Red wolf interesting facts for children. Information and interesting facts about red wolves
The red wolf (Cuon alpinus) is also known as the mountain wolf, Himalayan wolf, or buanzu - carnivorous mammal canine family.
Appearance of a red wolf
The red wolf is a fairly large animal with a body length of 76-110 cm, a tail of 45-50 cm and a weight of 17-21 kg. His appearance combines the features of a wolf, fox and jackal. From common wolf differs in color, fluffy hair and more long tail almost reaching the ground. Characterized by a shortened, pointed muzzle. The ears are large, erect, with rounded tops, set high on the head.
The general color tone is red, highly variable, in individual individuals and in different parts range. The end of the tail is black. Wolf cubs up to 3 months are dark brown. The hair in winter is very high, thick and soft; in summer it is noticeably shorter, coarser and darker. The tail is fluffy, like a fox's. Based on the variability of color, fur density and body size, 10 subspecies of the red wolf have been described, two of them are found in Russia.
The red wolf differs from other canids in its reduced number of molars (there are two in each half of the jaw) and big amount nipples (6-7 pairs).
The red color of the fur is especially noticeable in winter time. During this period, the wool acquires a special brightness, fluffiness and thickness.
Distribution of the red wolf
The red wolf is distributed from the Tien Shan and Altai south to the tip of Hindustan, Indochina and the Malay Archipelago. The main part of its range is in the mountainous forest regions of Central and South Asia.
Still quite common in many areas of India south of the Ganges, in the Indus Valley in Pakistan, southern Iran and the Himalayas; in other parts of the range it has become rare (Vietnam, North Korea) or almost completely disappeared (not found in Iraq and Syria since the 1970s, in Azerbaijan too).
In Russia, the red wolf was found mainly in the south Far East, where he probably entered from the adjacent territories of Mongolia and China. There is no reliable evidence that the species permanently lives within Russia today.
Red wolf lifestyle
Red wolves are very active image life. Hunting of these animals occurs during the daytime. When searching for food, they rely on the smell of prey, and in order to sense it better, they sometimes jump up to 3 meters.
Red wolves hunt only in packs of several dozen animals. This allows them to act in a very organized way. While chasing prey, they stretch out in a chain, forming an arc as they move. Thanks to this maneuver, in the summer wolves drive their prey to open area, and in winter on the frozen surface of a lake or river, where wild boar, wapiti or roe deer become completely helpless.
Red wolves do not use open plains as settlements, however, they make seasonal migrations in search of food. In addition, they are also characterized by vertical migrations. When high snow cover is reached in the mountains, following wild artiodactyls, wolves go to the southern slopes of the mountains or descend to the lower reaches of the foothills. There are cases when these animals traveled from their main habitat areas to distances of up to 600 km.
Features of social behavior of red wolves in a pack
Buanzus live in large flocks. Most often, a flock consists of about 10-12 individuals, but there can be up to 30 individuals. Such a flock is very dangerous. Some researchers agree that the buanzu is a more successful hunter than the tiger or leopard. Many wild animals that are hunted by mountain wolves show concern when they detect traces of a wild wolf. There are even cases where a pack of red wolves killed a tiger, its main enemy. Such a group usually stalks its prey for a long time, physically exhausting it, and then attacks from behind, and not from the front, like their other canine relatives. This manner of attack, as well as the incredible clarity and coordination of actions in the pack, helps red wolves to attack and kill even very large animals.
The clarity and high level of organization of a pack of mountain wolves is evident not only during hunting. Buanzus are generally very social animals. Friendly forms of behavior are widespread in their pack. Wolves often play together, talk when they are excited, raise puppies together and strictly maintain order within their society. Unfortunately, almost no one has been able to observe the life of red wolves. And the whole point is that in addition to the fact that they mainly live high in the mountains, wolves also have a rather distrustful character. They never let a person get close to them, and it is absolutely impossible to earn their trust. It is for this reason that red wolves are rarely seen in zoos.
It is difficult to track and get close to a red wolf. Possessing excellent hearing, an adult wolf is able to hear the rustling of paper from a distance of more than 10 meters, not to mention the fact that he can hear the approach of such a clumsy creature as a person hundreds of meters away and prefers to hide in mountain crevices or caves.
Red wolf feeding
Red wolves feed mainly on large ungulates: wild boars, roe deer, musk deer, gorals, wapiti, but on occasion, marmots, rabbits, and birds become their prey.
In addition, the diet of wolves also includes plant food in the form of wild rhubarb, which is very rich in vitamins.
Red wolf breeding
Due to the fact that this species is very small in number, the reproduction of red wolves has been studied rather poorly. However, based on the observations of naturalists, it became known that the birth of wolf cubs most often occurs in winter months, both in January and February.
Pregnancy in she-wolves lasts 60-62 days. In one litter of a female there can be 5-9 wolf cubs, which are born blind. Newborn wolf cubs are covered with dark brown fur and look a bit like puppies. German Shepherd. True, unlike her, they will never be friendly with humans, because the red wolf cannot be tamed.
Red wolves are monogamous and never cheat on their partners. The zoo, which received one wolf and two she-wolves, noted that the male chose only one lady of his heart, and the second one had to wait until their children grew up, among whom was her chosen one.
The father takes care of the wolf cubs no worse than the mother. When they are still very small, he does not enter the den, but only guards it. But when the mother begins to leave her grown-up little ones for a short time, the head of the family remains with them and from ferocious predator turns into a trembling nanny. They play with him, bite his ears and tail, and he just patiently endures all their antics.
Population status and conservation
The red wolf is listed in the IUCN Red Book with the status of an endangered species (Endangered), as well as in the Red Book of Russia.
There are no exact data on current numbers.
The red wolf is a rare species of predatory animal that lives in the wild, mainly in rocky areas of Asia. In Russia this species is practically never found. A few flocks of red wolves were seen only in Far Eastern regions our country. This predator is listed in the Red Book, as their population is significantly declining every year. The most important and fatal role in the destruction of this beast is played by man. Indiscriminate poaching and extermination of entire flocks of these animals for the sake of beautiful fur may soon lead to complete disappearance this rare and peculiar species wild dog. To prevent extinction, in many countries of the world special reserves and sanctuaries are created for this predator so that they can live and reproduce there without fear.
Family
Externally, the wolf is red due to its red hue coat more like a fox. But in character and habits it is closer to an ordinary gray wolf. They are also loyal to their pack and choose a mate for life. This species is the result of crossing ordinary wolf and the American coyote. According to some sources, the oldest rock paintings of a red wolf are more than 2000 years old.
Red wolves start a family when they reach the age of two. It takes a she-wolf about two months to bear puppies. Puppies are born blind, with a brown coat color. The male of this species is caring parent, he, along with the female, takes an active part in raising the offspring. Grown-up puppies do not leave their parents, but remain in the pack. In terms of the number of individuals, a pack of red wolves can reach 30 predators of different ages.
Behavior
Red Wolf - Interesting Facts about behavior. These wolves never attack a person; on the contrary, they try to avoid him and his home. They are very careful and sensitive animals, and the red wolf also runs very fast. While hunting, it can reach speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour. The length of the predatory athlete's jump is about 6 meters. Once, in one of the zoos, a wolf was able to overcome the fence of an enclosure more than two meters high. Then he escaped to freedom by jumping over a six-meter ditch.
Red wolves hunt with their entire large and friendly pack. Since they are very fast and resilient, they can track and pursue prey for a long time. When hunting, they make whistling, clicking sounds, and also a sound similar to a howl. In this way they try to scare the prey and give signs to their fellow tribesmen.
Their diet includes small artiodactyls - wild goats, deer, antelope, and some large herbivores, such as bull or bison. Sometimes the onslaught of a large flock cannot even withstand huge tiger. Attacking him from all sides simultaneously, they exhaust predatory cat. They do not hesitate to feast on voles and other steppe rodents. These animals are very voracious. A hungry predator of this species can devour a whole fawn weighing up to 10 kilograms in one sitting, which is about half the weight of the animal itself.
Peculiarities
Red wolves have a very keen sense of smell and excellent hearing. They are able to smell their prey by ear, being hundreds of meters away from it. And with their incredibly sensitive nose, they can recognize thousands of different variations of aromas.
These animals are also distinguished by their highly developed intelligence and intelligence. Red wolves easily bypass all traps and snares set by poachers. They are always on guard and it is very difficult to take them by surprise. They also have excellent, clear vision; from a distance they can very accurately understand the gestures and facial expressions of their fellow creatures.
In the wild, red wolves are oppressed by their gray brothers and even lynxes. In competition for hunting grounds and food, gray wolves and smaller lynxes often defeat the red predator, despite the large composition of their pack.
A lot of effort is being put into maintaining and restoring the red wolf population. In all the regions where it lives, animal advocates are spreading awareness about this endangered wolf species. The importance of preserving and protecting this rare canine species from extinction is described in brochures that are distributed throughout educational institutions. People are fighting for the survival of this rare and mysterious wild predator.
In nature, there are many species of animals, the number of which on the planet is not only decreasing, but can even reach zero. Among them amazing representative canine family - Red Wolf, which is also called mountain.
In my own way appearance red wolves resemble a fox, a jackal and, of course, a wolf at the same time. Animals reach 110 cm in length and plus about 50 cm of tail. The mass of a red wolf can be 17–21 kg.
Already from the name it is clear that this animal has a reddish color, although depending on where exactly the wolf lives, the shade may change. The red wolf has a pointed muzzle, big ears, long dark tail, like a fox, fluffy fur.
There are other features too. Number of molars mountain wolf less, and the number of nipples is greater, compared to other species.
These representatives of 10 species of the canine family live in the mountains of Central and South Asia: in India, Mongolia, China, Russia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Tibet, Nepal, on the island of Sumatra and some other places. Unfortunately, only in India is the population of red wolves stable; in all other places these beautiful animals are considered endangered.
Red predators live in friendly flocks of up to 12 individuals of different ages, hunt mainly during the day, and their prey can be small lizards and rodents, as well as large antelopes, bulls and deer. In summer, red wolves do not refuse plant food.
The small dark brown wolf cubs are born blind and resemble ordinary puppies. This happens in the harsh winter, in January - February, but after 6 months their sizes are indistinguishable from adult individuals. The reproductive characteristics of red wolves have not yet been sufficiently studied, because they are not tamed at all. True, in captivity they reproduce well, as evidenced by the experience of domestic and foreign zoos.
Why did these interesting animals practically disappear? The exact reasons are not yet known, although there are several assumptions. One hypothesis is that gray wolves, which have the same habitat, are to blame. They are stronger and, most likely, red wolves simply cannot stand it interspecific competition for the food supply. But we should not forget that if these predators are destroyed by humans, they may completely disappear.
As an endangered species, the red or mountain wolf is listed in the Russian and international Red Book. But once their habitat covered a large part of Russia. Today it is even impossible to accurately determine their numbers. The last red wolves were seen in the Primorsky Territory in the second half of the last century.
Domain: Eukaryotes
Kingdom: Animals
Type: Chordata
Class: Mammals
Squad: Predatory
Family: Canids
Genus: Red wolves (Cuon Hodgson, 1838)
View: Red Wolf
Habitats
The main part of the habitat and range of the red wolf is located in Central and South Asia, south East Asia, including Indonesia, India, China and Tibet, as well as Mongolia, Java and Sumatra. Within its habitat, in some places such a predator has been completely exterminated or driven out by people, and in some places it is absent over large areas without human intervention. Mostly beast of prey absent in desert and steppe parts range.
In the north, the border of the red wolf's range runs through a very narrow strip in Russia. Such wild places habitats are represented by the southern outskirts of the Far East, Middle and Eastern Siberia, where red wolves are very rare and infrequently encountered. Throughout their usual range, red wolves prefer mountains and hilly ridges.
Predatory rare beast can live in a wide variety of habitats, ranging from alpine meadows, including high-mountain valleys with abundant steppe vegetation, to cedar-broad-leaved forest zones Far East, including coniferous forests on the territory of Eastern Siberia. However, regardless of the characteristics of the habitat of a pack of red wolves, an indispensable condition remains an insignificant snow cover. Too deep snow always forces the animal to migrate to other, not too snowy areas.
Appearance
You can give it right away short description wolf - it is usually compared immediately with the gray wolf, jackal and fox. Individuals of this species have relatively large dimensions - length reaches 75-110 cm, height - up to half a meter at the withers, and adult wolves weigh from 18 to 21 kg. They have an impressive tail - the length can reach 50 cm.
The undoubted difference between a red or mountain wolf is the color of its coat - reddish wolves can easily be confused with a fox. Wool changes its properties with the seasons: in winter the fur is tall and thick, and in summer it is darker, coarser and shorter. The tail is darker than the body, and the fur on it is thicker.
The muzzle, in comparison with the gray wolf, is sharper and shorter. The ears stand out on the head, erect, but with rounded tops. The number of teeth is less than that of counterparts from other species. The structure of the fingers is also slightly different - the middle fingers are connected into a shape reminiscent of a horseshoe.
In total, there are 10 subspecies of red wolves, of which only 2 of them can be observed in Russia. You should also not confuse the red wolf with the red wolf, which is a subspecies of the common gray wolf.
Lifestyle and habits
Although red wolves are one of the most poorly studied members of the canid family (Canidae), it is reliably known that they live in groups (packs), hunt together and raise offspring together.
A pack of red wolves is an overgrown family, usually including 5-12 individuals, rarely more than 20 animals in a group. They are active mainly during the day, but hunting during moonlight. All adult members of the pack participate in the hunt for large animals. The flock hunts in an area of about 40 square meters. km. They track prey by smell.
Dholis use two hunting strategies, which depend on the interaction of the animals in the pack. Firstly, the flock moves through the thickets in an extended line. Any adult wolf capable of killing prey will attack when it finds a suitable victim. When the prey is small, one wolf can get it. If the prey is large, such as an Axis male, the sound of pursuit and the high-pitched cry of the deer attracts other members of the pack. Wolves rush to the rescue. More than one large animal is rarely killed in one hunt.
Using the second strategy, some wolves remain in ambush at the edge of dense vegetation. They intercept a fleeing prey that is being chased by other members of the pack. In the dense jungle the pursuit does not last long. Hunting strong animals armed big horns, such as Axis or Sambar males, wolves grab them by the nose, which does not allow the ungulates to use their deadly weapon. By making throws on the croup or sides of the deer, predators tear the victim, who dies as a result of injuries and blood loss. 2 or 3 wolves can kill a 50 kg deer in just a few minutes.
When hunting in packs, they usually eat their prey together, but some may drag a piece of carcass aside to eat without interference. When there is water nearby, red wolves often drink while eating, but if not, they look for a watering hole immediately after eating.
The diet of wolves includes not only large ungulates, but also small mammals, as well as birds, lizards, insects and berries. They sometimes eat unguarded prey of leopards and tigers.
The red wolf has a reputation as a cruel and bloodthirsty killer due to the fact that it does not always immediately kill its prey, as ordinary (gray) wolves do, gnawing the throat of the prey, but attacks with bites from behind. When the pursued animal is exhausted, the wolf begins to eat the still living victim. But in fairness, it should be noted that red wolves, unlike gray wolves, extremely rarely attack livestock and do not annoy humans, preferring to stay away from them.
Nutrition
The red wolf belongs to the category of typical predators. IN different time years, almost any forest animal is capable of serving such an animal as food. However, the diet of an adult wolf most often consists of a variety of not too large wild ungulates. It is also well known that in summer period used by such a beast of prey sufficient quantity plant foods, in particular, mountain rhubarb greens. In the presence of puppies, mountain rhubarb was constantly found in wolf dens, so it was assumed that adult red wolves feed the young animals with it, regurgitating half-digested, but not yet fully blossomed inflorescences.
Sometimes an adult predatory animal in conditions wildlife All kinds of carrion may well be eaten. Red wolves quite often drive their prey into the water, significantly complicating the movement of the prey and making it more accessible. Before hunting, predators perform a complex mandatory ritual, which includes rubbing and sniffing, as well as hetero- and homosexual positions.
Red wolves go hunting mainly during the daytime, using a variety of hunting methods and traditional forms of attack on their prey, which directly depends on the size of the formed pack, the relief features of the territory and the species characteristics of the prey. For example, wolves prefer to hunt all kinds of lagomorphs and rodents alone, and only a pack can hunt animals that are too large.
Unlike most wild dogs, the red wolf kills its prey not by grabbing it by the throat, but by attacking sharply from behind, so two or three adult predators are quite capable of killing a 50-kilogram deer in less than a couple of minutes.
A group of wolves, consisting of 15-20 adult individuals, always acts very harmoniously, so it can quite successfully hunt even such a large animal as a buffalo. The red wolf searches for and finds its prey by smell, after which the traditional chase begins. Such a predatory animal runs slower than jackals and foxes, but is distinguished by extreme endurance, thanks to which it pursues its prey until the moment when it is completely exhausted. Having caught up with a prey that is too large, a pack of red wolves bites it, so after a while the prey falls and is eaten by predators. Cases are very well known when a pack of wolves drove the pursued victim to the edge of a cliff, where it forced it to break.
Reproduction
Little is known about how this species reproduces. There are guesses that females give birth to offspring directly in the crevices in which the family lives. Predators reach puberty in the second year of life, and pregnancy in females lasts 2-2.5 months.
Both parents take whatever part they can in raising the pups, of which there can be from 6 to 10 in one litter. Puppies are born blind and begin to see only after a few weeks of life. At the same time, they develop quite quickly: it takes them a little more than six months of life to reach the size of their parents.
It is also believed that young animals do not leave their parents, and several of their generations unite and form a full-fledged pack.
Enemies and competitors
The number of red wolves is estimated to be extremely low. The decline in numbers was apparently facilitated by the economic development of the territory, as well as due to human activity, a reduction in the number of sika deer and roe deer, which form the basis of the diet of this species.
Besides, negative role the gray wolf appears as a competitor and enemy, which has multiplied greatly over Lately. Also competitors and enemies of the red wolf are Snow Leopard and lynx.
Diseases such as plague and rabies also contribute to an increase in the mortality rate of the red wolf. However, be that as it may, only the thoughtless destruction of these furry predators by humans in the future can have an impact Negative influence on future fate this already vanishing species from the planet.
Population reduction and conservation
The red wolf is rare species. Listed in the IUCN Red Book and the Red Book of the Russian Federation, it is endangered in Russia. In India, hunting is permitted under licenses.
In the recent past, the distribution area of the red wolf was much wider. The change in the boundaries of the range occurred under the influence of humans - hunting, due to a reduction in the area of natural natural areas habitat of the species. The number of animals that serve as food sources for the red wolf also decreased.
Another negative factor of human activity that affected the red wolf was almost complete destruction tiger and what follows rapid increase the number of gray wolves, which are successfully displacing the red wolf.
An essential role for the conservation of the species is played by the last decades wide network national parks and reserves where predators find protection.
Video
Sources
- https://ohota.guru/dikie-zhivotnye/prekrasnyy-i-redkiy-krasnyy-volk.html http://www.krasnouhie.ru/krasnyj-volk.html
Red wolves have been known to everyone since childhood, from the very moment when, together with Kipling’s Mowgli, we mentally traveled through the Indian jungle. Do you remember Mowgli's fight with the red dholi dogs? These were the red wolves.
Taxonomy
Russian name - red wolf, Central Asian red wolf, mountain red wolf, mountain wolf, dholi.
English name- Dhole
Latin name - Cuon alpinus
Order - carnivores (Carnivora)
Family - canids (Canidae)
Genus - red wolves (Cuon)
Conservation status of the species
A rare species, included in the IUCN Red Book and the Red Book of the Russian Federation, in Russia it is under threat of extinction. In India, hunting is permitted under licenses, while at the same time, a wide network of national parks and reserves created in recent decades, where predators find protection, plays a significant role in preserving the wolf.
Species and man
In the recent past, the distribution area of the red wolf was much wider. The change in the boundaries of the range occurred under the influence of humans, both due to a reduction in the area of natural territories and a decrease in the number of animals that serve as food items, and due to direct persecution. The reasons for the decline in numbers and the reduction in the range of the red wolf in Russia are a good illustration of how not direct persecution, but the by-products of its activities affected the existence of this species. First of all, the reduction in the area of cedar-broad-leaved forests has led to a decrease in the number and distribution areas of the ungulates on which it feeds. Another negative factor of human activity that affected the red wolf was the almost complete destruction of the tiger and the subsequent rapid increase in the number of the gray wolf, which successfully displaces the red wolf.
Distribution and habitats
The main part of the range is in the Central and South Asia, the southern half of East Asia, including India, Indonesia, China, Tibet, Mongolia, the islands of Sumatra and Java. Within the range, in some places it is exterminated or displaced by humans, in some places it is absent over large areas without human intervention (mainly the desert and steppe parts of the range). The northern border of the range runs in a narrow strip across the territory of Russia - these are the southern outskirts of the Far East, Eastern and Central Siberia, but here the red wolf is very rare.
Throughout its range, the red wolf prefers mountains and hilly ridges. It can live in various habitats, from alpine meadows and high mountain valleys to steppe vegetation to the cedar-broad-leaved forests of the Far East and coniferous forests Eastern Siberia. However, in all areas of its habitat, a prerequisite is a low snow cover. deep snow forces him to migrate to other areas with little snow.
Appearance and morphology
The appearance is very unique - it combines the features of a gray wolf, a jackal and a fox. Body length 76–103 cm, tail 40–48 cm, weight 14–21 kg. The red wolf has thick, long, reddish-red fur on its back and sides, chest, belly and inner side cream colored legs. The long fluffy tail is similar to a fox's, it is slightly darker than the rest of the body, almost black at the end. On the head there is a dark pattern around the eyes and on the nose. Sexual dimorphism is not expressed, but in the northern forms seasonal dimorphism is clearly expressed: winter fur is very thick and long. The red wolf has fewer molars than representatives of other genera of the canid family (2 in each half of the jaw).
Nutrition and feeding behavior
Red Wolf typical predator- at one time or another, almost all forest animals can serve as food for him, however, the basis of nutrition is made up of various wild ungulates. It is also known that in summer this animal consumes plant foods, in particular, mountain rhubarb. This plant was constantly found in dens with puppies, and it was as if wolves fed it to the young, regurgitating half-digested, unopened rhubarb inflorescences. Sometimes wolves can eat carrion.
Red wolves hunt mainly during the day, using various methods hunting and attacking prey depending on the size of the flock, the topography of the territory and the type of prey. Wolves hunt rodents and lagomorphs alone, large animal Only a flock can get it. A group of 15–20 wolves acts very harmoniously and can successfully hunt even a buffalo. Red wolves search for and find prey by smell, then the chase begins. They run slower than jackals and foxes, but are extremely resilient and chase their prey until it is exhausted. Having caught up with a large victim, the wolves bite it, after a while the victim falls, and its fate is sealed. There are known cases when wolves drove a pursued animal to a cliff, where it crashed.
Vocalization
Red wolves are extremely talkative animals. Wakeful animals almost constantly emit a quiet whine, supporting, apparently, acoustic contact with group members. Their vocal repertoire is quite diverse, as you can see by visiting the “animal sounds” portal.
Social behavior
Red wolves keep in groups of varying nature and size, they can divide and later unite into larger or smaller groups. There are from 5 to 30, and sometimes more animals in a pack (in South Asia, packs of up to 40 animals were noted), but the most common number of members in a pack is 5–12. Interestingly, the size of the packs does not correlate with the size of the animals they prey.
Social relationships in the red wolf group have been little studied. Aggressive interactions between red wolf puppies and adolescents have been noted, but the frequency of such contacts decreases with age and aggression is not observed after 7–8 months of age, which is explained by the stabilization of hierarchical relationships. There are reports of demonstrations of "active submission" by the most large individual from other members of the pack.
Reproduction and raising offspring
In India, red wolves can breed for about 5 months a year, from September to January inclusive. In the conditions of zoos located in middle lane, their rut was observed in January-February. The duration of pregnancy in wolves kept in Russian zoos was 60–68 days. The average size litters recorded in India are 4–6 puppies. There is a known case of 12 wolf cubs being extracted from a hole, although it cannot be ruled out that this was a united litter of two or three females. Red wolf puppies are born dark brown in color, blind, without teeth, with closed ear canals, weighing 200–350 g. Eyes open between the 13th and 15th days. In nature, puppies leave the hole at the age of 70 to 80 days; in a zoo, cubs first emerge from the hole at 20–30 days of age. By the age of 7 months, puppies already participate in collective hunts. Sexual maturity occurs at 2–3 years.
Lifespan
There are known cases of life in captivity up to 16 years; in nature, life expectancy is shorter.
Keeping animals at the Moscow Zoo
Red wolves have been kept in our zoo since 1957. They all year round They live in outdoor enclosures and have perfectly adapted to our climate. But they need an enclosure that has somewhere to climb and jump, and they couldn’t get out of it, that is, it must be closed at the top. These animals are capable of making long or high jumps of 3–3.5 m, and in running - 5–6 m. In 1967, a male red wolf managed to escape from an open enclosure on the Island of Animals, which was limited by steep stone walls and a ditch 4 meters wide and deep, on the visitors’ side the concrete fencing of the ditch rose another 1.2 m above the ground, and at a distance in front of them an additional fencing 1.5 meters high made of metal mesh was installed.
Just a few years ago, at the zoo’s exhibition one could see many red wolves, which occupied three neighboring enclosures next to the arctic fox and coyote. Several generations of one family lived here at once - a parent couple and their two broods. The puppies were very popular among visitors to the zoo, and not only the Moscow Zoo. Many of the wolf cubs that appeared here have dispersed different zoos world, someone moved to the Santa Claus Zoo in Veliky Ustyug, someone moved to our suburban area - a nursery near Volokolamsk. Our kids were appreciated for their good physical fitness, since the enclosure of red wolves is designed in such a way that animals have the opportunity to move in it not only horizontally, but also vertically, jumping or running up stairs and ramps - what not Gym. However, time takes its toll. The main pair gradually stopped reproducing. They haven't had any puppies for the past few years. And then the male was left alone. Last year they brought him a middle-aged female from Ustyug. Now the animals are kept together, but will they become a pair and will they have offspring... We may get the answer to this question in the coming year.
The wolves are fed meat once a day, given hydroponic greens and various vitamin and mineral supplements. One day a week, according to the rules for feeding predators, is their fasting day.