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Wolves (Canis), the genus of carnivorous mammals canine or wolf (Canidae), including wolves, dogs, coyotes (meadow wolf), and according to many experts, and jackals. Actually wolf (C. lupus), also called gray - a great hunter and one of the most intelligent animals. In the past, the total area of many of its geographic distribution covers almost the entire Northern Hemisphere, but today the competition with a man drove the beast in hard to reach places. Red wolf (C. rufus), sometimes considered a subspecies of the gray - smaller animals reddish-gray color that occurs in the southern US.
The average height of a wolf at the withers approx. 90 cm, length 120 cm without the tail, and the weight of 45 kg, although some individuals can weigh up to 90 kg. Shaggy coat, usually gray, but in the Arctic almost white. The ears are relatively small - this is the same adaptation to cold winters, as well as bushy tail, which during sleep in the snow beast covers bare soles of the feet and nose. Exhaled warm air, lingering among the long hair of the tail, warms the whole body.
It is believed that wolves are paired for life. The breeding season they have - ranyaya spring. Pregnancy lasts for about two months, puppies, covered with short blackish-brown fur, usually born in May. In the litter of six pups often, but it happens and 14. After 9 days, they open the big blue eyes that would soon fade. First limbs grow faster than the rest of the body, and the cubs look very leggy. In the age of three months they begin to learn hunting techniques. By 18 months of the wolf reaches its maximum size, but in the female sexual maturity comes only two years, and males - three. The family does not break up two years, even if the wolf gives birth again. Lair is usually arranged under the ground and may be a hole of up to 9 m.
Howling Wolf very peculiar - long, with modulations depending on the situation. Usually it is a hunting call, published in the twilight, when the beast is ready to harassment production. Large flocks of wolves do not hunt, usually only in family groups. American race shows the speed up to 40 km / h; Russian faster - up to 56 km / h. Wolf makes a jump of 4.8 m. The prey is almost every animal - from mice to deer, but the basis of the diet - rodents and lagomorphs. Earlier in America wolves followed the herds of bison, eating stragglers, sick and dead animals. Very voracious predator - at one time he eats up to 8 kg of meat, which he does not lack for a few days.
Sometimes Eskimos bred wolves with dogs to improve the breed - adding to her "wolf blood." Captive-bred wolves can become quite tame.