In the wild, these daring, strong, unpretentious and very intelligent animals have few equals among predators. People have always felt ambivalent towards wolves: on the one hand, fear and hatred, on the other, respect and admiration.
A few centuries ago, wolves were distributed almost everywhere in Europe, Asia and North America. Today, under the influence of humans, their numbers are steadily declining, wolves are mercilessly exterminated to protect herds of domestic animals; now they can no longer be found either in the British Isles, or in France, or in Denmark, or in Belgium, or in Switzerland, or in Japan.
The ancestor of these carnivores is considered to be the ancient primitive predator Miacidae, who lived 60 million years ago. Modern representatives of the canine family, numbering 35 species of animals, appeared on Earth more than a million years ago. And one of its most prominent representatives is the wolf.
Zoologists consider gray wolves (Canis Lupus) to be quite different from each other polar wolf(Canis lupus arctos), North American timber wolf(Canis lupus lycaon), steppe wolf(Canis lupus campestris) and the common wolf (Canis lupus lupus). Northern border Their settlement is the coast of the Arctic Ocean, southern - approximately 16° north latitude.
Mating season begins for wolves in early spring. In anticipation of her offspring, the mother wolf makes a den in secluded and inaccessible places, the exit from which includes good review area so that parents can react in time to possible danger. Two months after mating, usually in May, 5-6 puppies are born. The birth of 10-15 cubs is an extremely rare occurrence; in this case, half of the brood usually dies.
Wolves are social animals, usually living in families consisting of 6-10 individuals of different ages, although sometimes the number of a pack can reach up to 20. The pack is always headed by a leader wolf - the strongest male in the pack, and his she-wolf. The leader is easily recognized by his tail raised high, because for everyone else such freedom is simply unacceptable. All family members strictly observe the law of “subordination.” The responsibilities of the she-wolf include keeping all the females of the pack equally strict. Only in the summer, when they help the dominant married couple raise puppies, the she-wolf shows some loyalty towards them.
If something happens to the leader or his chosen one, their successors immediately take the vacant place - strong wolves, occupying a special place between the leader and low-ranking males. Sometimes they wait a long time for their time, and when possible, they leave the pack and create a new one.
IN summer time The diet of wolves is quite diverse - it includes birds, hares, as well as frogs, insects and even berries and herbs. Hungry wolves do not disdain carrion. But the easiest prey for wolves has always been livestock. That is why man declared an irreconcilable war on them. But the euphoria from the victory quickly dissipated after the fields began to be invaded by quickly multiplying hares, deer and moose, the population of which had previously been “under the control” of gray predators. As a result, the process of their destruction was strictly regulated. But the excitement that a person felt in pursuit of a wolf, remaining in his memory, made hunting these animals extremely popular.
For example, traditional Russian types of wolf hunting are considered to be hunting with greyhounds from under hounds for wabu (by sound), which takes place in late August - early September, as well as winter wolf hunting with flags. The success of a wabu hunt largely depends on the huntsman’s ability to reproduce the wolf’s voice as accurately as possible. If the wolves are far away and cannot catch the catch, they will definitely respond, which will indicate to the hunters the direction of their search.
Hunters call flags pieces of bright, mostly red, fabric attached to ropes or thin sticks that enclose the flock’s habitat. Foreign objects, as well as traces left by people, alert and scare away the animal. The alarmed wolf begins to look for an opening and, not daring to cross the flags, runs out to the shooting line.
IN natural conditions Wolves usually howl after sunset until dawn, their most active period. During the day they rest and “talk” only when absolutely necessary with a short howl or squeal.
Howling and whining for a wolf is their language. It contains a threat, and melancholy, and a request for help, and a cry of victory. The wolf chorus can most often be heard in winter, when the animals organize a collective hunt for large ungulates. With a powerful, well-coordinated chorus, they inform the other flock that the feeding grounds are occupied. If the hunting flock is silent, it means that it is either small in number or is in ambush. Lone wolves never howl.
The ability of the wolves' hearing apparatus is such that they can absolutely accurately determine the location of a sound source located at a distance of several kilometers from them. A she-wolf of marriageable age howls to call the male until she hears his response, after which she falls silent in anticipation.
The leader eats first, the others wait at some distance for him to be satisfied. In one sitting, a hungry wolf can eat up to 10 kg of meat. They hide the rest of their prey in hiding places, returning to them as needed.
The polar wolf is the largest representative wolf family. This inhabitant of the polar tundra has a luxurious, almost white skin. The height of the polar wolf at the withers reaches 90 cm, body length - up to 180 cm, and weight - up to 90 kg.
On the 9-12th day, the wolf cubs' eyes open, they stand on their paws and begin to try to walk, and after 3 weeks, an interest in the world around them appears. At first, the she-wolf is constantly with the puppies; the father takes care of her food, bringing food in his stomach and regurgitating it right in front of her. After 2-3 months, the stronger cubs leave the den and join the pack, continuing to live with their parents for several more years.
Wolves are very hardy animals. They can trot for a long time at a speed of 9 km/h, looking for a victim, and having found it, pursue it at triple speed and, at the moment of attack, reach 60 km/h. A great success for wolves is the opportunity, after many hours or even many days of pursuit, to drive and kill several of the weaker animals of the herd through deceptive maneuvers.
The gray wolf is protected from frost by thick, hard, water-repellent fur about 8 cm long. With a tail covered with even longer fur, the animal sleeping in the snow covers the soles of its paws and the tip of its nose. Average body length gray wolf without a tail - from 1 to 1.5 m. Height at the withers - from 60 to 75 cm, and weight - from 45 to 50 kg.
The life of these predators depends entirely on hunting, and they prefer to do this on their territory, the borders of which are strictly guarded by them. When they are disturbed by an alien pack, fierce fights occur between the owners and strangers, ending in the expulsion of the weakest.
All males of the pack unconditionally obey its leader, and he considers it his duty to constantly remind his “vassals” of his own superiority, periodically growling at them and even biting them. Those, demonstrating complete humility, cover their ears and fall to the ground in front of him, after which they try to quickly get out of sight.
Wrote in September 30th, 2013
- The leader and the "sixes" wolf pack
- Wolves' masculinity and feminine behavior
- Love and devotion
- Children and teachers
- Territory of pack settlement and protection
- Transfer of power...
This amazing beast... For centuries pursued by people trying to destroy him by any means, enduring all the hardships of life in a harsh and indifferent wildlife, he demonstrates miracles of survival and resilience.
The whole life of a wolf in winter and summer, in the light of the polar stars or the bright sun, is a constant movement: hunting - searching and pursuing prey or avoiding pursuit... As if punished by the gods for his sins, he, like an eternal wanderer, is doomed to hide and wander around the world in search of a better life - rich booty, peace and quiet...
Unlike a bear or a tiger, the wolf (Canis lupus) is a social creature, and its entire life is spent mainly in a pack. Moreover, when hunting large prey, it is the wolf community, as a kind of “superorganism,” that is able to act clearly, harmoniously and effectively. In the northern forests, wolves can sense the movement of a mouse under a meter-long layer of snow, and the presence of deer or elk from half a kilometer away (on the plain, they can see prey 2-3 kilometers away).
Like hyenas in Africa, wolves in the vastness of North America and Eurasia “serve” as orderlies, clearing the populations of ungulates and rodents from “ballast”. In those places where wolves have been eliminated forever, an overpopulation of herbivores and rodents begins, epidemics and pestilence arise in their ranks, and the landscape begins to resemble the lunar surface...
The wolf is a social creature, and its entire life is spent in a pack.
A wolf pack is a huge well-coordinated organism, consisting of 5-10 and even 20 animals, having one of the most complex social organizations in the animal world. Here everything is subject to strict discipline and hierarchy, which unites and unites all individuals into one whole.
At the head of the pack is a pair of wolves - He and She, who remain faithful to each other until the end of their lives! These are seasoned animals that have gone through “fire, water and copper pipes”, having been under bullets in many alterations. Being the Highest Authority for everyone (essentially - Gods), they determine the entire rhythm of the daily life of the pack and the relationship between wolves.
The stronger and more experienced the Leader, the more actively he puts an end to all quarrels, the less discord and aggression in the pack, the friendlier the atmosphere and the more united the group! The leader leads the pack or entrusts this to his girlfriend, leads his fellow tribesmen out of raids, plans and begins the hunt, the first to rush at enemies and prey. He is the first to stand at the ready-to-eat meat, and while he eats, everyone will wait, taking out their impatience and excitement on each other and settling old scores.
The entire life and well-being of individual wolves in a pack is subject to an order determined by hierarchy. Changes and advances in this system are possible with the departure or death of someone. A holy place is never empty, and it is immediately occupied by the wolf, who was next in rank. The presence of each member of the pack in its own social “cell” provides balance and stability to the system as a whole.
When two wolves meet, the dominant’s body is tense, his fur and ears stand up, and he stands high on straight paws. The subordinate individual approaches with his tail between his legs, his ears flattened and, crouching, humbly exposes his neck to the formidable teeth, and then licks the muzzle of his counterpart. The next stage of “humiliation” - the vassal lies on his back, spreads his legs and exposes his stomach. Many have noted the nobility of wolves, who will never allow themselves to attack a defenseless person, therefore the strength of the weak in the pack lies in his weakness and ability to “bow” in time.
Over time, the strongest males form a kind of “guard” around their Leader and serve as the main backbone of the pack in attack and defense. It happens that some males, having matured and become stronger, do not want to obey the Leader. Then they are forced to go away and think about starting their own family.
Each flock occupies a certain, often simply huge, territory in the forests or tundra (100-200-500 sq. km), in which it does not tolerate strangers, protects it and marks it with scent marks both along the borders and inside. But this is not enough. The flock reminds of its presence with a howl that spreads far around the area. Like a true music lover, each wolf has its own timbre of voice and its own song, which it happily plays for its fellow tribesmen! And they willingly join in the general cacophony, creating real symphonies and oratorios...
In addition to the howl, which can be heard over a distance of up to 10 (!) km, wolves also growl (alertness and denial), moan (disposition and submission), bark (anxiety), yelp (preference, location), grumble (dissatisfaction), howl, whine, squeal, squeal, etc. Such an impressive range of sounds during communication, complemented by a huge series of rituals, gestures, and facial expressions, speaks of the rich emotions and passions of the inner life of these amazingly intelligent animals. Still would. With their face (muzzle) they are able to convey dozens of emotional moods - from a smile and joy - to rage and outright threat...
A particularly rich palette of manifestations vitality and reaches emotions towards the end of winter - the beginning of spring, when the season of love begins for wolves. Only wolves who own their own territory and can create a home - a den where the she-wolf will bring wolf cubs - have the right to it and to reproduce. And in a large flock only He and She, all other males and females remain single. Courtship begins early and amazes with its tenderness and expressiveness. These are mutual smiles, acrobatic jumps, frisky mutual “catching up”, biting lips, kissing the neck, licking the neck, cheeks and ears.
During two months of pregnancy, the she-wolf finds and prepares several lairs in various places- caves, roots of fallen trees, badger burrows, etc. From three to five blind babies are born, capable only of suckling their mother. After three weeks, their eyes open, they try to walk, and the she-wolf has more trouble because of their excessive curiosity. And at the age of one and a half months, babies refuse milk and switch to meat. The entire pack, led by the Leader, takes care of the she-wolf and her offspring, bringing her food.
...Night falls over the vast expanses of the forests of the Palaearctic... The January frost makes age-old pines creak and groan, light drifting snow “gets through” to the bones, all living things die out or hide somewhere behind the fences. And the melancholy and melancholy howl of a pack of wolves rushes to the distant stars through the black night, making us think about the fate of Nature, about loved ones who have left us and about Eternity...
(VASILIEV, magazine "Hunting Yard" (December/January 2009)
Pairs of wolves are for life. If one of the partners dies, new couple is not created.
As social animals, wolves live in families that number from 2 to 15 individuals, usually 4-8. It's easier to live in a pack. They can warn each other about possible danger, and quickly find and catch up with prey. Together they manage to catch big game: elk, bulls and horses, which a lone wolf cannot handle.
The flock consists of animals of different ages. The strong and aggressive ones lead, and the rest obey them. Leads the pack a strong character oh wolf, his wolf friend helps him lead. In addition, the pack includes low-ranking wolves of different sexes, as well as newcomers - puppies from this year's litter, and those born in the past.
In autumn and winter, the flock leads a nomadic lifestyle. At night they migrate in search of food. During one night hunt, the predator can travel over 100 km. In the darkness they move silently, like shadows. As a rule, during night crossings, wolves always walk in a chain, carefully stepping one after another. And they do this so skillfully that even an experienced hunter can find it difficult to determine how many individuals the flock consists of. At the first rays of the sun, the wolf stops to rest in a safe area. At night the fishing is repeated again.
Catching a wolf is very difficult, because it is controlled by the instinct of survival. With the help of smell, the wolf hears the hunter from afar. He tries to avoid meeting a person, hiding his presence from our eyes. Once confronted with a weapon, a predator will always associate its smell with danger. In addition, wolves hunt several kilometers from the den so as not to put the hunters on the trail.
At the end of winter - beginning of spring, wolves usually begin mating season. These representatives wild world They create pairs for several years, so the rut of adult wolves that have retained their pair proceeds peacefully. While expecting offspring, a pregnant wolf leaves the pack to find a den for herself. They arrange their homes in cozy and inaccessible places. The burrows of other animals are also often used. The territory of the wolf shelter necessarily provides for a good overview of the area and the proximity of a reservoir. It is difficult to find a place that would meet all the above-mentioned criteria, and having found it, the she-wolf breeds offspring here from year to year. Changes it only due to certain natural disasters natural phenomena near a home or human intervention.
Puppies are born after two months of pregnancy (around May). They are born blind, their ear openings are closed, and they themselves are covered with thin brown fur. Babies' eyes open after about 9-15 days, then they rise to their paws and try to walk. For the first 1.5 months, the female stays with the puppies and feeds them milk. At the same time, the wolf cubs are fed with half-chewed and half-digested meat, which is regurgitated by the male. During the entire period of feeding, the wolf is forced to obtain food for the female and puppies. When the kids are old enough, father and mother bring them killed but live game so that they learn to strangle it.
The hunting habits of this animal are very different from the behavior of predators close to it. Wolves use different hunting techniques, often using several methods at the same time. They sneak up on prey, catch up with it, lure it into a raid, or lie in wait in ambush. In pursuit they can reach speeds of up to 80 km/h, but despite this fact, the wolf is in no hurry to waste its energy and tries to avoid long chases. When searching for food, predators act clearly and organizedly - like a well-coordinated army and experienced psychologists. They completely control the behavior of the victim, monitor its reaction and calculate the trajectory of movement.
It would seem like an ordinary animal that lives in our forests, and yet we have a lot to learn from this wild beast- wise, prudent and disciplined. He responsibly follows the rules of behavior, each animal clearly knows its place within a separate group and diligently performs its functions. Wolves are some of the most loyal creatures, bonding with their pack mates and caring for each other with care. Young wolves respect older and stronger individuals, obeying them unconditionally. In turn, the strong will never offend the weak. The one who dominates is not the one who obeys his will and rejoices in power, but the one who follows the laws and serves others, the one who is able to rally a team around him not for the sake of his own ambitions, but in order to pass on experience, improve together and move on.
What do people know about wolves? What qualities of a wolf first come to mind when talking about these animals? Surely you think that they are dangerous and cruel, insidious and treacherous. However, those who know almost nothing about the life of these animals think this way. In this article we will try to talk a little more about them. Perhaps some interesting fact about wolves will make you change your attitude towards them.
Genus Lupus (wolves)
This genus includes wolves, jackals, coyotes, and dogs. These are the most major representatives wolf All arctic foxes, foxes, maned wolf And
Each wolf is endowed with its own character - there are individuals who are cautious, self-confident and daring, some of them behave naturally and freely in the company of their fellow tribesmen, while others prefer to stay in the shadow of their more active relatives.
Wolves live on the plains northern hemisphere, as well as in mountains and forests. Unfortunately, in some countries they are completely exterminated. And in Antarctica, white wolves are on the verge of extinction. They are listed in the International Red Book. Hunting these animals is prohibited.
These predators live in various landscapes - forests, tundra, mountains and steppes. They are predominantly sedentary animals, but at the same time they roam very long distances in search of food. As biologists say, in the wild they occupy their niche. In their habitats, wolves are typically the largest group of predators that prey on large mammals.
External characteristics
A male wolf usually weighs about fifty kilograms, a female wolf is five kilograms lighter. Height at withers adult 75 cm, and the body length can be up to two meters. This is, of course, average data.
Wolves have thick, coarse fur with undercoat. The color may vary. There are gray, black, red, red, and white wolves.
Lifestyle
Wolves are animals that prefer to live in families. Any pack of wolves has its own “charter”, in which everyone has their own role. Aggressive and strong young people rule, and those who need a firm hand obey them.
A wolf pack, in which the animals are related, is led by a wolf and a she-wolf. The rest of its members, mainly their offspring (from very stupid puppies to 3-year-old teenagers), obey them. Sometimes strangers join the flock, having left their flock for some reason. Typically, up to 15 animals live in such a family.
Endurance and vitality of wolves
These qualities of a wolf deserve special attention. A hungry predator without food can remain active for up to ten days. The wounded animal moves several kilometers away from the hunters. Surrounded by hunting dogs, it fiercely defends itself until its last breath. And a wolf, caught in a trap, bites off its paw to escape from its pursuers.
There is a known case when a wolf, which broke its paw during a hunt, lay motionless on the ground for 17 days, after which it stood up and continued searching for prey. The will to live of wolves is amazing.
But they have small weaknesses, which experienced hunters know about. Surprisingly, these brave predators are lost at the sight of a rag that flutters in front of their muzzle. This feature led to the appearance of flags. Hunters, having discovered a wolf pack, surround it around the perimeter with a rope with scraps of any fabric hung on it. The wolves, seeing the waving flags, do not dare to jump for them, and the hunters shoot at the animals at point-blank range.
And one more fact. A wolf in the forest never attacks people first. He avoids people, prefers to stay away from them.
Wolf's Lair
The wolf's hole is quite simple. As a rule, it has one entrance. In the forest-steppe regions of Siberia, they have a depth of about four meters, the diameter of the entrance is about 50 cm.
In Transbaikalia, researchers observed how wolves dig tarbagan holes in the fall, and in the spring they discovered wolf litters in them. One of these holes was more than five meters long, forty centimeters wide and twenty-five centimeters high. The nest inside the hole was half filled with dry grass bedding. It contained tarbagan skins.
In the Far North, these predators build burrows along the banks of streams and rivers. In these areas the soil is well drained and there is no permafrost, so digging a hole is easy.
Many holes can be found near the summer pastures of deer. As a rule, wolves wander behind herds of these animals. Before the puppies appear, they move forward, closer to their burrows, where the deer also come, but a little later.
Wolf howl
Each hole is inhabited by one pair of wolves, and they gather into a pack using the means of communication available to them - howl. This is not just the voice of a predator, it is an encrypted message with certain signals. The howl can be attractive (especially during the mating season), calling. It can be heard when the leader calls the pack to hunt. The howl can be a response when members of the pack respond to the call of the leader. It can be dying and, finally, entertainment. Oddly enough, wolves often howl for no apparent reason, probably what their wolf soul asks for.
Social order of the pack
Most strong wolf becomes the leader of the pack. His faithful friend, the she-wolf, helps him manage. In order for pack members to obey them, leaders must have strong character. All decisions that concern the life of the family are made by the wolf and the she-wolf together. In a pack where the leader keeps order, males never fight among themselves. But strangers who violate the boundaries of property are usually severely punished. A wolf pack goes out to hunt only in its own limited territory. The owners guard and mark her very jealously. This is a warning to neighbors that they should stay away from this land.
Sometimes in large flocks For some unknown reason, one wolf is poisoned by all his brothers. Sometimes it becomes difficult for a rejected animal to live in a family, and he leaves it. He becomes a wandering loner. True, he has a chance to create his own pack if he meets the same lone wolf. If these animals want to rule the pack, they must completely subjugate all its members to their will and force them to obey the laws of the family.
How does a leader rule?
A pack of wolves unconditionally accepts the leadership of the leader. He dominates the males, and his girlfriend keeps order among the she-wolves. The leader never tires of reminding his subordinates who is the master in the pack - he growls at them, bites them, even knocks them down, doing this in front of the whole family.
As a rule, one close and stern look from the leader or his wolf is enough for those he targets to submit. Grinning, and rather ingratiatingly, the wolves fall to the ground, and then, if they succeed, stealthily leave the place of punishment. Sometimes they lie on their backs, as if to say: “We agree that you are the most important.”
Interesting fact about wolves - the position of a predator in a pack can be judged by the way it holds its tail. The leader always has it raised high. For ordinary “subjects” it is omitted. And those individuals who are at the lowest level in the pack tuck their tails between their legs.
Family members show their love and respect for the leader and his mate in a welcoming ceremony. With ears flattened, crawling, and fur smoothed, they crawl up to them, lick and gently nibble their faces.
Wild wolves are loyal animals
Probably not everyone knows that wolves are one of the most loyal animals. These powerful predators become very attached to their pack mates. They express their emotions and feelings through body movements and facial expressions. Thanks to the “wolf tongue,” the pack unites and acts as one. They express their tenderness and sympathy by licking each other, while rubbing their muzzles.
Why does a wolf need a tail?
Not everyone knows that a wolf's tail is a kind of indicator that expresses its feelings. If it is raised high and the tip is slightly curved, then this means that the wolf is quite confident in its abilities. A friendly animal lowers its tail, but its very tip is raised up. A wolf with its tail between its legs is either afraid of something or communicating its submission.
Wolf the family man
Only specialists know this interesting fact about wolves. These dangerous predators experience strong emotional attachment. They are monogamous - they choose their mate once and for life.
It must be said that a wolf is an ideal family man. He doesn’t create scandals, doesn’t cheat on his she-wolf, doesn’t break up with her, doesn’t have a young “mistress” on the side, and brings all the spoils into the family.
Wild wolves love their cubs very much. The wolf cubs are cared for not only by their parents, but by the entire pack.
The attitude of the ancients towards the wolf
This beast is sometimes called mythical. IN ancient times he was revered and respected for his courage, endurance, and ingenuity. Many warlike tribes perceived him as their ancestor. During the heyday of patriarchy, he was compared to a groom, a bride kidnapper.
For our ancestors, the wolf was like a mediator between gods and people. It was considered a talisman against evil. When the wolf became the faithful companion of St. George the Victorious, he began to be perceived as a solar deity.
Apollo, ancient Greek god light, sometimes called Apollo the Wolf. Ferocious Predator was the sacred animal of the god Upuaut in Ancient Egypt.
In the myths of the Scandinavian peoples, wolves are called “the dogs of Odin.” Romulus and Remus, who founded Great Rome, were suckled by a she-wolf sent by Mars.
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