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What do wolves eat in different habitats? The wolf is a typical predator that obtains food independently, actively searching for and pursuing victims. What does a wolf eat in nature?

The search for an answer to the question “what do wolves eat” leads to the conclusion that they are omnivorous. They say that desperate hungry animals even attack bears wintering in dens.

Features of the diet of wolves

The wolf, like all canines, is carnivorous, but, although it is considered a pronounced predator, from time to time it joins the scavenger family.

Diet composition

The main food of wolves are ungulates, whose availability and numbers determine the survival rate of the wolf population. Its lifestyle also adapts to the specifics of the life of ungulates in a particular region.

Wolves, in addition to ungulates, hunt such animals as:

hares, foxes, and others;
and domestic dogs;
rodents, including voles, and hamsters;
waterfowl, often during their molting period;
chicken birds, especially young animals and clutches;
geese (domestic and wild);
snakes, lizards, frogs and toads (rare).

This is interesting! Sometimes predators switch to very strange food - in the Kizlyar steppes (when locusts bred there) they discovered wolf droppings, entirely consisting of their remains.

Cannibalism

Eating their own kind is not that uncommon in a wolf pack, whose members do not hesitate to tear apart a wounded/weakened comrade in harsh winters. Hungry predators often kill weaker ones when they have to fight for food. Often they tear apart competitors who received bloody injuries in the fight for the female.

Wolves absorb the tendency to cannibalism with their mother's milk. In one of the zoos, large wolf cubs tore and devoured a weak wolf cub when they were switched from meat food to dairy-vegetable food. Wolves not only kill and eat their wounded animals, but also do not disdain the corpses of their relatives. During the hungry season, animals willingly consume other carrion, finding slaughterhouses, cattle burial grounds, lard dumps, or hunting grounds. In winter, the route of a wolf pack often runs through places where rotten carcasses are constantly thrown out.

Hunting, prey

The wolf goes hunting at dusk, finishing it in the morning. If the hunt was successful, the wolves sleep or continue tracking after an unsuccessful night.

Wolf hunt

In search of prey, wolves travel up to 50 km (even in deep snow). They follow trail after trail, which makes it impossible to calculate how many predators are in the pack. As a rule, there are no more than 15 of them - young animals from the last 2 broods are taken for hunting.

This is interesting! The heart, liver and lungs are considered a delicacy, which is why they always go to the most powerful male, the leader, who takes on the role of “beater” during the hunt.

Having spotted the herd, the wolves begin to pursue until one of the roe deer begins to lag behind. Having overtaken the target, predators surround it: some from the front, others from the rear, and others from the sides. Having knocked the roe deer off its feet, the flock attacks en masse, tormenting the victim until its last breath. Large and healthy ungulates often confront wolves, one of which often dies in a skirmish. The remaining predators retreat ingloriously.

How much does a wolf eat?

The animal can fast for 2 weeks, but eats in reserve after catching game. But even a starved wolf is not able to swallow 25 kg of meat, as some sources attribute to it. In the wolf's stomach they found 1.5–2 kg of food, since at one time it absorbs no more than 3 kg, and anything eaten beyond this is simply regurgitated. Eyewitnesses told how 7-10 predators gnawed a horse overnight, and a wolf in Turkmenistan single-handedly dealt with a young argali weighing 10 kg. But these figures do not indicate the one-time volume of food eaten, because part of the carcass is hidden and taken away. In addition, scavengers like to eat animals killed by wolves - jackals, hyenas and vultures.

Seasonality

The diet of wolves varies (and quite significantly) depending on the time of year. Fluctuations in food preferences are reflected in the lifestyle of a wolf pack - a sedentary existence in warm seasons gives way to a nomadic existence in winter.

Summer diet

The summer menu of wolves is the most appetizing and rich in vitamins, as it is based on a wide range of plant/animal food, with a variety of its species and quantity composition. In summer, ungulates usually fade into the background, giving way to medium-sized and small mammals.

In addition, in the summer, animal protein in the wolf diet is supplemented with plant components:

berries of lily of the valley and rowan;
blueberries and lingonberries;
nightshade and blueberries;
apples and pears;
other fruits (in the southern regions).

This is interesting! Wolves inspect melon fields, where they taste melons and watermelons, but often do not so much eat them as spoil them, causing damage to melon growers. In the Ural steppes, predators chew sweet reed shoots and do not refuse a variety of cereals.

In the south, in the year of increased harvest of steppe cherries, its seeds were constantly found in wolf feces.

Autumn-winter diet

At the end of summer and early autumn, wolves continue to prey on wild ungulates, track down grazing livestock, dig out muskrat huts/burrows, hunt small animals (including hares), and catch waterfowl along the banks of reservoirs. The food supply becomes noticeably scarcer as soon as the first snow falls. At this time, wolves almost completely switch to ungulates, including moose.

In winter, animals prowl along snow-covered roads and reluctantly go to the side of the road when they see a convoy or a single sleigh.. In the most severe cold, wolves lose fear when approaching human habitation. Here they climb into the barn for livestock, hunt guard dogs and look for carrion, tearing apart cattle burial grounds.

Spring diet

The bony hand of hunger is most noticeable and grabs the wolf by the throat in early spring, when predators turn into the worst enemies of livestock farmers, especially those whose farms are located in the steppe. As spring approaches, the proportion of livestock in the wolf diet increases noticeably, reaching a peak towards the top of summer, when the ever-hungry wolf cubs begin to grow stronger in the pack.

This is interesting! With the onset of warm weather, predators living in the steppe, desert and tundra begin to drive pregnant ungulates - saigas, deer, gazelle and roe deer. And by the time the offspring appear, the wolves gather near the calving grounds, where they kill both young and adults.

After the snow melts and the start of the rut for most animals (April - May), wolves reorient themselves from ungulates to small/medium-sized vertebrates.

Diet depending on area

The diet of predators is also determined by the region where they live. Wolves living in the tundra hunt wild/domestic animals in winter, with an emphasis on calves and females. At the same time, they slaughter smaller animals, for example, hares. Wolves roaming the sea coasts of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug rob hunting traps and snares, and pick up the carcasses of marine mammals thrown out by the waves, fish and commercial waste.

In the forests of Tatarstan, during snowy winters, wolves hunt mainly mammals - livestock/carrion (68%), hares (21%) and mouse-like rodents (24%). The main food items for predators living in the central black earth forest-steppes are domestic animals, small rodents and hares.

This is interesting! Steppe wolf populations in southern Russia specialize in mouse-like rodents (35%), carrion (17%), as well as calves, dogs, goats, sheep and pigs (16%).

In addition to animal food, corn grains were found in the stomachs of Caucasian wolves, and even mushrooms were found in Ukrainian wolves (near Kiev). In the summer in the northern regions of Kazakhstan, wolves massively exterminate:

small rodents (more aquatic);
young white and grouse;
young and molted ducks;
and sheep (rarely).

The wolves that inhabit the Betpak-Dala desert feed mainly on saigas, goitered gazelles and hares, not forgetting turtles, jerboas, gerbils and insects.

Through DNA research, it was discovered that there are about four genealogical lines of the wolf. African, which arose in the late Pleistocene, is considered the most ancient. All other lines belong to the Indian subcontinent. During major geological and climatic changes, the Himalayan wolf lineage emerged. Indian separated from it approximately 400,000 years ago. The Tibetan wolf, an inhabitant of Kashmir, is the most recent lineage. Its other name is the Holarctic clade.

The large Siberian wolf lived in Japan and the Korean Peninsula in the Pleistocene. The Sangar Strait separated Hokkaido and Honshu in the Holocene, causing climate change. They led to the extinction of large ungulates in this area. Lack of sufficient food led to insular dwarfism in the Japanese wolf.

Hokkaido, thanks to a constant supply of food and genetic interchange with large Siberian wolves, was significantly larger than the Hondo Japanese wolf.

Due to the disappearance of large prey, the dire wolf became extinct about 8,000 years ago. This process was accelerated by competition for the remaining food with the emerging common wolf.

In what regions does the wolf live?

Currently, the habitat of wolves has been significantly reduced. This is due to their uncontrolled extermination in the past. Most of the predators are located in the territory:

Russia;
Belarus;
Ukraine;
northern part of the Arabian Peninsula;
Afghanistan;
Georgia;
China;
Korea;
Iran;
Hindustan;
Iraq;
Azerbaijan;
Scandinavia;
Baltics;
Balkans;
Italy;
Poland;
Spain;
Portugal.

From Mexico to Alaska, the animals are common in North America. In Russia they live everywhere, except for the taiga, the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin. In Japan, predators have become completely extinct.

Wolves are able to live in a variety of terrain, but they give preference to places with weak forest cover. They often live close to humans. In the taiga, they accompany him and settle in the territory cleared of forest by people.

In the mountains, predators live as far as alpine meadows, where areas have little ruggedness.

The wolf is a territorial animal. During the cold season, flocks live sedentary. The boundaries of the territory in which they live are marked with odorous marks. In winter, the area occupied by predators is up to 44 km. However, as spring approaches, the flock breaks up into pairs. The strongest representatives remain on their territory, and single individuals lead a nomadic life. Wolves often accompany herds of livestock and deer.

To breed offspring, animals make dens. Most often they are natural shelters - thickets of bushes, depressions in the rocks. In some cases, wolves occupy the burrows of other animals - badgers, arctic foxes, marmots. It is extremely rare to dig them yourself. The she-wolf is most closely attached to the den during the period of raising the litter. The male does not use it. Puppies grow in well-hidden places: on hills, in ravines, near the shores of lakes covered with thick reeds, and in dense bushes. Wolves never hunt near their lair. After the puppies are strong enough for long journeys, the animals leave their shelter. For rest, they look for new, but well-protected places every time. The cubs look like dog puppies and have brown fur.

How long does a wolf live?

Since wolves belong to the canine family, they live approximately the same amount of time as dogs. But the lifestyle of wolves in the wild is very harsh and wolves die from disease, injury or lack of food before their time. In the wild, on average, wolves live 10-15 years. But with good care and proper nutrition, they can live up to 20 years.

What does a wolf eat?

The wolf is a predator that stalks prey. The main types of animals that it feeds on are:

antelope;
roe deer;
moose;
wild boars;
deer.

Lone wolves catch mouse-like rodents, gophers and hares. In summer, waterfowl, representatives of grouse, and domestic geese become prey. In rare cases, a wolf attacks sleeping bears, raccoon dogs, and foxes. Predators often attack wounded or weakened animals.

Wolves often return to the remains of animals they have caught. Also, in times of famine, predators do not disdain carrion: carcasses washed up on the coastline, seals, and livestock corpses.

In addition to meat, animals eat melons, watermelons, mushrooms, fruits, and berries. More often this is caused not by hunger, but by thirst. Wolves need frequent, abundant water, which is sometimes difficult to find.

Cannibalism is a phenomenon that occurs in a flock. Sick and wounded animals are often eaten by stronger relatives.

Wolves are most active at night. Their communication occurs through vocal signals. The range of sound waves that a wolf is capable of producing is many times greater than the capabilities of most animals. The only exceptions are bats and people. Animals are capable of barking, squealing, yelping, growling, grumbling, whimpering, howling. Absolutely every sound made by an animal has a wide range of variations.

Experts note that wolves react consciously to sounds made by their relatives. Thanks to sounds, the flock transmits various messages to its members and indicates the location of the game. At first, wolves listen to the information received from their relatives, and then throw their heads back and howl with a vibrating voice. At first their voice is low, and then moves to high notes that are heard by humans.

Only the leader of the pack can give the signal to attack. The sound is reminiscent of the growling of an angry dog.

You can hear the howling of wolves at dusk or dawn, but not every day. First, the leader howls loudly, and then the rest of the pack. The howling most often ends with a joint shrill bark. Wolves' songs are a sign of the social life of wolves. They have an emotional basis and enhance the cohesion of animals. In addition, the howl allows you to find lost members of the pack and communicate with representatives of other groups.

Wolves have a very developed sense of smell. The sense of smell allows predators to detect prey at a great distance. Wolves can distinguish approximately 199 million shades of scent. Animals receive most of their information through their sense of smell. Marking, sniffing partners, transmitting and receiving information through smell play an important role in the life of predators. Wolves obtain the necessary information from feces, urine and saliva. Feces indicate that the animal belongs to a certain species and its gender. The number of marks increases significantly during the rut and the formation of new pairs. In this case, the males leave their mark on top of the female’s mark. Such behavior strengthens couples and enhances sexual activity.

Experts have concluded that in 89% of cases, wolves detect their prey by smell, and not by hearing.

In the process of evolution, wolves have developed a number of physiological characteristics that allow them to travel long distances in search of food. Animals easily run a distance of several kilometers at a speed of about 9 km/h. During a chase, it increases to 66. At the same time, dogs are able to jump up to 4 meters without stopping running.

Physiological characteristics:

sloping back;
streamlined chest area;
strong legs;
membranes between the fingers reduce the load on the surface. Thanks to this, the wolf can quickly move across the snowy ground.
When moving, predators rely solely on their toes, and not on the entire foot. This method of movement makes it possible to balance the mass.
The hind legs are shorter than the front legs. They lack the fifth additional toe on the metatarsal side.
Blunt claws and bristly fur prevent falling from slippery surfaces.
Special blood vessels warm the paws from the cold.
There are scent glands between the toes. When moving, the predator leaves scent trails. They make it possible to navigate the terrain and inform members of the pack about the movement of the leader.
The low thermal conductivity of fur allows the animal to live even in harsh climates.

When a pack attacks a victim, wolves simultaneously kill several animals. At the same time, they rip out their throats or rip open their bellies. First of all, predators eat the most valuable things in the carcass, and leave the rest as a reserve.

The wolf is a highly developed creature. He uses special tactics when hunting. Hunting for livestock, they wait for him in ambush. Some of the predators wait in the bushes, and the rest of the flock drives the prey there. When chasing large ungulates, for example, elk, they starve it to death. Several wolves run after the prey, the rest of the pack minces behind. When the predators participating in the chase get tired, they are replaced by their full-strength relatives.

Relations in the pack are altruistic in nature. Each animal completely subordinates its interests to common needs. Otherwise, the predator community would not have survived. Not only physical characteristics, but also psychological characteristics influence the rank of an animal. This is explained by the fact that the leader must take charge of organizing the hunt and divide the food obtained among his relatives. Older wolves are responsible for the younger ones. Juveniles unquestioningly obey the demands of their older relatives.

There are seven ranks in the pack. Management of community members occurs without forceful influence. A clear organization, distribution of roles, complete freedom of choice to be or not to be in the pack - all this makes the wolf family a highly organized, well-coordinated mechanism. The social status of wolves is associated with the age and sex of the animals. However, these indicators serve only to achieve the set goals. Having caught prey, wolves will never hunt again as long as they have food.

Unit in the pack:

The leader plays the leading role. He bears full responsibility for the rest of his relatives. Its main tasks are a clear distribution of roles in the family, organization of actions, protection, selection of habitat, and management of hunting. The leader has the right to start eating first, but this rule can be violated by him. In some cases, an adult animal shares prey with puppies. This situation often occurs when there is a lack of food. Puppies are the future of the pack and the leader must take care of them.

The flock never disputes the right to the first piece of food. A weakened leader will not be able to provide security to his relatives.

The leader has no right to protection. In times of danger, only he decides how to act; the pack always listens to him.

Warriors are the backbone of the pack. They provide food and safety for their relatives. When there is an external threat, only warriors enter into battle. This rank can be occupied by wolves of both sexes. However, a female with puppies never participates in guarding and obtaining food.

A senior warrior can replace the leader if he dies or for some reason cannot lead the pack. He, along with the main wolf, organizes protection and hunting.

An adult female with experience raising wolf cubs is a mother. Its main functions are to take care of the pack's puppies. A female who has whelped does not automatically occupy this rank. When a flock is attacked, it is the mother who takes all weak relatives to safety while the warriors repel the attack.

The eldest female never competes with the main warrior, but if necessary, she takes the place of the leader. When the head of the pack dies, the most worthy animal begins to play his role. At the same time, there are no fights to identify the best contender for the status of leader.

During feeding and raising puppies, all mothers of the pack are under special care.

Reproduction occupies a special place in the life of animals. Once a year, the flock splits into pairs to reproduce. All members of the flock can reproduce. The main condition for this is awareness of one’s role in the pack. Those wolves who did not get a mate help their relatives raise their young and hunt. Pairs are always created for life. If one of the pair dies, the surviving wolf never looks for a partner again.

A guardian is an animal that controls the wolf cubs. There are two subranks. Pestun is a young wolf who is not currently capable of becoming a warrior due to his age or is a young wolf from a previous litter. These animals completely obey their mother and follow her orders. This is how they learn to handle wolf cubs. Being a caregiver is the first stage of education that allows you to acquire the skills you need for life.
Uncle is a male dog with no family. Helps raise young fish.
The signalman is the eyes of the pack. It is he who alerts her to the impending threat. The received information is analyzed by more experienced wolves. Only after this is a decision made on further actions.
The puppy bears no responsibility. His main task is complete obedience. Adult animals show him special care and guardianship.
A disabled person is an elderly person who has the right to protection and food. Wolves always take care of their old relatives.

Wolves breeding

Once formed, a couple is never separated. If one of the partners dies, the second one never looks for a new one. Wolves always live in large families, numbering up to 42 individuals.

There is a clear hierarchy in the pack. At the head of the community are alpha animals, followed by adult representatives of the family, lone wolves. The lowest rank is puppies. The pack often takes in other wolves. When puppies reach the age of three, they leave their family and look for a mate outside of it. Animals from the same litter never mate.

The mating season is the most stressful time. It falls most often in the winter and spring months. The dominant pair protects itself from attacks by other animals. Free females are surrounded by males. The fight for their attention begins. Often fights end in death.

Once a pair is formed, it begins searching for a den. All necessary preparations are made before the onset of estrus. This time helps the couple get closer.

A she-wolf bears her offspring for about 64 days. Typically 3-12 puppies are born. They are born blind. Only after two weeks do their eyes open. After some time, the parents, along with the rest of the pack, feed the puppies with their burps of recently swallowed meat. When the young grow up, they eat prey that has already been caught. At the end of summer, the puppies are already starting to try their hand at hunting. At this time, the flock is joined by pereyarki - last year's litter, driven away for the breeding season. In this form, the family lives until the she-wolf's next estrus. Then the reeds can already participate in reproduction. In the first year of life, more than half of the litter dies.

Females reach sexual maturity at two years, males at three. The average life expectancy of predators is 16 years. The first signs of aging appear as early as 11 years of age.

Wolves have offspring only in the warm season. This allows you to get enough food for the puppies. This is how wolves differ from dogs, which come into heat twice a year.

People considered wolves to be dangerous animals. Therefore, they were mercilessly exterminated. However, predators play an important role in the ecosystem. They destroy sick and weakened animals, thereby preventing an epidemic.

How much does a wolf weigh?

Wolves are the largest representatives of the canine family. Their size and weight vary greatly in the species composition of these predators. In length, depending on the species, a wolf can be less than a meter, or can reach two. And the weight ranges from 20 kg to 100.

Types of wolves

Experts count seven separate species of predators. In addition, the gray wolf has about seventeen varieties.

Arctic

It is the rarest subspecies of the common gray wolf. Habitat: Greenland, northern Canada and Alaska. The predator has preserved its natural habitat thanks to the rare appearance of humans in the harsh terrain covered with eternal snow.

The polar wolf is a large animal with a powerful build. Males reach a size at the withers of up to 99 cm. Weight can reach 98 kg. Predators exhibit sexual dimorphism. Females are approximately 16 percent smaller than males.

Predators have thick light fur with a slight red tint. The tail is fluffy, the legs are long, and the ears are erect and short.

Animals are perfectly adapted to the long absence of sun during the polar night. In search of prey, they travel considerable distances across snowy plains. An adult wolf is capable of eating eleven kilograms of meat in one go. There is no trace left of what is caught during the hunt. Even bones are eaten. Predators never chew meat, but swallow it in pieces.

Like other wolves, the polar one can only survive in a pack. Most often the group consists of 12 individuals. It is led by a male and a female. The rest of the community are puppies from previous litters and those recently born. In some cases, a pack accepts a lone wolf, but at the same time he obeys the leaders.

Only the alpha female in the group whelps. When cubs are born from other she-wolves, they are immediately killed. This severity is explained by extremely difficult living conditions, in which it is difficult to feed a large number of wolf cubs.

The survival of animals depends entirely on the size of hunting grounds. That's why wolves protect their borders. With the onset of winter cold, a group of predators migrates to the south, where it is easier to get food. Most often they follow reindeer.

The polar wolf eats absolutely everything it can find. In summer, its diet includes beetles, frogs, birds, lichens, fruits and berries. In winter, predators eat mainly the meat of hares, lemmings, musk oxen, and deer.

The polar wolf pursues its prey using ambushes and changing riders. The best hunting time is spring. In warm weather, the crust melts, making it difficult for deer to move in such conditions and the predator easily catches up with them.

Healthy and strong herbivores are never in danger. The flock only attacks fawns or sick animals. Having attacked the herd, the predators destroy it. In this way they isolate the chosen victim and kill. When the herd manages to regroup and surround its offspring with a dense ring, the wolves have to retreat. Wolves manage to achieve a positive result in only 11% of their attacks.

Female raptors reach sexual maturity at three years of age. In males, this period begins at two. Some time before giving birth, the she-wolf begins to prepare a den. Predators cannot dig a hole in the ice, so caves or holes in the rocks serve as places for puppies to emerge.

Pregnancy lasts 74 days. There are no more than three wolf cubs in a litter. The appearance of more puppies is extremely rare. The puppies that are born are blind and helpless. Their weight does not exceed four hundred grams. For a month they do not leave the den. Only when they are fully strengthened do they begin to leave it. All this time the female feeds them with milk.

Caring for the offspring lies not only with the she-wolf, but with the entire pack. When the mother leaves the den to hunt, the young look after the puppies. Even with meager food supplies, adult wolves always feed the babies. In this way, it is possible to maintain the population size. Thanks to the harsh climate, wolves are not threatened by humans. There are no hunters in the Arctic.

Upon reaching sexual maturity, young animals leave the pack and try to create their own. They look for unoccupied territory and mark its borders.

The polar wolf is listed in the Red Book. Hunting for it is prohibited.

Ruffed

It gets its name from the long fur that covers its neck and shoulders. The hair in this area resembles the mane of horses. Aguarachai is found in Northern Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Brazil. However, its main habitat is South America.

The guara has red fur, large ears, and an elongated muzzle. Externally, the wolf looks light and lean. The weight of the animal does not exceed 24 kg.

The aguarachai has the longest legs among other wolf species. This structure of the limbs allows the predator to search for prey in tall grass. The wolf hunts alone. It feeds on reptiles, birds, pacu, agouti, plants, and fruits. Often attacks sheep and poultry when gathered in groups.

Guars live in pairs. They very rarely have contact with their relatives. There are up to three wolf cubs in a litter. They have black fur. The female gives birth to puppies in winter.

The species is listed in the Red Book. Today there is no threat of extinction. However, the animal is still very rare.

Japanese

The international classification identifies two subspecies of these animals:

Hokkaido or Ezo. These predators lived on the island of Hokkaido. Outwardly they resembled an ordinary wolf.
Khonshu or Hondossky.

The Meiji government offered a reward to anyone who brought the head of a predator. This marked the beginning of the complete destruction of the subspecies. In 1889, the Japanese wolf completely disappeared.

Lyry

Scientific research has shown that wolves do not live in South America. Since 2009, an attempt has been made to spread the legend about the supposedly existing subspecies of predators. It is currently impossible to confirm or refute the information received. Therefore, the Lyre Wolf remains more of a fiction.

Newfoundland

The species officially became extinct in 1911. There lived a predator on the eastern shores of Canada. The color was light with a dark stripe along the spine. He ate rodents and caribou.

Because of its thick fur, it was constantly hunted. In addition, beginning in 1900, there were food shortages, which led to a sharp decline in caribou numbers. All these factors led to the complete disappearance of the Newfoundland wolf.

Ethiopian

The phenotype of this predator is similar to that of a fox. The species is on the verge of extinction. Because of its amazingly beautiful fur, the animal is constantly hunted.

Makenzensky

The most common species of wolf in North America. Animals can reach a weight of up to 79 kg. Height at the withers - 89 cm. It feeds on deer, elk, musk oxen and elk, and bison.

The Alaskan wolf has been relocated to Yellowstone Park. There he adapted perfectly. Its number increased by 1290 individuals. Some predators eventually left the protected areas and settled in the border zone. They are hunted in these places.

An amazing animal is found in the mountains of Asia. It is extremely difficult to say exactly who it is based on appearance alone. His body is built like a jackal, his behavior is wolfish, and his beautiful fur resembles a fox.

The red or mountain wolf is an intelligent and beautiful predator. The weight of the animal reaches 22 kg, the length of the body does not exceed a meter. The color is bright, the tail is long and hangs almost to the ground, the fur is fluffy and thick. The muzzle is shortened, the ears are large, rounded, and set high.

Depending on their habitat, the red or mountain wolf has different coat colors. However, in most cases it is reddish. During the cold season, the fur becomes thick, dense and soft. By summer, the coat coarsens and becomes darker. Wolf cubs are brown in color at birth.

There are 10 subspecies of predators. They differ from each other in body size, color and thickness of fur.

The red or mountain wolf lives in various areas. However, its numbers are insignificant. Experts cannot say for sure whether he currently lives in Russia. The red or mountain wolf is mainly found in Asia.

The predator lives in gorges and rocks, where there is constant snow. On plains and forests it appears only in search of food or when moving from one territory to another. It is extremely rare for an animal to attack livestock.

Predators hunt in a pack. Its size does not exceed 13 individuals. At the same time, there is no clear leader in it. They most often get their food during daylight hours. The red or mountain wolf feeds on deer, antelope, lizards and rodents. A large flock can kill a bull and a leopard. When there is a shortage of food, the red or mountain wolf does not disdain carrion.

Despite the fact that the predator’s diet mainly includes meat, it does not neglect plant foods. Mountain rhubarb is always present in a den with newborn pups. Experts believe that it is fed to young animals by regurgitating plant inflorescences treated with gastric juice.

A red or mountain wolf attacks its prey from behind. It never grabs the throat of prey, unlike other canids.

The animal has a secretive character. It always hides from people. The den is made in well-protected places. They never dig holes. They swim and jump well. They have sensitive hearing.

Due to its secretive lifestyle, the biology of the predator has not been fully studied. Experts can only say with confidence that the red or mountain wolf creates pairs with one female. The male is responsible for raising the puppies. In captivity, the predator mates in winter. Pregnancy lasts 59 days. There are no more than 9 puppies in a litter.

In warm climates, young animals are born throughout the year. When born, the puppy is similar in appearance to an ordinary wolf or German shepherd. Only after 13 days his eyes open. After half a year, the puppy begins to weigh like an adult. At two years of age, puberty occurs.

Ginger

Outwardly, the red wolf resembles a gray one. However, it is slightly smaller in size, its body is slimmer, its fur is shorter, its ears and legs are longer. The body reaches dimensions of 129 cm, height up to 79, weight no more than 39 kg. The color of the red wolf is not monochromatic. The muzzle and legs are reddish, the back is black.

Predators live in prairies, wetlands and mountainous areas. Packs consist of animals of different ages. Aggression in groups is completely absent.

The red wolf eats not only meat, but also plant foods. The prey of the predator most often are rabbits, raccoons, and rodents. Very rare deer. Animals often eat carrion and berries. The red wolf sometimes becomes prey to lynx and alligators.

The breeding season lasts from January to March. She-wolves bring up to 7 puppies. Cases have been described where a female gave birth to 11 wolf cubs. Animals make their lair under fallen trees or along the banks of reservoirs. At half a year, puppies become independent. A wolf lives in captivity for about 13 years, in natural conditions - 4 years.

The red wolf is the rarest representative of the canids. It is listed in the Red Book.

Marsupial

The last representatives of the subspecies lived until 1936 in Tasmania. The marsupial wolf had a body length of about a meter and a tail of 49 cm. Older males could reach two meters in length.

The predator’s skull resembled a dog’s, but its tail was thin at the end and thick at the base; bent hind limbs spoke of its marsupial nature. The fur was coarse, short, and very thick. The back had a brownish tint. It had darker colored stripes. The belly was light, the muzzle gray. The ears are erect, short, rounded.

The marsupial wolf had a kind of pouch on its stomach, formed by a fold of skin that opened backwards.

Initially, the animal lived on grassy plains and sparse forests. However, with the arrival of man, his habitat changed. He moved to the mountains, where he made his lair in caves and under fallen trees. The marsupial wolf was a nocturnal predator, but sometimes came out to bask in the sun. The predator hunted alone, rarely in pairs.

The marsupial wolf ate lizards, birds, and echidnas. After humans settled in Australia, the animal began to attack livestock. The marsupial wolf often ate animals caught in traps. The predator left the caught and half-eaten game and never returned to it. The marsupial wolf had a piercing, guttural, dull, coughing bark.

The thylacine is a marsupial. She-wolves had a pouch on their stomach formed by a fold of skin. The cubs were fed and born in it. After three months, the puppies began to leave the pouch, but returned to it until they were nine months old.

The marsupial wolf did not reproduce under artificial conditions and lived up to 9 years.

Forest

Depending on the habitat, the phenotype of wolves changes. The colder the climate, the more massive and large the animals living in these conditions. The average proportions of a gray wolf are as follows:

weight 33-63 kg;
body length 104-161 cm;
height at withers 67-87 cm.

These indicators make the common wolf the largest in the family.

One-year-old animals weigh 19-31 kg. In the third year of life 34-46 kg. The wolf reaches its peak development at three years of age. In Alaska, animals reach a weight of 76 kg; in temperate latitudes, the figure varies between 51-61 kg.

Externally, the wolf looks like a large, pointy-eared dog. His legs are high and powerful. The paw, unlike a dog's, is more elongated. The wolf's footprint is up to 13 cm long and 7 cm wide. The paw print is more prominent, unlike dogs. It is easily distinguished by its two middle fingers extended forward. The trail of footprints resembles a straight line.

Description of the wolf's appearance:

broad-browed head;
on the sides of the elongated wide muzzle there are “whiskers”;
high, heavy, large skull;
wide nasal openings widening towards the bottom;
the thick, long tail is always lowered. By its movement and position one can judge the wolf’s mood and position in the pack.
The structure of the jaw speaks about the animal's lifestyle. Carnivorous teeth, which include the lower first molars and upper fourth premolars, are involved in the division of captured game. The fangs help the wolf drag and hold its prey. If teeth are lost, the animal is doomed to death.
The fur is long, thick, and consists of two layers. It makes the wolf look much larger than it actually is. The guard hair, which makes up the first layer of fur, protects the animal from dirt and water. The undercoat, the second layer, is waterproof down that helps retain heat. As summer approaches, molting occurs. During this period, the fluff flakes off in small lumps. To speed up the process, animals rub their skin against various objects: tree trunks, stones.
A wolf puppy has a dark, uniform coat that becomes lighter after a while. Fur color can have mixed shades among representatives of the same population. The undercoat of wolves is always gray, only the color range of the guard hair is different.

Many people believe that coat color is used for camouflage. However, experts say that fur coloring increases the individual characteristics of each individual.

The eyes of animals are blue until 17 weeks of age, then they acquire an orange tint. It is extremely rare that the eye color of adult wolves remains blue.

Thanks to long-term scientific experiments, a hybrid of a wolf and a dog was bred. Breeds such as the Sarlosa and the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog are recognized throughout the world.
During the Middle Ages, the predator was considered a servant of dark forces. Many legends, traditions and fairy tales were composed using his image. The most popular is the werewolf or werewolf.
Wolves almost never attack humans. If this happens, the animal most likely has rabies.
Many coats of arms of the European nobility were decorated with the image of a wolf. High-ranking officials believed that their family appeared thanks to werewolves.
In order for the battle to be successful, the Vikings put on the skins of predators before it began and also drank their blood.
Wolf land. This is what Ireland was called in the 17th century because of the numerous wolf packs that lived on its lands.
Under favorable weather conditions, the predator is able to hear a sound at a distance of 17 km on the plain.
The wolf is extremely difficult to tame. The dream of having a predator in your home who will guard the territory cannot be realized. Wolves are afraid of people, so they will hide from strangers rather than defend their territory.
"Lupus" literally means "red wolf." Doctors in the past believed that this autoimmune disease occurred after being bitten by a predator.
The animal swims well. It can cover a distance of 14 km thanks to small membranes located between the fingers.
Hitler really liked wolves. He gave many of his military headquarters code names related to the name of the predator.
The dire wolf is a prehistoric animal whose main prey was mammoths.
The raven is often called the "wolf bird". This name was given to him due to his habit of following a predator. The bird eats the remains of the caught prey, and also uses the canids as protection.
The Aztecs pierced the chest of a dying person with a sharp wolf bone. It was believed that death could be prevented in this way.
Predator liver powder was used in medieval Europe during childbirth.
Eating wolf meat can turn you into a vampire. This is exactly what the Greeks thought.
The Cherokees never hunted this predator. They believed that the weapon used to kill the animal would “go bad.” They were also afraid of revenge from the brothers of the dead wolf.
The predator has well-developed facial expressions. He uses it to communicate with his relatives.
“Great God” is a translation of the word wolf from Japanese.

In India, primitive traps in the form of a pit with sharpened sticks at the bottom are used to catch predators.

For most people, the wolf is not just a wild animal, but an archetypal image familiar from childhood. It is no coincidence that he became a character in fairy tales. People have long feared and revered this beast. They frightened naughty children with a wolf, called them a man’s elder brother, and wrote fairy tales and legends about him.

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

Habitat and distribution in the world

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

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

In mountainous areas they live up to the border of meadows, choosing weakly rugged areas.

The wolf is one of the territorial animals. During the cold period, flocks lead a sedentary lifestyle. The flock's habitat is marked with tags. The area of such a territory can reach up to 44 km. With the onset of warm months, the animals form pairs.

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

Ancestors of wolves and evolution

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

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

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

Types and features of each type

Science knows about 32 species and subspecies of wolves. The most interesting species will be described below.

Arctic (polar)

The rarest subspecies of the gray wolf. Distributed in Greenland, northern Canada and Alaska. The absence of humans in the cold, snowy area made it possible to preserve the habitat in its original form.

The Arctic wolf has a large and powerful body build. The male at the withers can reach 1 m, weighing 100 kg. This species is characterized by sexual dimorphism (males are 15-16% larger than females in size).

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

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