The wolf totem animal is on the verge of two worlds. The biggest wolf in the world. Description, habitats and lifestyle of the wolf All about the wolf predator

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

Let's take a brief look at interesting facts about these animals. Almost all photos are clickable up to 1920 px

Gray wolves are slender, powerfully built with a large, deep-set chest and sloping back. Stomach gray wolf retracted, muscular neck. Their limbs are long and reliable, with relatively small paws. There are five toes on each front paw and four on the hind paws. Females, as a rule, have a narrow muzzle and forehead, a thin neck, her paws are slightly shorter than those of males, and less massive shoulders. Wolves very strong for their size, with enough strength to overturn a horse or frozen elk carcasses.

In general, gray wolves are the largest of the animals belonging to the Canidae family, apart from some large breeds 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 over 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 non-stop for more than 20 minutes, although not necessarily at the same speed. In cold climates, wolves may reduce blood flow to conserve body heat. The heat of the lower parts of the paws is regulated independently of the rest of the body, and is maintained at a level just above where the paws come into contact with ice and snow. The head of a gray wolf is large and heavy. The ears are comparatively small and triangular. As a rule, in bodily configuration they resemble German shepherds and huskies.

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 out in the spring and grows back in the fall. Winter wool is very resistant to cold; wolves in northern countries can safely be on open area at -40°, placing the muzzle between the hind legs and covering it with the tail. Wolf hair provides better insulation than dog hair 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 prey on fresh tracks.

A pack of wolves consists of a male, female and cubs. As a rule, wolves rarely accept strangers into their pack and often kill them. However, during times of threat, such as when there are large populations of artiodactyls, several packs may unite to better protection. In areas with few wolves, the wolf tends to be monogamous. Usually a pair lasts for life until one of the wolves dies. However, after the death of one of the wolves, the couple is quickly restored with the help of others. IN wild nature wolves can breed from the age of two. Females can bring cubs once a year. Mating usually takes place at the end of winter. Pregnancy lasts 62-75 days, cubs are usually born in the summer. The average litter consists of 5-6 cubs. Wolf cubs are born blind and deaf, and are covered with short, soft greyish-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 food at the age of 3-4 weeks. During the first four months of life, wolf cubs grow very quickly: during this time, the weight of the cub can increase by almost 30 times.

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

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 may also willingly feed on carrion, especially during food shortages. They often eat waterfowl, lizards, snakes, frogs, toads, and rarely large insects. During harsh winter, packs often attack weak or injured wolves, they may even eat the bodies of dead pack members.

Wolves usually dominate among 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 hair, calm wolves have a calm posture, smooth coat, and lowered ears and tail. With the help of howling, wolves gather a pack (usually before and after hunting), 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 do not usually voluntarily interbreed under natural conditions. 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 common 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 the changes that humans make, and are therefore often referred to as indicator species. Wolves do not seem to be able to adapt to the expansion of civilization as easily as, for example, the coyotes did. Even though gray wolves are not endangered, wolf populations are still under threat in some places.

Because wolves move long distances, they can play 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 in the wolf, he leaves his pack, thus preventing the spread of the disease.

The damage caused by wolves to livestock has been one of the main reasons for wolves to hunt, and this may represent serious problem to save the wolf population. Wolves are generally not dangerous to humans as long as they are scarce, have adequate food, rarely meet humans, and occasionally hunt. Cases of wolf attacks on humans are rare, but in the early 20th century such attacks were common.

Wolves are notoriously difficult to hunt due to their elusiveness, keen senses, and ability to quickly kill hunting dogs. When hunting wolves with dogs, as a rule, greyhounds, hounds and fox terriers are used. The greyhounds chase and block the wolves until the arrival of the heavier dogs that do most of the fighting.

Wolf skins are used primarily for scarves and trimming women's clothing, although they are also sometimes used in short cloaks, coats, and carpets. Hunting wolves for their fur has little effect on their population size, as only northern varieties of wolves (whose numbers are stable) are of 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, from 80,000 to 2 million wolves live in homes. Wolves can be less predictable and controllable than dogs. A wolf cub under the age of one year is usually not aggressive towards strangers, although their aggression increases with age, especially during the mating season. Males can be more aggressive and harder to manage than females. Wolves are difficult to keep in standard kennels, as they can quickly learn how to open valves just by watching people do it.

Although wolves are trainable, they lack the pliability of dogs. As a rule, they react to coercive methods differently than dogs, they become afraid, become irritable and resist. Even when a certain behavior has been repeated several times, the wolf can become bored and ignore subsequent commands. When training a wolf, mere praise is not enough. Unlike dogs, wolves tend to respond more to hand signals than to voice signals.

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

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.

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.

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

In areas where wolves were subject to mass extermination, coyotes flourished. Recent studies have shown that 22% of all coyotes 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 high level aggression.

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 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.

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.

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 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".

Wolf (lat. Canis lupus) - predatory mammal from the family Canidae (Canidae). Along with coyotes (Canis latrans) and common jackals (Canis aureus), as well as some other species and subspecies, gray or common wolves are included in the genus Wolves (Canis).

Description of the gray wolf

According to the results of genetic studies and gene drift studies, wolves are the direct ancestors of domestic dogs, which are usually considered as a subspecies of the wolf. Canis lupus is currently the largest living member of its family.

Appearance

The size and body weight of the wolf are characterized by pronounced geographical variability and directly depend on climatic conditions, some external factors. The average height of the animal at the withers varies from 66 to 86 cm, with a body length in the range of 105-160 cm and a weight of 32-62 kg. A profitable or one-year-old wolf has a weight of no more than 20-30 kg, and the mass of two- and three-year-old wolfs is no more than 35-45 kg. A mother wolf becomes aged three years when the minimum body weight reaches 50-55 kg.

In appearance, wolves are similar to large, pointed-eared dogs with high and strong limbs, large and more elongated paws. The two middle fingers of such a predator are characterized by a noticeable extension forward, due to which the footprint acquires a very peculiar relief. Wolves have a broad-fronted head with a relatively wide and fairly elongated, massive muzzle, which is characterized by increased expressiveness, which makes it possible to distinguish more than a dozen facial expressions of a predator. The cranial part is high, massive and large, with a wide nasal opening, expanding at the bottom.

This is interesting! Significant differences between the wolf track and the dog track are represented by a large backlog of the lateral fingers, as well as keeping the paw "in a lump" and a more direct "path" left by the animal.

The tail section is "pole-shaped", thick, always lowered down. An important characteristic of a wild predator is the structure of the teeth. The upper jaw of the wolf is equipped with six incisors, a pair of canines, eight premolars and four molars, and on mandible located a couple of molars more. With the help of fangs, the predator not only holds the prey well, but also drags the prey, so the loss of the dentition becomes the cause of hunger and a rather painful death of the wolf.

Two-layer wolf fur is distinguished by sufficient length and density. The coarse guard hairs are water- and dirt-repellent, and the undercoat is needed to keep warm. Different subspecies differ in coloration, corresponding to environment. Forest predators have a grayish-brown color, tundra - light, almost white color, and desert individuals are gray-reddish. Wolf cubs have a monochromatic dark color, which becomes lighter as the animal grows older. Within the same population, the coat color of different individuals can also have noticeable differences.

Character and lifestyle

The predominant activity of wolves is carried out at night, accompanying their presence with a loud and drawn-out howl, which serves as a communication tool even at very considerable distances. In the process of hunting for prey, the wolf, as a rule, does not make unnecessary sounds and tries to move as silently as possible.

This is interesting! The habitats of the gray wolf are very diverse, due to the confinement of such a predatory mammal to almost any landscape. .

Predatory mammal has a very well-developed hearing. Slightly worse in such an animal, sight and smell are developed. Thanks to well-developed higher nervous activity, strength, speed and dexterity, the wolf's chances of survival are very high. The predator is able to run at speeds up to 60 km/h and cover a distance of 75-80 km in one night.

How long do wolves live

The general indicators of the life expectancy of the gray wolf in natural conditions in most cases depend on the activities of people. The average life expectancy of such a predator in nature is fifteen years or a little more.

Range, habitats

Wolves are found in most parts of Europe and Asia, as well as in North America, where they have chosen the taiga, coniferous forest zones, icy tundra and even deserts. At present, the northern boundary of habitat is represented by the coast of the Northern Arctic Ocean, and the south - Asia.

As a result of active human activity the number of predator distribution sites has significantly decreased over the past few centuries. People often exterminate wolf packs and force them out of their inhabited places, so such a predatory mammal no longer inhabits Japan, the British Isles, France and Holland, Belgium and Denmark, as well as Switzerland.

This is interesting! The gray wolf belongs to the territorial animals, occupying from 50 km 2 to 1.5 thousand km 2, and the area of ​​the family territory directly depends on the landscape features in the habitat of the predator.

The distribution zone of wolves is determined by a sufficient amount of prey, regardless of the time of year. The predator tries to avoid with the onset of winter snowy places and continuous woodland. The largest number individuals are observed on the territory of the tundra and forest-tundra, forest-steppe and alpine zones, as well as steppes. In some cases wild predator settles in close proximity to human habitation, and the taiga zones are currently characterized by the spread of wolves following the clearing of the taiga, which is quite actively carried out by people.

Gray wolf diet

Wolves feed almost exclusively on food of animal origin, but in the southern regions, wild fruits and berries are often eaten by predators. The main diet is represented by domestic and wild ungulates, hares and small rodents, as well as birds and carrion. Tundra wolves prefer calves and females, geese, and lemmings. Sheep and tarbagans, as well as hares, often become prey for predators inhabiting mountainous areas. They can also become food for the wolf.

The wolf is a normal gray wolf.

wolf common, gray wolf- the animal is incredibly hardy. In order to survive in places with a harsh climate, the gray wolf has acquired some qualities that increase the level of vitality. For example, wolves inhabiting the territories of the Arctic latitudes have adapted to endure long polar nights and harsh weather conditions.

After all, even in February, when the sun rises again over these harsh lands, temperatures of -40 and a piercing icy wind are a frequent occurrence here. Other types of wolves have adapted perfectly to life in the desert or on the wet marshy shores of the Gulf of Mexico.

The domestic dog is considered a relative of the wild wolf, more precisely, wolves are the distant ancestors of dogs. Indeed, despite the fact that wolves are larger, these animals can find a lot in common. However, it is difficult to imagine that a dog of any breed, be it a pug or a Doberman, is a descendant of this predatory animal.

Characteristics of a wolf.

Wolf ordinary possesses well developed intellect. This could not but be reflected in the appearance of the animal: first of all, the intellect of the wolf is reflected in his penetrating gaze.

The weight and size of the animal varies over a fairly wide range and depends on the species. The height of the animal at the withers ranges from 0.6 to 0.95 m, and the weight is from 20 to 62 kg.

Gray wolf- the largest representative of the canine family. Male wolves weighing over 77 kg have been recorded in Alaska and Canada. But such wolves giant size are extremely rare.

The world's largest wolf was killed in Alaska, the animal weighed 80 kg. And the representatives of the subspecies of the Arabian wolf are considered the smallest, the adult female of this subspecies weighs no more than 10 kg.

The weight of the female is always less weight their male counterparts by about 22%. The length of the body of a wolf, measured from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail, ranges from 1.3 to 2 m, while the tail occupies about a quarter of this length.

As mentioned above, the common wolf is incredibly hardy. narrow rib cage, the powerful back and paws of this animal endow it with the ability to overcome long distances. The wolf is able to overcome many kilometers, moving at a speed of 10 km / h. It is also known that during the chase, the wolf is able to reach speeds of up to 65 km / h. At this speed, he can run a distance of no more than 5 km.

The social structure of wolves.

Wolves usually live in packs. The flock begins its formation when the male connects with the female. The couple is looking for a suitable place to settle down and raise offspring. The pups stay with their parents until they are old enough to leave the pack.

This usually happens at the age of 3 years, while the presence of favorable conditions that allow the young wolf to start a family plays an important role. The structure of the pack can be represented as follows: the unchanging core is a pair of wolf and she-wolf, the rest of the members of the pack are their offspring, they can often change, leaving the pack to start an independent life.

There is a clear hierarchy in the pack, headed by an alpha male and an alpha female. Their influence, to a certain extent, extends to all processes occurring in the pack. In larger flocks, in addition to the main hierarchical branch, two more independent ones are added.

The first hierarchical branch exists among males and is headed by an alpha male, the second - among females and is headed, respectively, by an alpha female. In this case, the alpha male occupies a dominant position in the entire pack. However, there are situations when the female takes the dominant position inseparably.

This usually happens during the breeding season. The female single-handedly chooses a place for the lair and also receives help from the rest of the pack in feeding offspring. This primarily means that the pack hunts to feed the she-wolf or her cubs.

The female and male branches of the hierarchy exist independently of each other and require constant confirmation through aggression and demonstrations of dominance and submission. Breeding control is one of the primary privileges of the pack's alphas.

The alpha pair usually has the exclusive right to breed, while they actively and quite aggressively prevent the reproduction of other adult members of the pack. To form their own family, they need to leave the pack.

Another privilege of the alpha couple is access to food. If the flock has caught a large prey, then the alpha pair and their offspring are the first to approach it. Therefore, in times of famine, it is more profitable for the rest of the flock to separate and try to feed themselves. However, when there is no shortage of food, the meal of the wolves is quite amicable.

In a large pack of wolves, there is always a second place in the hierarchy. Wolves that occupy this stage are called beta males or beta females. They often take on the role of educators of offspring, during the absence of parents of wolf cubs.

As a rule, sooner or later the beta male or female will challenge the leader to take his place, although some of them are quite satisfied with the second place. In this case, beta males or females even allow lower-ranking wolves to take the place of leader in the pack under certain conditions, for example, in the event of the death of the alpha male.

The more ambitious betas, however, are unwilling to wait long and challenge rather soon or split off from the pack to form their own. It happens that the alpha male, being in advanced years, voluntarily gives way to the beta.

Stronger alpha males will fight to the last to maintain the dominant role, such fights often end in serious damage to both. The loser is usually expelled from the pack or killed if aggressive wolves join the opponent. Such dominance battles are most common in mating season.

A hierarchy within the wolf pack is established and maintained through a series of "ritual fights" and demonstrations. Wolves prefer a psychological duel to a physical skirmish, which means that personal qualities more important than size or physical strength in the struggle for high rank.

The order in which the hierarchy is established may differ from pack to pack, for example, if there are many non-aggressive males in a large pack, then the hierarchy in the pack will constantly change, the same situation will be observed in a pack of young wolves.

Feeding and hunting of wolves.

Wolves can hunt as a pack or on their own. However, wolves hunting in a pack have a greater advantage, since acting together they are able to kill an animal that surpasses them both in strength and size.

The wolf is a strict predator, so not all food is suitable to support his body. He rarely finishes his prey. Hunting for a wolf is not sports interest, but a necessary condition for survival.

Wolves can not only hunt, they can also eat carrion. Any animal from a large mammal to a small rodent can become their prey. Here are some of them: deer, moose, caribou, elk, bison, musk ox. From medium-sized animals, these are beaver, hare and other rodents.

The wolf has a large stomach volume, which allows him to eat up to 9-11 kg of food at a time. This same feature gives the wolf the ability to go without food for up to 2 weeks or even longer, under adverse conditions.

Their digestive system is very well thought out, because in addition to large pieces of meat that the wolf's stomach can digest, which make up 5% of the total food volume, large bone fragments and wool enter the wolf's stomach.

Due to the fact that the bones caught in digestive system wolves somehow turn into tufts of undigested wool, the animal manages to avoid injuring the intestines.

Wolf cubs feed on food regurgitated by an adult wolf from the stomach or on pieces of meat that adult wolves bring to the den after a successful hunt.

Wolves play an important role in the ecosystem. During the hunt, they kill only weakened animals, thus improving the herd's gene pool and ridding it of burdensome animals.

For example, a sick animal lives among a herd of deer, which not only poses a threat of infection to other members of the herd, but also eats food that could feed the growing young. By destroying such an animal, the wolf performs its useful functions.

Wolves live and hunt mainly in their own territory. Members of the pack control and protect their possessions from invading outsiders. The size of the pack's possessions depends on the abundance of food.

During the period when conditions are not favorable, the area of ​​​​the territory can decrease to 65-78 sq km, with best conditions the territory occupied by a flock can cover up to 208 -234 sq km.

Before the start of the hunt, wolves gather together to greet each other and make a howl in order to scare away strangers from their territory. Then the wolves comb all their possessions until they find a victim.

The wolf approaches the victim against the direction of the wind, so that the animal does not run away, smelling the predator. The flock slowly approaches the prey, often lining up in a row one after another. As soon as their prey realizes that a predator is chasing it and tries to escape, the wolves give chase.

Having overtaken the prey, the wolves try to bite it on the back or sides. Most often, large horned animals are attacked in this way in order to prevent him from defending himself with horns and avoid possible damage. As soon as the victim falls, they are killed by a bite in the throat or muzzle. Then the carcass is dragged aside and they start eating.

The hunt for wolves can be over in a few minutes, or it can take hours. The more successfully the attack is built, the greater the chances of a successful completion of the hunt. If the attack fails, then the wolves continue to hunt until they catch the prey. After all, it is a matter of survival.

Reproduction.

The mating season for wolves is from January to March. According to pack laws, only the alpha male and alpha female mate, which helps control the population.

During the mating season, the alpha couple lives in seclusion to prevent interference from the rest of the pack. Mating attempts between other members of the pack are met with aggression from the alpha pair, the alpha male usually expelling the offending male from the pack.

Two broods in a flock are rare. To prevent this, the alpha female shows aggression towards other females and tries to physically protect the alpha male from them during the mating season.

Unlike dogs, in which estrus occurs twice during the year, estrus in a she-wolf occurs once. Wolves do not lose their reproductive abilities until 10 years of age.

The gestation period of the female lasts 60-63 days. Wolf cubs are born absolutely helpless: blind and deaf. In the litter of the female, on average, from 4 to 6 puppies are born, however, it may happen that the female will give birth to 1 cub or 14. The puppies spend the first 8 weeks of their lives in the den.

The lair is most often located on a hill near the reservoir. This is where the cubs will take their first steps. At first, they explore the area in the immediate vicinity of the lair, and then gradually move away to a considerable distance, up to one and a half kilometers from their home.

At the age of 4 weeks, cubs develop milk teeth and begin to eat partially digested food, which is regurgitated by adults. During the first weeks of life, only their mother is present with the cubs, but after 6 weeks from the moment of birth, the cubs are partially weaned from their mother and the whole pack is involved in the process of education. Being under the supervision of the entire pack, the cubs are more likely to survive.

When the cubs are 2 months old, they are transferred to another safe place where they will stay when the pack goes hunting. Of course, they are not alone there: one or two adult wolves remain to look after them.

A few weeks later, the cubs may be allowed to join the hunt, but so far only as observers. Wolf cubs will act as active participants when they are strong enough, this will happen at the age of 8 months.

Despite their low rank in the pack, wolf cubs are the first to be allowed to prey. Fights for the right to eat first between the cubs form a hierarchy among them. So already at such a young age, wolf cubs learn to play dominant and submissive roles, which are very important for them. later life in a flock.

Having reached puberty at the age of 2-3 years, the wolf can leave the pack at will, find a mate and organize its own pack on its territory.

The conservation status of the wolf.

Sorry wolf for a long time mistakenly considered a pest, which led to the almost complete destruction of this predator. Today, people have become more educated in this matter, but nevertheless, there is still such an opinion among many farmers. Through the efforts of specialists and enthusiasts, many projects have been launched, the main task of which is to support the process of reintroducing the wolf.

For most people, the wolf is not just a wild animal, but an archetypal image familiar from childhood. He became a character in fairy tales for a reason. People have long feared and revered this beast. They scared naughty children with a wolf, called the elder brother of a man, composed fairy tales and legends about him.

in tongues different peoples world, the word wolf is consonant. It is worth noting that it was born in the Old Slavic language and means “to drag” or “drag”. Apparently, the name came from the manner of dragging prey (drag in front of you).

Habitat and distribution in the world

In past centuries, the wolf was the most common animal on earth. To date, the habitat has been significantly reduced. The reason for this is the widespread extermination of the animal by man. Today, most of the species lives on the territory of the following states: Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Georgia, China, Korea, Iran, Indonesia, India, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Scandinavian and Baltic countries, South American countries, Italy, Poland, Spain , Portugal, Mexico, USA, Canada.

The wolf adapts to life in any terrain, but tries to settle in places with a small number of trees. Often lives in close proximity to human settlements. In the taiga, for example, it invariably follows people, choosing to live in places cleared of trees.

In mountainous areas they live up to the border of meadows, choosing slightly crossed areas.

The wolf is one of the territorial animals. In the cold period, flocks lead a sedentary lifestyle. The habitat of the flock is marked with marks. The area of ​​such territory can reach up to 44 km2. With the onset of warm months, the animals form pairs.

The strongest individuals continue to live in their territory, while the rest disperse. It is worth noting that wolves accompany herds of deer and domestic animals.

Wolf ancestors and evolution

The likely ancestor of the modern wolf is Canis lepophagus. This is a representative of a canine breed that inhabited the territory of North America during the Miocene period.

The first true wolves appeared during the early Pleistocene period. Among the species was Canis priscolatrans, distinguished by its small size. It is believed that this species is the ancestor of the red wolf, which migrated to Europe and Asia.

Subsequently, Canis priscolatrans changed and evolved, which led to the appearance of C. Mosbachensis, a species that has many things in common with contemporary representatives. Over time, C. mosbachensis evolved into Canis lupus.

Types and features of each type

About 32 species and subspecies of wolves are known to science. The following will describe the most interesting views.

Arctic (polar)

The rarest subspecies of the gray wolf. Distributed in Greenland, northern Canada and Alaska. The absence of humans in the cold, snow-covered terrain has made it possible to preserve the habitat in original form.

The Arctic wolf is distinguished by its large and powerful body build. The male at the withers can reach 1 m, with a weight of 100 kg. This species is characterized by sexual diformism (males outnumber females by 15-16%).

The animal is ideally adapted to life in the conditions of the polar night, overcoming great distances along the snowy plain to search for prey. An adult can eat up to 12 kg of meat at one time. Often there is nothing left of the prey, because the polar wolves do not chew the meat, but swallow it along with the bones.

Representatives of this species live in packs that number 12-15 individuals. The head of such a group can be not only a male, but also a female. There are times when a pack takes in lone wolves (if they obey the leader).

Ruffed

The species got its name from the long fur that covers the neck and shoulders. The skin resembles a horse's mane. The main place of residence is South America.

The maned wolf has a red color. A distinctive feature of the species are large ears and an elongated head. In appearance, the animal looks lean. Body weight adult does not exceed 25 kg.

The maned wolf is a lone hunter. As prey, he chooses small livestock, birds, reptiles. It also eats fruits.

INTERESTING! A few years ago, the threat of extinction of this species was observed. Today the problem has been solved, but the animal continues to be in the Red Book.

Mackensensky

The most common species found in North America. The weight of the animal can reach 80 kg, and the height - 90 cm. An individual hunts deer, musk oxen, elk and bison.

Mountain (red)

The mountain wolf is distinguished by its beautiful appearance. Its coat is similar in color to fox fur. The weight is slightly over 20 kg. The length does not exceed 100 cm. The color depends on the region of residence. In the cold period, the fur becomes softer, more fluffy and thick. With the onset of heat, it takes on a dark color and begins to coarsen.

Predators of this species live and forage in a flock of 12-15 individuals. There is rarely a clear leader in their community. Deer, antelopes or large rodents are chosen as prey. A strong flock can attack a bull and even a leopard. In case of food shortage, the red wolf may feed on carrion.

INTERESTING! A distinctive feature of the mountain wolf is the method of attacking the victim. Unlike other species (and indeed all canines), it attacks prey from the back, without trying to bite into the neck.

The animal lives secretly, trying to arrange parking away from people. It hinders learning.

Ginger

The appearance of the red wolf is similar to the appearance of gray individuals, only the red ones are inferior in size and weight, and also have shorter ears and hair. The body can reach a length of 130 cm and a weight of 40 kg. The color is not uniform, the muzzle and legs are red, and the back is dark.

Predators settle in swamps, steppes and mountains. There are individuals in the flocks different ages. In a group, there is almost never aggression towards individual members.

The red wolf eats not only meat, but also vegetation. It mainly preys on rabbits, rodents and raccoons. Very rare, but attacks large mammals. There are times when the predator itself becomes the prey of a lynx or an alligator.

common wolf

This species is collectively called the gray wolf. It is the most common animal in the family. Body length reaches 160 cm, weight - 80 kg.

The animal lives in North America, and on the territory of Eurasia. Behind last years the total number has been greatly reduced. The reason for this is the extermination of man. And only in North America the population remains at a stable level.

What do wolves eat

The wolf is a predator. Most often chooses the following animals as prey:

• Roe.
• Antelope.
• Boar.
• Deer.
• Hare.
• Elk.

Small species, as well as single individuals, attack smaller animals - rodents, ground squirrels, birds. Very rarely can choose a victim in the face large predator, although there are times when flocks attack wounded or sleeping bears, foxes.

In a hungry period, they can return to half-eaten carcasses. At such a time, predators do not disdain carrion.

In addition to meat, they eat forest fruits, berries, grass, watermelons, melons. Such food allows you to get the required amount of fluid.

Reproduction and rearing of offspring

A pair of wolves, as a rule, is formed for life. If one of the partners dies, the other does not look for a replacement. Animals live in packs of 12 to 45 individuals (depending on the species).

In the wolf community, there is a clearly built hierarchy. The head is the alpha animal (it can be either a male or a female). Then come adults, lone wolves, and puppies. Very often, single individuals are accepted into the flock. The main condition is a tolerant attitude towards other members of the pack. When the puppies reach the age of three, they are driven out of the conglomerate. It's time to find a mate on your own, and start a family.

INTERESTING! It should be noted that puppies born in the same litter will never mate with each other.

The most stressful time in the life of a pack is the mating season, when alpha males and females try to fight off other members. Often fights between animals end in death.

For one litter, a she-wolf has from 3 to 15 puppies. The offspring is hatched for more than two months. Puppies are born blind. The eyes open 10-14 days after birth.

Wolves in zoos - features of captivity

Wolves in zoos live longer than wild relatives (the former live 20 years, the latter from 8 to 15). This is due to the fact that in the wild, old individuals, unable to get food, die or become victims of relatives.

For a full life in captivity, special conditions must be created. The point is that the animal natural environment runs up to 20 km daily. This is a normal and necessary load, so there must be an aviary of the appropriate size. It is not bad to recreate the conditions of the area in which the animal should live.

An adult should consume up to 2 kg of fresh meat daily. IN winter period the norm increases to 3 kg.

Periodically, live food should be brought in to maintain the hunter's instinct.

The history of the domestication of the wolf into a dog

Very often, small wolf cubs fall into the hands of hunters. They don't always take animals to the zoo. Someone brings them home, someone sells them. Such a product is in demand, there are risky people who want to get a predator. And the desire to educate wild beast pet fuels the excitement even more.

In most cases, such solutions are erroneous and unsafe. The wolf is primarily a predator. Starting it at home is like planting a time bomb. Sooner or later it will explode.

If such a predator appeared in the house, then first of all it is necessary to create all the conditions that ensure safety. The wolf is a smart, freedom-loving and cunning animal, so everything free time he will spend on trying to get out of the cage. In addition, he is able to learn primitive actions from a person. In other words, he can remember how a person opens the cage, and do it himself.

Another point that everyone who wants to tame a wild animal should know. He will never serve as a dog. The wolf is a predator, and a man is an enemy for him, he will always be afraid of him. Therefore, when a stranger tries to enter the territory of the house, he will try to hide.

Wolf, perhaps not just predatory beast from the canine family, found in our forests, but already a whole archetypal image, well known to us from the very early years at least from children's fairy tales, cartoons, where, as a rule, he personifies a negative, evil character who wants to feast on either Little Red Riding Hood, or three little pigs, or some other fabulous living creature. In fact, from ancient times, the attitude of people towards the wolf was ambiguous, it was either revered (at the same time they were afraid), then demonized, and we see an echo of this demonization in many children's fairy tales. The very name of this beast “wolf” is not without reason consonant in many languages, English “wolf”, “Bulgarian” vylk, Serbian “vuk”, our Ukrainian “vovk” probably comes from the Old Slavonic word “vylk” meaning to drag, drag away, the fact is that dragging 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 - ancient mammal, resembling a coyote and living 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 in the study of an early pleistocyte that existed 1.8 million years ago. Although it 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 oldest, which means that the Himalayan wolf is the most respected 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, moreover, predators are quite large sizes, the largest are gray and polar wolves: their height reaches 85 cm, body length - 150-160 cm, this is without tail, weight - 85-90 kg. At the same time, the more severe the habitat, the larger the beast, not without reason 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 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 fangs that serve the owner to tear the prey apart, grind the bones, while the fangs are great for dragging the victim.

An interesting fact: all wolves are born with gobugly eyes, 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, and it also has waterproof fluff.

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. There are also red wolves. Often the color helps them blend in with their surroundings.

Perhaps you know the proverb “feet feed the wolf”, it also has scientific and zoological grounds, since its legs really feed it, and for this reason are well developed, allow it to travel considerable 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 vision of the wolf is not the best strong quality, not very developed, besides, he does not distinguish colors, but this disadvantage is more than compensated by excellent hearing and especially charm - he can smell prey for 3 km, in general, his nose distinguishes millions of shades of smell.

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

How is a wolf different from a dog

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

How long do 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 their former prowess die faster than, say, in a zoo where they are guaranteed to be fed.

Where do wolves live

Unfortunately, in our time, the habitat of the wolf has noticeably decreased; in the past, wolves lived throughout Eurasia and North America, where people lived. For example, historical chronicles testify that during the Hundred Years War between England and France there was such severe devastation and desolation that wolves even appeared 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, and even then they remained in small numbers in wild places, including our Carpathians, in the Siberian taiga.

Wolves are social animals that live in packs, in which there is always a pair of leaders: a male and a female. The remaining members of the pack: the offspring of the leaders, their relatives or joined lone wolves are subject to a strict hierarchy. A pack of wolves has its own piece of territory, up to 300 square kilometers, which they mark with special odorous marks that serve as a warning to alien wolves.

What does a wolf eat

Wolves are excellent hunters, and they hunt equally well, both in packs and alone. Many herbivores serve as their prey in the forest: moose, deer, roe deer, saigas, antelopes, hares, 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 occurs. An interesting feature wolf is his practical habit of hiding excess 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 order of wolves, since he appeared a million years ago. Outwardly, it combines the features of a wolf and a jackal. It has a length of 76-110 cm, weight is 17-21 kg. It has a short pointed muzzle and large ears. The color is red. Also distinctive feature its from other wolves is a smaller number of teeth. The red wolf lives in Asia: from Altai mountains to the Tien Shan, but most of all they live in the Himalayan mountains, in southern 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 - 20 kg. Lives exclusively on the plains, feeds on rodents, rabbits, armadillos. Habitat maned wolf– South America: Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay.

He is the North American Timber 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 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 also a gray wolf - the same kind of wolf that is widely known, 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 dense 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 is also distinguished by greater harmony, more elongated ears, but shorter fur. They especially like to hunt hares and other small rodents, but they can also attack larger prey. 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.

Living in the tundra, this species of wolf is the least studied. Outwardly similar to its closest relative, the polar wolf, but not so big, its average weight is only 42-49 kg. Like their polar relatives, they have a white coat color, which helps to blend in perfectly with the white snowy landscape of the tundra proper.

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

wolf breeding

Female wolves become sexually mature in the second year of life, males in the third, the mating season for wolves usually occurs from January to April. There are frequent fights for a female between competing males, as well as mutual courtship and flirting, both male and female.

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

Little wolf cubs feed on milk and mother's burp, already after six months of life they become able to take part in the hunt.

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, a person whose destructive activity has brought many species of wolves to the brink of extinction.

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

Wolves, video

And finally, we invite you to take a look interesting film about wolves from the National Geographic channel - "The Rise of the Black Wolf."