15 years.

   Natural enemies of the gray wolf

   

   Forest orderlies have very few natural enemies. Skirmishes can occur between wolves and lynxes, bears. Sometimes during the hunt, predators can be fatally injured by a moose or horse. Hunger is one of the main enemies. Both adults and puppies die from it.

   But the main threat comes from humans. Previously, people were afraid of predators because of their defenselessness in front of them. But now, in the age of civilization, wolves have remained outside the law. They attack humans very rarely, except in cases of rabies, but they are direct food competitors of humans, sometimes attacking livestock.