A wolf is a predatory animal belonging to the canine (canine) family. In science, names such as common wolf and gray wolf are also often found.
The wolf is considered the largest representative of the canine family. Its length reaches 1.5 meters without a tail, and up to 2 meters with a tail.
The height of a wolf from the ground to the seventh vertebra can be 0.9 meters, and its weight can reach 90 kilograms.
General characteristics of the species
According to some studies, the possibility of the origin of a dog from a wolf has been established. In ancient times, wolves were often tamed by people, as a result of which the the new kind, which is now a pet for many people.
Not so long ago, the places where wolves live were vast (Asia, Europe, America, etc.), the total number of individuals of this species was at the proper level. Currently, the spread of the wolf has slowed down, and, one might say, has gone in the opposite direction.
This is primarily due to the decrease in forest areas where the wolf directly lives. In addition, the wolf is a tasty prey for poachers, which also affected their numbers.
In the main habitats of the wolf, hunting for wolves is prohibited, but currently there are still areas where hunting for wolves continues legally.
The wolf is, in a sense, the orderly of the forest. It rids forest areas of sick and weak animals, which has a great effect on the general condition of the gene pool.
There are two types of wolves in Russia: tundra and common. Their total number is 32 subspecies.
Origin of the word "Wolf"
This word comes from the verb “to drag.” After a wolf kills its prey, it may grab it with its teeth and drag (drag) it to the location of its offspring. Hence the name.
Evolution of the species
The wolf began its evolution in ancient times in North America. There lived animals that were similar in appearance to the coyote and were called Canis Lepophagus. This animal lived together with another species of the canine family – borophages. They inhabited the same territory as Canis Lepophagus, and their rivalry interfered with the normal existence of both species.
Over time, the borophages became extinct, which gave the ancestor of the wolf the opportunity to develop intensively and enter a new stage of evolution. Thus, the brain and body of Canis Lepophagus subsequently increased in size, and its development began at a rapid pace.
About 1.8 million years ago, the ancestor of the wolf became minimally similar to the current wolf. Paleontologists discovered its remains in Eurasia and gave it the name Canis Priscolatrans.
The latter received maximum similarity with the modern wolf a little later, having gone through another stage of evolution. This new subspecies was named Canis Mosbachensis. His existence continued long time.
About 500 thousand years ago, the modern wolf appeared, the evolution of which continues to this day.
Description of the modern wolf
The size of a wolf and its appearance depend on the climate in which it lives. The diversity of the animal world that surrounds it is also important.
If the potential victims of the wolf, where it lives, are completely a small amount of, then this will affect his health, and accordingly appearance and size.
The average height of an ordinary wolf at the withers is in the range of 65-90 cm. The average weight of a wolf has a large spread and can range from 30 to 90 kg. According to some reports, there are individuals weighing more than 90 kg.
One of the wolf subspecies is the Arabian wolf, weighing no more than 10-15 kg. This is the smallest wolf in the world.
Typically, female wolves are about 20% smaller than males.
A wolf travels from birth to maturity in an average of 3 years.
The difference between a wolf and a dog
The wolf differs from the dog in having stronger and higher legs. Moreover, the wolf’s paw itself is also much larger than that of a dog. The wolf's skull is wider, the muzzle is also wider, and more extended forward. The wolf has a lot of hair on the sides of its head, and its eyes are narrow.
The wolf's nose is extended forward, and its lower part is slightly expanded.
The wolf has approximately 42 teeth: 20 teeth on the upper jaw and 22 teeth on the lower jaw. There are two fangs on both jaws.
The wolf's fur is very thick and has a certain rigidity, which allows it to protect itself from inclement weather, dampness and humidity. In addition, the abundance of wool helps to cope with winter cold.
Closer to summer, the wolf sheds excess fur, so it becomes too hot for the animal in summer.
Wolf subspecies have different colors, which depend on the habitat of the predator. For example, a wolf that lives in the forest is gray-brown in color, in the tundra it is white, and in the desert it is gray-red.
All these differences between a wolf and a dog are clearly visible in the photo below.
Wolf eyes
Mostly wolves have yellow eyes. In very rare cases, a wolf's eye color can be green, blue-green or brown.
Although small wolf cubs have blue eyes for 2-3 months after birth, which then gradually changes to yellow.
Wolf sense of smell
The wolf's sense of smell has incredible power. A wolf can smell the scent of its prey while being at a distance of 3 km from it.
At the same time, a wolf's nose is capable of distinguishing millions of different smells. Therefore, a wolf’s sense of smell is its main reference point.
What do wolves eat?
The diet of the modern wolf includes large mammalian species (elk, deer, bison, etc.). However, the wolf is not lazy in chasing smaller species, such as hare, roe deer, and various kinds of rodents.
Still, most of the wolf's diet comes from dying and sick animals, as well as carrion.
These are ready sources of food that do not require special labor to obtain them, so wolves use this very willingly.
Useful information about the wolf
On average, a wolf lives about 10 years;
Wolves do not live alone, they are always with their pack. At the same time, in a flock there is a male and a female, who are the parents of the entire flock;
The wolf is a predatory animal, and their main prey is large mammals, which they hunt in an organized pack;
These predators are currently in danger. Their total number has decreased greatly in recent years, due to illegal hunting by poachers and a decrease in forest areas;
The average wolf while running can reach a speed of 45 km/h;
The wolf's endurance is very high. He can chase his prey for a long time (12 hours or more);
There are situations (very rarely) when a wolf leaves the pack, or is expelled from there by other members of the pack due to illness;
The wolf is the largest representative of its family.
Photo of a wolf
Both the dog and the wolf are mammals of the canine family. If you are asked how to distinguish a wolf from a dog, then one thing comes to mind: wolves live in the forest, and dogs live near humans. Often gray predators can be found in the zoo, where they are practically no different from ordinary yard dogs. However, pets should not be confused with jackals, hyenas and the like.
If while walking through the forest you meet a cute dog with kind eyes, do not rush to get to know him better, because he may turn out to be an evil and bloodthirsty animal. So, let's figure out how to distinguish a wolf from a dog in the forest. It is worth paying attention to the fact that the size of the animal is not the main thing, because many dogs, such as huskies, are very similar to wolves and are very large compared to their wild relatives.
How to distinguish a wolf from a dog
The main signs that catch your eye include:
- A wolf's ears are always raised, since the animal simply does not know how to press them down.
- The predator's muzzle is pointed and elongated.
- The wolf moves at a trot. The path along which the animal runs is no wider than the width of its paws. If animals move in a pack, then they follow the same road and almost follow each other.
- The jaw of a wolf is quite narrow, but stronger than that of a dog. The animal eats very slowly, for fear of choking, and sometimes whines, since quickly swallowing food can cause pain.
- A wolf weighs more than a dog, so its tracks in the snow will be visible very clearly. The two middle toes on the front paws of a predator are longer, and they are closer friend to friend.
- On average, a wolf weighs from 35 to 55 kg, which indicates its large size.
- Although the wolf's muzzle is very similar to that of a German Shepherd or Husky, it is more powerful and wider.
- The wolf's tail is not capable of curling, so it is always positioned horizontally to the ground or downwards.
- To the question of how to distinguish a wolf from a dog, one more difference can be cited: a predator cannot withstand a long high-speed chase of a prey, although it can track it for days. If a dog immediately gnaws its prey when it catches it, then the wolf will tear it to pieces for a long time, since this is how its skull is anatomically designed.
Human factor
Above we looked at how to distinguish a wolf from a dog, and now let's find out why these animals have so many differences. There is a natural factor here: dogs and people live together for a long time, which made it possible to tame the animal and make it your friend. Also important is the moment of selection, as a result of which the animals changed in external parameters. Physiological maturation of wolves occurs only by two years, while dogs reach sexual maturity by 7-8 months. However, both animals are very sociable in their environment: wolves communicate by howling, and dogs bark more often.
Other differences
Communication with humans has greatly affected the lives of dogs. These animals have become our pets, helpers and protectors, which cannot be said about their gray brothers. For example, a wolf during a period of hunger can easily attack a dog and even a person. But the dog is in no hurry to get involved in a fight with a predator, unless for the purpose of self-defense.
In addition, dogs have become so adapted to the lifestyle of humans that their natural nocturnal activity has faded away. Now they mostly sleep in the dark, but their forest brothers are full of strength and energy. Our four-legged friends are distinguished by friendliness, endurance, humility and tolerance. They get very bored when we are not at home and cannot stand being alone for long periods of time. Wolves don't need that frequent communication, they love solitude.
Finally
They can tell you in detail how to distinguish a wolf from a dog, photos presented in the article. It is very difficult for a dog to survive in the wild, but the life of wolves has not changed - they still obey behavioral patterns and reflexes. Without these qualities, it would be difficult for the gray predator to exist in its natural environment.
All the differences in the behavior and body structure of a dog and a wolf are the reason for the long-standing domestication of the former. Both animals are members of the canine family, the wolf species. Dogs are just a separate subspecies of wolves.
Wolves live in wild forests and cannot be domesticated, like some dogs. This mainly applies to species such as jackals or hyenas.
What signs exist that distinguish a wolf from a dog?
- Wolves have ears that are always raised, they do not know how to press them down, and their muzzle is elongated and slightly pointed.
- Wolves cover long areas at a trot. The width of the path that remains on the snow or soft ground is approximately equal to the width of the paws. If wolves move in a pack, then they all move one after another, along the same path. The hind paws just fall into the tracks of the front paws.
- The jaws of wild wolves are stronger than those of dogs, but narrow. Therefore, they absorb food more slowly, otherwise they will choke. Sometimes they whine when eating, which means that rapid swallowing causes them pain.
- The differences between the tracks of wolves and dogs are easy to notice in fresh snow. At first glance, they are similar (if the animals are about the same size). But upon closer inspection, the wolf's tracks will be more distinct and depressed (due to their greater mass). The two front middle toes of a wolf protrude much further forward than those of dogs, but at the same time they are closer together.
- On average, wolves are much larger than dogs and reach a weight of 35–55 kg. Some individuals, with a sufficient amount of food, gain 80 kg.
- The wolf's muzzle resembles that of a husky or German shepherd, but the skull is wider and more powerful.
- Wolves are very resilient and can chase prey for days, but cannot withstand a high-speed chase. At a running speed of over 60 km/h, they will leave it after 300 meters.
- Wolves' tails cannot curl; they are always positioned downwards or horizontally to the ground. They wag their tail, which is typical dog behavior.
- If the dog overtakes the victim, it will bite it to death. The wolf will take a long time to cut it and can even rip it in half. This is due to the anatomical structure of the skull.
There are several reasons that distinguish a wolf from a dog, but they are all divided into 2 groups - natural reasons (life next to humans) and artificial ones (selection). Many differences between dogs and wolves are due to social factors. Dogs have forgotten how to be nocturnal, do not tolerate loneliness well, and have a number of individual qualities that significantly distinguish them from each other.
Dogs have practically forgotten how to howl and live in a wild pack, but have acquired friendliness, endurance, tolerance and obedience. The life of wolves is still subject to behavioral patterns and natural reflexes. Without this, it would be difficult for them to survive in their natural environment.
Genetics/physical traits
U real wolves cycle once a year - puppies are born from late March to early May. are born all year round.
Pure wolves and wolfdogs with high levels of the wolf gene are born black (or dark gray). Even the Arctic, which eventually turns white, is dark at birth. are born in different colors.
High gene content (adult) wolf-dogs look very similar to the Wolf. Here are some of physical characteristics wolf: long body with lanky legs; thick and very warm double coat of hair; extra large paws; clumps of fur around the neck and shoulder area; elongated muzzle; long, curved fangs; slanted eyes ranging from brown to amber or yellow (never blue); small, fluffy, round ears; straight tail (there are rare exceptions - the tail is raised above the back); black nose Note: None of these characteristics should be used on their own to determine wolf blood content, as many of them may be shared between wolves and some dog breeds.
Behavioral Traits
It is necessary to socialize a hybrid from an early age, with adults, children, other animals, accustom it to noise, various situations, etc. Otherwise, the animal may grow up fearful, uncontrollable, and, if frightened, may bite.
Destruction is a wolf digger by nature, and the destruction in your home can be extreme, not just the living room sofa, other furniture, but even the walls themselves. Many high-gene wolfdogs can open anything (including child locks), including refrigerators, cabinets, and doors.
It is very difficult to train wolfdogs to be clean, like domesticated dogs. Because of wolves' natural territorial instinct to protect their food source, they mark their territory through defecation and urination, an instinct that can be transferred to the home owner.
Wolfdogs are not good watchdogs due to the timid nature of the wolf. You shouldn't expect a hybrid to protect you or your property. Hybrids with a high content of wolf blood and pure wolves do not bark and are usually afraid strangers. As the leader of the pack, they expect protection from you.
Howling - Wolves and hybrids howl, either from loneliness or for their own wolfish reasons. Consider the type of area you live in and what your neighbors will have to put up with. Not everyone appreciates the eerily beautiful howl of a wolf, especially at 4:00 in the morning.
When a wolf reaches sexual maturity (anywhere from 1 to 4 years), their behavior often changes. Status becomes much more important, and the animal may begin to test its packmates in order to achieve a higher rank in the pack. Testing or challenging leadership may be transferred to the human “leader,” and the animal may become more aggressive.
Domestic ones tend to mature much earlier (6 to 8 months of age) and have significantly fewer hormonal changes; challenging behavior also occurs, although this tends to be less intense in most breeds compared to wolves. Wolf dogs can exhibit both wolf and canine personality traits, and changes in their behavior are unpredictable, even puppies from the same litter can look and behave differently, each individually inheriting physical and behavioral personality traits.
Biting and biting. Never allow a wolf-dog to bite you, even playfully. This behavior, although natural, must be changed in early age. Training an adult animal weighing 55 kg. not fun, not to mention dangerous.
No matter how well wolf dogs are raised and socialized with children, remember - the behavior of the animal and the manifestation of wolf character traits are unpredictable, the instinct to attack prey can be caused by some action of the child, falling or crying.
Note: Wolves are traditionally crossed with Malamutes or Huskies, and also sometimes with German Shepherds. Be careful - some unethical breeders have begun crossing wolves with more aggressive dog breeds such as chow chows or pit bulls. These special crosses are a time bomb, and at the very least threaten the breeding of wolf-dogs in general. Don't support this very dangerous trend.
The wolf (canis lupus), also called the gray wolf or common wolf, is a predatory mammal belonging to the canidae family. The wolf belongs to the wolf genus, which also includes the coyote and jackal. In the canine family, the wolf is the largest animal.
Here are its dimensions: the length of the wolf is up to 150 cm, including the tail - 2 m, height at the withers - 90 cm, body weight - the same as the weight of an adult, maybe up to 90 kg.
According to recent studies of wolf DNA, it has been established that the wolf is the ancestor of the dog. Probably a long time ago, wolves were domesticated and a breed of domestic wolf was developed - a dog.
The wolf was previously distributed quite widely throughout the world, especially in Eurasia and America. Currently, as a result of the mass extermination of the wolf, and due to the spread of cities and villages, the wolf's habitat has sharply decreased.
Moreover, in some regions this predator is now not found at all. In other regions it appears less and less often, because there are areas in which hunting it is still not prohibited. It continues to be exterminated, since this predator still kills livestock, can attack humans, and besides, hunting a wolf is an old human pastime.
However, the wolf brings great benefits - it regulates the balance of the ecosystem, for example, in the taiga, in the steppes and mountains, in the tundra, the wolf helps nature get rid of dying or sick animals, thereby healing the gene pool of nature.
There are 32 subspecies of wolves in the world. In Russia you can find common and tundra wolves.
Why is a wolf called a wolf?
The word wolf, which in Slavic peoples sounds almost the same, for example in Bulgarian wolf will be “volk”, in Serbian “vuk”, in Belarusian - voyuk, and in Ukrainian “vovk”.
It is believed that this word is closely related to the word “drag”, “to drag away”, because when a wolf dragged away living creatures, he dragged it in front of him. This is where the word “wolf” comes from.
Wolf Ancestors - Evolution
The wolf's ancestor is canis lepophagus, an ancient mammal similar to the coyote. The ancestor of the wolf lived in North America.
When the ancient canids, the wolf's rivals, the borophages, died out, the ancestor wolf increased its body size. The wolf's skull has also increased in size. The found remains of a wolf tell us this.
A wolf resembling a real wolf was first discovered in a study of the early Pleistocene, which existed more than 1.8 million years ago.
For example, a wolf was found called canis priscolatrans, which resembles the appearance of a real red wolf. This ancient wolf lived in Eurasia. It later evolved into the subspecies canis mosbachensis, which was much more similar to the modern wolf.
This wolf was distributed throughout Europe and only 500 thousand years ago it evolved into the modern wolf.
When geneticists began to study wolf DNA, they discovered that there are at least 4 family tree wolf These are the African genealogical line of the wolf, the Himalayan, Indian and Tibetan lines.
The Himalayan genealogical line is considered to be the oldest. That is, the Himalayan wolf is considered the most ancient species, but appeared about a million years ago, then comes the Indian wolf - this is a branch from the Himalayan line, the Tibetan wolf is already a descendant of the Indian wolf, it appeared only 150 thousand years ago. The Tibetan line of wolves is otherwise called Holarctic, it is common in Europe and North America.
The extinct Japanese wolf is a descendant of the Himalayan wolf; previously it was very large, but subsequently natural changes led to the disappearance of large ungulates, the Japanese wolf became smaller.
The Hokkaido wolf, however, which lives on the mainland and has the ability to hunt large prey, is much larger than its extinct Japanese cousin.
The Japanese wolf, as well as the Japanese Hondo wolf or shamanu, became extinct due to extermination by humans. The wolf was exterminated due to rabies, cases of which were described in literary sources and dated back to 1732. The most recent wolf was exterminated in Japan in 1905. It was a miniature wolf, more like a fox than a wolf.
Now you can only see stuffed animals of this wolf in museums.
Appearance of a wolf
IN different parts The world's wolf looks different. The appearance of the wolf greatly depends on the prey and the surrounding climate. If we consider the average wolf, this animal is approximately 65 to 90 cm at the withers, weighing from 30 to 90 kg.
The wolf reaches maturity at about 3 years of age, gaining height and weight. In Siberia, a wolf up to 80 kg in weight can be found.
But hunters say that it is not at all uncommon to meet an animal weighing more than 90 kg.
The smallest wolf in the world is the Arabian wolf - canis arabs, it can weigh 10-15 kg.
If we consider the wolf population, males are usually 20% larger than females in both height and weight. By appearance The wolf resembles a large dog with pointed ears.
The habitat of the red wolf is Central, Central and South Asia, as well as the Malay Peninsula. This predator can be seen on the island of Sumatra and on the island of Java.
You can expect a red wolf in Russia, but it is hardly possible to meet one, since this predator has not been seen by anyone on Russian territory for 30 years. Perhaps its population has already disappeared in Russia and yet the red wolf is listed in the Red Book of Russia.
It is quite easy to recognize this predator - it has a fox-like appearance - short legs, a long body with a long tail, a small head and thick red-red long hair. It is possible that when you meet this wolf, you feel like you have met a fox.
The red wolf is a pack animal; scientists believe that there are no more than a few thousand of these unusual wolves left. This wolf hunts at any time of the day or night and always lives where there are many ungulates. Since his hunting targets are mountain sheep, goats and deer.
The number of red wolves has been reduced due to the fact that its habitat has been destroyed by humans, the number of wild grazing ungulates has decreased, and therefore the number of red wolf individuals has also decreased.
How is a wolf different from a dog?
Him strong legs and taller, the paw is slightly larger and more elongated. The head has more broad forehead, compared to a dog, its muzzle is wide and there is quite a lot of hair on the sides, which makes it look like a lion. The wolf has narrow-set eyes and an elongated muzzle. It is narrower and much more expressive than a dog's.
The wolf's muzzle is very expressive. So scientists have identified about 10 emotions that can be “read” on his face - anger, humility, tenderness, fear, threat, fear, anger, calm and submission.
The wolf has a large and high skull. The wolf's nose protrudes forward and widens slightly at the bottom.
A separate discussion will be about wolf teeth. Legends and fairy tales were written about them. A wolf’s teeth are its most important tool, which is influenced by the way this predator hunts and lives. The upper jaw contains 20 teeth, of which only 6 incisors and 2 large canines.
There are 22 teeth on the lower jaw. The wolf grabs and holds its prey with its fangs. The fangs are very strong and can hold up a fairly large animal. For a wolf, its teeth are not only a great assistant in hunting, but also a means of protection. If a wolf suddenly loses its teeth, it will lead to starvation and ultimately death.
At the wolf's a long tail. It is much longer and thicker than the dog's and is lowered down. The wolf does not wag its tail like a dog. You can tell a wolf by a wolf's tail, just like by a dog's. If the tail is lowered and does not move, then the wolf is calm; if the wolf twitches its tail, it is dissatisfied.
A wolf's fur is thick and hard. It has two layers - coarse hair and undercoat. The undercoat gives the wolf warmth in winter, and the hard fur protects this predator from dirt and water.
A wolf can shed. This usually happens when spring turns into summer. The wolf's body temperature heats up and the fluff begins to peel off from the body. The wolf is simply hot. He begins to rub against the trees to quickly get rid of his winter fur.
The fur color of the predator depends on the subspecies of the wolf. For example, a forest wolf has gray-brown fur, a tundra wolf has almost white fur, and a wolf living in the desert wears a grayish-red fur coat.
There are unusual wolves - pure white, red or even black. Small wolves or cubs have a uniform coat color - usually dark. Over time, their cover becomes several tones lighter.
However, only the second layer of fur is different in wolves. A wolf's undercoat is always gray.
A wolf is also distinguished from a dog by the tracks it leaves on the ground or snow.
The following differences will help you recognize wolf tracks:
The wolf's index and little fingers are positioned further back than the middle fingers.
the wolf holds his paw collected - therefore his mark is more prominent,
The path of wolf tracks is always straighter than dog tracks and more crowded, which will reliably indicate that a wolf passed here.
The size of a wolf's track is from 9.5 to 11 cm in length, that of a she-wolf is from 8.5 to 10 cm in length.
Wolf eyes have been a subject of mysticism for many centuries and artists often depict them in their paintings.
Wolf cubs are born with blue eyes, but after 2-4 months their eyes become yellowish or even orange in color. Very rarely, a wolf’s eyes remain blue even after the period of “childhood”.
It is also very rare to find a wolf with green, brown or green-blue eyes.
How the wolf howls
It is believed that the wolf howls mainly at the moon on one note and no longer gives voice. However, this is not at all true. The wolf's voice is quite diverse in frequency range. His ability to change the frequency of his voice can only be compared with that of a human.
Wolves can howl, howl, whine, growl, yelp and bark. And at the same time, every howl, bark, etc. may have thousands of variations.
Even a wolf's howl at the moon is the singer's aerobatics - the wolf starts from the lowest note and gradually brings his singing to a high note, but this note is not the last. We hear it last, since the human ear is not capable of perceiving all the frequencies that the wolf’s throat is capable of transmitting.
A wolf can “talk” to its packmates and warn, for example, that people are about to appear, call for an attack, or that there is prey somewhere.
Wolves howl at dawn and when the moon appears, and they howl collectively; at this moment, according to scientists, wolves show their belonging to the pack and feel an emotional upsurge. This is comparable to the emotional uplift people experience during choral singing.
However, wolves do not howl every day; perhaps the howl of wolves begins when they need general support flocks, the feeling of a friendly shoulder.
People have been learning to understand the language of the wolf for centuries, and now there are people who understand wolf negotiations.
How a wolf finds prey
The wolf has a very sensitive sense of smell. Its sense of smell is tens of times stronger than that of a human, so a wolf can smell prey at a distance of 3 km from it.
The wolf distinguishes hundreds of millions of different smells and has a lot of information about the reality around it. In addition, the wolf sometimes marks its territory through urine and feces. The wolf marks its territory most strongly during the rut.
Current habitat of the wolf
Previously, the wolf lived everywhere in the world, but due to the advent of weapons in humans, the wolf’s habitat decreased significantly. Now the wolf can be found throughout the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. In Russia it is absent only in Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands.
The wolf inhabits the tundra, forests, steppes, penetrates south to desert areas, and can live in the mountains above the forest belt (3000 - 4000 m).
Wolf Pack
The gray wolf is a social animal whose main social networks consist of wolf families and their offspring.
On average, a pack consists of 5-11 animals (1-2 adults, 3-6 juveniles and 1-3 yearlings), and sometimes two or three such families.
It happens that the number of wolves in a pack can reach up to 40.
IN ideal conditions a wolf couple can produce puppies every year, without separating for this up to 5 years. The reason for separation for wolves is the beginning of puberty of the offspring and competition in the fight for prey.
For wolves, the size of the hunting territory per wolf stub is of great importance. Sometimes wolves can move long distances—up to 400 km from the starting location—in search of food.
It is important for a wolf pack that the wolves within it are not hostile towards each other. Therefore, the larger the flock, the more food there is in the territory, and the smaller the flock, the less food there is. Wolves can search for unoccupied territory for a long time in order to create a pack that has no enemies among other wolves.
A created wolf pack rarely accepts other wolves into its fold; as a rule, it kills them. In rare cases, when a wolf pack adopts another wolf, this can only be due to its youth (up to 3 years), that is, a wolf that a wolf couple can “adopt” without harm to themselves and their offspring.
Sometimes a lone wolf is accepted into a wolf pack, but only for the purpose of replacing a deceased male wolf.
During times of abundance of ungulates, different wolf packs may unite.
Wolves are very territorial animals, and tend to occupy a territory much larger than they need to survive. This is done so that random fluctuations in the number of prey do not prevent the wolf pack from surviving.
In general, the territory depends not only on the number of prey, but also on the number of wolf cubs. After all, wolves, reaching 6 months of age, have the same food needs as an adult wolf.
The wolf pack constantly moves around its territory in search of food and covers approximately 25 km per day. Basically, almost all the time they are in the center - the core of their territory. This is done in order to avoid accidental collision with another wolf pack.
The core of a wolf pack's territory is approximately 35-40 square kilometers, while the entire territory can be up to 60-70 square kilometers. A wolf pack can leave its territory only in an emergency, for example, when there is an acute shortage of food.
Wolves are excellent at protecting their territory from other wolf packs, using special marks as warnings to ensure that the wolf pack's territory is not disturbed by another wolf pack. If suddenly this happens, then the wolf pack attacks the intruders, but first they try to scare them away by howling.
Marking their territory, as we have already said, is done by urinating or defecating; sometimes wolves scratch the ground, then mark the scratches. They leave a scent every 200 meters, and usually mark for 2-3 weeks.
Territorial fights between wolf packs are considered the main causes of wolf mortality in natural conditions, without human intervention. Scientists believe that this kills between 15 and 65% of wolves.
Reproduction and development
Wolves, as a rule, are monogamous; pairs are usually created for life, until one of the wolves of the pair dies. After the death of one wolf of a pair, the pair is usually quickly restored with the help of the other wolf.
Males predominate in a wolf pack, so unpaired females are rare. The age of first mating in gray wolves depends on the environment - if there is enough food, or when the wolf population has declined sufficiently that population control laws take effect, fairly young wolves may be able to reproduce.
This is confirmed by the fact that in good conditions reserves with sufficient food - wolves can create families as early as 9-10 months of age. However, in the wild, the standard breeding age for wolves is 2 years.
Females can give birth to wolf cubs every year. Unlike the coyote, the wolf never reaches reproductive senescence. Estrus usually occurs in late winter. Wolves mate with old she-wolves 2-3 weeks earlier than with young ones. What explains this is unknown.
During pregnancy, female wolves remain in the center of the wolf pack's territory to protect the female from clashes with other wolves, which usually occur on the periphery of the pack's territory.
Pregnancy in a she-wolf lasts 62-67 days; wolf cubs, as a rule, are born in the spring and summer.
Wolves give birth to many more wolf cubs per litter than other canine species. The average litter consists of 5-6 cubs, with increasing fertility in areas where prey is abundant, although even a particularly large litter does not exceed 14-17 cubs.
Wolf cubs are born blind and deaf, and are covered with short, soft grayish-brown fur. The weight of a born wolf cub is 300-500 grams. Wolf cubs begin to see at 9-12 days. Their primary fangs appear 1 month after birth. After just 3 weeks, a small wolf cub can leave the den, and already at the age of 1.5 months they are strong and flexible enough to be able to run away from danger.
The mother wolf does not leave her den for a minute for at least 3 weeks. And all the concern about providing both mother and wolf cubs with food falls on the father wolf. Already at 3-4 weeks from birth, wolf cubs can eat solid food.
Wolf cubs grow very quickly - their weight from the beginning of the wolf cub's birth increases 30 times in the first four months. Wolf cubs begin to play at the age of 3 weeks. The games are mainly of a fighting nature.
Although, unlike coyotes and young foxes, their bites are painless. The wrestling of wolf cubs establishes a hierarchy in the family among the kids. The fight can last for 5-8 weeks. By autumn, the cubs are old enough to accompany adults in their hunt for large prey.
Wolf and hunting
Wolves usually hunt in packs, sometimes individually. The wolf will almost always eat its prey completely. Wolves have more advantages when they hunt in a pack because they are intelligent animals, know how to work together, and are capable of preying on animals that are much larger and stronger than a single wolf. Wolves are strict predators and often survive after a hunt, they calculate their strength. Wolves don't kill for sport, only for survival.
Wolves feed on carrion, hunt and eat everything. Large game prey for wolves includes deer, elk, caribou, bison and musk ox. Small animals include beavers, hares, and small rodents.
Wolves have a large stomach and can absorb 10 kg at a time. However, wolves can survive without food for 2 weeks or even longer if food is scarce. Their digestion is very efficient, but the wolf's intestines cannot digest 5 percent of the meat. Any bone fragments that are not broken down somehow can be found in the wolf's stomach, wrapped in undigested hair, which protects the intestines from injury.
The wolf cubs feed from the adults, who regurgitate fresh meat, or for the wolf cubs to grow up, the wolves carry fresh pieces of meat into the den. Wolves play an important role in the lives of other animals. Because wolves eat sick or weak animals, and then they actually help herds of large ungulates regain their strength, relieving them of the burden of sick animals. 
For example, there is a sick deer in the herd that eats food that could be used to feed a healthy young deer. Thus, by eliminating a sick deer, the wolf not only reduces the possibility of infection from this deer to other deer, but also contributes to the availability of more food for the rest of the herd.
Wolves live and hunt mainly in their own territory. Members of the pack will guard and defend their territory from invading wolves. The size of the territory depends on the availability of prey. If prey is scarce, the size of the wolf's territory may be small; however, if prey is abundant, the wolf's territory may be much larger.
The hunt will begin with the gathering of pack members, they greet each other with howls. This howl will deter other wolf packs from entering that pack's territory. Wolves begin their hunt by passing through the entire territory of the pack until they discover their prey.
The wolf drives its prey in the opposite direction from the wind in order to avoid the opportunity for the animal to detect the wolf's scent and run away. As soon as their prey realizes that it is being pursued and tries to escape, the chase begins. The wolves chase her and as soon as they catch up, they immediately bite her, usually from the side.
Large animals try to avoid being bitten and turn around to attack the wolf with their horns. The wolf is afraid of being wounded by its horns. Therefore in in this case the animal is surrounded by other members of the wolf pack to attack from behind. At this time, the wolf standing in front, taking advantage of the prey turning backwards, seeks to bite it in the throat or face. Then the entire flock attacks the prey and kills it. The wolf immediately begins to eat its prey.
A wolf can hunt all day long until their hunt is successful. After all, this is a matter of the wolf’s survival.
Quick facts about the wolf
- The average lifespan of a wolf in the wild is 10 years. Wolves live in packs, which usually consist of an alpha male wolf, his alpha female, and their offspring. different ages. Other wolves may also join the pack.
- The wolf has no real natural predators; their biggest threat is other wolf packs in the surrounding areas. Wolves are known to live up to 20 years in captivity.
- Wolves are predatory animals and typically hunt large animals, but wolves also hunt small animals. Wolves hunt together in a pack and work together as a team to catch and kill a large animal, such as elk or deer. Wolves are opportunists and will not waste their energy chasing a healthy deer 10 km when a wounded or sick deer is more accessible. Alaska Native peoples call the wolf "Wild Shepherd."
- Wolves have a layer of thick fur, which is particularly necessary for wolves that live in areas of the Arctic where it can be very cold. It is during the winter months in these areas that the wolf's stored calories are most critical. Large animals such as elk and deer suffer greatly from cold and lack of food, and during this time they become slow, lethargic and therefore easier to catch.
- Wolves are endangered today, as wolves in large quantities destroyed by human hunting, poisoned or captured for their fur and to protect livestock. Wolves have also been severely affected by the loss of their habitat and have been pushed into smaller areas where food sources may not be plentiful enough to feed a hungry wolf pack.
- Wolves typically mate in late winter before early spring and the cubs are born a couple of months later, when the weather is warmer and prey is plentiful. The wolf cubs develop intensively for the next part of the year in order to survive their first cold winter. The wolf cubs remain with their mother in the wolf pack.
- Wolves can freely interbreed with dogs, coyotes, and jackals to produce fertile offspring. This is a case of incomplete speciation. There are physical, behavioral and environmental differences between these species, but they are completely genetically compatible. None of the animals in this group can breed with foxes, which are too different from wolves genetically.
- Wolves are the largest representatives of the canine family.
- The wolf does not run fast. The maximum speed of a wolf is approximately 45 km/h. Instead of running, they rely more on their hearing and smell to detect prey.
- Wolves have great endurance - they can run day and night until they reach their prey.
- Wolves develop close relationships and quite strong social bonds. The wolf often shows deep affection for his family and may even sacrifice himself to protect his family.
- The wolf can be expelled from the pack or leave the pack at will- then he becomes a lone wolf. Such a wolf rarely howls and tries to avoid contact with the pack.
- The wolf is a favorite character in legends and fairy tales, it is a very intelligent animal and does little to live up to its terrible reputation in legends and fairy tales.
- People still fear wolves and persecute them more than any other predator. Several centuries ago, people even tortured a wolf and burned it at the stake. However, the wolf has high intelligence and instinct, which helped him save himself from extinction.
The final fate of the wolf depends on whether man allows the wolf to coexist next to him.
However, it is worth remembering that the wolf is nature’s most important orderly. And by depriving her of the wolf, the person risks dying himself.
