Characteristics of animals: common wolf. common wolf

The wolf is an ordinary, gray wolf.

An ordinary wolf gray wolf – the animal is incredibly hardy. To survive in places with harsh climates, the gray wolf acquired some qualities that increase its level of resilience. For example, wolves inhabiting Arctic latitudes have adapted to endure long polar nights and harsh weather conditions.

Indeed, even in February, when the sun rises again over these harsh lands, temperatures of -40 and piercing icy winds are a frequent occurrence here. Other species of wolves have adapted well 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 have 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 the wolf.

Wolf ordinary has good developed intellect. This could not but affect the appearance of the animal: first of all, the wolf’s intelligence is reflected in its penetrating gaze.

The weight and size of the animal varies quite widely and depends on the species. The height of the animal at the withers ranges from 0.6 to 0.95 m, and weight – from 20 to 62 kg.

Gray wolf- the largest representative of the canine family. Male wolves weighing more than 77 kg have been recorded in Alaska and Canada. But wolves are like that gigantic size are extremely rare.

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

The female's weight is always less weight their fellow tribesmen are approximately 22% male. The wolf's body length, measured from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail, ranges from 1.3 to 2 m, with the tail taking up about a quarter of this length.

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

Social structure of wolves.

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

This usually occurs at the age of 3 years, and the presence of favorable conditions, allowing the young wolf to start a family. The structure of a pack can be represented as follows: the unchanging core is a pair of a wolf and a she-wolf, the remaining members of the pack are their offspring, and can often change, leaving the pack to begin an independent life.

There is a clear hierarchy in the pack, headed by an alpha male and an alpha female. Their influence, up to certain limits, extends to all processes occurring in the flock. 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 occupies the dominant position inseparably.

This usually happens during the breeding season. The female alone chooses a place for the den and also receives help from other members of the pack in feeding the offspring. This first of all means that the pack hunts to feed the she-wolf or her wolf 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. Control of reproduction is one of the main privileges of the alpha representatives of the pack.

The alpha pair usually has the exclusive right to reproduce, 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 perk of an alpha pair is access to food. If the pack has caught a large prey, then the alpha pair and their offspring are the first to approach it. Therefore, during periods of hunger, it is more profitable for the remaining members of the flock to separate and try to feed themselves. However, when there is no shortage of food, the wolves eat quite amicably.

In a large wolf pack there is always a second place in the hierarchy. Wolves who occupy this stage are called beta males or beta females. They often take on the role of caregivers for their offspring during the absence of their parents.

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 happy with second place. In this case, beta males or females will even allow lower-ranking wolves to take the place of leader in the pack under certain conditions, for example if the alpha male dies.

More ambitious betas, however, do not want to wait long and give up the challenge soon enough or break away from the pack to create their own. It happens that the alpha male, being in his old age, voluntarily gives up his place to the beta.

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

Hierarchy within a 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 are more important than size or physical strength in the struggle for a high rank.

The order in which the hierarchy is established may differ from pack to pack, for example, if in a large pack there are many non-aggressive males, 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 either in a pack or on their own. However, wolves that go hunting in a pack have a greater advantage, since acting together they are able to kill an animal that is superior to them in both strength and size.

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

Wolves can not only hunt, they can also feed on carrion. Their prey can be any animal from a large mammal to a small rodent. Here are some of them: deer, moose, caribou, moose, bison, musk ox. Small animals include beaver, hare and other rodents.

The wolf has a large stomach volume, which allows it 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 unfavorable conditions.

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

Due to the fact that the bones fell into digestive system The wolf somehow turns into clumps of undigested fur; the animal manages to avoid injury to the intestines.

Wolf cubs eat food regurgitated from the stomach of an adult wolf or 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, among a herd of deer there lives a sick animal that not only poses a threat of infection to other members of the herd, but also eats food that could be fed to the growing young animals. 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 domains from the invasion of strangers. The size of a flock's holdings depends on the availability of food.

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

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

The wolf approaches the prey against the direction of the wind so that the animal does not run away when it smells the predator. The flock slowly approaches the prey, often lined up one behind the other. As soon as their prey realizes that it is being pursued by a predator and tries to escape, the wolves give chase.

Having overtaken prey, wolves try to bite it on the back or sides. Most often, large horned animals are attacked in this way in order to prevent it from defending itself with its horns and avoid possible damage. As soon as the victim falls, he is killed with a bite to the throat or face. Then the carcass is pulled aside and they begin to eat.

A wolf hunt can end in a few minutes, or it can drag on for hours. The more successfully the attack is structured, the greater the chances of successfully completing the hunt. If the attack fails, then the wolves continue to hunt until they catch their prey. After all, this is a matter of survival.

Reproduction.

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

For mating season the alpha pair lives alone to avoid interference from the rest of the pack. Attempts at mating between other pack members are met with aggression from the alpha pair, with 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, which go into heat twice during the year, a she-wolf comes into heat once. Wolves do not lose their reproductive abilities until they are 10 years old.

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

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

At 4 weeks of age, wolf cubs develop baby teeth and begin to eat partially digested food that is regurgitated by the adults. During the first weeks of life, only their mother is present with the wolf cubs, but after 6 weeks from the moment of birth, the wolf cubs are partially separated from their mother and the entire pack is involved in the raising process. Being under the supervision of the entire pack, wolf cubs have a better chance of survival.

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

A few more weeks later, the wolf cubs may be allowed to join the hunt, but for now only as observers. The 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 near the prey. Fights for the right to eat first between wolf cubs form a hierarchy among them. So already in this at a young age wolf cubs learn to perform dominant and subordinate roles, which are very important for their later life in the pack.

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

Conservation status of the wolf.

Unfortunately the wolf for a long time They were mistakenly considered a pest, which led to the almost complete destruction of this predator. Today people have become more educated on this issue, but nevertheless, this opinion still exists 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 wolf reintroduction.

Wherever does the gray wolf live? It can be found in Europe and Asia, in North America and on the North coast Arctic Ocean. He can live like in the taiga and coniferous forests(which everyone knows) and in the icy tundra and deserts. In Hindustan the wolf lives up to about 16′ northern latitude. The lifestyle of many subspecies is different, in addition, they differ in size and color.

APPEARANCE, PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS, FEATURES

The wolf is the largest animal in its family: its body is 160 cm long (including tail); at the withers the height reaches 90 cm; weighs about 60 kg.

The body of a gray wolf is strong, muscular, and broad-chested. The legs are high, with tightly clenched toes. The head is forehead-shaped and at the same time graceful. The ears are not large. The dark stripes on the head are picturesquely combined with almost pure white cheeks and light spots above the eyes. The tail is not very long, hanging almost straight. The long, thick fur reaches 8 cm. The undercoat consists of hard, long, black guard hairs at the ends that repel water and ensure its waterproofness. The common wolf has completely different colors, varying depending on its range. There are even white individuals found in the Arctic. Other color options are various variations of white with brown, gray, cinnamon, black, sometimes completely black. North American wolves boast three different color schemes color The first is a mixture of gray, black and cinnamon, the top is brown. The second is a mixture of black and dark brown. The third is gray and brown.

LIFESTYLE OF THE GRAY WOLF

Habitat

The wolf lives in a wide variety of landscapes, but prefers steppes, semi-deserts, tundra, forest-steppe, avoiding dense forest areas. In the mountains, distributed from the foot to the region alpine meadows, sticking to open, slightly rough areas. Can settle close to human habitation. In the taiga zone it spread after humans, as the taiga was cut down.

The wolf is a fairly territorial creature. Breeding pairs, and often flocks, live sedentary in certain areas, the boundaries of which are indicated by odorous marks. The diameter of the area occupied by the flock in winter is usually 30-60 kilometers. In spring and summer, when the flock breaks up, the territory occupied by it is divided into several fragments. The best of them is captured and held by the main pair, the rest of the wolves switch to a semi-vagrant lifestyle. In open steppes and tundra, wolves often wander after moving herds of livestock or domestic reindeer.

Sociality, habits, other features of life

Wolves live in packs - family groups from 3 to 40 animals. At the head of the pack are the leader, the strongest and smartest male of the pack, and his girlfriend. Single and young wolves unite around them. The leader enjoys unquestioned authority in the pack. Those wolves who do not like the power of the leader are expelled from the pack, or leave on their own in the hope of creating their own pack. Each flock has its own territory, which the animals carefully guard from uninvited guests.

Famous wolf howl, heard far around, is one way to make it clear that the area is occupied.

Nutrition, methods of obtaining food

The wolf's main prey is large ungulates. These could be moose, reindeer or other deer, roe deer, wild boar. Wolves also hunt smaller mammals: hares, ground squirrels, other rodents, and birds. In times of famine, this formidable predator will not disdain such “undignified” food as insects or carrion. IN winter time wolves hunt elk, deer or roe deer in a pack. Wolves master different hunting techniques: they starve the victim, attack from ambush, replace each other in a grueling pursuit, try to single out a weak or sick animal from the herd and attack. However, only one out of ten wolf hunts ends successfully. The leader and his female are the first to get their fill, choosing the best pieces of the carcass.

Reproduction, growth, lifespan

During the mating season, skirmishes and serious fights occur in the flock, sometimes with fatal. After the formation of a pair, the “young” are removed from the flock. Pregnancy lasts about two months, then the she-wolf gives birth to three to ten blind cubs. The entire pack helps feed the young offspring, bringing selected pieces of meat to the den where the she-wolf and her cubs are located.

Dens are built for breeding; They usually serve as natural shelters - crevices in rocks, thickets of bushes, and the like. Sometimes wolves occupy the holes of badgers, marmots, arctic foxes and other animals, less often they dig them themselves. The female is most attached to the den while raising offspring; the male does not use it. Young animals are bred in sheltered places: in the forest belt - mainly in dense bushes, on manes among marshy swamps; in the steppes - along ravines overgrown with bushes, gullies and dry reed beds near lakes; in the tundra - on the hills. It is characteristic that wolves never hunt close to their home, but at a distance of 7-10 km and further. After the wolf cubs grow up, the animals stop using a permanent den, but settle down to rest in different but reliable places. Small wolf cubs of a brownish color, very similar to ordinary domestic dog puppies.

INTERESTING FACTS!

Did you know that:

A wolf pack can consist of two or three wolves or contain dozens of individuals.

A hungry wolf is able to consume about 10 kg of meat in one sitting.

All newborns have wolf eyes blue color, and at the age of 8 months the eyes of these wonderful predators become yellow.

On at the moment There are countless images of wolves in the world. However, the oldest ones were found in Europe. Their age is 20,000 years.

Under excellent weather conditions, the wolf is able to hear at a distance of up to 9 kilometers in forested areas and up to 16 kilometers on the plains

GRAY WOLF AND MAN

Harm or benefit?

For humans, the wolf has always been enemy number one: the beast attacked livestock and posed a danger to people, so the wolf was exterminated everywhere. Wolves are not nearly as numerous now as they once were in the past. Meanwhile, the wolf, being large predator, plays an important role in the ecological balance: it regulates the number of large ungulates, preys mainly on sick and weak animals in the herd, thereby promoting the survival of the strongest. We should not forget about this and needlessly scold the “evil” and “predatory” wolf - there are no “unnecessary” and “useless” animals in nature.

DISTRIBUTION AREA, NUMBER, PROTECTION

IN historical time among terrestrial mammals the wolf's range occupied the second largest area after the human range, covering most of the Northern Hemisphere; has now decreased greatly. In Europe, the wolf is preserved in Spain, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Portugal, Italy, Poland, Scandinavia, the Balkans, and the Baltic states. In Asia, it inhabits Korea, partly China and the Hindustan Peninsula, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, the north Arabian Peninsula; extinct in Japan (subspecies Canis lupus hodophilax). In North America it is found from Alaska to Mexico. In Russia it is absent only on some islands: (Sakhalin, Kuril Islands).

RELATED SPECIES OF THE GRAY WOLF (Canis lupus)

The gray wolf has a relative living in eastern North America, the red wolf (Canis lupus rufus). It is somewhat smaller and truly red in color. Unfortunately, this species is now on the verge of complete extinction due to excessive persecution by humans and is listed in the Red Book.

One of the most mysterious and amazing animals on the planet is the wolf. The ferocious predator demonstrates masterful skills during the hunt, and loyalty and care in the pack. People still cannot unravel the mystery of this beautiful animal. Next, we invite you to read more exciting and interesting facts about wolves.

1.By determining weather conditions, wolves are able to hear sound signals, which sound at a distance of 9 kilometers.

2. Wolf blood, which the Vikings drank before battle, raised morale.

3.The first images of wolves were found in caves that are 20,000 years old.

4. Wolves are able to distinguish more than 200 million odors.

5. Wolf cubs are always born with blue eyes.

6.A she-wolf bears her cubs for about 65 days.

7. Wolf cubs are always born blind and deaf.

8.Wolves are terrestrial predators.

9.In ancient times, wolves lived only in deserts and tropical forests.

10. A pack of wolves can include either 2-3 individuals or 10 times more.

11.In one sitting, a wolf who is very hungry can eat about 10 kg of meat.

12.Wolves can swim and they can swim 13 km.

13.The tiniest representatives of the wolf family live in the Middle East.

14.Wolves communicate by howling.

15.Crows usually live where wolves live.

16.The Aztecs used wolf liver to treat melancholy.

17.Residents European countries A special powder was created based on wolf liver, which could be used to relieve labor pain.

18.Wolves are the first animals to be protected as endangered species.

19.Wolves prefer to eat their relatives who are caught in a trap. Therefore, it is better for hunters to quickly pick up the wolf from the trap.

20. Representatives of wolves can weigh 100 kg.

21. A hybrid of a wolf and a dog is a dog of the Wolfdog breed. Moreover, the wolf was crossed with a German shepherd.

22.Although wolves are not considered carriers of rabies, they can catch it from foxes and raccoons.

23.American wolves attack people less often.

24.Wolves eat their prey alive because they do not have anatomical weapons that can quickly kill the prey.

25.Wolves treat dogs only as their own prey.

26. Previously, Ireland was called the “Land of Wolves” because there were many wolf packs there.

27.The wolf's eyes are endowed with a reflective layer that can glow at night.

28.Wolves react more to movements than to sounds.

29.Black wolves appeared during the mating process of domestic dogs and gray wolves.

30.A mortal fight between wolves begins when several packs meet in the same territory.

31.When biting with their teeth, wolves create pressure of up to 450 kg/cm.

32.Wolves are mysterious animals that were revered by the Arabs, Romans and Indians.

33. These animals cannot be trained, even in captivity.

34.Wolves are devoted life partners to their soulmate.

35.Wolves change partners only if their partner dies.

36.Usually small wolf cubs are raised by females.

37.If the female falls asleep, the male wolf protects her.

38. In every pack of wolves there is a dominant pair, from which all other wolves follow their example.

39.Wolves are lovers of freedom.

40.Wolves become afraid when they see fabric blowing in the wind.

41.The claws of wolves can be worn down by touching the ground.

42.Wolves are very tenacious and hardy animals.

43.The activity of a wolf that does not receive food remains active for 10 days.

44. Wolf cubs weigh 500 grams at birth.

45. In Greece there was a belief that whoever eats a wolf becomes a vampire.

46.Germany is considered the first country to take up the protection of wolf packs.

47.Wolves have many facial movements.

48. The Japanese language ascribes the meaning “great god” to the word “wolf.”

49.Wolves try to attract lonely females by howling.

50.The sense of smell and hearing of wolves is simply excellent.

51.Wolves will weigh less in those representatives who live closer to the Equator.

52.Wolves are able to run without stopping for 20 minutes.

53. In winter, wolf fur is very resistant to frost.

54.Wolves can reproduce after reaching the age of 2 years.

55. Newborn wolf cubs leave the den within 3 weeks after birth.

56.On average, a she-wolf gives birth to 5-6 babies.

57.Usually, wolf cubs are born in the summer.

58. Wolf cubs can increase in size up to 30 times in the first 4 months after birth.

59. During the mating season, wolves are more aggressive.

60. A wolf’s sense of smell is 100 times stronger than a human’s.

61.Wolves are color blind.

62. A wolf who was kicked out of the pack or left it himself is called a loner.

63.Wolves have lived on Earth for more than 100 million years.

64.Every wolf has different character: some are self-confident and daring, others are cautious.

65.Each pack of wolves hunts only in its own territory.

66.The tail of the pack leader wolves rises very high.

67. Showing tenderness to each other, wolves rub their muzzles and lick their lips.

68.Wolves move most of all in the spring.

69.Wolves are very attached to their own children.

70.In patriarchal times, wolves were compared to grooms who stole brides.

71.Wolf hunting was considered the most popular hobby of noble people.

72.Wolves are able to react to a person who imitates a howl.

73.When a wolf feels anxious, it raises its head up.

74.Wolves breed only in winter.

75.Leaders wolf pack must constantly confirm their status.

76.Wolves are much smarter than dogs because their brains are larger.

77.Wolves are not the least bit afraid of humans.

78.Wolf howls can sound in different ranges.

79.Even though wolves are carnivorous animals, they also eat carrots and watermelons.

80. Arctic wolves do not rush at deer until the moment they have hope in their hearts of swallowing a mouse.

81. Newborn wolf cubs early become interested in the world around them.

82.It is not for nothing that wolves are considered “forest orderlies”; they clear the territory of sick and dead animals.

83.Even when death occurs, wolves will try to save their neighbor.

84.Wolves were the heroes of films and legends.

85.Wolves are able to sense their prey at a distance of 1.5 km.

86.Black wolves have greater resistance to infectious diseases.

87. She-wolves weigh about 5-10 kg less than males.

88. Wolf cubs that are 1.5 months old can already run away from danger.

89.Due to food shortages, wolves feed on carrion.

90.Wolves can kill foxes, but they will not eat them.

91. Red wolves reproduce well in captivity.

92.The gray wolf has a large and heavy head.

93. Most of the wolf's undercoat falls out in the spring and grows back in the fall.

94. Coyote wolves live in the same den for several years.

95. Coyote wolves have a lifespan of 10 years.

96. Respect for the leader of the wolf pack is shown by special facial movements of these animals.

97.Wolves live in pairs in the den.

98.When the teeth of a newborn wolf cub begin to erupt, the mother rubs its gums with her tongue.

99. In the process of hunting other animals, wolves use the method of reeling.

100. It will not work to keep a wolf in a nursery, because he is for short time can learn to open a lock.

Appearance: A well-built body with a broad chest rests on tall, muscular legs with tightly clenched toes. The forehead-shaped and at the same time graceful head of a wolf with medium-sized ears and a long pincer is decorated with dark stripes around almost pure white cheeks and light spots above the eyes. The short tail hangs almost straight.
The fur is thick and long (up to 8 cm); the undercoat is formed by hard, long black guard hairs at the ends, which repel water, which is why the wolf's undercoat does not get wet. The hair of animals from the middle and southern regions is coarse, while those from the northern regions are quite fluffy and soft.
Wolves moult twice a year. Spring molting in the north begins in the second half of April and lasts until June. Thinning of winter fur begins from the nape and sides, while at the same time the hair on the rump falls off. Gradually, the hair change spreads to the ridge and back of the body. Autumn molting in the north covers the period from late August to late October, sometimes until mid-November.

Lifespan: Wolves can live 12-16 years; many of them die of hunger, others die from a variety of diseases to which they are susceptible in the same way as dogs.

Eating behavior: On average, wolves eat 4.5 kg of meat per day, and in case of successful harvest they can eat up to 9 kg. A wolf requires at least 1.5 kg of food per day, and about 2.3 kg for successful reproduction. Ideas about the extreme gluttony of the wolf are exaggerated and are explained by the fact that predators, having caught one or another large animal and having had enough, take away the remaining meat and hide it, so that it seems that the prey was eaten at one time. Wolves are hardy animals and can go without food for two weeks or more.

Behavior

In most cases, the wolf confines itself to a den; much less often (mainly in open areas - steppe, tundra, etc.) it settles in burrows, adapting old burrows of marmots, foxes, badgers, and arctic foxes. For a den, he usually uses natural shelters - recesses under the roots of an inverted tree, among a windbreak, a rock crevice or the slope of a ravine, etc. The den is located in the most remote place, difficult for humans to reach - in an overgrown ravine, on a mane among a vast swamp or in a dense small forests on its outskirts, etc. If there is a lack of convenient places, especially in the steppe regions, but sometimes even in the forest zone, the den is made in the remains of hay or straw. The den is used with great consistency from year to year, and only the complete extermination of the brood leads to the disappearance of wolves from a given point for a number of years. A permanent den serves only for the period of raising young ones, and during the rest of the year, wolves lead a more or less wandering life. However, in middle lane migrations do not leave the boundaries of the hunting area and only in the tundra and steppes are of a wider nature.
The wolf has a well-developed sense of smell and hearing, which helps it easily find prey. In the wind, he picks up the scent of even the smallest animal located 1-2 kilometers away. Having heard a noise, the wolf moves its ears and determines where the sound comes from.
Wolves can be found in different times days, but they are most active at night and at dusk. Most often, wolves move at a walk or trot, less often at a gallop, and in some cases, at a short distance, they move to a quarry. The chain of traces is distinguished by its straightness, and each individual print has a clear outline.
A pack of wolves moves in single file, exactly like a trail, and only at turns and stopping places can you find out the number of animals. Thanks to its strong muscular paws, the wolf can trot for a long time at a speed of 9 km/h, and in pursuit of deer and elk it accelerates to 60 km/h.
Wolves have a well-developed sign language (facial expressions, position and movements of the tail, head, ears, body, etc.), which unites the pack and helps it act together. A welcoming ceremony is also obligatory in the pack, when the members of the pack express their respect to the leader - they approach him crawling with their ears flattened and their fur smoothed, licking and carefully biting his face.

Hunting behavior: Wolves are very highly developed predators. They have great physical strength, endurance and agility. When wolves hunt in packs, they distribute responsibilities among themselves: part of the pack drives the prey, while the other sits in ambush. The hunting methods of wolves are extremely varied and depend both on the conditions of the area, the type of prey, and on the experience of a particular individual or pack. Thus, in winter, wolves often drive ungulates onto crust or frozen ponds, where it is easier for them to catch up and overpower even strong prey. Some packs drive their prey into natural dead ends: tree debris, scattered stones, ravines, etc. Like foxes, wolves can “mouse” while hunting for small rodents and insectivores. Feature The feeding behavior of wolves, like many other predators, is food storage. It has long been known that a wolf never hunts near its nest; this is precisely what can explain the observation of young roe deer and wolf cubs playing together in the same clearing.
Depending on the results of the hunt, the night journey is 25-40 km, but if necessary it can be much longer. As indicated, in the central zone of the country, even in autumn-winter period migrations and go beyond the permanent hunting area of ​​a given pair or family. In the tundra and in the Asian steppes and deserts, wolf migrations cover much larger areas and often take on the character of long-distance migrations following herds reindeer, roe deer, etc. In the mountains, regular seasonal movements of wolves from one vegetation zone to another are observed. For example, in the Caucasus, wolves in summer and autumn stay mainly in the alpine and subalpine zones, and in the winter they migrate down to the fir and beech forests, where less snow and the main wintering areas of ungulates are concentrated. In addition to regular seasonal movements, there are known cases of sudden appearance large number wolves in some areas.

Throughout history, humans have associated the wolf with a dangerous predator. And the stories of hunters also contributed to the creation of such an image. According to them, these are very smart and cunning animals. But in reality, things are not quite like that. There are very few known cases of this animal attacking a person for no apparent reason. As a rule, they choose places to live away from people, and they hunt for a living.

General characteristics of the wolf

In the genus of wolves, it is customary to distinguish several species, among which the gray wolf takes pride of place due to its most impressive characteristics- weight and height. The gray wolf stands apart from the coyote and jackal because of its unusual DNA gene sequence, which is strong evidence to consider it the direct ancestor of domestic dogs.

Gray predators are accustomed to living in a strictly defined reality. A couple of centuries ago the situation was such that these animals large quantities lived in Eurasia and North America. However, over the past decades, people have hunted them, which led to a decrease in their population. Moreover, this was also influenced by the active human activity. In addition to the fact that cities were being built, as well as enterprises whose activities inevitably affected the surrounding landscape, wolf hunting became a popular entertainment.

In our country, the main representatives of this genus are the common wolf and the tundra wolf. Considering its size, we can say that it is the largest animal of the canine family.

• the body of a wolf from crown to tail can be up to 160 cm long;
• weight can reach 62 kg;
• height at the withers can be approximately 90 cm.

Wolves are distinguished not only by their beauty appearance, but also intelligence. Today, it is customary to distinguish approximately 32 subspecies of wolves, which have a variety of sizes and fur colors. Wolves are entrusted with the function of orderlies, as they help maintain the balance of ecosystems. These animals can be found in a wide variety of natural areas- forests and steppes, tundra and taiga, mountain systems.

However, today a very sad picture is emerging: the number of wolves everywhere has become extremely low, and in some places it is the animal is on the verge of complete extinction. But man is not too concerned about this, and he continues to ruthlessly hunt these animals.

Appearance of a wolf

The appearance of a wolf is formed under the influence climatic conditions the territory in which he lives. Therefore, in those places where low temperatures prevail most of the time, these animals will have the most impressive sizes. If we consider one population, then the males in it will certainly have larger sizes, unlike the females, and at the same time have a more forehead.

When you first meet this animal, you can easily mistake it for a large, pointy-eared dog. But if you look closely, you can see he has characteristic features predator:

• tall and strong legs,
• large paws with two middle toes extended forward.

Thanks to this paw structure, these animals can develop very high speed, jump high and move silently. You can distinguish them by the following:

• it has a length of 15 cm and a width of 7 cm;
• A distinctive feature is two fingers that clearly protrude forward.

Head

All wolves have a wide muzzle, which is elongated and has whiskers on both sides, and a broad-browed head. Wolves experience different emotions, so they can show joy, fear, anxiety and calmness. All of them are clearly visible on his face. This feature did not go unnoticed by scientists, who were able to identify a group of facial expressions:

These animals have a large, massive skull, which explains its broad forehead. The nasal opening is wide and begins to decrease at the bottom. In males, the skull has a length of 268–285 mm, in females it is 251–268 mm. Cranial bone in males has a width in the cheek area of ​​147–160 mm, and in females – 136–159 mm. The eye sockets of males are 84–90 mm wide, and those of females are 78–85 mm wide. The upper row of teeth in males is about 108–116 cm long, and in females – 100–112 mm.

It’s not for nothing that they say that the wolf’s teeth feed him. This animal clearly confirms this expression in life. Thanks to them A wolf can not only defend himself from enemies, but also to get food for themselves. There are several types of teeth on the upper jaw, as well as on the lower jaw:

• incisors;
• fangs;
• premolars;
• molars.

Fangs are very important for the wolf, which help it capture and hold game and defend itself from attack. Thanks to molars and premolars the animal can cut up and chew food. It is not difficult for wolf teeth to cope with a load of more than 10 MPa. Therefore, for a wolf, teeth are a necessity, without which he simply cannot survive in wild conditions.

Tail

These animals have a long and thick tail, which is always in a lowered state. The way he moves allows you to understand the mood of the wolf. This is very important for any hunter, since you can choose from a pack of wolves who are afraid or worried by their tail.

Fur

Special significance for these animals it has fur, which is two-layered and has low thermal conductivity. It has a thick and long coat, so wolves give the impression of larger and more massive animals. Traditionally the first layer of wool is formed by outer hairs, which provides the wolf with protection from dirt and water, and also makes it easier to endure seasonal weather fluctuations. It also has an undercoat, which is usually understood as the bottom, second layer of hair. It's essentially waterproof down that keeps you warm. All wolves molt, and this happens in late spring or early summer.

Color

In these animals, the first layer of fur can have a different shade, which is formed under the influence of their habitat. Traditional wolf color - gray-brown, tundra wolves are almost completely white in color, desert wolves are completely red, predators living in the highlands central Asia, traditionally have a bright ocher color. There are also predators of other colors - white, pure white, red and black. What all wolves have in common is that they always have the same undercoat color - gray.

Coat color is very important for the timber wolf, as it is used as camouflage. Moreover, for each specific species it becomes especially important, since it makes its appearance individual.

Also wolves differ in vocal frequencies, which can have a fairly wide range. Voice is necessary to inform each other about the location of an animal or a person. At the same time, they can make a wide variety of sounds:

• yapping;
• growl;
• grunt;
• whimpering;
• howling.

After receiving information from another wolf, the predator throws back its head and howls in a vibrating low voice that eventually rises to the highest notes.

Wolves that are members of a pack always live together and often take part in choral howls. The first party remains with the leader, who begins to howl at dusk or dawn. After this, it is the turn of the rest of the pack. Desire to participate choral singing related to the expression certain emotions, similarly, wolves demonstrate that they belong to their community.

The pack can launch an attack only if it hears the war cry of the leader: it is more reminiscent of the growl of a dog when it rushes at a person.

It is not so easy for wolves to provide themselves with food. Therefore, in search of food, they have to go long distances from their habitat. Their structural features allow them to withstand many kilometers of travel.: narrow, streamlined chest, strong legs and sloping back. Typically, predators can travel 10 kilometers per hour. But if they are being chased, they can move at speeds of up to 65 km/h, while jumping to a height of 5 m.

The structure of the wolf's paws deserves special attention. Thanks to him, they perfectly adapt to any living conditions. The paws differ in that have webbing between their toes. They allow you to redistribute the load, so in the forest these predators move faster than all other animals. Thanks to this structural feature of their paws, they can balance their weight while moving.

A wolf's paws contain special blood vessels that provide protection against hypothermia. The predator succeeds very easily maintain balance even on slippery surfaces, which is helped by blunt claws and bristly fur on the paws. Other distinctive external sign is the presence of scent glands between the toes. It is thanks to them that the wolf's tracks retain a characteristic smell. These animals need them to navigate the terrain and inform the rest of the pack about their location.

Spread of the wolf

For all the time that this predator has lived on earth, its distribution area has changed significantly. Today it is mainly found in the territories northern hemisphere. In North America these predators can be found in the territory from Alaska to Mexico, in Japan there is no longer a single representative of these animals left, which is explained high level urbanization. The common wolf is most represented in Europe and Asia - primarily in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Spain, the Balkans and Scandinavian countries.

These predators feel best in forest-steppe and steppe zones, as well as tundra and semi-desert. Less preferred habitats for wolves are densely wooded areas. Basically, he is used to settling in more open or less rugged areas.

These predators are accustomed to living near human settlements. If the taiga is cut down, this animal also begins to increase the area of ​​its possessions in the taiga zone.

Wolf packs are not prone to frequent movements and usually live for long periods of time on certain territory. The area occupied by these animals, usually has an area of ​​30-60 m in diameter. Predators living in the tundra and steppe behave somewhat differently: they are nomadic animals and regularly change their camp depending on the movement of the herd.

With the onset of the mating season, groups of pairs begin to separate out in the flock. The one that is the strongest takes best place, and all other members of the flock are forced to look for food in other places during this period.

Wolves require certain conditions to breed offspring. To do this, they have to make a lair that looks like a secluded place. Most often it is found in crevices in rocks or in thickets of dense bushes. Sometimes she-wolves also make their home in the burrows of other animals– arctic foxes, badgers or marmots. The male is not inclined to constantly be near the she-wolf, since he needs to get food.

To do this, it can move long distances from the den - 7–10 kilometers. Newborns wolf cubs differ little from puppies, their brown color also adds to their similarity. When the little animals grow up and master the skills of surviving in the wild, the she-wolf takes them out of the den, and after that they begin to live an independent nomadic life.

Conclusion

Wolves are one of the dangerous predators, about which each of us has heard since childhood. But, unfortunately, over the past decades, hostility towards this animal has reached such proportions that in some places its population has approached critical levels. These animals still retain representation on the territory of the Eurasian continent.

There are enough representatives of these predators in our country, mainly the gray wolf and tundra wolf. These animals have special characteristics, which make it easy to distinguish them. It is especially worth mentioning that these are finger-walking creatures, which allows them to move in the forest faster than all other animals.