White wolf description of the animal. White polar wolf: interesting facts, description of life with photos and videos where the Arctic wolf lives
Arctic wolf (Canis lupus albus)
Class - mammals (Mammalia)
Order - carnivores (Carnivora)
Family - canids (Canidae)
Genus - wolves
Subspecies common wolf
Distribution and habitats
Lives in the Arctic regions of Canada, Alaska, northern Greenland, and many northern regions Russia. The natural habitat of the polar wolf is the tundra, which is characterized by wetlands, plants clinging to the soil surface, strong winds, permafrost and long periods without sunlight.Status in nature
The polar wolf is common within its range. Due to the fact that this territory is difficult for human development, the polar wolf is not in danger of extermination. Meanwhile, climate change poses a huge threat to the extinction of the polar wolf. Unpredictable changes weather conditions V Lately complicated the search for food for the population of musk oxen and polar hares, this caused quite a sharp decline their total number. As a result, the traditional food supply of the polar wolf has decreased.
Industrial development and the increasing number of mines, roads and pipelines are destroying the usual natural habitats of the polar wolf, and leading to a reduction in the number of animals.
Appearance
Polar wolves have a light coat color with a silver tint, not big ears and thick fur. By winter, they can change the color of their fur coat to almost white. The fur is thick, two-layered. One layer consists of hard axial hair that repels dirt and water well, and the second layer consists of warm fluff that retains heat well. Of all the subspecies of the gray wolf, the polar one is considered one of the largest. Body length of a polar wolf without a tail: 130-150 cm. Height at the withers: 80-93 cm. In Siberia and Alaska, large seasoned wolves can weigh more than 77 kg. Females are usually smaller than males. In 1987, a wolf weighing 84 kilograms was killed in Chukotka.
In appearance, the wolf resembles a large dog with pointed ears. The legs are long and strong in relation to the body, the paws are large, the head is wide forehead, the wolf's muzzle is also quite wide, elongated, covered with sideburns on the sides. The tail is always lowered and expresses the wolf's mood, whether it is calm or frightened; by the movement and position of the tail one can judge the position of the wolf in the pack.
Lifestyle and social behavior
The wolf is strong, agile and smart predator. Wolves are social animals, living, as a rule, in families consisting of 6-10 individuals of different ages, although sometimes the number of a pack can reach up to 20. It is based on one breeding pair. In addition to her, the flock includes her children of the last (“arrived”) and penultimate (“pereyarki”) litters. Often one of the older children or brothers or sisters of one of the parents lives with them (such animals remain celibate unless they find a partner and leave their previous family).
The leader of the pack is easily recognized by his tail raised high; for everyone else, such freedom is unacceptable.
The duties of the she-wolf, the main and only companion of the leader, is to keep all the females of the pack in strict order. Only in the summer, when they help the dominant couple raise puppies, does the she-wolf show some loyalty towards them. All family members strictly observe the law of “subordination,” and interaction within the pack occurs using complex body language, growling, squealing, and barking. Those at a higher hierarchical level demand from their subordinates unconditional recognition of their authority, which, as a rule, is expressed in humiliating, servile behavior, and priority in the division of spoils. Bloodshed and showdowns between wolves in a pack are extremely rare. 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, or leave the pack to create their own.
Wolves are very hardy animals. They can run for a long time at a speed of 9 km/h. Having discovered prey, they pursue it at triple speed, and at the moment of attack they reach speeds of up to 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. Wolves prefer to hunt on their territory, the boundaries of which are strictly guarded by them. When the boundaries of the hunting area are violated by another flock, fierce fights occur between the owners and strangers.
Nutrition and feeding behavior
Polar wolves eat any prey they can catch. Their habitat was one of the poorest areas of our planet in terms of food diversity. The main objects of hunting for polar wolves are hares and lemmings, which are the most large group animals living here. In summer, the diet of wolves includes birds, frogs, beetles and plant food in the form of forest fruits and lichens. During the severe period of cold weather in autumn and winter, all small animals find shelter under the snow, and musk oxen and reindeer are the main objects winter hunting begin to migrate south in search of food. The wolves have to follow them and overcome vast spaces. Large ungulates are not an easy target for hunting; only one out of ten attacks results in wolf pack good luck. Long days of hunger are the norm for the polar wolf. Therefore, when successful hunt an adult wolf can eat up to 10 kg of meat at a time, for example, a whole polar hare, with claws, bones, skin and hair.
Vocalization
Wolves can whine, squeal, bark, and howl. Famous wolf howl, which terrified travelers in ancient times, is both a collective greeting and a deterrent for neighbors. In order to create the illusion of a larger pack, wolves use polyphony! 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.
Reproduction and raising of offspring
The mating season for wolves usually runs from January to March. At this time, fights occur between males for the female, sometimes with fatal results. The resulting couples disperse in search of a suitable shelter. The den is made in secluded and inaccessible places: under the roots of bushes, in a windfall, the female can dig it herself if the ground is not too frozen. Exit from the lair involves good review area so that parents can detect possible danger in time. 62 - 75 days after mating, usually in May, 2-3 puppies are born, sometimes their number can reach 5. The birth of 10-15 cubs is an extremely rare occurrence, in this case half of the litter usually dies. The weight of newborns is about 400 g. Babies are born helpless and blind. 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. The mother feeds them milk for approximately 6 weeks. At first, the she-wolf does not leave the den, caring for the babies. It would be difficult to find a more affectionate and patient mother in the animal world. All adult wolves are very affectionate towards their cubs. The head of the family feeds the she-wolf, and then the grown-up wolf cubs. Having killed the victim, he swallows pieces of meat and carries them home in this form. The shopping bag serves as a stomach, into which the wolf manages to stuff almost a quarter of meat own weight. At the same time, the food is partially digested, which makes it easier for the cubs to digest.
However, the wolf cubs themselves soon begin to master the cunning science of hunting. They acquire their first skills under the supervision of their parents. First, adult wolves bring live prey directly to the den, and then the kids begin to go hunting with their parents, and they show them the techniques and tactics of hunting and teach them to avoid danger.
Lifespan
In captivity, wolves can live up to 20 years, the usual life expectancy in the wild is 5 - 6 years.
Animal in the Moscow Zoo
At the Moscow Zoo, a pair of polar wolves lives in the New Territory, in an open enclosure on the Island of Animals.
Between a male and a female one can observe a very characteristic relationship that is friendly and touching in its care for each other. The female has noticeable damage to her front paw, making it difficult for her to move. She was injured in wildlife, having fallen into a hunting trap.
Since these wolves are tame, zoo staff play with them like with domestic dogs: with a stick, with a ball. Animals love to have their backs scratched. And wolves bark at strangers! Their bark is similar to that of a dog, only duller and shorter.
Wolves get meat, poultry, fish, and sometimes cottage cheese as food. Although wolves have eggs in their diet, our wolves do not eat them. They may gnaw on a carrot or an apple, but they don’t eat it, they chew it and throw it away.
Niramin - Sep 15th, 2016
The polar wolf lives within the island and continental parts of the Arctic. It can be found in the far north of Canada and Greenland, as well as in Chukotka and Alaska.
This polar predator looks like many wolves. However, it differs from its relatives in its thick white fur with a reddish tint and a fluffy tail like a fox. This color gives him the opportunity to be invisible among eternal snow and easily sneak up on prey. Polar wolf - pretty large animal. The body length of a male weighing about 90 kg is about 180 cm, and his height at the withers reaches up to 1 m. Females are not so impressive in size, but the ability of wolves to chew through the largest bones with the help of 42 powerful teeth causes genuine fear of these harsh inhabitants of the Arctic. In addition, muscular long legs allow them to cover considerable distances and tirelessly pursue their prey.
Unlike their southern counterparts, polar wolves are not picky eaters. Therefore, they feed on everything they can catch. Main prey polar wolves are reindeer and musk oxen. However, hunting for these animals is not always successful. Therefore, we have to be content with the smaller inhabitants of the Arctic. Polar wolves are very hardy. In harsh climates, they can go without food for about 2 weeks. After a successful hunt, predators are able to absorb about 10 kg of meat in one sitting. Including the bones and skin of the victim.
Polar wolves live and hunt in packs, in which a strict hierarchy is observed, and each member of the pack knows his place.
These dangerous predators have preserved their habitat only because people are in no hurry to settle in the harsh Arctic. Therefore, here they fully rule, like their ancient ancestors.
See a selection of beautiful photos - Polar wolf:
Photo: Wolf cubs and she-wolf.
Photo: White polar Wolf.
Video: Arctic and polar wolves
Video: Polar wolf
Video: Workers in rural Canada were amazed when these wild arctic wolves approached them at their work yard
Video: White Wolf - National Geographic
Wolf is carnivorous mammal, which belongs to the order Carnivora, the canid family (canines, wolves).
The Russian word “wolf” is consonant with some Slavic names of the beast: Bulgarians call the predator vylk, Serbs - vuk, Ukrainians - vovk. The origin of the name goes back to the Old Slavonic word “vylk”, which meant to drag, to drag away.
Predators have a long and thick tail, which in some species grows up to 56 cm in length and is always lowered down. The wolf's head is massive, with pointed ears set high, and the muzzle is elongated and wide. The skull of the red and maned wolves is shaped like a fox.
The wolf's mouth is armed with 42 teeth: carnassial teeth designed for tearing prey into pieces and grinding bones, and with the help of fangs the animal firmly holds and drags its victim.
Only red wolves have a dental formula that contains smaller quantity molars.
Wolf cubs are born from blue eyes, but by the third month the iris acquires an orange or golden yellow color, although there are wolves that remain blue-eyed all their lives.
The wolf's fur is thick and two-layered: the undercoat is formed by waterproof down, and the top layer is made up of guard hairs that repel dirt and moisture. The low thermal conductivity of wool allows animals to survive in the harshest climatic conditions.
The color of wolves has a rich spectrum of shades, including various variations of gray, white, black and brown colors, although the fur is often red, pure white or almost black. It is believed that the color of the coat allows predators to blend harmoniously with the surrounding landscape, and the mixture of different shades emphasizes the individuality of the animals.
Wolves are digitigrade animals: relying on their toes allows them to balance their weight while moving. Strong limbs, a narrow sternum and a sloping back allow predators to travel long distances in search of food. The usual gait of a wolf is a light trot at a speed of about 10 km/h. The speed of a wolf chasing prey can reach 65 km/h.
The wolf has excellent hearing, vision is much weaker, but the sense of smell is excellent: the predator can smell prey 3 km away, and has the ability to distinguish several million different shades of odor great importance during the rutting season, during hunting and during communicative communication of animals. Urine and fecal marks are used to mark territory boundaries.
The vocal range of wolves is rich and varied: predators howl, grunt, bark, squeal, growl, whine and convey complex messages to other members of the pack. At dawn you can hear the “choral singing” of wolves. It is believed that wolves howl at the moon, but in fact, by howling, animals inform pack members about their location and drive away strangers. Solitary animals that live outside the pack rarely howl, so as not to get themselves into trouble.
The facial expressions of wolves are also very developed: thanks to the position of the mouth, lips, ears and tail, as well as the display of teeth, predators express their emotional state. Like domestic dog, the raised tail and ears of a wolf mean wariness or aggression.
Lifespan of wolves
In nature, wolves live from 8 to 16 years; in captivity, life expectancy can reach 20 years.
Historically, wolves' range was second in area to that of humans in the Northern Hemisphere, but today it has declined significantly. Wolves live in Europe (the Baltics, Spain, Portugal, Ukraine, Belarus, Italy, Poland, the Balkans and Scandinavian countries), Asia (countries such as China, Korea, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Iran , Iraq, northern Arabian Peninsula), Africa (Ethiopia), North America (Canada, Mexico, USA, including Alaska), South America (Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay). In Russia, wolves are distributed throughout the entire territory, except for Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands.
The following types of wolves live in Russia:
- red wolf (2 subspecies out of 10);
- Gray wolf;
- tundra wolf;
- steppe wolf;
- Eurasian wolf, also known as Tibetan or Carpathian;
- polar Wolf.
Predators have mastered and adapted to life in a wide variety of natural areas: wolves live in the tundra, forests, deserts and semi-deserts, on plains, in mountain forests, and sometimes settle near populated areas.
Wolves are territorial and social animals, forming packs of 3 to 40 individuals that occupy a personal range of 65-300 square kilometers, marked by scent marks. At the head of the pack is monogamous couple leaders: alpha male and alpha female, the rest of the pack are their offspring, other relatives and lone wolves, subordinate to a strict hierarchy. During the rutting period, the flock breaks up, the territory is divided into small fragments, but the best area always goes to the dominant pair. While moving through their territory, leaders leave scent marks once every 3 minutes. At the border of the territory, the density of tags may be even more frequent.
Being nocturnal animals, during the day wolves rest in various natural shelters, thickets and shallow caves, but they often use the holes of marmots, arctic foxes or, and they themselves dig holes extremely rarely.
What does a wolf eat?
Wolves are one of the most agile, fast and hardy predators, tracking and tirelessly pursuing their prey. The wolf's diet depends on the availability of food and in most species consists mainly of animal food. Wolves hunt equally successfully in packs and alone, but they can drive and attack large prey, for example, reindeer, bison or yak can only be hunted together. In 60% of cases, wolves attack young, old, sick or wounded animals, and they perfectly sense whether the animal is strong and healthy or sick and weakened.
In the wild, the wolf feeds on large animals (roe deer, saigas, bison, wild boars), smaller mammals (armadillos, lemmings), as well as fish, brooding birds, and their eggs. Large and small domestic animals and birds (geese,), as well as foxes, often become prey for wolves. wild dogs and corsacs.
In the absence of a main source of food, wolves do not disdain small amphibians (for example,), insects (,) and carrion (for example, dead seals washed ashore). In the warm season, berries, mushrooms and ripe fruits appear in the diet of predators.
In the steppes, wolves quench their thirst in fields with melons - watermelons and melons. Hungry predators even attack hibernating animals; they will not miss the opportunity to tear apart a weakened and sick animal, eating up to 10-14 kg of meat at a time. A hungry polar wolf eats a white hare whole, with bones and skin. Interesting feature Wolves are considered to have a habit of returning to the corpses of half-eaten prey, as well as hiding excess meat in reserve.
Types of wolves, photos and names
In the canine (wolf) family there are several genera, which include different types wolves:
- Genus Wolves (lat. Canis)
- Wolf, also known as the gray wolf, or common wolf (lat. Canis lupus), which includes many subspecies, including domestic dogs and Dingo dogs (secondary feral):
- Canis lupus albus(Kerr, 1792) – tundra wolf,
- † Canis lupus alces(Goldman, 1941)
- Canis lupus arabs(Pocock, 1934) – Arabian wolf,
- Canis lupus arctos(Pocock, 1935) – Melvillean island wolf,
- Canis lupus baileyi(Nelson and Goldman, 1929) – Mexican wolf,
- † Canis lupus beothucus(G. M. Allen and Barbour, 1937) - Newfoundland wolf,
- † Canis lupus bernardi(Anderson, 1943)
- Canis lupus campestris(Dwigubski, 1804) – desert wolf, also known as steppe wolf,
- Canis lupus chanco(Gray, 1863),
- Canis lupus columbianus(Goldman, 1941)
- Canis lupus crassodon(Hall, 1932) – Vancouver Island wolf,
- † Canis lupus deitanus(Cabrera, 1907) (in some classifications it is a synonym of the subspecies Canis lupus lupus),
- Canis lupus dingo(Meyer, 1793) - Dingo dog, or secondarily feral domestic dog,
- Canis lupus familiaris(Linnaeus, 1758) – dog,
- Canis lupus filchneri(Matschie, 1907),
- Canis lupus floridanus(Miller, 1912)
- † Canis lupus fuscus(Richardson, 1839)
- Canis lupus gregoryi(Goldman, 1937)
- † Canis lupus griseoalbus(Baird, 1858)
- Canis lupus hallstromi(Troughton, 1958) – New Guinea singing dog (in some classifications it is a synonym for the subspecies Canis lupus dingo),
- † Canis lupus hattai(Kishida, 1931) - Japanese wolf, or shaman,
- † Canis lupus hodophilax(Temminck, 1839),
- Canis lupus hudsonicus(Goldman, 1941) – Hudson wolf,
- † Canis lupus irremotus(Goldman, 1937)
- Canis lupus labradorius(Goldman, 1937)
- Canis lupus ligoni(Goldman, 1937)
- Canis lupus lupus(Linnaeus, 1758) - European wolf, also known as Eurasian wolf, Chinese wolf, or common wolf,
- Canis lupus lycaon(Schreber, 1775) - eastern wolf, or North American timber wolf,
- Canis lupus mackenzii(Anderson, 1943)
- Canis lupus manningi(Anderson, 1943)
- † Canis lupus minor(M. Mojsisovics, 1887) (in some classifications it is a synonym of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris),
- † Canis lupus mogollonensis(Goldman, 1937)
- † Canis lupus monstrabilis(Goldman, 1937)
- Canis lupus nubilus(Say, 1823) - buffalo wolf, or Great Plains wolf,
- Canis lupus occidentalis(Richardson, 1829) - Mackenzi plains wolf, also known as Alaskan wolf, Canadian wolf or Rocky Mountain wolf,
- Canis lupus orion(Pocock, 1935)
- Canis lupus pallipes(Sykes, 1831) – Asian, also known as Indian or Iranian wolf,
- Canis lupus pambasileus(Elliot, 1905),
- Canis lupus rufus(Audubon and Bachman, 1851) – red wolf,
- Canis lupus signatus(Cabrera, 1907) – Iberian wolf (in some classifications it is synonymous with the subspecies Canis lupus lupus),
- Canis lupus tundrarum(Miller, 1912) – polar wolf,
- † Canis lupus youngi(Goldman, 1937) is a wolf of the southern Rocky Mountains.
- Wolf, also known as the gray wolf, or common wolf (lat. Canis lupus), which includes many subspecies, including domestic dogs and Dingo dogs (secondary feral):
- Genus Maned wolves (lat. Chrysocyon)
- Maned wolf, or guara, or aguarachai (lat. Chrysocyon brachyurus)
- Genus Red wolves
- Red wolf, or mountain wolf, or Himalayan wolf, or buanzu (lat. Cuon alpinus)
Below is a description of several varieties of wolves.
- Red Wolf, aka mountain wolf, Himalayan wolf or buanzu(lat. Cuon alpinus)
A large predator, externally combining the features of a wolf, fox and jackal. Mature males grow from 76 to 110 cm in length. At the same time, the weight of the red wolf is 17-21 kg. The animals' tail is longer than that of other wolves, fluffy, like a fox's, and grows to 45-50 cm in length. The red wolf has a short, pointed muzzle and large, high-set ears. The main color of the animals is various shades of red, and the tip of the tail is always black. Distinctive feature The subspecies is considered to have fewer teeth and 6 to 7 pairs of nipples. Differences in fur density, color and body size made it possible to divide the species into 10 subspecies.
The biotopes of predators are tied to mountains, rocks and gorges (up to 4 thousand m above sea level). The red wolf feeds on small animals - amphibians and rodents, as well as large animals: sambar, axis and antelope. In summer, wolves happily eat various vegetation.
A significant part of the animals’ range extends across Central and South Asia; predators live from Altai mountains and Tien Shan to Hindustan, Indochina and the Malay Archipelago. The largest population is found in the Himalayas, southern Iran, India and Pakistan's Indus Valley. In other habitats, the red wolf is extremely scarce or completely extinct, so the species is classified as endangered and is protected.
- Maned wolf, aka guara or aguarachai (lat. Chrysocyon brachyurus)
A unique representative of the family, its name translates as “short-tailed golden dog.” Long hair up to 13 cm long grows on the nape of predators, forming a thick mane. Externally maned wolf resembles a large, long-legged fox, the body length of adult individuals is 125-130 cm, due to excessively elongated limbs, the height of the wolf at the withers reaches 74-87 cm, and the animals weigh from 20 to 23 kg. The obvious disproportions of the body are especially emphasized by the long muzzle, large, high-set ears and short tail length from 28 to 45 cm. The wolf's fur is reddish-yellow in color, a strip of black fur runs along the spine, the legs are almost black, and the chin and end of the tail are light.
Maned wolves live exclusively on the plains, and, having evolved, acquired their surprisingly long limbs, allowing them to make their way through thickets of grass. The species' range extends from the northeast of Brazil to the eastern regions of Bolivia, in the south it covers Paraguay and the Brazilian state of Rio Grande Do Sul. According to the IUCN, the population is becoming vulnerable.
Predators feed on rodents, rabbits, armadillos, amphibians, insects, and also eat guava and nightshade, which rids animals of nematodes.
- Eastern wolf, aka North American timber wolf(lat. Canis lupus lycaon)
It still does not have a specific classification: a number of scientists consider it as an independent species ( Canis lycaon) or is considered a hybrid of a gray wolf with a red wolf or coyote. The height at the shoulders of mature males reaches 80 cm, females - 75 cm, with a body weight of 40 and 30 kg, respectively. The fur of the eastern wolf is yellowish-brown, shaggy, black hair grows on the back and sides, and the area behind the ears is distinguished by a reddish-brown tint.
Eastern wolves are primarily carnivores, their prey being deer, elk and rodents.
These animals live in forests from the southeast of the Canadian province of Ontario to the province of Quebec.
- Common wolf or Gray wolf(lat. Canis lupus)
One of the most large predators among canids, with a body size reaching 1-1.6 m. The height at the shoulders of seasoned individuals ranges from 66 to 86 cm, in particularly large specimens it can be up to 90 cm. An ordinary wolf weighs from 32 to 62 kg, among the inhabitants northern regions range, body weight varies from 50 to 80 kg. The tail of predators grows up to 52 cm. The color of animal fur is quite variable: forest inhabitants are usually gray-brown, tundra inhabitants are almost white, desert predators are gray with red, only the undercoat is always gray.
The favorite food of wolves is various ungulate mammals: deer, elk, roe deer, antelope, wild boar and small animals: mice, hares, gophers. Wolves do not disdain representatives own family, for example, small foxes and raccoon dogs, and various domestic animals often become their prey. During the ripening period, predators quench their thirst on melon fields, eating watermelons and melons, because they need a lot of moisture.
The range of the gray wolf extends across Eurasia and North America. In Europe, predators are distributed from Spain and Portugal to Ukraine, Scandinavia and the Balkans. In Russia, the gray wolf lives everywhere except Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands. In Asia, animals are distributed from Korea, China and Hindustan to Afghanistan and the north of the Arabian Peninsula. IN North America the animals are found from Alaska to Mexico.
- Red wolf(lat. Canis lupus rufus)
At first it was considered as an independent species (lat. Canis rufus), but DNA tests allowed it to be considered a hybrid of a gray wolf and a coyote.
These predators are smaller than their gray relatives, but larger than coyotes, their size ranges from 1 to 1.3 m excluding the tail, and the height of the animals ranges from 66 to 79 cm. Seasoned wolves weigh from 20 to 41 kg. Red wolves are slimmer and longer-legged than their gray relatives, their ears are more elongated and their fur is shorter. The red color of the fur is characteristic of the inhabitants of Texas; other animals have gray, brownish and black tones in color along with red; the back is usually black.
The diet of predators consists mainly of rodents, raccoons and hares; hunting for large prey is rare. The secondary food is insects and various berries; on occasion, carrion is eaten.
The red wolf is the rarest subspecies, its range, originally covering the eastern United States, was reduced to small areas of Texas and Louisiana, and in the 70s of the 20th century the red wolf was completely exterminated, with the exception of 14 specimens preserved in captivity. Thanks to measures aimed at restoring the population, of the 300 individuals bred, about a hundred predators today live within the state of North Carolina.
- Tundra wolf(lat. Canis lupus albus)
One of the particularly large and little-studied subspecies, externally similar to its close relative, the polar wolf, but somewhat inferior in size: the average weight of predators is about 42-49 kg. Although pure white wolves are found among the population, most individuals are gray-white and dark gray in color with a complete absence of brown.
The developed massive jaws of the wolf with strong teeth allow it to hunt large prey, although the diet includes rodents and white hares.
Tundra wolves live throughout the tundra and forest-tundra of Europe and Siberia up to Kamchatka and the Arctic coast.
- Steppenwolf, or desert wolf(lat. Canis lupus campestris)
A poorly studied species of predators of small size, with rather sparse and rough fur of a grayish-ochre color.
Desert wolves inhabit the steppe and desert landscapes of Central Asia, including Kazakh steppes and southern Russia: Ciscaucasia, Caspian lowland, Priuralsky region and Lower Volga region.
- Eurasian wolf, aka European, steppe, Carpathian, Tibetan or to Chinese wolf, also called common wolf(lat. Canis lupus lupus)
Externally, the predator resembles the North American subspecies, but its fur is denser and shorter. The height of mature males at the shoulders is about 76 cm with a body weight of 70 to 73 kg.
The smallest individuals inhabit Eastern Europe, the most massive ones are found in northern Russia. Wolves can be solid in color or include various combinations of grey, white, black, red and beige, and the brightest colored specimens live in Central Europe.
The diet of European wolves depends on the area and consists mainly of medium and large production, such as saigas, chamois, mouflons, deer, roe deer, wild boars and even bison and yaks. Predators do not disdain smaller animals, catching hares and frogs, and in the complete absence of food, they feed on slaughterhouse waste in garbage dumps.
The Carpathian wolf is considered a particularly common subspecies of the common wolf and is found over a significant range that extends across Eurasia through Western Europe, the Scandinavian countries, Russia, China, Mongolia, Azerbaijan and the Himalayas.
- polar Wolf(lat. Canis lupus tundrarum)
The closest relative of the European wolf and the completely extinct Japanese wolf. Adult males grow from 1.3 to 1.5 m in length, not including the tail, and weigh about 85 kg, their height at the shoulders reaches 80-93 cm. The light fur of the polar wolf is extremely dense, adapted to survive in extremely cold climates and warming the animal during long hunger strikes.
The most accessible prey for predators are lemmings and Arctic hare; if the hunt is successful, the pack gets a musk ox or reindeer.
The species' range extends throughout the Arctic and undergoes minor fluctuations caused by migrations of animals - the main sources of food. The lifespan of a polar wolf is about 17 years.
This is a subspecies of the familiar gray wolf. It lives in northern Greenland, the Arctic regions of Canada, and Alaska. In a harsh climate with icy winds, bitter frosts and permafrost, the animal lives for hundreds of years. The polar wolf has completely preserved natural environment habitat, unlike their gray, red and other brothers. This fact is explained by the rare appearance of humans on these harsh lands.
Polar wolf: description
This is a large, powerful animal - the height of males at the withers reaches one hundred centimeters, the body length is one hundred and eighty centimeters, and the weight is around ninety kilograms. Females are on average 15% smaller. The wolf has thick light fur with a reddish tint, small erect ears, and a long tail.
For months this animal does not see sunlight. He's used to polar night. In search of food, he can scour the snowy plain for a week. He easily eats ten kilograms of meat in one go. Not a trace remains of his prey. Even bones end up in the predator’s stomach, which it chews with forty-two powerful teeth. At the same time, he practically does not chew food, but swallows it in whole pieces.
Life in a pack
It has long been known that the wolf is a social animal. He lives only in a pack. Typically, this is a family group of seven to twenty individuals. It is led by a male and a female. All the rest are cubs and grown-up young wolves who remained in the pack from previous litters. Sometimes a lone wolf may join the pack, but he strictly obeys the leaders.
Giving birth to puppies in a pack is the priority right of the female leader. The cubs of other females are destroyed immediately. The polar wolf of the tundra adheres to such harsh laws - a large number of mouths are hard to feed.
The survival of a flock depends on how big it is hunting grounds. That is why they fight to the death for their territory. This territory can be from fifty to one thousand five hundred square kilometers.
Migration to the south
In autumn or early winter the flock moves to the south, where it is easier to find food. It follows They, as well as musk oxen, are the main large game that the polar wolf hunts. They do not refuse either lemmings or polar hares.
Nutrition
The polar wolf is omnivorous. He eats everything he manages to catch, and those who are significantly weaker than him. IN summer time predators feed on birds, frogs and even beetles. They do not refuse berries, fruits and lichens. In winter, their diet contains more meat - deer, musk oxen.
The polar wolf is a born hunter. He stalks his prey skillfully, using changing riders and ambushes. It is especially successful when the snow crust melts a little, the deer falls through, and the predator quickly catches up with it.
A strong and healthy ungulate has nothing to fear from a wolf. Therefore, the flock tries to find old and sick animals or young and inexperienced fawns. Having attacked a herd, wolves strive to disperse it in order to drive away their future victim and quickly overwhelm it. In cases where the herd has time to regroup and surround its offspring in a dense ring, strong hooves and sharp horns will frighten away the predators, and they will ingloriously leave the battlefield.
If the hunt is successful, then the leader starts the meal first; he eats the most the best pieces, and at this time the flock is hanging around nearby, waiting for their turn. If a polar wolf catches a small animal, it will eat it whole, including the skin. He needs to thoroughly satisfy his hunger, because only ten percent of his hunting trips are successful.
Reproduction
It occurs in females by the age of three, in males by two years. Shortly before giving birth, the she-wolf prepares a hole. Since in permafrost it is impossible to dig it out; the birth takes place in a cave, a crevice between rocks or in an old lair. Pregnancy lasts from sixty to seventy-five days. There are no more than three puppies in a litter, although there have been cases where five and seven puppies were born, but this happens very rarely.
Newborns are born completely helpless and blind, weighing approximately four hundred grams. They stay in the den for a month, after which they begin to make their exits into the world. All this time the she-wolf feeds them milk. After a few months, she begins to feed the cubs with the food she has obtained.
The white polar wolf is a very good and caring parent. The whole flock takes care of the babies. When the she-wolf goes hunting, young wolves look after the babies. Even when there is very little food, all members of the flock try to feed the babies. Thus, a stable population size is maintained. In this case, the human influence is practically not felt - there are few people who want to hunt in the Arctic.
Start of independent life
Having reached puberty, young wolves leave the pack and try to create their own. They find an empty area and mark it. It is unknown what their life will be like next. If a free female appears on its territory, it will form new couple, who will eventually give birth to puppies. As a result, a new flock will appear. But there may be another outcome of the situation - the polar wolf, having been pushed around alone, joins another pack. However, in this case he has no chance of becoming a leader - he will always remain on the sidelines.
An intelligent and cunning predator - the polar wolf - tries not to meet a person. Their interests can only intersect on the reindeer, which the man carefully protects. But in any case, we must not allow the wolf to become sworn enemy people, and they would completely exterminate it, as happened in Mexico, Japan, Iceland.
White color has traditionally been considered special among various groups of people. And animals with white coloring were often endowed with unusual characteristics. People believed that this color was a sign of something supernatural. It's no surprise that white (or polar) wolves are a fascinating subject for study. Indeed, among all wolf species (with the possible exception of albinos), they are the most distinguished by color.
Where does the white wolf live?
Like any other wolf, white look used to hiding from possible enemies. Therefore, the wolf's lair is located in a remote place where people usually do not go. However, in the case of white wolves, the habitat also contributes to this. After all, this subspecies lives in the Arctic and Tundra.
Such living conditions leave their mark on the private life of wolves. After all, if for a gray wolf it is not a problem to find a fairly quiet corner in the forest, then the polar wolf has a significantly limited choice. Tundra and Arctic conditions do not leave sufficient quantity free forests for all wolves. Therefore, this species has adapted to a different method of making a den.
The white wolf's lair is usually dug into the ground. Of course, this is not possible everywhere, so the she-wolf uses all methods to somehow cover the wolf cubs. Often she uses someone's old home, or, in the absence of one, just a rocky crevice. We can say that polar wolves spend not only their lives, but also their childhood in a fairly harsh conditions.
At first, wolf cubs cannot independently feed on the food that adults eat. However, after about a month they are already able to digest the meat regurgitated by the father wolf. By the beginning of summer - if there was enough food - the wolves gain strength and join the migration of the pack.
Adulthood
Adult white wolves regularly comb large areas in search of food. The reason is simple: it is more difficult to find food in the Tundra than in the forest. Everything that can be caught is eaten, including lemmings. And when the flock catches a reindeer or a musk ox, a celebration ensues. And then the white wolf can fully enjoy life.