The common wolf (or gray wolf) is a large beast of prey from the canine family. The body length of an adult wolf can reach 180 cm (including tail), and the height at the withers is 90 cm. The weight of a wolf ranges from 30 to 50 kg, some of the largest animals can weigh up to 80 kilograms. Female wolves usually fewer wolves males.
The wolf's muzzle is elongated, its teeth are sharp and strong. The paws are quite long, the claws are not very sharp, as they wear off while running. The coat is usually light gray, sometimes with a black, white or reddish tint; there are wolves with completely black and completely white fur. As a wolf ages, its coat color can change greatly.
Spreading
Wolves live almost throughout the entire territory of Eurasia and North America. Animals are well adapted to life in different conditions. They feel good in the tundra, forest, steppe, taiga and mountains.
Currently, the number of wolves has greatly decreased, and in many regions these animals are endangered.
Lifestyle
Wolves are pack animals. Members of the pack are relatives and lone wolves who have joined them. A flock can be large or small. A small one can consist of three to six wolves, and a large one can number twenty to forty individuals.
Life in a flock has its own laws and orders; there is a strict hierarchy. Every pack has a leader - strong wolf, to which all others obey. The leader leads the pack on the hunt and resolves all conflicts that arise between relatives. Weak wolves must unquestioningly obey the strong ones.
Wolves have a very developed sign language. Their tail position or posture speaks volumes. So, a raised tail means that this is the leader of the pack, and a tucked tail means that this wolf is the weakest in the pack.
Wolves are big fans of choral singing" Their howls are both important messages for their relatives and simply a pleasant pastime. With the help of howls, wolves can transmit to their relatives important information, being several kilometers apart from each other. For example, reporting the approach of game or a person.
Wolves love to howl just like that at dawn or at night. The leader is the first to speak, and the rest of the wolves begin to sing along with him.
In addition to howling, wolves can make other sounds - growl, howl, bark, yelp. All these sounds also have a certain meaning.
Wolves have a very sensitive sense of smell, they smell 100 times better than humans.
Nutrition
Wolves are predators. As a rule, they hunt sick or weak animals. That is why wolves are called orderlies.
A variety of animals can become game for wolves - moose, wild boars, rams, goats, deer, roe deer, beavers, bulls, hares, rabbits, badgers, squirrels, birds and others. But most often wolves hunt ungulates. They can also attack domestic animals. When food is scarce, wolves eat frogs, lizards and beetles.
Every day a wolf can eat about five kilograms of meat and drink a liter of water. In addition to meat food, wolves willingly eat fruits, berries, mushrooms, grass and leaves. Use plant food Helps animals normalize digestion.
Wolves are very hardy animals; they can live without food for about two weeks.
Reproduction
Wolves create a family once for life. To breed, they dig new holes or occupy holes dug by other animals; they can also settle among rocks in small crevices.
A she-wolf's pregnancy lasts from 62 to 75 days. Wolf cubs are born in the spring. They are born defenseless - deaf, blind and toothless. The weight of newborn wolf cubs ranges from 300 g to 500 g. After about 9 days, their eyes open, and after two to three weeks their teeth begin to erupt. At three months of age, wolf cubs begin to emerge from the hole.
Adult wolves take grown-up wolf cubs with them to hunt.
Wolves are considered adult at approximately two years of age.
The lifespan of wolves in the wild ranges from 7 to 10 years.
Brief information about the wolf.
The wolf is a slender, proportionally built, powerful animal. He has a strong body with a sloping back - high withers and a lower, but strong and wide croup. The chest is large, deeply descended, the stomach is tucked, the neck is powerful and muscular. The legs are high and strong, the paws are relatively small, the toes are tightly clenched (“in a ball”).
The head is large, heavy with strong jaws, a long but not sharp muzzle and a wide forehead. The eyes are set quite wide and small. The brow ridges are strongly developed, so the eyes seem to sit deep and seem to be slightly squinted and even slightly slanted. The ears are relatively small, triangular in shape with a sharp apex, directed forward and set wide apart - because of this, the wolf's head looks especially “foreheaded”. Usually the animal carries it slightly lowered - not higher than the level of the back and looks somewhat stooped, with high withers. Only a wary wolf raises its head high.
The tail is quite large, fluffy, descending to hock joint. It seems to be broken at the base and hangs straight down for a standing and calmly walking animal. Only when fast jump the wolf lifts it somewhat and carries it “as it flies away,” but not above the level of its back. In a living animal, the tail has little movement and seems very heavy (in hunting language it is very aptly called “log”). In a certain mental state (joyful excitement, affection), the wolf wags its tail, although not quite like a dog. In fear, he puts his tail between his legs like a dog. The claws are black. The eye is yellow. Nipples 5 pairs.
Winter fur is very thick and fluffy with fine underfur and a long, rather coarse spine. The tail is very densely covered with long hair; at the root they are much shorter than along the rest of the length. In the south, the fur is rarer and coarser, in the middle zone it is thick and lush, but rather coarse, in the north it is longer, thicker, more luxurious and softer.
The longest hair is located along the back, mainly in the front and on the neck. At the withers there is usually an area especially long hair, along the top of the neck, elongated hair forms a kind of mane. The front part of the head, including the forehead, is covered with short hair; on the rest it is longer. On the cheeks, the hair is elongated and forms “fringes” - small sideburns. The legs up to the elbows and slightly above the heel joint are covered with short and elastic, tightly lying hair. The ears are covered with short hair and protrude strongly from the fur. Summer fur in all latitudes is much rarer and shorter than winter, coarse and hard.
The color is single-phase, of the same type in different parts of the country and varies relatively little geographically. Individual variability is quite large, but concerns particularities, and the general tone of color and distribution of colors are constant. There is a seasonal difference in color, but it is not sharp and varies in different parts of the range. In some areas, due to fading, the winter color changes somewhat (sometimes significantly) (lightens). Among our wolves there are melanists, albinos and chromists, but they are very rare. Sometimes their appearance may depend on hybridization with a domestic dog. The wolf of southeastern North America has a two-phase coloration - normal and black.
There are no gender differences in color. The color of an adult Central Russian wolf in summer fur consists of a mixture of ocher and rusty-ocher tones with light gray. Throughout the skin, especially on the upper back, there is some admixture of black, depending on the black ends of the guard hairs. The muzzle is pale buffy-gray to approximately eye level, the circumference of the lips and the lower parts of the cheeks are white. The space between the eyes, forehead, crown, back of the head and the area under the eyes and between the eyes and ears are gray, with only a slight reddish tinge. There are small ocher-rusty fields (rings) around the eyes. The backs of the ears are rusty-ochre with an admixture of black-brown, their inner parts are covered with dirty white hair. The chin and throat are pure white. The neck is buffy, somewhat shaded with black (dark ends of the hair) along the upper side.
Along the ridge, dark (black) long guard hairs create a well-defined black pattern in the form of a stripe, especially bright and wide in the front of the back. Enough a large number of hair with black tips is also present on the shoulder blades, partly along the top of the chest and sides in the back of the body. A dark coating in the form of a pronounced “saddle cloth”, however, does not form. The color of the sides of the body and the outer parts of the paws is pale, dirty-buffy, internal sides paws are white. The belly and groin area are white with an ocher tinge. On the front side of the front legs there is usually a sharply defined and clearly visible longitudinal stripe.
The color of the tail matches the color of the sides of the body - light dirty buffy. On the dorsal side, especially in the main third of it, there is a strong admixture of dark (black, black-brown) hair, the tip of the tail is often black. Hair length in the middle part of the back is 60-70 mm.
Winter fur generally retains the same basic tones and the same arrangement of differently colored areas. However, the general coloring, due to the fact that the light underfur protrudes more, is generally lighter, the admixture of black stands out brighter against this background, something like a small saddle is indicated, the ocher tones appear weaker and the smoky gray is more developed. If in some individuals the buffy tone is clear and developed quite intensively, then in others it is weak, and the animal looks very light and gray. The height of the guard hairs of the withers usually does not exceed 90 mm, but can reach 110-130.
Age-related variability in the nature of fur and color in the first year is well expressed. The cubs in the first outfit are dressed in thick, short (20-30 mm in the middle of the back), very soft “puffy” fur of a dark brown or grayish-brown color. This coloring is fairly evenly distributed throughout the body. Eye circumference and inner surface the body is a little lighter, the muzzle and lips, on the contrary, are darker. On the belly the hair is dirty gray with brownish, on the chest between the front legs there is a lighter field. The color of the tail, covered with short hair, matches the color of the body. There is never a white tip on the tail. The claws are light.
This juvenile outfit soon begins to change and at the end of summer the wolf cub, which has not yet reached the size of adults (at least twice as small), has light grayish-ocher dirty-colored, coarse and sparse fur. The reddish tones are not developed, there are no or few black awns. This coloring is distributed fairly evenly over the body and light or, conversely, dark fields do not stand out. The claws turn black.
From this second outfit, the hair of which grows strongly by autumn, the young (“profitable”) wolf passes into the first winter outfit. It corresponds to the winter fur of adult animals, but is distinguished by a more uniform grayish-dirty-ochre color with less development of black and red. The coloration of wolves by the second year (“pereyarkov”), both in summer and especially in winter, does not differ from the coloration of older animals.
The wolf's skull is characterized by massiveness and overall large dimensions. This is the largest form of the family. The facial parts, due to the strong development of the teeth, are relatively long and massive, the brain part of the skull is relatively small and slightly swollen, much shorter than the facial part, the brain cavity is relatively small. The nasal bones are long - their posterior ends reach the level of the eye sockets. In front, each bone is cut in an arcuate manner so that no common protrusion is formed along the line of contact of both bones in front. Along the entire length of the line of contact of the nasal bones with each other there is a longitudinal depression (groove).
The premaxilla give a large projection upward and posteriorly, but it does not reach the frontal bones. The posterior edges of the nasal and maxillary bones lie approximately at the same level. The zygomatic arches are massive and widely spaced, especially in the posterior part. The supraorbital processes are large and massive and protrude strongly to the sides. The front part of the front is quite high, in the middle and posterior parts of the nasal bones the profile is somewhat concave, the forehead rises steeply and is highest in the region of the supraorbital processes.
The frontal area is wide, slightly concave in the middle and convex at the edges. Behind the supraorbital protrusions the skull is compressed. The sagittal ridge is well defined; in front it bifurcates, limiting the frontal area from the sides and passing into the edge of the posterior part of the supraorbital projections. The occipital crest is strongly developed and hangs over the occipital region of the skull. The auditory bones of the drum are moderate in size, thick-walled, their anterior-internal parts are not directed towards each other, but diverge to the sides; in this part along them on the main occipital bone there are small elongated ridges or swellings.
The dentition is very powerful, the carnassial teeth are massive, the fangs are strong - relatively low, but with a wide base.
The age-related variability of the skull is very large and goes mainly in the direction of development of the ridges, a relative increase in the facial part, an increase in the convexity of the frontal region and increased postorbital compression of the braincase.
The skull of a wolf cub, which still has milk teeth, is characterized by the following signs: the facial part of the skull is very short and much shorter than the brain; the width of the skull in the area of the carnassial teeth is large; the zygomatic arches are set very narrowly and weak; the cerebral part of the skull is relatively large and swollen; no ridges; the contour of the brain region is rounded (there is no protrusion in the upper part of the back of the head); there is no narrowing behind the eye sockets; supraorbital processes are not expressed; the frontal region rises slightly, and there is no ledge in this part of the skull; auditory tympani relatively large and more rounded; the coronoid processes of the lower jaw are sharply bent back; the angular processes are small.
The skull of a young wolf immediately after the change of teeth (in the first autumn of life) has the appearance of the skull of an adult animal, but differs from it in the following features: the nasal region is somewhat shorter, the width of the skull in the area of the carnassial teeth is somewhat larger, the zygomatic width is smaller, the brain section of the skull is relatively slightly longer , there are no ridges and only in the occipital region is indicated rear end sagittal crest, the supraorbital processes are small, short and weakly sharpened, the narrowing behind the supraorbital processes is smaller, the auditory bones of the tympanum are relatively larger.
The skull of a very old animal, compared to the skull of an adult, is characterized by a relatively even more elongated facial part, massive, very widely spaced zygomatic arches, high, very strongly developed ridges, a wider forehead and a greater distance between the ends of the supraorbital processes, and a sharp compression of the braincase behind the supraorbital processes.
Sex differences in the skull are expressed only in slightly smaller average sizes of the skulls of females. Age-related changes in their skulls are expressed in the same way as in males.
The intestinal length of adult Central Russian wolves (2 specimens) is 460-575 cm, arriving at the age of about 7-8 months. 390-420 cm (3 copies); the ratio to body length for the former is 4.13 and 4.62, for the latter 3.64 and 3.86. The relative weight of the heart (Hessian index) varies from 7.32 to 13.07, and in young people it is apparently less than in old ones. The length of the intestine (without the cecum) and the corresponding index of two adult males from the Far North (tundra of the Arkhangelsk region, Taimyr) are 698 cm and 1: 5.3 and 490 cm and 1: 4.0. Their heart weight is 800 g and 16.4% (?) and 437 g and 9.34%. The diploid number of chromosomes is 78, the main number is 80.
The size of wolves is subject to geographic variability. The body length of an adult wolf varies between 105 and 160 cm, the tail length is between 29 and 50 cm (usually from 40 to 50), the length of the hind foot is about 220-250 mm, the ear height is about 110-190 mm. Shoulder height 80-85 cm, possibly up to 100 cm.
The weight of adult Central Russian wolves usually ranges between 32 and 50 kg. Females are usually not as massive as males, and are slightly smaller in size and significantly smaller in weight than males. The average weight of females is about 80-85% of the average weight of males.
Information about the weight of wolves available in literature, especially old, hunting and popular literature, can be exaggerated. This is explained by the fact that they are mostly based on determining the weight of especially large animals “by eye”. IN Lately in some areas, mainly in the middle zone of the European part of the Union, accurate data on weighing quite large series of animals appeared. These figures make us cautious about many old data on the average weight of wolves from different parts range.
However, in some places there are sometimes huge wolves. Such animals, however, are very rare. For Central Russia V general form indicated Weight Limit wolf 69-79 kg.
Some more accurate cases carried out recently are as follows. For Saratov region a wolf weighing 62.4 kg is indicated, for the forest belt of the European part of the country 69 kg, for the Moscow region a male weighing 76 kg is known - this is the largest of the 250 animals killed by the famous wolf hunter V. M. Hartuleri. For Ukraine, an animal weighing 92 (Lugansk region) and 96 kg (Chernigov region) is indicated; for Altai - a male weighing 72 kg. In the Zoological Museum of Moscow University there is a stuffed Central Russian wolf, weighing about 80 kg.
For some reason, the only dogs I like are shepherd dogs and Siberian huskies. Maybe because they resemble natural animals - wolves!
Let's take a quick look at some interesting facts about these animals. Almost all photos are clickable up to 1920 px
Gray wolves are slender and have a powerful build with a large, deep-set chest and sloping back. Stomach gray wolf retracted, muscular neck. Their limbs are long and robust, with relatively small paws. Each front paw has five toes and the hind paws have four. Females, as a rule, have a narrow muzzle and forehead, a thin neck, their legs are slightly shorter than those of males, and less massive shoulders. Wolves very strong for their size, with enough strength to turn over a horse or frozen elk carcasses.
In general, gray wolves are the largest of the animals included in the family Canidae, not counting 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, a European wolf can weigh 38.5 kg, a North American wolf can weigh 36 kg, and an Indian and Arabian wolf can weigh 25 kg. Female wolves typically weigh 5-10 kg less than males. Wolves weighing more than 54 kg are rare, but exceptionally large specimens have been recorded in Alaska, Canada, and the former Soviet Union.
Gray wolves can run at speeds of 56-64 km/h, and can run for more than 20 minutes without stopping, although not necessarily at that same speed. In cold climates, wolves may reduce blood flow to conserve body heat. The warmth of the lower 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 the ice and snow. The head of a gray wolf is large and heavy. The ears are relatively small and triangular. As a rule, in their bodily configuration they resemble German Shepherds and likes.
In general, gray wolves are the largest of the animals included in the Canidae family, apart from some large breeds of domestic dogs.
In winter, gray wolves have a very dense and fluffy coat, with a short undercoat and long guard 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 remain calm in open areas 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 using 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, for example during times of high numbers of artiodactyls, several flocks may unite for better defense. In areas with few wolves, the wolf is usually monogamous. Usually the pair remains for life until one of the wolves dies. However, after the death of one of the wolves, the couple quickly recovers with the help of the others. In the wild, wolves can breed from the age of two. Females can give birth to cubs once a year. Mating usually occurs at the end of winter. Gestation lasts 62-75 days and babies are usually born in summer period. The average litter consists of 5-6 cubs. Wolf cubs are born blind and deaf, and are covered in short, soft grayish-brown fur. At birth they weigh 300-500 grams. During the first month they feed on their mother's milk. After 3 weeks, the wolf 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 3-4 weeks of age. During the first four months of life, wolf cubs grow very quickly: during this time, the weight of the cub can increase almost 30 times.
Wolves are very territorial animals. They defend their territory from other packs by marking their territory with their scent, direct attacks and howling.
Wolves mainly feed on ungulates (sometimes 10-15 times larger than themselves). They hunt marmots, hares, badgers, foxes, ferrets, gophers, mice, hamsters, voles and other rodents, as well as insectivores. Wolves may also readily scavenge, especially during times of food shortage. They often eat waterfowl, lizards, snakes, frogs, toads and rarely - large insects. During harsh winters, packs often attack weak or wounded wolves, and they may even eat the bodies of dead pack members.
Wolves are usually the dominant predator.
The body language of wolves consists of various expressions of the muzzle and tail position. An aggressive or defensive wolf is characterized by slow and deliberate movements, a high posture and raised hair; calm wolves have a calm posture, smooth hair, drooping ears and tail. Using howls, wolves gather a pack (usually before and after a hunt), transmit information, find each other during a storm or in unfamiliar territory, and communicate over long distances.
Although dogs and wolves are genetically very close, they tend to be natural conditions do not interbreed voluntarily. 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 latitude. in North America and 12°N. in Eurasia. Wolves typically 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 coyotes, for example, did. Although gray wolves are not endangered, wolf populations remain threatened in some areas.
Because wolves travel long distances, they can play important role in the spread of diseases. Infectious diseases diseases spread by wolves include brucellosis, tularemia, listeriosis and anthrax. Wolves can also suffer from rabies. But, as a rule, if a wolf shows the first symptoms of the disease, it leaves its pack, thus preventing the spread of the disease.
Damage caused by wolves to livestock has been one of the main reasons for wolf hunting, and this may pose a serious problem for the conservation of wolf populations. Wolves, as a rule, are not dangerous to humans as long as there are few of them, they have sufficient food, they rarely encounter people and sometimes hunt. Cases of wolf attacks on humans are rare, but in the early 20th century such attacks occurred frequently.
Wolves are notoriously difficult to hunt due to their elusiveness, keen senses, and ability to quickly kill hunting dogs. When hunting wolves with dogs, greyhounds, hounds and fox terriers are usually used. The greyhounds chase and block the wolves until the heavier dogs arrive and carry out most military operations.
Wolf skins are used primarily for scarves and trimmings on women's clothing, although they are also sometimes used in short cloaks, coats, and rugs. Hunting wolves for their fur has little effect on their population size, since only the northern varieties of wolves (whose numbers are stable) have commercial value. Hunting wolves for fur remains a lucrative source of income for many Native Americans.
Keeping wolves as pets is becoming increasingly popular. In the United States alone, according to various estimates, from 80,000 to 2 million wolves live in homes. Wolves can be less predictable and controllable than dogs. Wolf cubs under the age of one year are, as a rule, not aggressive towards strangers, although their aggression increases with age, especially during the mating season. Males can be more aggressive and more difficult to control than females. Wolves are difficult to keep in standard kennels, as they can quickly learn how to open valves simply by watching people do it.
Although wolves are trainable, they lack the flexibility 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 may 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 at a distance of 16 km. in open areas.
The Vikings wore wolf skins and drank wolf blood before battle, which they took with them, to raise their morale.
The earliest images of wolves were found in caves in southern Europe; they are more than 20,000 years old.
It is impossible to tame a wolf and make it a guard dog, he is afraid strangers and will hide from them, and not bark.
The autoimmune disease lupus, or tuberculosis of the skin, literally means “red wolf” because in the eighteenth century doctors believed that the disease developed after a wolf bite.
Wolves distinguish about 200 million shades of smell, people only 5 million. The wolf family is able to smell the smell of other animals at a distance of 1.5 kilometers.
Wolf puppies always have blue eyes at birth. They turn yellow only at 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 tropical forests.
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 North American gray wolf population in 1600 was 2 million. 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, which is like a man 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", which lived about 35 million years ago. It was a small animal, similar to a dog, with short legs and a long body. Perhaps they, like wolves, lived in packs.
Wolves can swim up to 13 kilometers, using small membranes between their toes to help them move in the water.
Between 1883 and 1918, only one American state Montana killed more than 80 thousand wolves.
Adolf Hitler (whose name means "leading wolf") was fascinated by wolves and sometimes demanded to be called "Mr. Wolf" or "Conductor Wolf" as a pseudonym. "Wolf's Gulch" (Wolfsschlucht), "Wolf's Lair" (Wolfschanze) and "Werewolf" (Wehrwolf) were Hitler's code names for various military headquarters.
In the 1600s, Ireland was called the "Wolfland" because there were so many wolves there at the time. Wolf hunting was the most popular sport among the nobility, who used wolfhounds to locate the wolf and kill it.
Biologists have found that wolves will react to people 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. That same year, the last wild wolf was killed in France.
When Europeans arrived in North America, the wolf became the most popular animal hunted in American history. These animals were on the verge of extinction at the beginning of the 20th century. The US federal government even adopted a program to eradicate wolves from 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 for prey of such size as mammoths.
Wolves can run at a speed of 32 km/h for a minute or two, and in moments of danger or persecution - up to 56 km/h. It has been observed that throughout the day they run at a “trot” (approximately 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 a wolf's eyes is called "tapetum lucidum" (Latin for "bright tapestry"), it glows in the dark and also contributes to the animal's night vision.
Where wolves live, there are often ravens (sometimes called "wolf birds"). 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 first-century Greek scholar, the wolf of tongues rubs the gums of puppies to relieve pain when they emerge. He also believed that wolf dung could be used to treat stomach colic and cataracts.
The Aztecs used wolf liver in the treatment of melancholy as an ingredient in medicine. In addition, they pricked the dying person's chest with a sharpened wolf bone in an attempt to delay the date of death.
In the Middle Ages, Europeans used wolf liver powders to relieve pain during childbirth.
The Greeks believed that if someone ate the meat of a wolf, which kills lambs, then they were at high risk of becoming a vampire.
The Cherokee Indians did not hunt wolves because they believed that the brothers of those killed would take revenge on them. In addition, the weapon that was used to kill the wolf was considered “damaged.”
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 became the first country to place the 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 mean much more than their after-kill value. By the way, in Germany all wild wolves were exterminated by the mid-nineteenth century.
Unlike other animals, wolves have a number of distinctive facial movements that they use to communicate and maintain relationships within the pack.
IN Japanese the word wolf is characterized as “great god”.
From 6000 to 7000 wolf skins still sold every year around the world. They are supplied mainly from outside
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. The wolves fall into the pit on sharp stakes, and the people finish them off from above with stones.
Wolves were the first animals to be listed under the Endangered Species Act 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 his surname most likely came from Remus, the founder of Rome, who was raised by wolves.
The last wolf Yellowstone Park was killed in 1926. In 1995, people managed to restore the wolf population, and ten years later, approximately 136 wolves roam the park 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, Spain about 2000, Norway and Sweden - less than 80. There are about 700 wolves in Poland, and 70 thousand in Russia.
Wolves never miss a chance to eat. Often, living in the harshest corners of the planet, wolves often eat their wounded or sick relatives. In addition, hunters should pick up a wolf caught in a trap as soon as possible, since there is a very high risk that other wolves will discover it and eat it.
Some wolves can reach a weight of 100 kg. The size of wolves increases exponentially with distance from the equator. Tropical wolves are often the same size as regular dogs, but wolves in the far north average over 60 kg.
In 2008, Stanford University researchers discovered that mutations associated with black fur are found only in dogs, making black wolves the offspring of hybrids. Most often, such wolves are found in North America.
In areas where wolves were hunted to extinction, coyotes flourished. Latest Research showed that 22% of all coyotes in North America are descendants of wolves. Such animals are usually larger than ordinary coyotes, but smaller than wolves, and are also extremely cunning. They combine the absence of fear of man and pronounced wolf instincts and high level aggression.
Although wolves are not the main carriers of rabies, they can easily catch it from raccoons and foxes. Unlike other animals, which become lethargic and disoriented when infected, wolves instantly become enraged. Most attacks on people are caused by rabies. And the desire of wolves to bite the neck or head often leads to the fact that the rabies virus enters the human brain much earlier than medical assistance is provided
America's wolves are less likely to attack people than their other counterparts. Historical records show more than 3,000 people were killed by wolves in France between 1580-1830. The wolves of India and Russia are not far behind them. In contrast, in the United States and Canada, there are extremely few officially confirmed wolf attacks.
Despite their close relationship, wolves perceive dogs mainly as prey. In Russia, at one time, stray dogs served as the main source of food for wolves.
The plague that devastated Europe in the Middle Ages caused tension between humans and wolves. In those days, corpses were destroyed much more quickly by wolves, and not by fire or burial underground. Such methods of "burial" instilled a taste human blood entire generations of wolves. It was probably from then on that wolves included human meat in their “menu.”
Vasily Shukshin's story "Wolves" is a short, lively sketch of a tense life moment, where danger clearly reveals the essence of two different human characters: small, selfish - and broad, bold.
Ivan Degtyarev and his father-in-law, the tedious, troublesome money-grubber Naum Krechetov, on Sunday winter morning They go on two harnessed sleighs to the forest for firewood. Having already driven far from the village, they suddenly see five wolves on a hillock, waiting for prey. Nahum is seized with terrible panic. He turns his horse around and shouts “Rob-ut!” takes off running. Wolves from the mountain rush to catch up with people and horses.
Ivan’s young, inexperienced horse hesitates a little and lags behind. The wolves are quickly approaching Degtyarev's sleigh. Ivan faces certain death, but he maintains his composure. The leader of the wolf pack, terrible and fierce, with a singed muzzle, is almost overtaking him. Ivan begins to whip the wolf with a whip.
Both axes prepared for chopping wood are in my father-in-law’s sleigh. With their help, you can fight off the wolves, but Naum, not caring about his son-in-law, rushes to save his own life. “Give me the axe!” – Ivan shouts to him several times, whom the wolves are already going around on both sides. Having finally responded to the loud calls of his son-in-law, Krechetov throws one ax onto the side of the road, but he continues to run away. Ivan jumps out of the sleigh and grabs an ax, finding himself alone among hungry predators. But just at this moment the leader of the pack rushes at his horse and lifts it up. The rest of the wolves also run up to tear and devour the horse’s entrails. Hurrying to get enough, they pay little attention to the person, and this saves Ivan’s life.
Degtyarev leaves them on foot along the forest road. Around the corner he meets his father-in-law, who threw him to the wolves. Ivan feels terrible rage. In order to somehow free himself from her, he rushes to beat the traitor. Degtyarev wants to take out his righteous anger on a test in the forest and then not tell anyone about his vile act. However, Naum, whipping his horse, leaves for the village, also shaming Ivan by the fact that he, a “damn horn-eater,” “naked” climbed into their rich relatives.
Feature film “In Profile and Full Face” (1977) based on the stories by Vasily Shukshin “Wolves”, “Cherednichenko and the Circus” and “Shores”
Returning home alone, Ivan drinks a glass of vodka and goes to the Krechetovs to sort things out. His father-in-law, mother-in-law and wife are already waiting for him with a policeman. Ivan scolds Naum, barely restraining himself from rushing at him. But the fussy Krechetov does not repent at all; on the contrary, in front of the policeman, he accuses his son-in-law of intending to “show his dissatisfaction and excite people.” The policeman already knows the whole story of what happened in the forest. Wanting to help Ivan, he takes him away from the Krechetovs’ house - out of harm’s way. To prevent Degtyarev from returning drunk and starting a fight, the policeman invites him to sit in the village jail for the night, where the two of them will play chess.
The wolf, perhaps, is not just a predatory animal from the canine family that lives in our forests, but is already a whole archetypal image. In fact, from ancient times, people’s attitude towards the wolf was ambiguous; it was either revered (at the same time feared) or demonized; 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, the English “wolf”, the “Bulgarian” vylk, the Serbian “vuk”, our Ukrainian “vok” perhaps comes from the Old Slavonic word “vylk” meaning to drag, drag away, the fact is , that when dragging away 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 Canis lepophagus, an ancient mammal resembling a coyote and living in North America. Over time, the wolf's ancestor increased its size, including the size of its skull. The most ancient representative wolf family, already similar to a modern wolf, was found during the study of an early pleistocyte that existed 1.8 million years ago. Although he was only similar to the modern wolf, which was somewhat later - from a million to 150 thousand years ago.
In total, zoologists discovered as many as four family tree wolves: African, Himalayan, Indian and Tibetan lines. The Himalayan line is the oldest of them, which means that the Himalayan wolf is the most venerable representative of the wolf order, its appearance took place about a million years ago. The Tibetan wolf is conditionally the “youngest”, since it appeared “only” 150 thousand years ago.
Wolf - description, structure, characteristics. What does a wolf look like?
All wolves are notorious predators, there are no options here, and they are quite predators large sizes, the largest are the gray and polar wolves: their height reaches 85 cm, body length - 150-160 cm, this does not include the tail, weight - 85-90 kg. Moreover, the harsher the habitat, the larger the animal; it is not for nothing that the largest representatives of the wolf family live in the Siberian taiga.
The smallest wolves are Arabian, their maximum height does not exceed 66 cm, and average weight is only 10 kg. Also, in general, in all wolves, females are slightly smaller in size 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, which serve the owner to tear prey into pieces, grind bones, and the fangs are excellent for dragging the victim.
Interesting fact: all wolves are born gob-eyed, but by the third month their eyes turn orange or golden yellow. Although there are wolves who remain blue-eyed.
Wolf fur is thick and double-layered; it perfectly protects them from the cold in the cold conditions of the tundra or taiga, and also has waterproof down.
Coat colors can be different colors, depending on the type of wolf and its habitat, there are a variety of variations of gray, white, brown and black. Red wolves are also found. Often their color helps them blend in with their surroundings.
You may know the proverb “the wolf’s legs feed him”; it also has scientific and zoological basis, since his legs really feed him, and for this reason they are well developed, allowing him to move considerable distances in search of food. Wolves usually trot at an average speed of 10 km per hour, but the speed of a wolf chasing prey can reach 65 km per hour.
A wolf's vision is not the strongest quality, it is not very developed, and besides, it does not distinguish colors, but this deficiency is more than compensated by excellent hearing and especially charm - it can smell prey 3 km away, in general, its nose distinguishes millions of shades of smell.
Also one more characteristic feature wolves are their famous howl, which actually has a practical meaning for them - wolves do not just fight against the moon (as was previously thought), but in this simple way they inform the members of the pack of their location, and at the same time drive away strangers.
How is a wolf different from a dog?
A wolf differs from a dog, first of all, in more powerful paws, an elongated muzzle, set eyes and, of course, more sharp teeth with sharp fangs.
How long do wolves live?
The lifespan of a wolf ranges from 8 to 16 years. In captivity, it can reach up to 20 years; the fact is that in the wild, old wolves, unable to hunt with the same prowess, die faster than, say, in a zoo, where they are guaranteed to be fed.
Where do wolves live?
Unfortunately, in our time, the wolf's habitat has noticeably decreased; in past times, wolves lived throughout the territory of Eurasia and North America, where humans lived. For example, historical chronicles indicate that during the Hundred Years' War between England and France there was such great 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; they remain, and even then in small numbers in wild places, including in our Carpathians, in the Siberian taiga.
Wolves are social animals that live in packs, which always have a pair of leaders: a male and a female. The remaining members of the pack: the offspring of the leaders, their relatives or lone wolves who have joined are subject to a strict hierarchy. A pack of wolves has its own area of territory, up to 300 square kilometers, which they mark with special odorous marks that serve as a warning to intruder wolves.
What does a wolf eat?
Wolves are excellent hunters, and they hunt equally successfully both in a pack and alone. Their prey in the forest is many herbivores: moose, deer, roe deer, saigas, antelopes, hares, and gophers. At the same time, wolves are a kind of useful orderlies of the forest, because old, weak, sick animals first come to them for dinner, thus natural selection occurs. Interesting feature The wolf's practical habit is to hide excess meat in reserve.
Types of wolves, photos and names
Let us describe the most interesting species of wolves in our opinion.
He is the Himalayan wolf, as we mentioned above, he 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 is 76-110 cm in length, weight is 17-21 kg. It has a short, pointed muzzle and large ears. The color is red. Also distinctive feature It differs from other wolves in having fewer teeth. The red wolf lives in Asia: from Altai mountains to the Tien Shan, but most of them live in the Himalayan mountains, southern Iran, India and Pakistan. As a rule, it feeds on various small animals. It is on the verge of extinction.
A unique representative of the wolf kingdom, its other name is guar 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 very similar to a fox. The length of its body is approximately 125-130 cm, weight - 20 kg. Lives exclusively on the plains, feeding on rodents, rabbits, and armadillos. Habitat maned wolf– South America: Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay.
He is also the North American timber wolf, lives in North America, especially in Canada - from Ontario to Quebec. Interestingly, it does not have its own classification; some scientists consider it a hybrid of a gray wolf with a red wolf or coyote. Its height reaches 80 cm, body weight – 40 kg.
common wolf
He is also the gray wolf - the same type of wolf that is widely known, starting with children's fairy tales. He is one of the largest representatives of the wolf kingdom and also one of the most formidable predators our temperate latitudes. The habitat of the gray wolf is wide - the territory of Eurasia and North America, everywhere in the wilderness 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 slenderness, 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 is one of the rarest species of wolves on earth. 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 large, its average weight is only 42-49 kg. Like their polar relatives, they have a white coat color, which helps them blend perfectly with the white snowy landscape of the tundra itself.
It is also one of the largest representatives of the wolf family, living in the extreme northern regions of our planet. It has a white color and the weight of the polar wolf can reach 95 kg. Loves to feast on both small and larger Arctic musk ox. During the famous lemming migrations polar wolves They can also migrate along with their favorite food.
Wolves breeding
Female wolves become sexually mature in the second year of life, males - in the third, mating season in wolves it usually occurs from January to April. There are frequent fights for a female between competing males, as well as mutual courtship and flirting of both males and females.
During mating, “loving” wolves leave the pack, retire, setting up a den in a secluded place. A she-wolf's pregnancy lasts 62-65 days and from 3 to 13 cubs are born at a time. True, not all of them survive; the weaker wolf cubs die.
Little wolf cubs feed on milk and burps from their mother, and after just six months of life they become able to take part in hunting.
Enemies of wolves
The wolf has practically no natural enemies in nature, except that sometimes the wolf can suffer from an even larger predator of temperate latitudes - but only if they do not share the prey. And so the main enemy of the wolf (as well as many other animals) is, of course, man, whose destructive activities have brought many species of wolves to the brink of extinction.
- In the Middle Ages, wolves were often endowed with demonic powers; fear of them even led to the appearance of such a character as the werewolf, a man who turns into a wolf on a full moon.
- Some European coats of arms contain an image of a wolf, meaning that the distant ancestor of this family 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” ones, but also drank wolf blood and wore the skins of these animals.
- Wolves often crossed with dogs, and thus several dog breeds were developed, such as the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog and the Saarloos Wolfdog.
Wolves, video
And in conclusion, we invite you to watch an interesting film about wolves from the National Geographic channel - “The Rise of the Black Wolf.”
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