Where does the wolf live and what does it eat? The wolf is a wild predatory animal. Description and photo of the common wolf. Where do wolves live

16.06.2019

The wolf is a typical representative predatory mammals. Many are familiar with him from literature, and some met in person. But meeting him does not bode well. The animal is not only widespread in nature, but also a frequent character in stories, films, both fiction and animation. Suffice it, for example, to recall Jack London and his story "White Wolves". About the cartoon "Well, wait a minute" is not worth talking about. He is familiar to everyone since childhood.

The name of the animal different peoples sounds different, but is characterized by pronounced consonance. In Bulgaria, for example, this predator is called "Vylk", and in Ukraine "Vovk". In Serbian, the name sounds like "Vuk".

general description

For the most part, representatives of the wolf kingdom have medium or big sizes. The largest species is considered to be related to gray and polar wolves. An adult at the withers can reach 85 cm. If you do not take into account the tail, then the body will be 1.5-1.6 meters long. There is a rule that was derived by Bergman. In accordance with it, the size of the predator will be the larger, the more severe the environment in which it lives.

The mass of Siberian wolves can reach 90 kg. Such massiveness can impress anyone. The wolves of Arabia have the smallest sizes. For example, the mass of females rarely exceeds 10 kg. No matter what species the wolf belongs to, the female is always smaller than the male.

By outward signs wolves have a pronounced resemblance to large dogs. The body is characterized by the presence of a pronounced muscle relief. As for the maned wolves, they have resemblance with foxes. The tail has a rather pronounced thickness and length. Wolves have a massive head. The ears are pointed, set high, and the muzzle has an elongated shape. The shape of the skull of a maned wolf is similar to that of a fox.

There are 42 teeth in the predator's mouth. The fangs are very large and massive. With the help of teeth, the wolf not only tears the prey apart, but also grinds the bones. When a wolf grabs its prey, it holds it tightly with its fangs. Red wolves contain a dental formula in which the molars are present in smaller numbers.

The cubs that have just been born have eyes blue color. Three months later, the iris already has an orange or golden yellow tint. But the blue color of the eyes of some representatives remains for life.

The body of the animal is covered with thick fur. The undercoat is two-layered. Wool has low thermal conductivity. This feature determines the circumstance in which wolves are able to survive in the most severe conditions.

The color of the animal is highly variable. You can find almost all shades in it. There are also absolutely white wolves. Nature decreed this not by chance. This allows the wolves to perform good camouflage, merging with the surrounding landscape. Different shades indicate that each animal has its own personality.

The predator's toes allow for balancing while moving. It was not in vain that nature rewarded him with strong limbs, since in search of food the wolf has to travel considerable distances. Typically, running speed in normal mode does not exceed 10 km per hour. But, when a predator is chasing prey, it can develop a decent speed, which reaches 65 km per hour.

The predator has well-developed organs of touch. Suffice it to say that he can smell the prey, which is located at a distance of 3 km from him. More than a million are available for his sense of smell. different shades smell. This circumstance renders the animal a good service during the rutting season. The predator is also capable of marking territory.

The vocal range of the wolf is simply amazing. It's hard to say what he can't portray with his voice. It is commonly believed that wolves howl at the moon. But it is not so. By these actions, they warn their relatives about their location, thereby driving away strangers. But a lone wolf howls very rarely, because he is afraid to attract trouble. Usually this is observed in animals in the pack.

Animals have well-developed facial expressions. By showing their teeth, they thereby express their various emotions. Some elements of behavior have a certain resemblance to a dog. If the animal raises its ears and tail, this indicates that for some reason it is alert.

On average, a wolf can live from 8 to 16 years. If favorable conditions are created for an animal in captivity, then life can last up to 20 years.

habitats

It so happened that in terms of prevalence, wolves are second only to humans. They are distributed on the territory of many states, including Russia. On the territory of our country, you can meet 6 species of wolves, including red and polar wolves.

The predator has adapted to existence in the territory of various natural areas. It can be found even in the tundra and desert. The habitat of wolves is characterized by pronounced territoriality. They are characterized by the presence of signs of a social orientation. They form groups (flocks), which include up to 40 individuals. Each flock has its own territory. Each group has its own leader, or rather a pair consisting of a male and a female. There is a strict hierarchy among the pack. But during the rutting period, one can observe the disintegration of the pack, since the wolves form a pair for this time.

Wolves themselves do not dig holes. They prefer to occupy someone else's home, for example, a badger's hole.

Wolves food

The wolf is an animal that is distinguished by endurance and speed. Pursuing prey, he, without getting tired, is able to overcome considerable distances. The diet is dominated by animal food. If the prey is insignificant in size, then it is quite possible to hunt alone. But to cope, for example, with reindeer A wolf alone cannot do it. Here, of course, the help of the whole flock will be required. In most cases, the wolf attacks the prey if it is young or sick.

It uses both small animals (hare, ground squirrel, beaver, and other species) and large representatives (deer, saiga, bison) in food. If for some reason the main food is not available, the wolf can use small amphibians (frog). AT warm time years, mushrooms and berries may be present in the animal's diet.

In some cases, a wolf can even attack a bear that is hibernating or weakened by illness or injury. In case of luck, the animal can absorb up to 14 kg of meat at a time. If the polar wolf is very hungry, he can swallow the whole hare along with the bones.

Wolves have one feature. They return to the corpse of the animal in order to eat all that is left of it. In addition, stocks of meat are made for the future.

Steppenwolves can quench their thirst by raiding watermelon and melon fields.

It must be said that there are quite a large number of types of wolves. Separately, it is necessary to dwell only on some types.

Red Wolf. He is quite large predator. In his appearance, in addition to wolf external data, the features of a jackal and a fox were reflected. The mass of the animal can reach 21 kg, and height - up to 1.1 meters. Compared to other wolves, the tail of this species is fluffier and more voluminous. The end of the tail is always dark in color. The color of the red wolf is dominated by red shades. The species includes 10 subspecies, has the smallest number of teeth in comparison with other representatives. It has a fairly wide geographical distribution in nature, but most often it can be found in the Himalayas. Some territories are distinguished by the small number of this representative. This is due to the fact that its population has sharply decreased, in connection with which it was taken under protection.
The wolf is maned. He is unique representative of this family. On the nape there is wool, the length of which can reach 13 cm. The presence of wool determines the formation of a real mane. The weight of the animal can reach 23 kg. The body length of a maned wolf can be 1.3 meters. The elongated muzzle introduces obvious disproportions in the structure of the body. The color is reddish-yellow, but a dark stripe runs along the spine along its entire length. inhabits this species exclusively on flat land. The body has extremely long limbs. It feeds on various rodents, amphibious insects, armadillos. From plants they prefer to eat nightshade. In this way they get rid of nematodes.
Eastern wolf. So far this view has not taken certain place in the classification. Some consider it a hybrid gray wolf, while others consider it as an independent unit. With a height of 89 cm, the weight reaches 30 kg. This applies to males. Females are somewhat more modest in size. The color of the fur contains yellowish-brown shades. On the back are dark hair. For the most part they are characterized by animal food.
Wolf ordinary (gray). It is one of the largest predators of this family. The growth of an individual reaches 86 cm. Individual specimens grow up to 90 cm. Body weight is highly variable, but usually does not exceed 60 kg. The tail of a predator can grow up to more than half a meter. The color is characterized by variability and depends on the habitat. In the forests, you can usually meet representatives with a gray-brown color, and in the tundra - white wolves. But the undercoat is always gray in color. These wolves usually use ungulates for food. This includes deer, elk, wild boar, and other representatives of the fauna. Smaller animals, like a hare, are also eaten. Such a wolf would not mind eating rodents. It is not uncommon for gray wolves to attack pets. When the harvest time comes, predators occupy the fields where gourds grow. They quench their thirst with watermelon and melon. In our country, gray wolves are ubiquitous.
Red look. Previously, it was considered an independent nosological unit. But with the advent of the possibility of DNA testing, it was found that such wolves are hybrids of a gray wolf and a coyote. The weight hardened wolf can reach 41 kg. In length, representatives of this species can grow up to 1 meta 30 centimeters. The body has a more slender character than that of other types of wolves. Very present long legs. The diet consists mainly of rodents and small animals. On the large animal such wolves attack extremely rarely. Mushrooms and berries play a secondary role in nutrition. Can eat carrion. In the last century, this species was completely exterminated. Only 14 specimens remained in captivity. All measures aimed at restoring the population are being carried out.
Tundra wolf. This subspecies is the least studied. In appearance, there great resemblance with polar wolf, but representatives of this subspecies are more modest in size. Body weight can reach 49 kg. Mostly individuals with a gray-white color are found, although pure white wolves also come across. The animal has very large teeth. This subspecies is distributed almost throughout the tundra.
Steppe wolf. These animals are small in size. This subspecies has been little studied in comparison with other analogues. Inhabits the Kazakh steppes and southern territories our country.
Eurasian wolf. In appearance, it is similar to the North American subspecies, but differs in denser and shorter fur. A mature male can reach a weight of 73 kg with a height of 76 cm. A monochromatic color is predominantly characteristic and includes a wide variety of shades. In his diet, he mainly uses big booty and medium sized animals. Under certain circumstances, it can be used as food for small rodents.
Polar wolf. It is closely related to the European wolf. The length of individual representatives can reach 1.5 meters, and the mass reaches 85 kg. The body is covered with light fur, which is quite dense in structure. This subspecies is well adapted to living in extreme conditions. Found throughout the Arctic. Its life expectancy can reach up to 17 years.

reproduction

Puberty in animals occurs in the second year of life (females). As for males, the ability to fertilize them appears only by 3 years. mating games include a variety of treatments. It happens mutually. In the struggle for a new pair, males enter into fierce fights. Wolves leave the pack to mate. The female carries the fetus for 65 days. The number of puppies in a litter can vary, but is always odd. Usually the female brings 3-13 cubs. A newborn wolf cub is born completely blind. He begins to see only by the end of the second week.

Those puppies that are weaker than the rest are rejected by the female herself. This is done so that the remaining cubs get more milk. In nutrition, puppies use the meat burp of their parents. It includes undercooked meat. Having matured a little, the wolf cubs begin to eat the prey brought by the wolves. All members of the pack take part in feeding the puppies. Closer to autumn, wolf cubs themselves take part in the hunt.

natural enemies

AT wild nature Wolves have more than enough enemies. Sometimes, dividing the prey, the wolf may come into conflict with the lynx. If the forces are unequal, then the wolf will die. Sometimes wolves of different packs are at enmity with each other, arranging a real bloody spectacle.

It is not difficult to guess that the main enemy of wolves is man. People at all times mercilessly shot them. In addition, traps are placed on them everywhere. Naturally, this negatively affects the population.

AT recent times the fashion has gone home content wolves. The wolf is easy to train, but he will only execute commands if he is interested in it himself. Anyone who decides to have a wolf in their home should always remember that this is an extremely unsafe event. The wolf is not a dog and must be treated with extreme caution. Be especially careful if there are children in the house.

Video: wolf (Canis lupus)

The wolf is a mammal, a predator of the canine family. The very word "wolf" leads to Proto-Indo-European roots. The wolf, coyote, jackal belong to a small genus of wolves. According to the results of studies in genetic drift and DNA sequencing, he is the direct ancestor of the domestic dog. And she, in turn, is a subspecies of the wolf. In the canine family, the wolf is the largest animal: body length - 160 cm, height at the withers - 90 cm; weight - 62 kg.

Previously, most often the wolf could be found in North America and Eurasia. But today the situation has much worsened, in some places even to a critical state. All the ongoing changes that technological progress entails contribute to changes in the natural landscape, climate, urbanization and mass extermination animals. Wolves are no exception, so in many regions they are even at the stage of extinction. But in some places their numbers remain stable. But, no matter what, wolves continue to be exterminated as a threat to humans and livestock, or just for fun.

This situation can lead to irreparable consequences, since the wolf is also part of a large ecosystem. Biomes such as forest, steppe, mountain systems, taiga are directly dependent on the existence of this mammal. All 32 wolf subspecies differ only in size and fur color. AT Russian Federation we can meet common and tundra wolf.

According to Bergman's rule: the colder the climate, the larger the animal, we conclude that the size and weight category of wolves is variable depending on the habitat. For example, a female Arabian wolf can weigh about 10 kg, while a female wolf living in Alaska can weigh up to 70 kg. But this happens in rare cases, for example, when a wolf weighing 80 kg was registered in Alaska in 1939. Now individual males can weigh in the range of 77 kg. But most often we meet a wolf weighing 32 - 62 kg, with a height at the withers of 60 - 85 cm and a length of 105 - 160 cm. Therefore, they are recognized as the largest mammals in their family. The female is about 20% smaller than the male, which has an even broader head.

The appearance of a wolf is very similar to that of a large pointed-eared dog. It is characterized by such external parameters:
- paw 15 cm long, 7 cm wide;
- high on the legs;
- wide massive muzzle;
- a broad-browed and strongly elongated head with characteristic "whiskers".

The track of a wolf can be easily distinguished from that of a dog - on its middle paws, two fingers are slightly ahead of the rest. A wolf is distinguished from a coyote and a jackal by a rather massive and expressive muzzle, in which it is narrower and sharper. Anger, fun, anger, threat, fear, etc. can be reflected on it. - only about 10 facial expressions. The most important weapon of a wolf is its teeth, by which you can find out what kind of life a predator leads. They can withstand a load of 10 MPa. When a wolf loses its teeth, it is doomed to hunger and inactivity. Let's write down characteristics placement of teeth in the cleft palate:
- the upper jaw consists of 2 canines, 6 incisors, 4 molars and 8 premolars;
- the lower jaw consists of the same teeth as the upper one, only plus 2 more molars.

An important role is played by the fangs, with which the predator holds and drags its prey, 4 upper premolars and the very first lower premolars, with which it cuts it.
The back of the wolf's body is the tail, constantly in a lowered state. It is much more massive and longer than that of a dog. It can be used to determine what emotions the animal is experiencing, or what place it occupies in the pack.

The fur cover of the wolf is quite dense, consists of two layers of wool. Therefore, sometimes wolves can seem so massive to us, which in reality is not so. All this is explained by the way and place of life of the animal. The first layer of wool is waterproof, designed to warm the animal - the undercoat. The second layer repels dirt and water with coarse outer hair. When spring comes, wolves begin to molt, rub against trees and stones, so that the fluff exfoliates faster from the body.

The environment determines the color of the wolf. If it is a tundra, the color is almost white, if it is a forest, then it is gray-brown, if it is a desert, then it is grayish-reddish. Since it is a predator, it must merge with environment so as not to be noticed. But this does not always determine the color of the wolf. It often happens that, by the way of its color, the wolf informs others about its individuality. This only applies to the top (second) layer of wool, as the bottom (first) is always grey. Wolf cubs are always born in the same color - black, which is then changed to its own unique color. BUT Blue eyes change color to orange or golden yellow after 8 to 16 weeks. A very rare blue-eyed wolf. Mixed shades are possible within the same population, they only enhance the individuality of the animal.

The vocal means of wolves are striking in variety: barking, growling, whimpering, howling, grumbling, yelping. And each of these types of sounds has its own variations. The voice capabilities of wolves do not exceed only humans and bats. Messages can be quite diverse: they report the location of animals or even the appearance of a person on the territory. Farley Mowat saw this for himself by watching wolves on the Canadian tundra. He traced and checked the message transmitted by the wolves about the movement of the caribou. The distance from one wolf to another could be about 8 kilometers. After listening to the information received, the wolf threw back its head and began to howl with a vibrating howl, but at first the howl was in low tones and ended the transmission of the message to the next one in very high tones, which are still distinguishable by human hearing.
In parallel, the verification of the truth of the information transmitted by the wolves was carried out - everything was correct. When the growl of a wolf is similar to the growl of a dog that is trying to rush at a person, then such a cry is called a battle cry. Those. this is a kind of signal to attack, which gives the leader.

At dawn or dusk, you can hear how a pack of wolves howl. But this doesn't happen every day. The leader of the pack always begins to howl, his voice is very different from the rest, then the rest of the pack members support him. It all ends with yapping and shrill barking. All this speaks of a "friendly" family, this is a sign of their belonging to the pack, which they emotionally strengthen during the howl. But it is also one of the ways to communicate with other packs. Farley Mowat also met a man in the tundra who understood all the messages transmitted by wolves. It was the Eskimo Utek.

In the course of evolution, wolves have developed many physiological features that help them survive in any terrain. Wolves can easily move long distances. This disposes them physiological structure paws that have membranes between the fingers, which allows you to move through deep snow much faster than other animals, correctly distributing the load. Wolves are "digitigrade" animals, since during the run the main load is directed to the fingers, which balances their weight very well. On the front paws of wolves there is a fifth rudimentary finger, which is located with inside metatarsus. In addition, the front paws are much larger than the hind legs.

Wolves are well adapted to survive in very cold winters. Wool does not transmit heat, its thermal conductivity is 2 times less than that of a beaver or muskrat. Highly important point is the absence of sweat glands in wolves, they, like dogs, “sweat their tongues”. Moving on slippery surfaces, the wolf feels very confident due to the bristly fur and blunt claws. On the paws there are special blood vessels that do not allow the paws to freeze. Another way to report the location of the pack is the scent trail. Between the fingers of the wolf are special glands that secrete the smell. They help them navigate the terrain by following the tracks left, and inform other packs about the location of the leader. The physique of wolves is quite streamlined, especially rib cage, the back is sloping, and the legs are very strong. They allow the wolf to overcome distances of up to tens of kilometers a day at a trot, while the speed is about 10 km / h. But in critical situations, wolves can accelerate to 65 km / h, performing jumps 5 meters long.

Niramin - Jan 19th, 2016

Wolf or gray wolf (lat. Canis lupus) is a large predatory animal from the canine family. The only ones land mammals, which have the most extensive habitat. They live in Asia, Europe and North America (from Alaska to Mexico). In Europe they live in Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Baltic States, Scandinavia, the Balkans. In Asia, they are found in Korea, Georgia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and in the north Arabian Peninsula. They prefer tundra, steppes, forest-steppe, taiga zone, foothills. They can settle near places where people live.

Appearance

The body length of a wolf is about 100 - 150 cm, she-wolves are smaller - from 80 to 120 cm. The weight of males is up to 55-70 kg, females - up to 45 kg. The length of the tail can be up to 40 cm. The height at the withers is 60 - 80 cm. The wolf is covered with gray-brown fur, brightens with time. Tundra Wolves have a light coat color, almost white. Sometimes there are red, and even black predators. The coat is thick, long, tends to shed twice a year (in spring and autumn).

Nutrition

Wolves are predominantly active night image life. They announce their coming with a howl. They have developed sense of smell and hearing. They chase their prey, and thanks to their fast run they catch up with it. They prefer to eat deer, roe deer, wild boars, elk. They also catch hares, gophers, foxes, attack livestock. In summer, because of thirst, they can eat watermelons and melons. Sometimes they attack people. Daily use up to 3 kg animal food and drink up to 1 liter of water.

Reproduction and lifespan

It is interesting to know that wolves are monogamous, forming pairs for a long time until the partner dies. They live in packs, family groups. The number can vary from 3 to 40 animals. The head of the pack is an alpha male and his wife is an alpha female.
Depending on the territorial location of predators, mating takes place in January - April. The pregnancy of a she-wolf lasts up to 65 days. Usually 3 to 13 wolf cubs are born. They are fed first with mother's milk, later complementary foods are introduced from chewed food. They take care and feed the wolf cubs with the whole flock. Puberty occurs at the age of 3-4 years.

They age at the age of 10 - 12 years and live up to a maximum of 15 years.

See the photo gallery of a large predator - the wolf:

Photo: Flock.

Photo: Fight of wolves.

Video: Wolf pups (Canis lupus) — Wolf behavior

Video: Living Encyclopedia - Wolves

Video: About wolves - Life in a pack

Video: Lonely hungry wolf in search of food

The wolf is the only animal that can go into battle against a stronger opponent. If he lost the battle, then until his last breath he looks into the eyes of the enemy, after which he dies.

And some more interesting facts about wolves:

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 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.

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

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.

Wolf Pack may 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 animal, like a dog, with short legs and 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 react to humans imitating wolf howl. 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 rubs the gums of puppies with her tongue 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.

AT Japanese the word wolf is characterized as "great god".

Between 6,000 and 7,000 wolf skins are 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 Lupin, 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 are animals that are known to all predators. About wolves there are many tales and sayings that describe him either as a ferocious beast, or as a domesticated animal. In fact, the wolf cannot be attributed to either one or the other.

The wolf is an animal, which is a mammal from the canine order. According to research, it is he who is the ancestor of the home. They grow about 160 centimeters in length and weigh 60 kilograms.

Today, this animal has more than 35 subspecies of its kind. "Relatives" live in different parts of the world. All of them are of different sizes and colors, but one thing unites them - they are predators!

In appearance, the wolf resembles a large pointed-eared dog. Paws - high and thin, they can hardly be called massive. The withers are set high, the muzzle is large, which distinguishes this genus from dogs.

Wolves have a good ability to adapt. They can travel long distances and still feel at home. These predators have an excellent sense of smell and acute hearing. They can smell their prey for 2-3 kilometers.

Below pictured wolf, has thick and beautiful fur. It consists of two layers: an inner down and outer long hairs. They are tough and repel water well. This representative of the animal world has a large and thick tail, which is always down.

The teeth of the wolf are sharp as a blade, it is with them that he tears apart his prey. Plus, teeth are a wolf's defense against other predators. Speaking of wolves, it is necessary to mention their special voice. Unlike all animals, they can make different sounds:

Grunt;
Whistling;
Squeal;
whimper.

Hear the growl of the wolf

Habitat and lifestyle of the wolf

Wild wolves- formidable predators, whose habitat stretches over almost the entire Northern Hemisphere. Representatives of this species could be found in Belarus, Alaska and so on.

Wolves can live in completely different areas, but prefer forest-steppes, tundra, steppes, semi-deserts. They also love forest areas. high humidity the wolf will not like it. They can easily settle close to people and approach them at close distances.

Wolves live in packs, in which there is always a leader. He chooses the best female for himself. In summer and spring, the flock breaks up, but all animals remain on their territory. The best place goes to the leader and his companion. The remaining members of the pack either pair up or begin to lead a wandering lifestyle. Wolves mark territory like dogs.

Usually one flock takes an average of 50 kilometers. At night, but not every day, the wolves start choral singing. The leader begins to howl, after which the rest join him. Thus, wolves show cohesion and belonging to the pack.

The life of wolves, like animals, can be attributed to the nocturnal. Very often, these predators make themselves felt, starting to howl loudly. When hunting, a wolf can reach speeds of up to 60 km / h and run about 70 kilometers.

Before they start hunting, wolves often begin to howl. Sometimes they thus warn their brethren about the upcoming hunt. The leader of the pack gives a battle cry - this is the beginning of their action.

Wolf character

Wolves, as a rule, do not have a hot temper. Friendly, of course, it is difficult to call them. The wolf pack always defends itself together, in fact, as it hunts.

Males always protect females and young. If a female or wolf cub is attacked by a predator many times larger, not a single wolf will stand aside. He will rush to protect them, no matter what the cost. Takova the life of an animal - a wolf.

In relation to other predators, wolves are indifferent. Of course, they don't like animals that try to prey on their territory. But they don't just jump into a fight.

There are legends about wolves as about bloodthirsty animals, but in reality everything is not at all like that! Animal world wolves arranged so that they are diligent family men who hunt to feed themselves.

Nutrition and reproduction

What animal is the wolf? The wolf is a clear representative of carnivores. He resorts to vegetable food in extreme cases, when there is no food at all. An adult absorbs from 2 to 6 kilograms of meat at a time. These predators have a habit of saving food for later.

Even despite the fact that the wolf is very voracious, he is able to starve for a long time. The main diet of wolves includes sheep,,.

In fact, these predators eat all the animals that they can get. The difference in feeding wolves directly depends on their habitat. Wolves are monogamous creatures, so their marriages usually last for many years. From two to three years, the animal is ready for breeding.

mating season occurs in January-April, depending on the habitat. At this time, the situation in the flock is heating up. The dominant male and female protect each other from the rest of the members.

The rest of the males begin to actively care for the she-wolves and fight for them. Usually, a female produces only one offspring per year. Pregnancy lasts about 65 days. There are from 3 to 13 puppies in a litter. During the feeding period, the female does not move far from her hole and guards it in every possible way. Dad - the wolf does not participate in this period in the life of the cubs.

After milk feeding, the whole flock makes sure that the cubs are fed. Any wolf shares his piece with the kids. Depending on the habitat, puppies may stay in the pack or leave to look for new territory.

Varieties of wolves

There are more than 35 subspecies, but only a few of them are worth noting, they are interesting for their lifestyle and behavior. These include:

White wolf - animal well-known, which differs from its counterparts in beauty. Usually hides from enemies. It has a docile and peaceful nature. He does not like to meet people and often sits in his hole. Being a hermit, he prefers to live in the tundra and the Arctic.
The black wolf is an animal which looks like a sharp-eared dog. Because of its appearance, people often confuse it with pets. This subspecies lives in Alaska and North America.
Red wolf - animal, which outwardly may resemble a kutsuyu. Compared to its counterparts, it is small in size. Its weight is only about 21 kilograms. A feature of these predators is their habitat - mountains.
Steppe wolf - animal small size, which, judging by the name of the species, lives in the steppes. Favorite places of residence are the lines of cliffs of river banks. They feed on hares, partridges. They live most often in fox holes.

Pictured is a white wolf

Keeping a wolf at home

It is almost impossible to make a pet out of a wolf. You need to be aware that the wolf is a predator that can consider human flesh as food. Taming can take a long time, but if it succeeds, the wolf will become best friend and a protector. He will always be a danger to you, family, guests.

If you have made the decision to get a wolf, then the first thing to do is to surround the wolf cub with love and care. You can't yell at him and, of course, hit him. The wolf is an animal of the forest Therefore, it is necessary for him to provide personal space. Actually, it's hard to imagine wolf as a pet.

It is advised to feed the wolf fresh meat and fish. Give the animal a lot of time and attention, the animal must feel your love. The wolf needs to be played with like a dog, trained.

Pictured is a red wolf

We must not forget that it is a predator and it is dangerous to humans. In the wild, people often hunt these animals for their skins, although wolf hunting banned in many countries. Although most of these predators absolutely do not pose a danger to humans.