Why do wolves live in the forest? Gray wolf (common)
Through DNA research, it was discovered that there are about four genealogical lines of the wolf. African, which arose in the late Pleistocene, is considered the most ancient. All other lines belong to the Indian subcontinent. During major geological and climate change the Himalayan wolf lineage appeared. Indian separated from it approximately 400,000 years ago. The Tibetan wolf, an inhabitant of Kashmir, is the most recent lineage. Its other name is the Holarctic clade.
The large Siberian wolf lived in Japan and the Korean Peninsula in the Pleistocene. The Sangar Strait separated Hokkaido and Honshu in the Holocene, causing climate change. They led to the extinction of large ungulates in this area. Lack of sufficient food led to insular dwarfism in the Japanese wolf.
Hokkaido, thanks to the constant availability of food and genetic interchange with large Siberian wolves, was significantly larger than the Hondos Japanese wolf.
Due to disappearance large production, about 8,000 years ago the dire wolf became extinct. This process was accelerated by competition for the remaining food with the emerging common wolf.
In what regions does the wolf live?
Currently, the habitat of wolves has been significantly reduced. This is due to their uncontrolled extermination in the past. Most of predators are located in the territory:
- Russia;
- Belarus;
- Ukraine;
- northern part of the Arabian Peninsula;
- Afghanistan;
- Georgia;
- China;
- Korea;
- Iran;
- Hindustan;
- Iraq;
- Azerbaijan;
- Scandinavia;
- Baltics;
- Balkans;
- Italy;
- Poland;
- Spain;
- Portugal.
From Mexico to Alaska, animals are distributed in North America. In Russia they live everywhere, except for the taiga, the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin. In Japan, predators have become completely extinct.
Wolves are able to live in a variety of terrain, but they give preference to places with weak forest cover. They often live close to humans. In the taiga, they accompany him and settle in the territory cleared of forest by people.
In the mountains, predators live as far as alpine meadows, where areas have little ruggedness.
The wolf is a territorial animal. During the cold season, flocks live sedentary. The boundaries of the territory in which they live are marked with odorous marks. In winter, the area occupied by predators is up to 44 km. However, as spring approaches, the flock breaks up into pairs. The strongest representatives remain on their territory, and loners lead nomadic life. Wolves often accompany herds of livestock and deer.
To breed offspring, animals make dens. Most often they are natural shelters - thickets of bushes, depressions in the rocks. In some cases, wolves occupy the burrows of other animals - badgers, arctic foxes, marmots. It is extremely rare to dig them yourself. The she-wolf is most closely attached to the den during the period of raising the litter. The male does not use it. Puppies grow in well-hidden places: on hills, in ravines, near the shores of lakes covered with thick reeds, and in dense bushes. Wolves never hunt near their lair. After the puppies are strong enough for long journeys, the animals leave their shelter. For rest, they look for new, but well-protected places every time. The cubs look like dog puppies and have brown fur.
How long does a wolf live?
Since wolves belong to the canine family, they live approximately the same amount of time as dogs. But the way of life of wolves wildlife very harsh and wolves die from disease, injury or lack of food, before their time. In the wild, on average, wolves live 10-15 years. But when good care And proper nutrition they can live up to 20 years.
What does a wolf eat?
The wolf is a predator that stalks prey. The main types of animals that it feeds on are:
- antelope;
- roe deer;
- moose;
- wild boars;
- deer.
Lone wolves catch mouse-like rodents, gophers and hares. In summer, waterfowl, representatives of grouse, and domestic geese become prey. In rare cases, a wolf attacks sleeping bears, raccoon dogs, foxes. Predators often attack wounded or weakened animals.
Wolves often return to the remains of animals they have caught. Also, in times of famine, predators do not disdain carrion: carcasses washed up on the coastline, seals, and livestock corpses.
In addition to meat, animals eat melons, watermelons, mushrooms, fruits, and berries. More often this is caused not by hunger, but by thirst. Wolves need frequent, abundant water, which is sometimes difficult to find.
Cannibalism is a phenomenon that occurs in a flock. Sick and wounded animals are often eaten by stronger relatives.
Wolves are most active at night. Their communication occurs through vocal signals. The range of sound waves that a wolf is capable of producing is many times greater than the capabilities of most animals. The only exceptions are bats and people. Animals are capable of barking, squealing, yelping, growling, grumbling, whimpering, howling. Absolutely every sound made by an animal has a wide range of variations.
Experts note that wolves react consciously to sounds made by their relatives. Thanks to sounds, the flock transmits various messages to its members and indicates the location of the game. At first, wolves listen to the information received from their relatives, and then throw their heads back and howl with a vibrating voice. At first their voice is low, and then moves to high notes that are heard by humans.
Only the leader of the pack can give the signal to attack. The sound is reminiscent of the growl of an angry dog.
You can hear the howling of wolves at dusk or dawn, but not every day. First, the leader howls loudly, and then the rest of the pack. The howling most often ends with a joint shrill bark. Wolf songs are a sign social life wolves. They have an emotional basis and enhance the cohesion of animals. In addition, the howl allows you to find lost members of the pack and communicate with representatives of other groups.
Wolves have a very developed sense of smell. The sense of smell allows predators to detect prey on long distance. Wolves can distinguish approximately 199 million shades of scent. Animals receive most of their information through their sense of smell. In the life of predators important role tags, sniffing partners, transmitting and receiving information through smell play. Wolves obtain the necessary information from feces, urine and saliva. Feces indicate whether the animal belongs to a certain type, about his gender. The number of marks increases significantly during the rut and the formation of new pairs. In this case, the males leave their mark on top of the female’s mark. Such behavior strengthens couples and enhances sexual activity.
Experts have concluded that in 89% of cases, wolves detect their prey by smell, and not by hearing.
In the process of evolution, wolves have developed a number of physiological characteristics, allowing them to travel long distances in search of food. Animals easily run a distance of several kilometers at a speed of about 9 km/h. During a chase, it increases to 66. At the same time, dogs are able to jump up to 4 meters without stopping running.
Physiological characteristics:
- sloping back;
- streamlined chest area;
- strong legs;
- membranes between the fingers reduce the load on the surface. Thanks to this, the wolf can quickly move across snowy ground.
- When moving, predators rely solely on their toes, and not on the entire foot. This method movement makes it possible to balance the mass.
- Hind legs shorter than the front ones. They lack the fifth additional toe on the metatarsal side.
- Blunt claws and bristly fur prevent falling from slippery surfaces.
- Special blood vessels warms paws from the cold.
- There are scent glands between the toes. When moving, the predator leaves scent trails. They make it possible to navigate the terrain and inform members of the pack about the movement of the leader.
- The low thermal conductivity of fur allows the animal to live even in harsh climates.
When a pack attacks a victim, wolves simultaneously kill several animals. At the same time, they rip out their throats or rip open their bellies. First of all, predators eat the most valuable things in the carcass, and leave the rest as a reserve.
Wolf - highly developed creature. He uses special tactics when hunting. Hunting for livestock, they wait for him in ambush. Some of the predators wait in the bushes, and the rest of the flock drives the prey there. When chasing large ungulates, for example, elk, they starve it to death. Several wolves run after the prey, the rest of the pack minces behind. When the predators involved in the chase get tired, they are replaced full of strength relatives.
Relations in the pack are altruistic in nature. Each animal completely subordinates its interests to common needs. Otherwise, the predator community would not have survived. Not only physical data, but also psychological characteristics affect the rank of the animal. This is explained by the fact that the leader must take charge of organizing the hunt and divide the food obtained among his relatives. Older wolves are responsible for the younger ones. Juveniles unquestioningly obey the demands of their older relatives.
There are seven ranks in the pack. Management of community members occurs without forceful influence. A clear organization, distribution of roles, complete freedom of choice to be or not to be in the pack - all this makes the wolf family a highly organized, well-coordinated mechanism. Social status in wolves it is associated with the age and sex of the animals. However, these indicators serve only to achieve the set goals. Having caught prey, wolves will never hunt again as long as they have food.
Unit in the pack:
- The leader plays the leading role. He bears full responsibility for the rest of his relatives. Its main tasks are a clear distribution of roles in the family, organization of actions, protection, selection of habitat, and management of hunting. The leader has the right to start eating first, but this rule can be violated by him. In some cases, an adult animal shares prey with puppies. This situation often occurs when there is a lack of food. Puppies are the future of the pack and the leader must take care of them.
The flock never disputes the right to the first piece of food. A weakened leader will not be able to provide security to his relatives.
The leader has no right to protection. In times of danger, only he decides how to act; the pack always listens to him.
- Warriors are the backbone of the pack. They provide food and safety for their relatives. When there is an external threat, only warriors enter into battle. This rank can be occupied by wolves of both sexes. However, a female with puppies never participates in guarding and obtaining food.
A senior warrior can replace the leader if he dies or for some reason cannot lead the pack. He, along with the main wolf, organizes protection and hunting.
- Adult female, who has experience raising wolf cubs, is a mother. Its main functions are to take care of the pack's puppies. A female who has whelped does not automatically occupy this rank. When a flock is attacked, it is the mother who takes all weak relatives to safety while the warriors repel the attack.
The eldest female never competes with the main warrior, but if necessary, she takes the place of the leader. When the head of the pack dies, the most worthy animal begins to play his role. At the same time, there are no fights to identify the best contender for the status of leader.
During feeding and raising puppies, all mothers of the pack are under special care.
Reproduction occupies a special place in the life of animals. Once a year, the flock splits into pairs to reproduce. All members of the flock can reproduce. The main condition for this is awareness of one’s role in the pack. Those wolves who did not get a mate help their relatives raise their young and hunt. Pairs are always created for life. If one of the pair dies, the surviving wolf never looks for a partner again.
- A guardian is an animal that controls the wolf cubs. There are two subranks. Pestun is a young wolf who is not currently capable of becoming a warrior due to his age or is a young wolf from a previous litter. These animals completely obey their mother and follow her orders. This is how they learn to handle wolf cubs. Being a caregiver is the first stage of education that allows you to acquire the skills you need for life.
- Uncle is a male dog with no family. Helps raise young fish.
- The signalman is the eyes of the pack. It is he who alerts her to the impending threat. The received information is analyzed by more experienced wolves. Only after this is a decision made on further actions.
- The puppy bears no responsibility. His main task is complete obedience. Adult animals show him special care and guardianship.
- A disabled person is an elderly person who has the right to protection and food. Wolves always take care of their old relatives.
Wolves breeding
Once formed, a couple is never separated. If one of the partners dies, the second one never looks for a new one. Wolves always live large families numbering up to 42 individuals.
There is a clear hierarchy in the pack. At the head of the community are alpha animals, followed by adult representatives of the family, lone wolves. The lowest rank is puppies. The pack often takes in other wolves. When puppies reach the age of three, they leave their family and look for a mate outside of it. Animals from the same litter never mate.
The mating season is the most stressful time. It falls most often in winter and spring months. The dominant pair protects itself from attacks by other animals. Free females are surrounded by males. The fight for their attention begins. Often fights end in death.
Once a pair is formed, it begins searching for a den. All necessary preparations are made before the onset of estrus. This time helps the couple get closer.
A she-wolf bears her offspring for about 64 days. Typically 3-12 puppies are born. They are born blind. Only after two weeks do their eyes open. After some time, the parents, along with the rest of the pack, feed the puppies with their burps of recently swallowed meat. When the young grow up, they eat prey that has already been caught. At the end of summer, the puppies are already starting to try their hand at hunting. At this time, the flock is joined by pereyarki - last year's litter, driven away for the breeding season. In this form, the family lives until the she-wolf's next estrus. Then the reeds can already participate in reproduction. In the first year of life, more than half of the litter dies.
Females reach sexual maturity at two years, males at three. Average duration life of predators is 16 years. The first signs of aging appear as early as 11 years of age.
Wolves have offspring only in the warm season. This allows you to get enough food for the puppies. This is how wolves differ from dogs, which come into heat twice a year.
People considered wolves to be dangerous animals. Therefore, they were mercilessly exterminated. However, predators play an important role in the ecosystem. They destroy sick and weakened animals, thereby preventing an epidemic.
How much does a wolf weigh?
Wolves are the most major representatives canine family. Their size and weight vary greatly in the species composition of these predators. In length, depending on the species, a wolf can be less than a meter, or can reach two. And the weight ranges from 20 kg to 100.
Types of wolves
Experts number seven individual species predators. In addition, the gray wolf has about seventeen varieties.
Arctic
It is the rarest subspecies of the common gray wolf. Habitat: Greenland, northern Canada and Alaska. The predator preserved its natural habitat thanks to rare appearance man in a harsh, covered eternal snows terrain.
The polar wolf is a large animal with a powerful build. Males reach a size at the withers of up to 99 cm. Weight can reach 98 kg. Predators exhibit sexual dimorphism. Females are approximately 16 percent smaller than males.
Predators have thick light fur with a slight red tint. The tail is fluffy, the legs are long, and the ears are erect and short.
Animals are perfectly adapted to the long absence of sun during the polar night. In search of prey, they travel long distances across snowy plains. An adult wolf is capable of eating eleven kilograms of meat in one go. There is no trace left of what is caught during the hunt. Even bones are eaten. Predators never chew meat, but swallow it in pieces.
Like other wolves, the polar one can only survive in a pack. Most often the group consists of 12 individuals. It is led by a male and a female. The rest of the community are puppies from previous litters and those recently born. In some cases, a pack accepts a lone wolf, but at the same time he obeys the leaders.
Only the alpha female in the group whelps. When cubs are born from other she-wolves, they are immediately killed. This severity is explained by the extremely difficult living conditions, in which it is difficult to feed a large number of wolf cubs.
The survival of animals depends entirely on the size of hunting grounds. That's why wolves protect their borders. With the onset of winter cold, a group of predators migrates to the south, where it is easier to get food. Most often they follow reindeer.
The polar wolf eats absolutely everything it can find. In summer, its diet includes beetles, frogs, birds, lichens, fruits and berries. In winter, predators eat mainly the meat of hares, lemmings, musk oxen, and deer.
The polar wolf pursues its prey using ambushes and changing riders. Best time hunting - spring. In warm weather, the crust melts, making it difficult for deer to move in such conditions and the predator easily catches up with them.
Healthy and strong herbivores are never in danger. The flock only attacks fawns or sick animals. Having attacked the herd, the predators destroy it. In this way they isolate the chosen victim and kill. When the herd manages to regroup and surround its offspring with a dense ring, the wolves have to retreat. Wolves manage to achieve a positive result in only 11% of their attacks.
Female raptors reach sexual maturity at three years of age. In males, this period begins at two. Some time before giving birth, the she-wolf begins to prepare a den. Predators cannot dig a hole in the ice, so caves or recesses in the rocks serve as places for puppies to emerge.
Pregnancy lasts 74 days. There are no more than three wolf cubs in a litter. Appearance more puppies are observed extremely rarely. The puppies that are born are blind and helpless. Their weight does not exceed four hundred grams. For a month they do not leave the den. Only when they are fully strengthened do they begin to leave it. All this time the female feeds them with milk.
Caring for the offspring lies not only with the she-wolf, but with the entire pack. When the mother leaves the den to hunt, the young look after the puppies. Even with meager food supplies, adult wolves always feed the babies. In this way, it is possible to maintain the population size. Thanks to the harsh climate, wolves are not threatened by humans. There are no hunters in the Arctic.
Upon reaching sexual maturity, young animals leave the pack and try to create their own. They look for unoccupied territory and mark its borders.
The polar wolf is listed in the Red Book. Hunting for it is prohibited.
Ruffed
It gets its name from the long fur that covers its neck and shoulders. The hair in this area resembles the mane of horses. Aguarachai is found in Northern Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Brazil. However, its main habitat is South America.
The guara has red fur, large ears, and an elongated muzzle. Externally, the wolf looks light and lean. The weight of the animal does not exceed 24 kg.
Aguarachai has the most long legs among other representatives of wolves. This structure of the limbs allows the predator to search for prey in tall grass. The wolf hunts alone. It feeds on reptiles, birds, pacu, agouti, plants, and fruits. Often attacks sheep and poultry when gathered in groups.
Guars live in pairs. They rarely have contact with their relatives. There are up to three wolf cubs in a litter. They have black fur. The female gives birth to puppies in winter.
The species is listed in the Red Book. Today there is no threat of extinction. However, the animal is still very rare.
Japanese
IN international classification There are two subspecies of these animals:
- Hokkaido or Ezo. These predators lived on the island of Hokkaido. Outwardly they resembled an ordinary wolf.
- Khonshu or Hondossky.
The Meiji government offered a reward to anyone who brought the head of a predator. This was the beginning complete destruction subspecies In 1889, the Japanese wolf completely disappeared.
Liry
Scientific research has shown that wolves do not live in South America. Since 2009, an attempt has been made to spread the legend about the supposedly existing subspecies of predators. It is currently impossible to confirm or refute the information received. Therefore, the Lyre Wolf remains more of a fiction.
Newfoundland
The species officially became extinct in 1911. There lived a predator on the eastern shores of Canada. The color was light with a dark stripe along the spine. He ate rodents and caribou.
Because of its thick fur, it was constantly hunted. In addition, starting in 1900, there were food shortages, which led to sharp decline number of caribou. All these factors led to complete disappearance Newfoundland wolf.
Ethiopian
The phenotype of this predator is similar to that of a fox. The species is on the verge of extinction. Because of its amazingly beautiful fur, the animal is constantly hunted.
Makenzensky
The most common species of wolf in North America. Animals can reach a weight of up to 79 kg. Height at the withers - 89 cm. It feeds on deer, elk, musk oxen and elk, and bison.
The Alaskan wolf has been relocated to Yellowstone Park. There he adapted perfectly. Its number increased by 1290 individuals. Some predators eventually left the protected areas and settled in the border zone. They are hunted in these places.
An amazing animal is found in the mountains of Asia. It is extremely difficult to say exactly who it is based on appearance alone. His body is built like a jackal, his behavior is wolfish, and his beautiful fur resembles a fox.
The red or mountain wolf is smart and beautiful predator. The weight of the animal reaches 22 kg, the length of the body does not exceed a meter. The color is bright, the tail is long and hangs almost to the ground, the fur is fluffy and thick. The muzzle is shortened, the ears are large, rounded, and set high.
Depending on their habitat, the red or mountain wolf has different coat colors. However, in most cases it is reddish. During the cold season, the fur becomes thick, dense and soft. By summer, the coat coarsens and becomes darker. Wolf cubs are brown in color at birth.
There are 10 subspecies of predators. They differ from each other in body size, color and thickness of fur.
The red or mountain wolf lives in various areas. However, its numbers are insignificant. Experts cannot say for sure whether he currently lives in Russia. The red or mountain wolf is mainly found in Asia.
The predator lives in gorges and rocks, where there is constant snow. On plains and forests it appears only in search of food or when moving from one territory to another. It is extremely rare for an animal to attack livestock.
Predators hunt in a pack. Its size does not exceed 13 individuals. At the same time, there is no clear leader in it. They most often obtain their food in daylight hours days. The red or mountain wolf feeds on deer, antelope, lizards and rodents. A large flock can kill a bull and a leopard. When there is a shortage of food, the red or mountain wolf does not disdain carrion.
Despite the fact that the predator’s diet mainly includes meat, it does not neglect plant foods. Mountain rhubarb is always present in a den with newborn pups. Experts believe that it is fed to young animals by regurgitating plant inflorescences treated with gastric juice.
A red or mountain wolf attacks its prey from behind. It never grabs the throat of prey, unlike other canids.
The animal has a secretive character. It always hides from people. The den is made in well-protected places. They never dig holes. They swim and jump well. They have sensitive hearing.
Due to its secretive lifestyle, the biology of the predator has not been fully studied. Experts can only say with confidence that the red or mountain wolf creates pairs with one female. The male is responsible for raising the puppies. In captivity, the predator mates in winter. Pregnancy lasts 59 days. There are no more than 9 puppies in a litter.
In conditions warm climate young animals are born throughout the year. When the puppy is born, it looks similar to an ordinary wolf or a German Shepherd. Only after 13 days his eyes open. After half a year, the puppy begins to weigh like an adult. At two years of age, puberty occurs.
Ginger
Outwardly, the red wolf resembles a gray one. However, it is slightly smaller in size, its body is slimmer, its fur is shorter, its ears and legs are longer. The body reaches dimensions of 129 cm, height up to 79, weight no more than 39 kg. The color of the red wolf is not monochromatic. The muzzle and legs are reddish, the back is black.
Predators live in prairies, wetlands and mountainous areas. Packs consist of animals of different ages. Aggression in groups is completely absent.
The red wolf eats not only meat, but also plant foods. The prey of the predator most often are rabbits, raccoons, and rodents. Very rare deer. Animals often eat carrion and berries. The red wolf sometimes becomes prey to lynx and alligators.
The breeding season lasts from January to March. She-wolves bring up to 7 puppies. Cases have been described where a female gave birth to 11 wolf cubs. Animals make their lair under fallen trees or along the banks of reservoirs. At half a year, puppies become independent. A wolf lives in captivity for about 13 years, natural conditions- 4 years.
The red wolf is the most rare representative canids. It is listed in the Red Book.
Marsupial
The last representatives of the subspecies lived until 1936 in Tasmania. The marsupial wolf had a body length of about a meter and a tail of 49 cm. Older males could reach two meters in length.
The predator’s skull resembled a dog’s, but its tail was thin at the end and thick at the base; bent hind limbs spoke of its marsupial nature. The fur was coarse, short, and very thick. The back had a brownish tint. It had darker colored stripes. The belly was light, the muzzle gray. The ears are erect, short, rounded.
The marsupial wolf had a kind of pouch on its stomach, formed by a fold of skin that opened backwards.
Initially, the animal lived on grassy plains and sparse forests. However, with the arrival of man, his habitat changed. He moved to the mountains, where he made his lair in caves and under fallen trees. The marsupial wolf was a nocturnal predator, but sometimes came out to bask in the sun. The predator hunted alone, rarely in pairs.
The marsupial wolf ate lizards, birds, and echidnas. After humans settled in Australia, the animal began to attack livestock. The marsupial wolf often ate animals caught in traps. The predator left the caught and half-eaten game and never returned to it. The marsupial wolf had a piercing, guttural, dull, coughing bark.
The thylacine is a marsupial. She-wolves had a pouch on their stomach formed by a fold of skin. The cubs were fed and born in it. After three months, the puppies began to leave the pouch, but returned to it until they were nine months old.
The marsupial wolf did not reproduce under artificial conditions and lived up to 9 years.
Forest
Depending on the habitat, the phenotype of wolves changes. How colder climate, especially the more massive and large animals living in these conditions. The average proportions of a gray wolf are as follows:
- weight 33-63 kg;
- body length 104-161 cm;
- height at withers 67-87 cm.
These indicators make the common wolf the largest in the family.
One-year-old animals weigh 19-31 kg. In the third year of life 34-46 kg. The wolf reaches its peak development at three years of age. In Alaska, animals reach a weight of 76 kg, in temperate latitudes the indicator varies between 51-61 kg.
Externally, the wolf looks like a large, pointy-eared dog. His legs are high and powerful. The paw, unlike a dog's, is more elongated. The wolf's footprint is up to 13 cm long and 7 cm wide. The paw print is more prominent, unlike dogs. It is easily distinguished by its two middle fingers extended forward. The trail of footprints resembles a straight line.
Description of the wolf's appearance:
- broad-browed head;
- on the sides of the elongated wide muzzle there are “whiskers”;
- high, heavy, large skull;
- wide nasal openings widening towards the bottom;
- thick a long tail always omitted. By its movement and position one can judge the wolf’s mood and position in the pack.
- The structure of the jaw speaks about the animal's lifestyle. Carnivorous teeth, which include the lower first molars and upper fourth premolars, are involved in the division of captured game. The fangs help the wolf drag and hold its prey. If teeth are lost, the animal is doomed to death.
- The fur is long, thick, and consists of two layers. It makes the wolf look much larger than it actually is. The guard hair, which makes up the first layer of fur, protects the animal from dirt and water. The undercoat, the second layer, is waterproof down that helps retain heat. As summer approaches, molting occurs. During this period, the fluff flakes off in small lumps. To speed up the process, animals rub their skin against various objects: tree trunks, stones.
- A wolf puppy has a dark, uniform coat that becomes lighter after a while. Fur color can have mixed shades among representatives of the same population. The undercoat of wolves is always gray, only the color range of the guard hair is different.
Many people believe that coat color is used for camouflage. However, experts say that fur coloring increases the individual characteristics of each individual.
- The eyes of animals are blue until 17 weeks of age, then they become orange tint. It is extremely rare that the eye color of adult wolves remains blue.
- Thanks to long scientific experiments A hybrid of a wolf and a dog was bred. Breeds such as the Sarlosa and the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog are recognized throughout the world.
- During the Middle Ages, the predator was considered a servant dark forces. Many legends, traditions and fairy tales were composed using his image. The most popular is the werewolf or werewolf.
- Wolves almost never attack humans. If this happens, the animal most likely has rabies.
- Many coats of arms of the European nobility were decorated with the image of a wolf. High-ranking officials believed that their family appeared thanks to werewolves.
- In order for the battle to be successful, the Vikings put on the skins of predators before it began and also drank their blood.
- Wolf land. This is what Ireland was called in the 17th century because of the numerous wolf packs that lived on its lands.
- When favorable weather conditions The predator is able to hear a sound at a distance of 17 km on the plain.
- The wolf is extremely difficult to tame. The dream of having a predator in your home who will guard the territory cannot be realized. Wolves are afraid of people, so they will hide from strangers rather than defend their territory.
- "Lupus" literally means "red wolf." Doctors in the past believed that this autoimmune disease occurred after being bitten by a predator.
- The animal swims well. It can cover a distance of 14 km thanks to small membranes located between the fingers.
- Hitler really liked wolves. He gave many of his military headquarters code names related to the name of the predator.
- The dire wolf is a prehistoric animal whose main prey was mammoths.
- The raven is often called the "wolf bird". This name was given to him due to his habit of following a predator. The bird eats the remains of the caught prey, and also uses the canids as protection.
- The Aztecs pierced the chest of a dying person with a sharp wolf bone. It was believed that death could be prevented in this way.
- Predator liver powder was used in medieval Europe during childbirth.
- Eating wolf meat can turn you into a vampire. This is exactly what the Greeks thought.
- The Cherokees never hunted this predator. They believed that the weapon used to kill the animal would “go bad.” They were also afraid of revenge from the brothers of the dead wolf.
- The predator has well-developed facial expressions. He uses it to communicate with his relatives.
- “Great God” is a translation of the word wolf from Japanese.
In India, primitive traps in the form of a pit with sharpened sticks at the bottom are used to catch predators.
The wolf is the only animal that can go into battle against a stronger opponent. If he lost the battle, then last breath looks into the eyes of the enemy, after which he dies.
And some more interesting facts about wolves:
- Under certain weather conditions, wolves can hear sounds at a distance of 9 kilometers in the forest, and at a distance of 16 km. in open areas.
- The Vikings wore wolf skins and drank wolf blood before battle, which they took with them, to raise their morale.
- The earliest images of wolves were found in caves in southern Europe; they are more than 20,000 years old.
- It is impossible to tame a wolf and make it a guard dog, he is afraid strangers and will hide from them, and not bark.
- The autoimmune disease lupus, or tuberculosis of the skin, literally means “red wolf” because in the eighteenth century doctors believed that the disease developed after a wolf bite.
- Wolves distinguish about 200 million shades of smell, people only 5 million. The wolf family is able to smell the smell of other animals at a distance of 1.5 kilometers.
- Wolf puppies always have blue eyes at birth. They turn yellow only at eight months.
- The gestation period of a she-wolf is about 65 days. Wolf puppies are born deaf and blind, and weigh only half a kilogram.
- Wolves were once the most common land predators, the only places where they did not live were deserts and tropical forests.
- Enormous pressure is created by the teeth in the cleft palate, approximately 300 kilograms per square centimeter (compared to 150 kg/cm^2 in a dog).
- The North American gray wolf population in 1600 was 2 million. Today there are no more than 65 thousand of them left in North America.
- A hungry wolf can eat 10 kilograms of meat in one sitting, which is like a man eating a hundred hamburgers in one sitting.
- A wolf pack can consist of two or three individuals, or maybe ten times more
- Wolves are descended from ancient animals called "Mesocyon", which lived about 35 million years ago. It was a small animal, similar to a dog, with short legs and a long body. Perhaps they, like wolves, lived in packs.
- Wolves can swim up to 13 kilometers, using small membranes between their toes to help them move in the water.
- Between 1883 and 1918, more than 80 thousand wolves were killed in the US state of Montana alone.
- Adolf Hitler (whose name means "leading wolf") was fascinated by wolves and sometimes demanded to be called "Mr. Wolf" or "Conductor Wolf" as a pseudonym. "Wolf's Gulch" (Wolfsschlucht), "Wolf's Lair" (Wolfschanze) and "Werewolf" ( Wehrwolf) were with Hitler code names for various military headquarters.
- In the 1600s, Ireland was called "Wolfland" because there were so many wolves there at the time. Wolf hunting was the most popular sport among the nobility, who used wolfhounds to locate the wolf and kill it.
- Biologists have found that wolves will react to people imitating wolf howl. It would be strange if it were different...
- In 1927, a French policeman was convicted of shooting a boy he thought was a werewolf. That same year, the last wild wolf was killed in France.
- When Europeans arrived in North America, the wolf became the most popular animal hunting game of all time. American history. These animals were on the verge of extinction at the beginning of the 20th century. The US federal government even adopted a wolf eradication program in western states in 1915.
- Dire wolves (“canis dirus”) are one of the representatives of prehistoric wolves that lived in North America about two million years ago. They hunted mainly for prey of such size as mammoths.
- Wolves can run at a speed of 32 km/h for a minute or two, and in moments of danger or persecution - up to 56 km/h. It has been observed that throughout the day they run at a “trot” (approximately 8 km/h) and can travel at this speed throughout the day.
- The smallest representatives of wolves live in the Middle East, where they reach a mass of no more than 30 kilograms. The largest wolf individuals live in Canada, Alaska, and Russia, where they gain weight up to 80 kilograms.
- Wolves use howls to communicate with disunited members of their group to rally before a hunt, or to warn rival packs to stay away from them. Lone wolves howl to attract mates or simply because they are alone. In fact, the wolf howl lasts no more than 5 seconds, just because of the echo it seems that the sound is longer.
- The reflective layer in a wolf's eyes is called "tapetum lucidum" (Latin for "bright tapestry"), it glows in the dark and also contributes to the animal's night vision.
- Where wolves live, there are often ravens (sometimes called "wolf birds"). Crows often follow packs of wolves to finish off the remains of the hunt, and also use wolves as protection.
- According to Pliny the Elder, a first-century Greek scholar, the she-wolf rubs her pups' gums with her tongue to ease pain when they emerge. He also believed that wolf dung could be used to treat stomach colic and cataracts.
- The Aztecs used wolf liver in the treatment of melancholy as an ingredient in medicine. In addition, they pricked the dying person's chest with a sharpened wolf bone in an attempt to delay the date of death.
- In the Middle Ages, Europeans used wolf liver powders to relieve pain during childbirth.
- The Greeks believed that if someone ate the meat of a wolf, which kills lambs, then they were at high risk of becoming a vampire.
- The Cherokee Indians did not hunt wolves because they believed that the brothers of those killed would take revenge on them. In addition, the weapon that was used to kill the wolf was considered “damaged.”
- The British King Edgard introduced a special annual tax of 300 skins for Wales, as a result of which the Welsh wolf population was quickly destroyed.
- In 1500 the last wild wolf was killed in England, in 1700 in Ireland, and in 1772 on Danish soil.
- Germany became the first country to place the wolf population under conservation laws in 1934. Under the influence of Friedrich Nietzsche (b.1844-d.1900) and Oswald Spengler (b.1880-d.1936), society became convinced that natural predators mattered much more than their after-kill value. By the way, in Germany all wild wolves were exterminated by the mid-nineteenth century.
- Unlike other animals, wolves have a number of distinctive facial movements that they use to communicate and maintain relationships within the pack.
- In Japanese, the word wolf is characterized as “great god.”
- Between 6,000 and 7,000 wolf pelts are still traded worldwide each year. They are supplied mainly from Russia, Mongolia and China, and are most often used for sewing coats.
- In India, simple traps are still used to catch wolves. These traps are pits camouflaged with branches and leaves. The wolves fall into the pit on sharp stakes, and the people finish them off from above with stones.
- Wolves were the first animals to be listed under the Endangered Species Act in 1973.
- John Milton's famous poem "Lycidas" takes its name from the Greek "wolf cub" lykideus.
- In the world of Harry Potter, there was a werewolf, Remus Lupin, whose name is directly related to the Latin word “lupus,” but his surname most likely came from Remus, the founder of Rome, who was raised by wolves.
- The last wolf in Yellowstone Park was killed in 1926. In 1995, people managed to restore the wolf population, and ten years later, approximately 136 wolves roam the park in 13 packs.
- Currently there are about 50 thousand wolves in Canada and Alaska, 6500 in the USA. On the European continent, in Italy - less than 300, in Spain about 2000, in Norway and Sweden - less than 80. There are about 700 wolves in Poland, and 70 thousand in Russia.
Gray Wolf / Gray Wolf / 2008 USA. The gray wolf is a hunter as fast as the wind, the real king of the steppes of Mongolia. It is not surprising that it was he who became the symbol of Genghis Khan.
Doc. film from Discovery. Wolves at out door.
BBC. Cannibals. Episode 3. Wolves of Gysing. BBC: Manhunters. The Man-Eating Wolves of Gysinge.
World of nature. Wolves of the Indian desert. 2004 Desert Wolves of India.
Wolf law. Prima note presents: the fate of four wolf cubs left without a mother.
Wolf season. Prima-note presents: A film without words about life wild wolves at different times of the year.
The path of the wolf. Director, screenwriter - I. Byshnev.
Film for children: A she-wolf named Daya. 2008 Belarus. Director: Igor Byshnev.
Is there some more Feature Film: The Vesyegonskaya She-Wolf, filmed in Russia in 2004, reviews say it’s worth watching.
It seems there are already more than enough films :) But perhaps you will also be interested in books: the stories “The Wolf of Winnipeg” and “Lobo” by E. Seton-Thompson. And also an interesting and informative story "
There are about seven distinct species of wolves, and another seventeen (or so) varieties of gray wolf, making a total of about 24 species that can be found throughout the world.
Wolf- typical predator, which obtains food independently by actively searching for and pursuing victims. Everywhere, the basis of wolves' diet is made up of ungulates: in the tundra - wild and domestic reindeer; in the forest zone - moose, roe deer, wild pigs, domestic sheep, cows, horses; near the steppe and desert - antelopes of various species and sheep; in the mountains there are wild and domestic goats.
Arctic (Polar) wolf
polar Wolf (Canis lupus tundrarum) is one of the rarest animals
on our planet. The polar wolf's habitat is the Arctic. The wolf is well adapted to the harsh Arctic climate. Its thick, warm, windproof coat helps it survive in extreme temperatures. The wolf has sharp eyesight and an excellent sense of smell, which are indispensable in hunting the small living creatures that inhabit these harsh places. Meager supplies of biological food and difficulties in obtaining food lead to the fact that the wolf eats its prey entirely, leaving neither the skin nor bones of the caught animals after the meal. Having average weight from 60 to 80 kg with a height of up to 80 centimeters, the polar wolf is able to survive without food for several weeks in the event of an unsuccessful hunt, but then can eat up to 10 kilograms of meat at one time. Polar wolves live in packs of up to 10 individuals and hunt polar hares, reindeer and other animals. In one litter of a she-wolf, approximately 3 to 5 cubs are born. The unique fur of the polar wolf has always attracted increased attention from hunters, which has brought the polar wolf to the brink of extinction. Due to global warming and melting polar ice numbers polar wolves continues to decline also due to sudden changes in the climate of its usual habitats. Currently, the polar wolf is listed in the Red Book, and hunting it is prohibited. Red Wolf
Red Wolf– a rare species included in the IUCN Red Book and the Red Book of the Russian Federation. In Russia it is endangered. Hunting is allowed in India, but only with licenses. Externally, this animal has a peculiar appearance - the features of a gray wolf, fox and jackal are mixed. 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, and on its chest, belly, and the inside of its legs, which are cream-colored. The long fluffy tail is similar to a fox's, it is darker than the rest of the body, almost black at the end. The head shows a dark pattern around the eyes and on the nose. The red wolf is a predator; it feeds mainly on wild animals, but in the summer it also consumes plant foods, namely mountain rhubarb. This plant is always found in dens with puppies. It is believed that wolves feed them to small wolf cubs, regurgitating half-digested rhubarb inflorescences. Sometimes they eat carrion. Wolves hunt in packs of 15-20 individuals and act very harmoniously, which allows them to catch even a large animal, for example, a buffalo. Thanks to their endurance, they drive their prey to exhaustion, after which its fate is sealed. Red wolves are quite talkative animals. Wakeful animals almost constantly emit a quiet whine, apparently maintaining communication with other members of the pack. In India, red caps reproduce within six months. The duration of pregnancy in females is 60-68 days. The average litter size is 4-6 puppies. The wolf cubs are dark brown in color, blind, weighing 200-350 g. The pups leave the hole at 70-80 days, and at seven months they already participate in collective hunting. Sexual maturity occurs at 2-3 years. Life expectancy in captivity is about 16 years. In captivity this period is much shorter.
Tasmanian marsupial wolf
Marsupial wolf or thylacine, as it is otherwise known, is officially considered an extinct animal. According to official data, the last wild representative of this species was killed in 1930, and the last one kept in captivity in a private zoo died of old age in 1936. But there is still a possibility that the marsupial wolf still managed to survive in the wilderness of Tasmania (where it once thrived). But so far not a single animal has been caught or even photographed. But scientists do not lose hope. In 1999, scientists from the National Australian Museum, based in Sydney, issued a press statement announcing the start of an ambitious project to create a clone of the thylacine. The scientists intended to use the DNA of marsupial wolf pups that had been preserved in alcohol. DNA was extracted, but, alas, the samples turned out to be damaged and unsuitable for the experiment. The project was suspended. But in 2008, scientists managed to “revive” one of the marsupial wolf genes and “embed” it into a mouse embryo. So who is this marsupial wolf? Marsupial wolf (Tasmanian wolf or marsupial tiger) is a mammal, the only one in the thylacine family. Its first studies and descriptions date back to 1808. These descriptions were made by a certain Harris, he was an amateur naturalist. His work was published by the Linnean Society of London. The thylacine was one of the largest carnivorous marsupials in the world. The length of its body reached one and a half meters, and even more with its tail. Height at the withers is approximately sixty centimeters. The weight of the marsupial wolf was twenty to twenty-five kilograms. But the most amazing thing about his appearance was his mouth - elongated and elongated, it could open as much as 120 degrees. Famous interesting fact that when the wolf yawned, his jaws formed a straight line (well, almost a straight line).
Maned wolf
Maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus ) or guar, aguarachai gets its name from the long hair that adorns its shoulders and neck, reminiscent of a horse's mane. The maned wolf's habitat is primarily the savannas of South America, but it can also be found in Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Uruguay and Northern Argentina, where it lives in the pampas and along the edges of swamps overgrown with tall grass. Lean and light maned wolf has a red coat color, an elongated muzzle and has big ears, which makes it look very distant big fox. The body length of the maned wolf, from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail, is approximately 160 cm, the height of the wolf at the shoulders reaches, on average, 75 cm, and the weight varies from 20 to 23 kilograms. Aguarachay is the tallest of all known species wolves. The long legs help the maned wolf locate prey over the tall grasses that cover savannas and wetlands. The wolf hunts, as a rule, alone, and its prey is mainly small animals, such as agouti, pacu, various birds and reptiles. The wolf also eats fruits and other plant foods, carries poultry, and is capable of attacking sheep when gathering in flocks. Auarachai live in pairs, but rarely contact each other. Maned wolf cubs have a black coat color and are born in winter, 2-3 cubs per litter. Aguarachai or maned wolves are listed as endangered on the International Red List of Threatened Species. Currently, there is no immediate threat of extinction, but the maned wolf still remains a very rare animal.
Melville Island wolf
Melville Island wolf (Canis lupus arctos), also called Ellesmere or arctic wolf, lives in North America on a group of Arctic islands and in the northern part of Greenland. The Melville Island wolf is slightly smaller in size than the common wolf, and its length, from ears to tip of tail, varies from 90 to 180 cm. The wolf reaches a maximum height of 69-79 cm, with a weight of about 45 kg, although especially large , adult males can weigh about 80 kg. Melville fur island wolf usually light white or greyish. A wolf's ears are small, which helps it efficiently expend heat in low temperatures. For more successful hunting, Melville wolves unite in packs of 5-10 individuals. The main hunting objects of the Melville Island wolf are reindeer and musk oxen, to which Wolf Pack uses driven hunting tactics, attacking mainly weakened prey that cannot offer strong resistance. The wolf's food also includes arctic hares, lemmings and, occasionally, moose. Permafrost is a significant obstacle that makes it difficult for the wolf to arrange and dig a den, so wolves use the natural landscape and place their homes in rock ledges, caves or small depressions. The Melville Island wolf gives birth to few cubs, 2-3 cubs per litter, which is largely due to the harsh living conditions in the Arctic climate.
Japanese wolf
Japanese wolfbelongs to the class of mammals and the order of carnivores. The name Japanese wolf comes from two subspecies of the common wolf family (Canis lupus), which once lived on the islands of Japan. In the worldwide classification, the Japanese wolf belongs to the Hokkaido wolf (Canis lupus hattai). He is also known as Ezo, a wolf who lived on the island of Hokkaido. And the second subspecies is the Hondos wolf or Honshu wolf (Canis lupus hodophilax). Today, both species are considered extinct. In terms of external dimensions, Hokkaido was much larger than a wolf Honshu, and in parameters approaching the size of an ordinary wolf. In 1889, this subspecies became extinct due to the increased settlement of the island for the construction of farms, during the Meiji restoration. The existing Meiji Government determined a reward for anyone who brought the head of a killed wolf, thereby organizing a campaign to exterminate them.
Lyry Wolf
Lyre wolffound exclusively in South America
Newfoundland Wolf - Officially extinct in 1911
Newfoundland Wolf (Canis lupus beothucus) The Newfoundland wolf lived on an island off Newfoundland on the east coast of Canada. The color was light with a dark stripe along the ridge. Dimensions were an average of 5.5 feet (from nose to tip of tail). Diet consisted of: Caribou (as reindeer are called in Canada), beavers, voles and other rodents. Hunting and fur trapping in the region led to the complete extinction of this species in 1911. The extinction was also influenced by factors such as a severe food shortage in 1900, which led to a sharp decline in the caribou population.
Ethiopian Wolf
Ethiopian Wolf- a wolf, very similar to a fox. This species is endangered; for its fur, which has no analogues (the color of the fur can reach yellow), this animal is widely hunted.
Mackensen Wolf
Mackensen Wolf- also known as Mountain Wolf, Alaskan or Canadian forest. A direct relative of our timber wolf, but due to specific habitat conditions it has thicker fur and a whitish color that remains even in summer.
There are six subspecies of wolves found in Russia:
Tundra wolf, Central Russian forest wolf, Siberian forest wolf, Steppe wolf, Caucasian wolf, Mongolian wolf.
Central Russian forest wolf
Contrary to popular belief, it is this wolf that reaches its maximum size on the Eurasian continent, and not the tundra one. The coloring is classic, and not lightened, like the tundra. The body length of adult Central Russian forest wolves can exceed 160 cm, and the height at the shoulders can reach 1 meter. Of course, such dimensions can only apply to very large individuals. It is generally accepted that on average an adult male weighs 40 - 45 kg, a mature male (about 1 year and 8 months old) weighs about 35 kg, and a mature male (8 months old) weighs 25 kg. She-wolves weigh 15 - 20% less. Anyone who is familiar with old hunting literature, or who has been to “wolf” corners and talked with local residents, has probably read or heard about huge wolves. How much weight can wolves reach? For Central Russia, scientific works indicate a maximum weight in the range of 69 - 80 kg. (Ognev, Zvorykin). And here are the results of weighing specific animals. For the Moscow region - a male weighing 76 kg, the largest of the 250 wolves caught by the wolf hunter V.M. Hartuleri, famous in the thirties and forties of the last century. For Altai - a male weighing 72 kg. The wolf, stuffed of which is in the Moscow State University zoo museum, weighed 80 kg (5 pounds). According to N.D. Sysoev, head of the state hunting inspection of the Vladimir region, in the period from 1951 to 1963, 641 wolves were killed, of which 17 were especially large. Among these animals greatest mass had: from males - 79 kg, caught in the Sobinsky region, from females - 62 kg. The footprint of the right front paw of this huge, almost eighty-kilogram animal had a length of 16 and a width of 10 cm. It must be said that wolves of even larger sizes are indicated for Ukraine - 92 kg from the Lugansk region and 96 kg from the Chernigov region, but the conditions for determining the mass of these animals are unknown. The Central Russian forest wolf lives throughout the forest and forest-steppe zones of the European part of Russia, and probably penetrates into Western Siberia. In the north, it is quite possible for it to enter the forest-tundra, however, in the same way as the tundra into the taiga.
Common wolf, gray (Canis lupus) is different high development nervous system and especially acute hearing and smell. High mental development The wolf, combined with great strength, exceptional endurance and the ability to adapt to various conditions of existence, is the reason that, so persistently persecuted by man from the beginning to the present day, it has not yet been exterminated.
Brief description of the wolf
The gray wolf is one of the most dangerous animals in Ukraine. Belongs to the canine family. The body length of a common wolf is over 120 cm. Males are always larger than females. Outwardly, gray wolves resemble shepherds, but are characterized by characteristics that are characteristic only of wolves. The head is large, broad-browed, the neck is short and inactive, the muzzle is massive and elongated. The eyes are light brown, placed obliquely. The brow ridges are convex, making the eyes appear sunken and larger than those of dogs.
The strong, high scruff of the neck and the gray wolf's habit of tucking its hind legs give the impression that the dorsal part of its strong body is tilted towards the tail, and the powerful wide chest is separated from the tucked belly. The forelimbs of ordinary wolves, although slender, are muscular and strong. The gray wolf never throws his evenly fluffy tail over his back; it always hangs like a log.
The fur color of a wolf in summer is reddish, much darker along the back and almost halfway up the tail. In winter, the rusty-reddish shades in the hair of an ordinary wolf disappear, and the color becomes brownish-gray, lighter on the abdominal part.
Wolf habitat
Common wolves are distributed unevenly on the territory of Ukraine: there are more of them in the forest areas of northern Polesie and the Carpathian mountain ranges, they are less common in the forest-steppe zone and steppe regions, are absent in Crimea. Typical forest dwellers, gray wolves have long adapted to life in cultivated landscapes. Particularly favorite habitats are thickets of bushes in semi-dry swamps, among forests.
Common wolves are active mainly at dusk and at night and can only occasionally be seen during the day. However, where they are not pursued, they hunt during the day. In the dark, wolves see much better than other canines.
Diet of common wolves
The gray wolf is a typical predator that obtains its own food, actively searching for and tirelessly pursuing its prey. The basis of nutrition for common wolves is wild boars, deer, roe deer, domestic ungulates, etc. In pursuit of them, wolves can reach running speeds of up to 80 kilometers per hour. Gray wolves also hunt small animals, especially hares, ground squirrels, mouse-shaped rodents, waterfowl and other birds nesting on the ground. As an exception, the gray wolf's diet includes berries, wild and garden fruits.
Wolves breeding
Gray wolves make their dens for raising babies in secluded places provided with food resources. They are building it is found in a shallow hole, a depression under the root of an inverted tree among a windfall, in a wide bush of thorny bushes, or in a depression on the ground among dense reed thickets, always near a reservoir. IN mountainous areas Common wolves make their dens in rocky cliffs, rock crevices, caves or rubble.
Once a year, in mid-March or early April, after a 62-64-day pregnancy, the she-wolf often gives birth to five or six blind, deaf, toothless wolf cubs, which develop rapidly and are even able to crawl out of the den at three weeks of age. At the age of one month they are fed by burping, that is, small pieces half-digested meat swallowed by parents. In June-July, old wolves already teach wolf cubs to get food on their own. In autumn (late September - October) young gray wolves baby teeth are replaced by permanent teeth. From this time on, the cubs actively help the old wolves hunt.
Why is the gray wolf dangerous?
Common wolves are dangerous predators. Until recently, they caused great losses to our economy. Having settled near settlements, gray wolves attack domestic animals and dogs. They are especially dangerous in hunting grounds. The gray wolf, covering long distances every night, regardless of whether he is hungry or not, destroys all the game he encounters on his way, and much more than he can eat. In addition, gray wolves are the main distributors incurable disease– rabies.
Despite the fact that the gray wolf is a game animal, the cost of its skin is low compared to the harm it causes. This is the most harmful predator of the fauna of Ukraine. The persistent fight against this predator, which is carried out in Ukraine during all seasons of the year, has greatly reduced its number and, compared with the last century, the harm from wolves is not of a threatening nature. However, in Lately In connection with the establishment of the sanitary significance of the common wolf in nature, the fight against this predator was significantly weakened, and, naturally, the number of wolves increased again. Now there is a need to strengthen control over the number of gray wolves, both in Ukraine and throughout the CIS.
A short video about gray wolves shows how smart and resilient these animals are, and how they communicate in a pack. Also see how wolves in a pack hunt ungulates, helping each other.