How wolves eat in the wild. Is the wolf a terrible beast or a calculating animal? Other misconceptions about wolves

The wolf is by nature a predatory canine. The wolf is larger than the dog. The length of its body, including the tail, reaches one hundred and sixty centimeters, and its height is up to ninety centimeters, and its weight is up to sixty-two kilograms. By studying DNA and genes, the wolf is the ancestor of the common domestic dog. There are even dogs with the color of wolves, if you see one in the forest by chance, you can get very scared and then tell everyone that you saw a wolf.

Previously, there were much more wolves than now, and all due to the fact that the natural landscape has changed, urbanization and, of course, extermination. There are territories where wolves are on the verge of extinction altogether. On the continents to the north, the wolf population remains more stable. Despite the fact that there are fewer and fewer wolves, there are places where they pose a danger to villagers and livestock. Therefore, the wolf hunt is still open for fun and entertainment.

Wolves usually feed on animals: domestic and wild. These can be wild boars, horses, moose, deer, cows, as well as hares, muskrats, beavers, marmots, mice. If the wolf does not find such food, then it can even feed on lizards and frogs. If the wolf is very hungry, he can eat twelve kilograms of meat in one meal. If he has not finished his food, then he will definitely hide it in a secluded place. And if he gets hungry, he always comes to his secluded hiding place and eats up the remains of the hidden meat. On the ground, the wolf is mainly oriented with the help of hearing and smell, because vision in wolves is poorly developed, but still the wolf sees better at night than the dog. The wolf is well developed conditioned reflexesso he adapts well and quickly to the situation.

Usually wolves hunt only wild animals, but from lack of food they can also hunt domestic animals, even dogs. And so the main food for wolves is mainly sheep, those, calves, roe deer, goats. If the wolf is old or sick, due to injuries and worn teeth, he goes where the prey is easy for him. For example, having run into the village, he lures the dogs, and then pretends to run away, naturally the dog runs after him, and at that moment he turns around and attacks her.

Both in summer and in winter, they keep on hunting grounds, where you can constantly enjoy the caught prey. More active wolves at night. When they attack, they try to slaughter several animals at once. There are times when wolves split into two packs, one sits in ambush and the other attacks. And when chasing, one flock runs on the heels, and the other runs across the path or slowly trails in behind, and then, when the flock gets tired, they begin to run after the herd until the prey is exhausted and they catch it.

Wolves (females) reproduce after sixty days of pregnancy and at one time bring from three to thirteen blind wolf cubs, which only see their sight on the twelfth or thirteenth day. When the cubs grow up, their parents feed them from the eaten meat by belching, and then by the killed prey. Usually, the whole flock takes part in feeding the little wolf cubs. Then, when the cubs grow up, they begin to actively take part in the hunt along with the rest of the adult wolves.

In nature, wolves live up to fifteen years, but at ten or twelve years they show the first signs of old age. Wolves are in heat once a year, unlike domestic animals, they are in heat twice a year. Thanks to this, the cubs are born. warm spring, when there is more than enough food. But despite this, the wolf cubs survive a little, about sixty percent of the little wolf cubs do not survive.

Of course, the appearance of this animal does not require a detailed description, I think that almost all people know what a wolf looks like. In most zoos in our country, there is definitely an aviary where at least one wolf lives. The image and habits of these animals often confuse people.

I saw wolves, as in wildlifeand at the zoo. Wolves are very proud and dignified animals. Well, now I will tell you what they eat.

What does the wolf eat

The wolf is a predator and belongs to the canine family. These are large enough animals that can weigh up to eighty kilograms.

What the wolf eats:

• musk oxen;
• deer;
• wild boars;
• pheasants;
• guinea fowl, etc.

When large prey is not available to the wolf, it can feast on lizards, frogs, beetles, small rodents. There is no need to be picky about it.

IN summer period wolves can eat berries and mushrooms. The wolves that live near sea \u200b\u200bcoasts, sometimes feed on carcasses of seals if they are washed ashore. Like most predators, wolves hunt at night and rest during the day. These animals have an excellent sense of smell and excellent hearing.

I will tell you six interesting facts about these animals:

1. It is very easy to calculate the leader of a pack of wolves, he always goes in front with a raised tail.
2. The wolf is a fairly fast animal, it can reach speeds of up to sixty-five kilometers per hour.
3. As a rule, a wolf travels about eighty kilometers per night.
4. During the harsh winter, wolves can eat weak wolves or dead pack members. Such is animal cannibalism.
5. Some people keep wolves as pets.
6. Wolves have blue eyes at birth.

Where wolves live

These animals can live in different landscapes. But they prefer steppes, semi-desert and tundra. These animals try to avoid dense forests.

Wolves live in packs. This "gray wanderer" can be found on the territory of Russia. But in recent decades, the habitat of these animals has narrowed enough, technical progress is to blame.

The wolf is one of the most famous representatives of the canine family. His closest relative is a domestic dog, which descended from him. This is a rather large representative of its kind, compared to the coyote and jackal. Its weight can be up to 80 kg, and its body length can reach 160 cm.

The population of wolves has significantly decreased and now they can be found only in some regions of Eurasia and North America... It was people who caused great damage to the habitat of wolves, changing natural landscapes, building cities and ruthlessly exterminating them.

Wolves settle mainly in small forests, semi-deserts, steppes and tundra. If they choose forests, then bordering on open spaces. They prefer not to go deep into the forest. These animals lead a sedentary lifestyle. The territory in which they live can occupy from 30 to 60 kilometers. They roam only if the prey moves from their habitat to new territories.

Wolves most often live in pairs or families. One family can have up to 40 individuals. All of them are relatives of each other, or loners are accepted into the flock. In winter, small families can form flocks. There is a hierarchy among wolves. The alpha female and the alpha male are considered the main ones, then their older offspring, single wolves, and the last offspring of the dominant pair close the circle. In summer and spring, the flock breaks up to produce offspring and the territory for prey is divided into equal parts between the representatives of the flock.

What does a wolf eat?

The wolf is a reborn predator. Its main prey in the wild are artiodactyls: deer, moose, wild boars, musk oxen, roe deer, and antelopes. In addition, the wolf loves to feast on birds such as: pheasant, guinea fowl, partridge, wild geese and ducks. The animal does not disdain their chicks and eggs. Wolves also hunt for small prey: hares, lemmings, voles and other small rodents. In difficult times, they can eat locusts, beetles, lizards, frogs and other reptiles. Wolves living near the sea coasts willingly eat carcasses of seals and other marine life thrown ashore. In addition, predators can return to the remnants of their feasts. In summer, wolves eat wild fruits, fruits, various berries, mushrooms in the forest. In arid regions and steppes, they often make forays into fields with melons and watermelons, not so much to eat, but to quench their thirst.

Predators are more active at night, not living during the day and they often hunt at the same time of day, since prey is more vulnerable and easy to catch. A keen sense of smell and good hearing helps to search for prey.

Wolves often arrange their hunt for domestic animals: sheep, deer, geese, chickens and other animals.

For some reason from the dogs I like only shepherds and Siberian huskies. Maybe because they resemble natural animals - wolves!

Let's get to know briefly interesting facts about these animals. Almost all photos are clickable before 1920 px

Gray wolves are slender, have a powerful constitution with a large, deep-set chest and a sloping back. Stomach gray wolf retracted, muscular neck. Their limbs are long and reliable, with relatively small paws. Each front paw has five toes, and the hind paws have four. Females, as a rule, have a narrow muzzle and forehead, a thin neck, her legs are slightly shorter than that of males, and less massive shoulders. Wolves very strong for their size, strong enough to turn a horse or frozen moose carcasses.

Overall, gray wolves are the largest animals in the Canidae family, besides some large rocks domestic dogs.

The length of an adult gray wolf is 105-160 cm, the height of the animal at the shoulder is 80-85 cm. The weight of the wolf varies in different geographical areas; on average, the European wolf can weigh 38.5 kg, the North American wolf 36 kg, and the Indian and Arabian wolves 25 kg. Female wolves tend to weigh 5-10 kg less than males. Wolves weighing more than 54 kg are rare, but exceptionally large individuals have been recorded in Alaska, Canada, and the former Soviet Union.

Gray wolves can run at a speed of 56-64 km / h, and can run nonstop for more than 20 minutes, although not necessarily at the same speed. In cold climates, wolves can reduce blood flow to retain body heat. The warmth of the lower legs is regulated independently of the rest of the body, and is kept at a level just above the point where the legs come into contact with ice and snow. The head of the gray wolf is large and heavy. The ears are comparatively small and triangular. As a rule, they resemble German shepherds and huskies in body configuration.

In general, gray wolves are the largest of the Canidae family, apart from some large domestic dog breeds.
In winter, gray wolves have a very dense and fluffy coat, with a short undercoat and long protective hairs. Most of the undercoat falls in the spring and grows back in the fall. Winter wool is very cold resistant; wolves in northern countries can safely stay in open areas at -40 °, placing their muzzle between their hind legs and covering it with their tail. Wolf's coat provides better insulation than dog's coat and does not collect ice.

Their sense of smell is poorly developed compared to some breeds of hunting dogs. Because of this, they rarely catch hidden hares and birds, although they can easily track down prey on fresh tracks.

A wolf pack consists of a male, female and cubs. As a rule, wolves rarely accept strangers into their flock and often kill them. However, during a threat, for example, in times of large numbers of artiodactyls, several flocks can unite for better protection. In areas with few wolves, the wolf is usually monogamous. Usually, the pair persists for life until one of the wolves dies. However, after the death of one of the wolves, the pair quickly recovers with the help of the others. In the wild, wolves can breed from the age of two. Females can bring their young once a year. Mating usually takes place at the end of winter. Gestation lasts 62-75 days, and the cubs are usually born in the summer. The average litter consists of 5-6 pups. Cubs are born blind and deaf, and are covered with short, soft, grayish brown fur. At birth, they weigh 300-500 grams. During the first month, they feed on their mother's milk. After 3 weeks, the cubs leave the den for the first time. At 1.5 months of age, they are already able to flee from danger. They start eating solid foods at 3-4 weeks of age. During the first four months of life, cubs grow very quickly: during this time, the weight of the cub can increase almost 30 times.

Wolves are very territorial animals. They defend their territory from other packs by marking the territory with their scent, direct attacks and howling.

Wolves mainly feed on ungulates (sometimes 10-15 times larger than themselves). They hunt marmots, hares, badgers, foxes, ferrets, ground squirrels, mice, hamsters, voles and other rodents, as well as insectivores. Wolves can also readily feed on carrion, especially during nutritional deficiencies. They often eat waterfowl, lizards, snakes, frogs, toads, and rarely large insects. During the harsh winter, packs often attack weak or wounded wolves, they may even eat the bodies of dead pack members.

Wolves usually dominate predators.
The body language of wolves consists of various expressions of the muzzle, the position of the tail. An aggressive or defensive wolf is characterized by slow and deliberate movements, high posture and raised coat, calm wolves have a calm posture, smooth coat, drooping ears and tail. With the help of howling, wolves gather a flock (usually before and after a hunt), transmit information, find each other during a storm or in unfamiliar territory, and communicate over long distances.

Although dogs and wolves are genetically very close, they usually do not voluntarily interbreed in the wild. But, nevertheless, they can produce viable offspring, and all subsequent generations will also be able to have offspring.

The gray wolf was once the most abundant mammal in the world, living north of 15 ° N. in North America and 12 ° N in Eurasia. Wolves tend to have difficulty adapting to humans and human changes, and are therefore often referred to as indicator species. Wolves, it seems, will not be able to adapt as easily to the expansion of civilization as, for example, coyotes did. Despite the fact that gray wolves are not threatened with extinction, in some places the population of wolves is still under threat.

Because wolves travel long distances, they can play an important role in the spread of disease. Infectious diseases spread by wolves include brucellosis, tularemia, listeriosis, and anthrax. Wolves can also suffer from rabies. But, as a rule, if the first symptoms of the disease appear, the wolf leaves its pack, thus preventing the spread of the disease.

The damage done by wolves to animal husbandry has been one of the main reasons for hunting wolves, and this can pose a serious problem for the conservation of the wolf population. Wolves, as a rule, are not dangerous to humans, as long as there are few of them, they have sufficient food, they rarely meet people and sometimes hunt. Cases of attacks by wolves on humans are rare, but such attacks were frequent in the early 20th century.

As you know, wolves are difficult to hunt because of their elusiveness, keen senses and the ability to quickly kill hunting dogs. When hunting wolves with dogs, greyhounds, hounds and fox terriers are usually used. Greyhounds chase and block the wolves until the heavier dogs arrive and do most of the fighting.

Wolf skins are mainly used for scarves and decoration women's clothingalthough they are also sometimes used in short raincoats, coats, and carpets. Hunting wolves because of their fur has little effect on their population, since only northern wolf species (whose numbers are stable) have commercial value. Wolf hunting for fur remains a lucrative source of income for many Native Americans.

Keeping wolves as pets is becoming more and more popular. In the US alone, according to various estimates, between 80,000 and 2 million wolves live in homes. Wolves can be less predictable and less controllable than dogs. A cub under one year of age is usually not aggressive towards strangers, although their aggression increases with age, especially during the mating season. Males can be more aggressive and more difficult to control than females. Wolves are difficult to keep in standard nurseries, as they can quickly learn how to open valves just by observing how people do it.

Although wolves are trainable, they lack the pliability of dogs. They tend to react differently to coercive methods than dogs; they become fearful, irritable, and resistant. Even when a certain behavior has been repeated several times, the wolf can become bored and ignore subsequent commands. When training a wolf, simple praise is not enough. Unlike dogs, wolves tend to be more responsive to hand signals than voice.

Under certain weather conditions wolves can hear sounds at a distance of 9 kilometers in the forest, and 16 kilometers. in an open area.

The Vikings wore wolf skins and drank wolf blood before the battle, which they took with them to raise their fighting spirit.

The earliest depictions of wolves are found in caves in southern Europe, over 20,000 years old.
A wolf cannot be tamed and made a guard dog, he is afraid of strangers and will hide from them, and not bark.

The autoimmune disease "lupus", or tuberculosis of the skin, literally means "red wolf" because in the eighteenth century, doctors believed that the disease developed after a wolf bite.

Wolves distinguish about 200 million shades of smell, humans only 5 million. The wolf family is able to smell other animals at a distance of 1.5 kilometers.

The eyes of wolf puppies are always blue at birth. They only turn yellow by eight months.

The gestation period of a she-wolf is about 65 days. Wolf puppies are born deaf and blind, and weigh only half a kilogram.

Wolves were once the most common terrestrial predators, the only places where they did not live are deserts and rainforests.

The tremendous pressure is created by the teeth in the wolf's mouth, about 300 kilograms per square centimeter (compared to 150 kg / cm ^ 2 for a dog).

The population of the North American gray wolf in 1600 was 2 million. Today, there are no more than 65,000 of them left in North America.

A hungry wolf can eat 10 kilograms of meat in one sitting, it's as if a person ate a hundred hamburgers in one sitting.

A wolf pack can consist of two or three individuals, and maybe ten times more
Wolves evolved from ancient animals called "Mesocyon", which lived about 35 million years ago. It was a small dog-like animal with short legs and a long body. Perhaps they, like wolves, lived in packs.

Wolves can swim up to 13 kilometers, helping themselves when moving in the water with small membranes between their toes.

Between 1883 and 1918, more than 80,000 wolves were killed in the US state of Montana alone.

Adolf Hitler (whose name means "leading wolf") was fascinated by wolves and sometimes demanded to be called "Mister Wolf" or "conductor Wolf" as a pseudonym. "Wolf Gorge" (Wolfsschlucht), "Wolf's Lair" (Wolfschanze) and "Werewolf" (Wehrwolf) were Hitler's codenames for various military headquarters.

In the 1600s, Ireland was called "Wolfland" because there were so many wolves there at the time. Wolf hunting was the most popular sport among the nobility, who used wolfhounds to locate the wolf and kill it.

Biologists have found that wolves will react to people mimicking wolf howls. It's strange if it were different ...

In 1927, a French police officer was convicted of shooting a boy whom he believed to be a werewolf. In the same year, the last wild wolf was killed in France.

When Europeans sailed to North America, the wolf became among them the most popular game of hunting animals in American history. These animals were on the verge of extinction at the beginning of the 20th century. The US federal government even adopted a program to eradicate wolves in the western states in 1915.

Dire wolves ("canis dirus") - one of the representatives of prehistoric wolves that lived in North America about two million years ago. They hunted mainly for prey of such sizes as mammoths.

Wolves can run at a speed of 32 km / h for a minute or two, and in moments of danger or pursuit - up to 56 km / h. It is noticed that during the day they run "trot" (about 8 km / h) and can travel at this speed throughout the day.

The smallest representatives of wolves live in the Middle East, where they reach a mass of no more than 30 kilograms. The largest wolf individuals live in Canada, Alaska, and in Russia, where they gain weight up to 80 kilograms.

Wolves howl to communicate with disunited members of their group to rally before the hunt, or to warn rivals of other packs to stay away from them. Lone wolves howl to attract partners or simply because they are alone. In fact, the wolf howl lasts no more than 5 seconds, just because of the echo it seems that the sound is longer.

The reflective layer in the eyes of the wolf is called "tapetum lucidum" (Latin for "bright tapestry"), it glows in the dark, and also contributes to night vision in the animal.

Where wolves live, crows (sometimes called "wolf birds") are often found. The crows partly follow the packs of wolves to peck the remains of the hunt, and also use the wolves as protection.

According to Pliny the Elder, a first-century Greek scientist, the she-wolf of tongues rubs the gums of puppies to relieve pain when they appear. He also believed that wolf manure could be used to treat stomach cramps and cataracts.

The Aztecs used wolf liver in the treatment of melancholy as an ingredient in medicines. They also stabbed the dying man's chest with a sharpened wolf bone in an attempt to delay the date of death.

During the Middle Ages, Europeans used wolf liver powders to relieve pain during childbirth.

The Greeks believed that if someone ate the meat of a wolf that kills lambs, then he was at high risk of becoming a vampire.

The Cherokee Indians did not hunt wolves, because they believed that the brothers of the slain would take revenge on them. In addition, the weapon that killed the wolf was considered “tainted”.

The British King Edgard imposed a special annual tax of 300 skins for Wales, as a result of which the Welsh wolf population was quickly destroyed.

In 1500, the last wild wolf was killed in England, in 1700 in Ireland, and in 1772 on Danish soil.

Germany became the first country to place the wolf population under conservation laws in 1934. Under the influence of Friedrich Nietzsche (born 1844-d.1900) and Oswald Spengler (born 1880-d.1936), society became convinced that natural predators matter much more than their value after being killed. By the way, in Germany all wild wolves were exterminated by the middle of the nineteenth century.

Unlike other animals, wolves possess a range of distinctive facial movements that they use to communicate and maintain relationships within a pack.

In Japanese, the word wolf is characterized as "great god."
6,000 to 7,000 wolf skins are still sold annually around the world. They are supplied mainly from the outside

Russia, Mongolia and China, and are most often used for sewing coats.

In India, simple wolf traps are still used. These traps are pits disguised with branches and leaves. Wolves fall into a hole on sharp stakes, and people finish them off with stones from above.

Wolves were the first animals to come under the Endangered Act in 1973.

The famous poem by John Milton "Lycidas" gets its name from the Greek "wolf cub" lykideus.

In the world of Harry Potter, there was a werewolf Remus Lupine, whose name is directly related to the Latin word "lupus", but the surname most likely comes from Remus, the founder of Rome, who was fed by wolves.

The last wolf in Yellowstone Park was killed in 1926. In 1995, people managed to resume the wolf population, and after ten years, approximately 136 wolves roam the park, huddled in 13 packs.

There are currently about 50,000 wolves in Canada and Alaska, 6,500 in the United States. On the European continent, in

Italy - less than 300, Spain about 2000, Norway and Sweden - less than 80. There are about 700 wolves in Poland, and 70 thousand in Russia.

Wolves never miss a chance to eat. Often, living in the harshest corners of the planet, wolves often eat their wounded or sick relatives. In addition, a wolf caught in a trap should be picked up by hunters as soon as possible, as there is a very high risk that other wolves will find it and eat it.

Some wolves can weigh up to 100 kg. The size of wolves grows exponentially with distance from the equator. Tropical wolves are often the same size as regular dogs, but wolves far north on average exceed a weight of 60 kg.

In 2008, researchers at Stanford University found that mutations associated with the appearance of black fur are found only in dogs, so black wolves are nothing more than descendants of hybrids. These wolves are most often found in North America.

In areas where wolves were subject to mass extermination, coyotes flourished. Recent studies have shown that 22% of all North American coyotes are descendants of wolves. Such animals are usually larger than normal coyotes, but smaller than wolves, and are also extremely cunning. They combine the absence of fear of humans and pronounced wolf instincts and a high level of aggression.

Although wolves are not the main carriers of rabies, they can easily catch it from raccoons and foxes. Unlike other animals, which, when infected, fall into lethargy and become disoriented, wolves instantly become enraged. Most cases of attacks on humans are provoked precisely by rabies. And the desire of wolves to bite the neck or head often leads to the fact that the rabies virus enters the human brain much earlier than medical assistance is provided.

America's wolves are less likely to attack humans than their other brethren. Historical records show over 3,000 people killed by wolves in France between 1580-1830. The wolves of India and Russia keep up with them. In contrast, in the United States and Canada, there are very few officially confirmed wolf attacks.

Despite their close relationship, wolves perceive dogs mainly as prey. In Russia, at one time, stray dogs served as a staple food for wolves.

The plague that devastated Europe in the Middle Ages caused tensions between humans and wolves. In those days, corpses were destroyed much faster by wolves, and not by fire or burial under the ground. These "burial" methods have instilled the taste of human blood into generations of wolves. Probably, from that time on, wolves have included human meat in their "menu".

The wolf, perhaps, is not just a predatory animal from the canid family that lives in our forests, but already a whole archetypal image, well known to us from the earliest years, at least from children's fairy tales, cartoons, where he, as a rule, personifies a negative, evil character , who wants to feast on, then Little Red Riding Hood, then three piglets, then some other fabulous animal. In fact, from antiquity, the attitude of people to the wolf was ambiguous, it was either revered (at the same time feared), then demonized, we see an echo of this demonization in many children's tales. The very name of this beast "wolf" is consonant in many languages \u200b\u200bfor a reason, the English "wolf", "Bulgarian" vylk, Serbian "vuk", our Ukrainian "vovk" probably comes from the Old Slavic word "vylk" meaning to drag, drag, that, dragging off the prey, the wolf dragged it in front of him, hence its name.

Wolf ancestors

According to the theory of evolution, the ancestor of the wolf was such a canis lepophagus - an ancient mammal that resembles a coyote and lives in North America. Over time, the ancestor of the wolf increased in size, including the size of the skull. The oldest representative of the wolf family, already similar to the modern wolf, was found during the study of an early pleistocyte that existed 1.8 million years ago. Although he was only similar to the modern wolf, which is somewhat later - from a million to 150 thousand years ago.

In general, zoologists have discovered as many as four genealogical trees of wolves: African, Himalayan, Indian and Tibetan lines. The Himalayan line of them is the most ancient, which means that the Himalayan wolf is the most venerable representative of the wolf order, its appearance took place about a million years ago. The Tibetan wolf is conditionally "the youngest", since it appeared "only" 150 thousand years ago.

Wolf - description, structure, characteristics. What does a wolf look like?

All wolves are notorious predators, there are no options here, moreover, predators are rather large, the largest are gray and polar wolves: their height reaches 85 cm, body length is 150-160 cm, this is excluding the tail, weight is 85-90 kg ... At the same time, the harsher the habitat, the larger the animal, it is not for nothing that the largest representatives of the wolf family live in the Siberian taiga.

The smallest wolves are Arabian, their maximum height does not exceed 66 cm, and the average weight is only 10 kg. Also, in general, in all wolves, females are slightly smaller than males.

Outwardly, wolves look like dogs, which is not surprising, because they are their distant relatives.

The wolf's mouth has 42 teeth, including four canines, which serve the owner for tearing prey to pieces, grinding bones, and the canines are excellent for dragging the victim.

Interesting fact: all wolves are born gobug-eyed, but by the third month their eyes become orange or golden yellow. Although there are wolves that remain blue-eyed.

The fur of the wolf is thick and two-layer, it perfectly protects them from the cold in the cold conditions of the same tundra or taiga, moreover, it has a waterproof down.

Coat colors can be different colors, depending on the type of wolf and its habitat, there are a variety of variations of gray, white, brown and black colors. There are also red wolves. Color often helps them blend in with their surroundings.

Perhaps you know the proverb "the wolf's legs are fed", it also has a scientific and zoological basis, since the legs really feed him, and for this reason they are perfectly developed, they allow him to move long distances in search of food. Usually wolves move at a trot at an average speed of 10 km per hour, but the speed of a wolf chasing prey can reach 65 km per hour.

The wolf's eyesight is not the strongest quality, it is not very developed, moreover, it does not distinguish colors, but this deficiency is more than compensated for by excellent hearing and especially charm - it can smell prey 3 km away, in general, its nose distinguishes millions of tints of smell.

Also another characteristic feature wolves are their famous howl, which actually has a practical meaning for them - wolves do not just fight on the moon (as it was previously thought), but in such a simple way inform the pack members of their location, and at the same time drive off strangers.

How a wolf differs from a dog

A wolf differs from a dog, first of all, in more powerful paws, an elongated muzzle, set eyes and, of course, sharper teeth with sharp fangs.

How many wolves live

The life span of a wolf is 8 to 16 years. In captivity, it can reach up to 20 years, the fact is that in the wild, old wolves that are not capable of hunting with the same prowess die faster than, say, in a zoo, where they are guaranteed to be fed.

Where wolves live

Unfortunately, in our time, the wolf's habitat has noticeably decreased; in past times, wolves lived throughout Eurasia and North America, where humans lived. For example, historical chronicles testify that during the hundred-year war between England and France there was such a strong devastation and desolation that wolves appeared even on the streets of Paris. Now, of course, you are unlikely to be able to meet a wolf not only in the vicinity of Paris but also in other cities, they remained in small numbers in wild places, including our Carpathians, in the Siberian taiga.

Wolves are social animals that live in packs, which necessarily have a pair of leaders: a male and a female. The rest of the pack: the offspring of the leaders, their relatives or the joined lone wolves obey a strict hierarchy. A pack of wolves has its own plot of territory, amounting to 300 square kilometers, which they mark with special scent marks that serve as a warning to alien wolves.

What does the wolf eat

Wolves are excellent hunters, and they are equally successful in hunting, both in packs and individually. Many herbivores are their prey in the forest: moose, deer, roe deer, saigas, antelopes, hares, and ground squirrels. At the same time, wolves are a kind of useful orderlies of the forest, because old, weak, sick animals first of all get to them for lunch, thus natural selection takes place. An interesting feature wolf is its practical habit of hiding surplus meat in reserve.

Types of wolves, photos and names

Let's describe the most interesting types of wolves in our opinion.

He is the Himalayan wolf, as we mentioned above, is the oldest of the wolf order, since it appeared a million years ago. Outwardly, he combines the features of a wolf and a jackal. It is 76-110 cm long and weighs 17-21 kg. Has a short, pointed muzzle and large ears. The color is red. Also, its distinctive feature from other wolves is the smaller number of teeth. The red wolf lives in Asia: from the Altai mountains to the Tien Shan, but most of them live in the Himalayan mountains, in the south of Iran, in India and Pakistan. It usually feeds on various small animals. It is on the verge of extinction.

A unique representative of the wolf kingdom, its other name is guara or aguarachay, which translates as "short-tailed golden dog". It has long hair on the back of the neck, which forms a thick mane. Outwardly, it is very similar to a fox. The length of his body is approximately 125-130 cm, weight is 20 kg. Lives exclusively on the plains, feeds on rodents, rabbits, armadillos. The habitat of the maned wolf - South America: Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay.

He is also the North American forest wolf, lives in North America, especially in Canada - from Ontario to Quebec. It is interesting that it does not have its own classification, some scientists consider it to be a hybrid of a gray wolf with a red wolf or a coyote. Its height reaches 80 cm, body weight - 40 kg.

Common wolf

He is a gray wolf - the same kind of wolf, which is ubiquitous, starting with children's fairy tales. It is one of the largest representatives of the wolf kingdom and also one of the most formidable predators of our temperate latitudes. The habitat of the gray wolf is wide - the territory of Eurasia and North America, everywhere in the deaf and wild forests you can meet this formidable predator.

It is a hybrid of a gray wolf and a coyote. Red wolves are smaller than their gray relatives, but larger than coyotes, their size reaches 79 cm, weight - 40 kg. It also differs in greater slenderness, more elongated ears, but shorter fur. They especially like to hunt hares and other small rodents, but they can attack more big booty... The red wolf lives in the eastern United States, in Texas, Louisiana, and this is one of the most rare species wolves on the ground. Now, unfortunately, it is on the verge of extinction.

This wolf species inhabiting the tundra is the least studied. Outwardly, it is similar to its closest relative, the polar wolf, but not so large, its average weight is only 42-49 kg. Like polar relatives, they have a white coat, which helps to blend perfectly with the white snowy landscape of the tundra itself.

It is also one of the largest representatives of the wolf family, living in the extreme northern regions of our planet. It has a white color, the weight of a polar wolf can reach 95 kg. Likes to feast on both small and larger Arctic musk ox. During the famous migrations of the lemmings polar wolves can also migrate along the way with their favorite food.

Breeding wolves

Female wolves become sexually mature in the second year of life, males - in the third, mating season in wolves it usually occurs from January to April. Fights for the female between competing males, as well as mutual courtship and flirting, of both male and female, are not uncommon.

At the time of mating, "loving" wolves leave the pack, retire, equipping a den in a secluded place. Pregnancy of a wolf lasts 62-65 days and at a time from 3 to 13 cubs are born. True, not all of them survive, the weaker cubs die.

Little wolf cubs feed on milk and belching of their mother, after six months of life they become able to take part in hunting.

Enemies of wolves

The wolf has practically no natural enemies in nature, unless sometimes the wolf can suffer from an even larger predator of temperate latitudes - but only if they do not share the prey. And so the main enemy of the wolf (as well as many other animals) is, of course, man, whose destructive activity has brought many species of wolves to the brink of extinction.

• In the Middle Ages, wolves were often endowed with demonic powers, fear of them even led to the appearance of such a character as a werewolf, a man who turns into a wolf in the full moon.
• On some European coats of arms there is an image of a wolf, which means that the distant ancestor of this genus was a little werewolf.
• To raise morale and rage in battle, the Vikings, and especially their elite warriors - berserkers not only ate special "magic" ones, but also drank wolf blood and put on the skins of these animals.
• Wolves often interbred with dogs, and thus several canine breeds were developed, such as the Czechoslovakian wolfdog and the Sarlos wolfdog.

Wolves video

And in conclusion, we invite you to see interesting film about wolves from the National Geographic channel - "The Rise of the Black Wolf".

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