Little known facts about wolves. A larger percentage of coyotes are actually wolf hybrids.

Unfortunately, in some countries they are completely exterminated. And in Antarctica, white wolves are on the verge of extinction.

2. Rod wolves combines wolves, jackals, coyotes, dogs. These are the most major representatives wolf. All arctic foxes, foxes, maned wolf and a raccoon dog.

3. Wolves are listed in the International Red Book. Hunting these animals is prohibited.

4. Mostly wolves are sedentary animals, but at the same time they wander over very long distances in search of food. As biologists say, wild nature they occupy their niche.

5. The brain of a wolf is 30% larger than that of a dog, which means that the wolf is able to remember more necessary information than its close relative.

6.Only in the territory North America there are wolves with black hair. This color arose as a result of a mutation, the cause of which, in turn, was the crossing of wolves with dogs. They are hybrids, not the pure wolf species as many believe.

7. A hybrid of a wolf and a dog is a dog of the Volkosob breed. Moreover, the wolf was crossed with the German Shepherd.

8. 20 thousand years - this is the age of the most ancient rock paintings with images of wolves. They were found in the south of Europe.

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

10. Ireland of the XVII century was called "Wolfland". In those days, there were a lot of wolf packs in Ireland, and hunting for these predators was the most popular work.

11. Wolves are excellent swimmers - they are quite capable of covering a distance of several tens of kilometers in water. In this they are helped by small membranes between the fingers.

12. A wolf in the forest never attacks people first. He avoids a person, prefers to stay away from him.

13. Weight and dimensions different types wolves are different. The further the wolf lives from the equator, the larger it is. The weight of an animal from the regions of the Far North can be 100 kilograms, while a tropical wolf is no more than an average dog.

14.1/4 of all coyotes living in North America are wolf hybrids. They differ from their relatives not only in larger sizes, but also in cunning, increased aggressiveness and lack of fear of humans.

15. The fur of wolves consists of two layers, undercoat and upper coarse hair. The undercoat does not allow moisture to pass through and warms the animal well in cold weather, and the top coat gives color and performs a water-repellent function.

16. The color of wolves often corresponds to the places in which they live. For example, in desert wolves, the color is with a red tint, in tundra it is white, and in forest wolves it varies from light gray, gray-brown to black.

17. The wolf's tail is a kind of indicator expressing his feelings. If it is raised high, and the tip is slightly curved, then this means that the wolf is quite confident in his abilities. A friendly-minded animal lowers its tail, but its very tip is raised up. A wolf that tucks its tail is either afraid of something or reports its humility.

18. Most cases of wolf attacks on humans are the result of a disease such as rabies. His animals can pick up from infected foxes and raccoons.

19. All puppies of wolves at birth have blue eyes. Only by 8 months does it turn yellow.

20. Wolves eat prey alive because they do not have anatomical weapons, thanks to which you can quickly kill the victim.

21. Wolves are animals that prefer to live in families. Any pack of wolves has its own “charter”, in which everyone has a role to play. Aggressive and strong young people rule, and those who need a firm hand obey them. A wolf pack, in which animals are related, is led by a wolf and a she-wolf. The rest of its members, mostly their offspring (from completely unintelligent puppies to 3-year-olds), obey them.

22. A wolf pack goes hunting only on its own, limited territory. The owners very zealously guard and mark it. This is a warning to neighbors that it is better for them to stay away from this land.

23.These dangerous predators experience strong emotional attachment. They are monogamous - they choose their mate once and for life. I must say that the wolf is an ideal family man. He does not make scandals, does not cheat on his she-wolf, does not disagree with her, does not start a young "mistress" on the side, he carries all the prey to the family.

24. In the US, a very small percentage of wolf attacks on humans, compared with the statistics of Europe and some Asian countries.

25. Wolves are able to smell at a distance of one and a half kilometers. By the way, these animals have the ability to distinguish 200 million smells, a person has only 5 million. Therefore, wolves are excellent hunters.

26. All day long, wolves trot at a speed of up to 8 kilometers per hour. During danger, their speed of movement can be 60 kilometers per hour, and when hunting, as a rule, 30.

27. These animals, as everyone knows, live and hunt in packs. One such family, as a rule, consists of several dozen individuals. But there may be packs of two or three wolves.

28. The eyes of wolves have a special reflective layer that creates a gloomy glow at night and helps to hunt in the dark.

29. Wolves perceive dogs as their prey. And this is despite the relationship of the species.

30. A hungry predator without food can remain active for up to ten days. A wounded animal leaves the hunters for several kilometers. Surrounded by hunting dogs, it fiercely defends itself to the last breath.

31. Each hole 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, this is an encrypted message with certain signals. Howling can be enticing (especially in mating season), calling.

It can be heard when the leader calls the pack to hunt. Howling can be in response when members of the pack respond to the call of the leader. It can be dying and, finally, be entertainment. Oddly enough, wolves often howl without apparent reason, probably, this is what their wolf soul asks for.

32. 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 muzzle. This feature of theirs served as the appearance of hunting for wolves with flags. Hunters, having discovered a pack of wolves, surround it around the perimeter with a rope with patches of any fabric hung on it. The wolves, seeing the waving flags, do not dare to jump over them, and the hunters shoot at the animals point-blank.

33. With good weather conditions wolves can hear sounds in the forest at a distance of 9 kilometers, and at open area- 16 kilometers.

34. Numerous attempts to train wolves indicate that these predators are more responsive not to sound commands, like dogs, but to body movements and waving their arms.

35. A wolf caught in a trap gnaws off its paw to hide from its pursuers. A case is known when a wolf, which broke its paw during a hunt, lay motionless on the ground for 17 days, after which it got up and continued to search for prey.

Wolves have always played a big role in human life. They were gods in Norse mythology, nurtured Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. They are also the first animals tamed by man. Wolves have always been ours best friends and sworn enemies, and yet we know so little about them.

• 10. Black Wolves

Fact: black wolves do not spawn naturally

Research at Stanford University in 2008 showed that the mutation responsible for the appearance of black hair occurs only in dogs, so black wolves are the result of mating. gray wolves with domesticated dogs. This mutation is dominant, like dark hair in humans, and passes on to most offspring. It is still not clear what is the advantage of black wool for animals. They do not become more successful hunters, but show improvements in resistance to certain infections. Black wolves are most common in North America.

• 9. Wolf hybrid

Fact: a large percentage of coyotes are actually wolf hybrids

In areas where wolves have almost disappeared, coyotes thrive. Over the past few years, large populations of coyotes have moved east to suburban areas and even into big cities like New York and Chicago. Genetic tests on 100 coyotes captured in Maine showed that 22 of them had wolf ancestors. Wolf coyotes are larger than their counterparts, but smaller than wolves, and also very cunning. They are not afraid of man, like coyotes, but retain the hunting instinct and high level aggression.

• 8 Cannibalism

Fact: cannibalism common among wolves

Wolves are opportunistic carnivores who will not miss an opportunity to feast on meat. Living sometimes in the most adverse conditions, wolves are forced to eat sick or injured relatives from the pack. The wolves driven into the trap must learn to hunt, otherwise they will simply be torn apart by other wolves. When two packs meet, very often death match where alpha wolves die. Sometimes they are even eaten by their own offspring.

• 7. Big mass

Fact: The heaviest wolves weigh up to 100 kg.

The farther wolves live from the equator, the larger their size. Wolves from the tropics are no larger than an ordinary dog, but northern wolves (in Alaska, Canada and Russia) reach 70 kg. Most big wolf, killed in Alaska in 1939, weighed 90 kg.

• 6. Rabid Wolves

Fact: rabid wolves extremely dangerous

Although wolves do not often get rabies, they can pick up the virus from other animals, such as raccoons and foxes. Unlike some animals that become lethargic and disoriented, wolves immediately fly into a rage. A significant number of attacks on humans have been associated with cases of rabies. There are fewer such attacks, but some do happen. Although there is a cure for rabies, wolves aim directly at the head and neck, so the virus often reaches the brain before help arrives.

• 5. Coyote

Fact: Wolves in America attack humans less than anywhere else on earth.

Compared to the high number of attacks per person in Europe and Asia, there are significantly fewer attacks in the US and Canada. In France, 3,000 deaths were recorded between 1580 and 1830. In the Middle Ages, special fences were built along the roads, which were supposed to protect travelers from wolf packs. Wolves in India and Russia are also known to attack humans. During World War I, soldiers from Allied and Central units were often forced to fight off hungry wolves who were attracted to the smell of blood on the battlefield.

• 4 Dog Eaters

Fact: wolves love to eat dogs

Although wolves and dogs are close relatives and can interbreed, that doesn't stop many wolves from trying "dogs". In a fight, even large dogs often lose, as wolves of the same size have larger teeth. Often a single wolf can lead a dog right into a trap with the rest of the pack. Only the biggest and cruelest guards livestock, such as the Caucasian Shepherd Dog, can defend themselves.

• 3. People on the menu

Fact: the plague put a man on the wolf's menu

The Black Plague that ravaged medieval Europe may explain the close relationship between wolves and humans. When corpses accumulated at such a rate that they did not have time to burn or bury, it became natural for wolves to appear on the outskirts of cities. Thus, entire generations of wolves have learned the taste of man and have come to regard him as prey.

• 2. Smallpox

Fact: also tried smallpox

Smallpox, brought to America by European settlers, had a devastating effect on the local population. Their immune system was defenseless against this disease, and 80-90% of people who came into contact with it died. The Swedish naturalist Peter Kalm, sent to America in 1748, noted that in the period before the Revolutionary War, smallpox was especially rampant in east coast. Sensing easy prey, wolves flooded Indian villages, devouring corpses and helpless patients. Although many indigenous people revered wolves, the fear of them was great.

• 1. Eaten Alive

Fact: wolves eat their prey alive

Wolves eat almost everything to survive, but prefer large ungulates (deer and elk). Unlike bears or big cats, wolves do not have anatomical weapons capable of quickly killing such large animals. They kill by exhaustion, the whole pack pounce and tear the prey, grabbing the legs and entrails, until the victim collapses from exhaustion. Wolves start eating immediately, although often their prey is still alive for some time.

Bonus - facts about wolves.

• Under certain weather conditions, wolves can hear sounds at a distance of 9 kilometers in the forest, and 16 km. in open area.
• The Vikings wore wolf skins and drank wolf blood before the battle, which they took with them to raise their morale.
• The earliest depictions of wolves are found in caves in southern Europe and are over 20,000 years old.
• A wolf cannot be tamed and made a guard dog, he is afraid strangers and will hide from them, not bark.
• The autoimmune disease lupus, or skin tuberculosis, 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, people only 5 million. The wolf family is able to smell the smell of other animals at a distance of 1.5 kilometers.
• The eyes of wolf puppies are always blue at birth. They turn yellow only 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 land predators, the only places where they did not live were deserts and rainforests.
• Enormous pressure is created by the teeth in the cleft palate, approximately 300 kilograms per square centimeter (compared to 150 kg/cm^2 in a dog).
• The population of the North American gray wolf in 1600 was 2 million individuals. Today there are no more than 65 thousand of them left in North America.
• A hungry wolf can eat 10 kilograms of meat in one sitting, it's like a person eating a hundred hamburgers in one sitting.
• A wolf pack can consist of two or three individuals, or maybe ten times more.
• Wolves are descended from ancient animals called "Mesocyon" that 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 for distances of up to 13 kilometers, helping themselves when moving in the water with small webs between their fingers.
• Between 1883 and 1918, only one US state Montana killed over 80,000 wolves.
• Adolf Hitler (whose name means "leading wolf") was fascinated by wolves and sometimes demanded to be called "Herr Wolf" or "Conductor Wolf" as a pseudonym. "Wolf Gorge" (Wolfsschlucht), "Wolf's Lair" (Wolfschanze) and "Werewolf" (Wehrwolf) were Hitler's code names 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 determined that wolves will respond to humans imitating wolf howls. It would be strange if it were different...
• In 1927, a French policeman was convicted of shooting a boy he thought was a werewolf. In the same year, the last wild wolf was killed in France.
• When the Europeans sailed to North America, the wolf became the most popular prey among them in hunting animals in all American history. These animals were on the verge of extinction at the beginning of the 20th century. The U.S. federal government even enacted a wolf eradication program in the Western states in 1915.
• Dire wolves ("canis dirus") are one of the representatives of prehistoric wolves that lived in North America about two million years ago. They hunted mainly prey of such sizes as mammoths.
• Wolves can run for a minute or two at a speed of 32 km / h, and in moments of danger or pursuit - up to 56 km / h. It has been observed that during the day they run at a “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 Russia, where they gain weight up to 80 kilograms.
• Wolves use howls to communicate with disunited members of their group to rally before a hunt, or to warn rival packs to stay away from them. Lone wolves howl to attract mates 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 promotes night vision in the animal.
• Where wolves live, crows (sometimes called "wolf birds") are often found. Crows often follow packs of wolves to finish off the remains of the hunt, and also use wolves as protection.
• According to Pliny the Elder, a Greek scholar of the first century, she-wolf of tongues rubs the gums of puppies to relieve the pain when they appear. He also believed that wolf dung could be used to treat stomach cramps and cataracts.
• The Aztecs used wolf liver in the treatment of melancholy as an ingredient in medicines. In addition, they pricked the chest of the dying man 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 the pain of childbirth.
• The Greeks believed that if someone ate the meat of a wolf that kills lambs, then he is exposed to high risk become a vampire.
• The Cherokee Indians did not hunt wolves, because they believed that the brothers of the dead would take revenge on them. In addition, the weapon with which the wolf was killed was considered "corrupted."
• The British King Edgard introduced 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 was the first country to place a wolf population under conservation laws in 1934. Under the influence of Friedrich Nietzsche (b.1844-d.1900) and Oswald Spengler (b.1880-d.1936), society became convinced that natural predators mattered 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 have 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".
• 6000 to 7000 wolf skins is still sold annually in the world. They are supplied mainly from Russia, Mongolia and China, and are most often used for sewing coats.
• In India, simple traps are still used to catch wolves. These traps are pits camouflaged with branches and leaves. Wolves fall into the pit on sharp stakes, and people finish them off from above with stones.
• Wolves were the first animals to be listed as endangered in 1973.
• John Milton's famous poem "Lycidas" takes 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 came 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 restore the wolf population, and after ten years, approximately 136 wolves roam the park, huddled in 13 packs.
• Currently, there are about 50 thousand wolves in Canada and Alaska, 6500 in the USA. On the European continent, in Italy - less than 300, in Spain about 2000, in Norway and Sweden - less than 80. There are about 700 wolves in Poland, and 70 thousand in Russia.

Perhaps no other animal on Earth has been as important to humans as the wolf. The wolf was the first animal domesticated by humans, but the process itself is still shrouded in mystery that took place over 10,000 years ago. Wolves were and are our friends and terrible enemies, and yet there is still so much we don't know about them. Below is a list of ten interesting facts about wolves.

Fact: The black wolf is not found in nature.
In 2008, a Stanford University study found that mutations associated with black fur occur only in dogs, so black wolves are the result of a mutation in gray wolves. The mutation is a dominant trait, like dark hair in humans, and is inherited. It is not entirely clear what benefits black fur has for animals, they do not have the skills of successful hunters, they do not show a noticeable improvement in immunity to certain infections. Black wolves are much more common in North America than in the rest of the world.

hybrid wolves

Fact: a large percentage of coyotes are actually wolf hybrids.
In areas where wolves have been largely wiped out, coyotes have thrived. For the last few year s large groups of these hybrid animals have moved east and live in suburban areas and even major cities such as New York and Chicago. A genetic test showed that for every 100 coyotes caught in Maine, 22 had wolf genes. Coyotewolves tend to be larger than regular coyotes but smaller than wolves and are said to be very cunning. They show fearlessness towards human civilization, as well as a more developed hunting instinct and a high level of aggression.

Cannibalism

Fact: cannibalism is common among wolves.
The wolves will not miss the chance for food. They are sometimes forced to feed on sick or injured pack members. When two packs come into contact, they will most likely fight to the death, and the alpha male of one of the packs is most often killed. Sometimes they even eat their own offspring.

Big weight

Fact: The weight of the heaviest wolves can approach 90 kg.
Wolves in the tropics often do not exceed the average size of a dog, but in the Far North (Alaska, Canada and Russia) they can reach 55 kg. The largest wolf killed in North America in Alaska in 1939 had a weight of 80 kg, and caught in Ukraine in former USSR, weighed 86 kg.

Fact: Rabid wolves are extremely dangerous.
Although wolves are not the main vector of rabies, they can be infected from other species such as raccoons and foxes. Unlike some rabid animals, which are disoriented, wolves go berserk almost immediately when they get sick. A significant number of attacks on humans are directly related to rabies.

Fact: Wolves in America are less likely to attack people than anywhere else in the world.
Historical accounts indicate over 3,000 people who died in France between 1580 and 1830. During the Middle Ages throughout Europe, special structures were built along the roads for travelers to hide from roaming packs of wolves. The wolves of India and Russia are also particularly well known for their loss of life. During World War II, soldiers from Allied and German forces were sometimes forced to band together to protect themselves from starving wolves who were attracted to the smell of blood on the battlefield.

Fact: Wolves find dogs delicious.
Although these animals are closely related to each other (almost the same species) and can easily interbreed, many wolves view dogs as prey. Often, one wolf will lure a dog and lead it into an ambush to his pack. Only large and fierce dog breeds, such as Caucasian Shepherds, can usually defend themselves.

People on the wolf menu

Fact: the plague put humans on the menu as a delicacy for the wolf.
The plague that ravaged Europe in the Middle Ages created a tense dynamic between wolves and humans. Naturally, the wolves gathered on the edge of the city to feast on the dead, which they did not have time to burn. In doing so, generations of wolves developed a taste for human flesh, and the wolves probably began to view us as one of their prey. There is no doubt that at this time, very superstitious people began to invent fairy tales and believe in the existence of werewolves, vampires and ghouls.

smallpox

Fact: smallpox too.
Smallpox was brought to the Americas by European settlers who had a devastating effect on local residents. Sensing a light meal, wolves invaded Indian villages, devouring corpses and helpless patients. While many Native Americans revere wolves, they also showed a healthy fear, especially in wooded areas where wolves could be encountered.

eaten alive

Fact: wolves eat their victims alive.
Wolves eat almost everything to stay alive, but their preference is for large ungulates (deer, elk). Unlike bears or big cats, wolves do not have such an arsenal, adapted to quickly kill large animals. They basically drive the victim by tearing the legs and stomach until the animal collapses from exhaustion. Predators begin to eat immediately, even if the prey is still alive for a long time.

Wolves have always played a big role in human life. They were gods in Norse mythology, nurtured Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. They are also the first animals tamed by man. Wolves have always been our best friends and sworn enemies, and yet we know so little about them.

Black wolfs

Fact: Black Wolves Don't Happen Naturally Research at Stanford University in 2008 showed that the mutation responsible for black coats only occurs in dogs, so black wolves are the result of mating gray wolves with domesticated dogs. This mutation is dominant, like dark hair in humans, and passes on to most offspring. It is still not clear what is the advantage of black wool for animals. They do not become more successful hunters, but show improvements in resistance to certain infections. Black wolves are most common in North America.

hybrid wolf

Fact: A large percentage of coyotes are actually hybrid wolves In areas where wolves have almost disappeared, coyotes thrive. Over the past few years, large populations of coyotes have moved east to suburban areas and even to big cities like New York and Chicago. Genetic tests on 100 coyotes captured in Maine showed that 22 of them had wolf ancestors. Wolf coyotes are larger than their counterparts, but smaller than wolves, and also very cunning. They are not afraid of humans like coyotes, but retain a hunting instinct and a high level of aggression.

Cannibalism

Fact: Cannibalism is common among wolves Wolves are opportunistic carnivores who will not miss the opportunity to profit from meat. Living sometimes in the most unfavorable conditions, wolves are forced to eat sick or injured relatives from the pack. The wolves driven into the trap must learn to hunt, otherwise they will simply be torn apart by other wolves. When two packs meet, very often a deadly fight is started between them, in which alpha wolves die. Sometimes they are even eaten by their own offspring.

Big mass

Fact: The heaviest wolves weigh up to 100 kg. The farther wolves live from the equator, the larger their size. Wolves from the tropics are no larger than an ordinary dog, but northern wolves (in Alaska, Canada and Russia) reach 70 kg. The largest wolf killed in Alaska in 1939 weighed 90 kg.

rabid wolves

Fact: Rabid Wolves Are Extremely Dangerous Although wolves don't often get rabies, they can pick up the virus from other animals, such as raccoons and foxes. Unlike some animals that become lethargic and disoriented, wolves immediately fly into a rage. A significant number of attacks on humans have been associated with cases of rabies. There are fewer such attacks, but some do happen. Although there is a cure for rabies, wolves aim directly at the head and neck, so the virus often reaches the brain before help arrives.

american wolves

Fact: Wolves in America attack people less than anywhere else on earth. Compared to the high number of attacks per person in Europe and Asia, there are significantly fewer attacks in the US and Canada. In France, 3,000 deaths were recorded between 1580 and 1830. In the Middle Ages, special fences were built along the roads, which were supposed to protect travelers from wolf packs. Wolves in India and Russia are also known to attack humans. During World War I, soldiers from Allied and Central units were often forced to fight off hungry wolves who were attracted to the smell of blood on the battlefield. Adrenaline to the maximum and top casino on this site.

dog eaters

Fact: Wolves love to eat dogs Although wolves and dogs are closely related and can interbreed, that doesn't stop many wolves from trying dog meat. In a fight, even large dogs often lose, as wolves of the same size have larger teeth. Often a single wolf can lead a dog right into a trap with the rest of the pack. Only the largest and fiercest livestock guardians, such as the Caucasian Shepherd Dog, can defend themselves.

people on the menu

Fact: The Plague Put Man on the Wolf's Menu The Black Plague that ravaged medieval Europe may explain the close relationship between wolves and humans. When corpses accumulated at such a rate that they did not have time to burn or bury, it became natural for wolves to appear on the outskirts of cities. Thus, entire generations of wolves have learned the taste of man and have come to regard him as prey.

smallpox

Fact: So did smallpox Smallpox, brought to America by European settlers, had a devastating effect on the local population. Their immune system was defenseless against this disease, and 80-90% of people who came into contact with it died. The Swedish naturalist Peter Kalm, sent to America in 1748, noted that in the period before the Revolutionary War, smallpox was especially rampant on the east coast. Sensing easy prey, wolves flooded Indian villages, devouring corpses and helpless patients. Although many indigenous people revered wolves, the fear of them was great.

eaten alive

Fact: Wolves Eat Their Prey Alive Wolves eat almost anything to survive, but have a preference for large ungulates (deer and elk). Unlike bears or big cats, wolves do not have anatomical weapons capable of quickly killing such large animals. They kill by exhaustion, the whole pack pounce and tear the prey, grabbing the legs and entrails, until the victim collapses from exhaustion. Wolves start eating immediately, although often their prey is still alive for some time.

Probably no other animal on Earth has been as significant to people as the wolf.
They were gods in Norse mythology, the she-wolf brought up Romulus and Remus - the founders of Rome. And the most interesting - the wolf was the first domesticated animal.

1. Black wolves.
In 2008, researchers at Stanford University found that the mutations associated with black fur are only found in dogs, so black wolves are nothing more than the offspring of hybrids. Most often, such wolves are found in North America.

2. Hybrid wolves.
In areas where wolves were subject to mass extermination, coyotes flourished. Recent studies have shown that 22% of all coyotes in North America are descendants of wolves. Such animals are usually larger than ordinary coyotes, but smaller than wolves, and also distinguished by extreme cunning. They combine the absence of fear of a person and pronounced wolf instincts and a high level of aggression.

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

4. Extreme weight.
Some wolves can reach a weight of 100 kg. The size of wolves grows exponentially with the degree of remoteness from the equator. Tropical wolves are often the same size as normal dogs, but the wolves of the far north average over 60 kg.

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

6. American wolves.
The wolves of America are less likely to attack people 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 do not lag behind them. In contrast, in the US and Canada, there are very few officially confirmed wolf attacks.

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

8. Human for lunch.
The plague that ravaged Europe in the Middle Ages caused tension between humans and wolves. In those days, corpses were destroyed much faster by wolves, and not by fire or burial underground. Such methods of "burial" have instilled a taste for human blood in generations of wolves. Probably, since then, wolves have included human meat in their "menu".

9. Smallpox.
Smallpox brought to the Americas by European settlers had a disastrous effect on the natives. Its victims were 80-90% of all people who inhabited the continent. Feeling easy prey, wolves attacked Indian villages, devouring the bodies of helpless patients.

10. Eaten alive.
As we said above, wolves eat almost everything. Of course, they also have their preferences, such as large ungulates. Unlike bears or big cats, wolves do not have anatomical weapons that can quickly kill the victim. They devour their prey alive, rushing in as a pack and tearing off chunks of flesh.