El wolf, carnivorous animal belonging to the group of canids. All domestic dogs are descended from wolves, so in some ways they share some of their genetics, although there are some breeds that are much closer to wolves than others. In the past, there were a large number of wolves, the packs were extensive and solid.
History and present of the wolf
The wolf is one of the most widely distributed mammalian animals in the world, this means that they can be seen in different areas of North America, Europe and Asia. However, at present, although the wolves remain distributed in the same places as before, their habitat has been reduced, mainly due to the influence of man since they have been responsible for destroying and invading their habitat, in addition to Therefore, they are a latent threat when both species are in the same place.
Within Europe, Asia and some countries in America, such as Mexico and the United States, the reduction in the population of wolves has been seriously affected and reduced, this is because they have to share territory with man and therefore many they have ended up being poisoned, hunted and have even died being run over by accident.
Not too long ago, between 1982 and 1994, wolves were in serious danger of extinction. However, the changes that have been made within the laws for the protection and conservation of species, and some other factors, have contributed positively to the slowdown in the population decline of these animals.
Even now, it has been decided to relocate the wolves or reintroduce them to those habitats that were previously their domain, in this way, a significant percentage of the species and its populations have been recovered, especially in Europe and the United States.
In 1996, the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) announced that, although they were still at risk, it had gone from being critical to only being found as a vulnerable and endangered species. At present, the protection of these animals is usually very varied, since in some places, wolves have come within the protection law and have been classified as protected animals. However, in other places, these dogs are hunted and killed because they are a risk to livestock and domestic animals in some populations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMDZAO_hqQA
Today, the wolf is not considered a seriously endangered species, it is threatened but the danger is very small, even so, in some US areas, they are classified as endangered or very vulnerable animals, because their population, it constantly decreases even when you try to recover it.
The wolf, for many years, has been hunted by humans, either with the excuse that they are a threat to livestock, domestic animals or simply as an abominable sport. The human being does not seem to realize that it is he himself who is a terrible threat to the planet in general.
Thanks to the adaptability of these Vertebrate animals, these can be found in various ecosystems, since being predatory animals, they do not need a specific diet that makes them have to be in a certain ecosystem. Furthermore, thanks to this adaptability, it has been relatively easy to remove the species from the critically endangered list. We can find wolves within mountainous, forested ecosystems, in tundras, prairies and even in arctic areas.
wolf anatomy
The weight and size of wolves could vary depending on where they live and the species in question. According to what Bergmann's rule says, while the latitude where a wolf lives is greater, the weight and size of the wolf will also be greater. Studies of the species have shown that this rule is true.
In general, wolves can measure between one meter and 1.30 meters from the ground to the shoulders, and their weight can be between 30 and 70 kilos, however, we must take into account the above, these values will vary depending of the area where they live. There are records from Alaska and Canada where wolves weighing up to 77 kilograms have been found, however, this is not very common.
The heaviest wild specimen ever found was indeed within Alaska and it weighed 80 kg. There are people who claim that in Russia, wolves weighing up to 100 kilos have been hunted, however, these stories have never been verified, much less confirmed, therefore, it is not taken as an official reference.
There is a subspecies of wolves from the Arabs that can be very small compared to the others. An adult wolf of this subspecies can usually weigh approximately 10 kilograms. In general, female wolves always tend to weigh 20% less than dogs of the opposite gender.
The tail of the wolves, in general, measure a third of the total size of their body, being that these animals can measure between 1,3 and 2 meters long, from the tip of the tail to their snout. When wolves stand on their two hind legs, they can easily be larger than the average human.
El wolf animal that has a perfect anatomy to be able to make long trips. These animals are capable of traveling a considerable number of kilometers maintaining a smooth trotting speed that is approximately equivalent to 10 kilometers per hour. However, if required, these animals can reach a maximum speed of about 65 kilometers per hour, especially when chasing their prey. Another thing is that, when running at maximum speed, they can jump and cover a distance of 5 meters.
Wolves have perfectly designed legs so that they can walk without any difficulty on the different existing soils, however, their greatest advantage is on snow, wolves are very good at walking and running on snow-covered soils, which It gives a great advantage over its possible prey.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFbwfFi5358
All wolves have slightly longer hind legs than front legs, which allows them to travel greater distances when running or jumping. In addition to this, they have a fifth finger on the front legs that also has a claw. The claws of these animals are usually dark in color and cannot be retracted, unlike some breeds of domestic dogs.
The hairs that are found around the paw pads of the wolves are erect, this together with their straight-tipped claws, mean that they can have better stability even on slippery floors such as frozen waters or melting snow. . Besides, these animals have special blood vessels in their legs, which do not allow their pads to get too cold when these animals walk on winter floors.
All wolves have a kind of gland that helps them keep in constant contact with the rest of their pack, that is, it secretes a unique scent that, despite the fact that one of the members of the pack is at a considerable distance. exploring, the rest of your group can know exactly where you are. We could say that it is a kind of special location for wolves.
The wolf has unique characteristics that make it perfectly differentiated from the rest of the animals that belong to the canid group. Wolves generally have yellowish or amber eyes, long and much larger legs, and also have much larger teeth than any other species of dog.
wolf teeth
Wolves have strong teeth that make it easier for them to eat their prey. In the upper part of their mouth, they have 6 incisors, 2 canines, 8 premolars and 4 molars, while in the lower part they have two more molars than in the upper part, that is, they have one more on the right side and one more on the left. left side. 4 of the 8 upper premolars, as well as the 2 lower first molars, are used especially to be able to tear the meat of their prey.
In the case of the 4 canines, commonly known as fangs, they are of great importance since they serve to penetrate the skin of the prey and be able to keep it captured in its mouth. That is why, if a wolf in the wild, has any damage to its teeth or jaw, the animal could be in serious trouble since it would have difficulty eating and could become incapacitated, or worse, die of hunger.
wolf fur
The fur of these animals is abundant, which usually makes it look much more robust than it really is. The fur of the wolves has a double layer, the first one fulfills the function of being waterproof, that is, it tries not to allow water to pass through and reach the second layer, in the same way that it happens with the dirty that can stick to his fur.
The second layer is usually much more dense and thick, in this way, your skin is much more protected from the water that can pass through the first layer, since the second prevents it from passing further.
When summer or spring arrives, wolves begin to shed their hair, as they must lose excess hair to avoid overheating. For this reason, wolves can be seen rubbing their bodies on different surfaces, in this way, they manage to accelerate the molting process and at the same time, it helps them to remove the fur that is already loose.
The internal coat or second layer is almost always gray, while the external coat can have a variety of colors that identify each of the specimens. The coat of wolves tends to be different when they are in summer or when they are in winter, however, during the remaining seasons, it will be a loose mixture of these two coat styles.
The color of the fur of the wolves is very varied, it can go from the purest white, to the darkest black. Some specimens have reddish, coppery, brown and gray fur. However, there are some that have a mixture of various colors on their fur, which indicates a mixture between them. Although it is not very common, some packs of wolves have been seen where their members have a similar color of fur.
In some cases, the color that a wolf's fur can have can be different depending on the environment where it lives, because in this way, it can adapt and maintain a low profile when it is hunting or stalking its prey. That is why most of the wolves with white or light fur are found in arctic areas. It would not be good for a dog with pure white fur to find itself stalking prey in a completely green meadow, as it will be detected almost immediately.
Many people believe that the color that wolves have in their hair helps them maintain perfect camouflage, however this is a mistaken belief. The reality is that the color and pattern of the fur of these wolves, like that of other canids, is a sample of the personality of each individual, that is, it was not created to blend in with their environment. Although, the truth is, that it can be a small advantage in some cases.
Most wolf pups will be born having a slightly darker coat color than it will be in adulthood, their eyes will initially be blue, which will change to yellow, gold or orange when they are between 2 and 4 months of life. However, there are some wolves that, when they grow up, retain the blue color of their eyes, although it is not a normal characteristic of these animals, some cases have been seen.
wolf ethology
In general, she-wolves take between 60 and 65 to gestate their young. When the puppies are born, they are completely vulnerable, since they are born lacking the sense of hearing and sight. A female can have between 4 and XNUMX cubs in each litter, although there are some exceptions. The mother keeps her young inside the burrows during the first three weeks of life, which are the most critical.
By the time the pup is five weeks old, they are able to come out and look outside the burrow. When they complete seven weeks, they will be able to leave it and explore the lands never before known. The alpha female in the morning will choose a female wolf as the nanny of the pups, who will be in charge of watching over her when she or the other mothers go hunting.
Some wolf breeds tend to have the entire pack raise the pups and teach them everything they need to know. They take turns caring for them and educating them. Some other breeds, though, leave the job to the broodmare or designated babysitter. From an early age, pups are taught to communicate by howling. When they do it correctly, their keepers will give them rewards or praise their achievement. The howl of each wolf will vary depending on the rank they will occupy in the pack.
When the hatchlings are 8 weeks old, they are moved to a larger, safer place. That is when they begin to change the color of their fur and eyes. At that time they are much more restless and curious, which is why, when the pack goes hunting, one of the members will stay with the cubs to take care of them and make sure they are safe.
At this point, the cubs will accompany the adults to the hunting areas as observers, they will learn from their elders all about the art of hunting. Every hatchling has priority when it comes to eating, regardless of its rank. When the pups reach 8 months and are big enough and capable enough to hunt, they can be part of the team and participate with the others.
Wolves are sexually mature when they reach their second or third year of life, that is when they begin to mate and have their own young.
feeding of the wolves
The wolf is one of many Carnivorous animals, so their main diet is other medium-sized or large animals, including deer, horses, maples, sheep, antelope and other similar animals. Depending on their environment, their prey will be different, an example would be those wolves that live in the arctic, they usually feed on seals, dead whales on the sea shore and other marine animals that they can hunt or eat if they die.
There are records where wolves can be observed committing cannibalism against their own species, this occurs especially in places where food is too scarce, so they begin to live with the "survival of the fittest" method.
When a wolf lives alone, they generally tend to hunt small prey that don't require a big chase or pack strategies. They jump on their prey and catch it between their legs. However, there are records where lone wolves can be seen hunting large prey while being completely alone, it is not very common but it can happen depending on the wolf's capabilities.
Hierarchy of Wolves
Every pack of wolves has a hierarchy that gives each member a specific job. Previously, people thought that this hierarchy was decided by the hunting ability of each member. However, currently, the wolves investigation reveals that this organization is more closely related to the ability of pack members to reproduce.
The highest rank is held by the alpha male and female. This rank is not at all similar to what many humans consider to be "a leader." Although the alphas do have certain advantages and freedoms, especially at mealtimes, they are in charge of imposing order, resolving conflicts and keeping the entire command united, safe and in accordance with what is done daily. Alpha wolves are usually a couple. In some packs there is monogamy between them, although there are exceptions.
The number of wolves that a pack contains will vary depending on the resources that the wolves have within their environment, the habitat in which they live and the personalities of the leaders or other members. Cases of herds made up of up to 20 members have been seen, however, the most common is to see groups of 8 or nine members.
In some cases, wolves kill their weakest members, that is, those pups that are born with limiting deficiencies or disabilities. It also happens with those adult wolves that are badly injured or seriously ill.
Although many people raise these Exotic animals, is not recommended, because we must never forget that they are wild and that, despite their similarity to the dog, the wolf, is not a domestic animal.
Wolf attack on humans
In general, wolves are skittish around humans, although this will depend a lot on their past experiences with humans. Those wolves that live in spacious habitats, there are sufficient resources, and where human contact is minimal like wolf hunting, generally tend to stay away from humans. Cases have even been seen where the animal abandons its hunt or its prey when it feels that a human is approaching the place.
There are several causes that can cause a wolf to attack a human, one of the biggest is vulnerability or fear, because the wolf knows that the human nearby means danger. In addition, it can also happen a lot when a human is near a she-wolf with cubs, they are usually overprotective and attack everything they consider dangerous to their young. Some other wolves attack humans due to lack of food, because they are infected with rabies, by mistake or because the human in question is accompanied by a dog that triggers the wolf's aggressiveness.
However, the information about wolves that has been compiled for years, shows that it is not often that a wolf attacks a human, in fact, studies show that, among all carnivorous animals, one of the species with the lowest rate of attacks against humans are wolves . There are many other species that have killed far more humans for whatever reason.
