Many owners of four-legged friends do not think about what type of dog they are. Dog handlers and biologists can answer this question. According to the scientific classification, dogs, regardless of breed, belong to the domain of eukaryotes, the animal kingdom, the subkingdom of metazoans, the phylum of chordates, the class of mammals, the order of Carnivores, the canine family, the genus of wolves, the species of wolves, and the subspecies of dogs. Male canines are called males, and females are called females.
Scientific classification
IN scientific world Since 1758, domestic dogs have been called Canis lupius familiars LINNAEUS. It was then that they were identified as a separate biological species by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus. But in 1993, the American Terrestrial Association and the Smithsonian Institution classified these animals and identified them as a subspecies of the wolf (Canis lupus).
Close, similar animals are united into families, orders and classes. If we talk about what class and family dogs belong to from the point of view of zoology, and what other animals are included in this classification, then we can say that they belong to the same class as people - placental mammals. This includes all animals that give birth to their young in the placenta and feed their offspring with milk. The canid family also includes wild animals such as wolves, foxes, jackals, coyotes, dingoes and arctic foxes.
There are other canine animals that resemble dogs only in appearance. They have a unique structure and habits and lead a special way of life. These include bush dogs that look like miniature bears, raccoon dogs that resemble raccoons with a dark mask on their faces, large but peaceful hyena-like dogs and red wolves with a characteristic coat color.
Man's true friend
Dogs are pets. Along with cats, they were domesticated many centuries ago. Domestic dogs descended from wolves. But since these predators have a ferocious disposition, they were crossed with less aggressive jackals. This is how the first breeds were developed.
At all times, the dog was considered a companion, assistant and best friend of man. At first, these animals helped people hunt and guard their homes, then they learned to herd cattle and ride in sleds. Today they serve as bodyguards and guides, track down criminals and help search for people caught in avalanches. Decorative breeds brighten up the leisure time of their owners and are considered family members.
Almost all dogs, except fighting dogs, are distinguished by their friendly disposition, good trainability, and social behavior. At proper education They recognize the owner as the leader, obey him unquestioningly, and also protect small children.
Breeds
In nature, millennia must pass for new species of animals to appear. When a representative of a species develops new sign, useful for survival in the wild, it is passed on from generation to generation, becoming more entrenched each time. With the accumulation of a sufficient number of certain qualities, a new species appears.
There are several theories about the origin of domestic dogs. But most scientists adhere to the hypothesis that they belong to the species of wolves and some species of jackals. However, dogs are descended from wolves of various subspecies. Scientists believe that the ancestor of such large dogs as huskies, shepherd dogs and others was the common gray wolf, and the ancestor of poodles, terriers, hounds and greyhounds was the smaller Indian wolf.
Subsequently, man modified dogs, creating many different breeds, both large and small. Artificial selection occurs much faster than natural selection. In this case, the desired trait is revealed much more strongly than in the original species.
There are approximately 400 domestic breeds known in the world. They are usually divided into 4 groups:
- hunting;
- official;
- decorative;
- sledding
Each breed has certain characteristics. The hunting species include greyhounds, which have strong jaws and good eyesight; hounds with a good sense of smell; burrowing dogs - terriers and dachshunds; pointers and spaniels that help hunt birds.
Among the service breeds are Doberman Pinschers, Great Danes, Boxers and Bulldogs. The service-search and rescue dogs include St. Bernards and Shepherds, which are distinguished by high intelligence and good trainability.
Decorative breeds are calm and pretty. These include pugs, poodles, Pomeranians, lapdogs and other small breeds. They are often called pocket dogs, but they make excellent companions.
It is also worth mentioning the dogs that residents of the Far North use to pull horse-drawn vehicles. Huskies and their varieties, such as huskies and malamutes, work well in sleds. They are distinguished by their endurance, thick fur and strong legs.
When deciding to purchase a puppy, you should keep in mind that this is a big responsibility. In order for a dog to grow up healthy, smart and non-aggressive, it needs to be properly looked after, fed on time, walked, educated and trained. It happens that irresponsible owners throw their pets out into the street, and they join packs of wild dogs that roam the streets, feed on waste and sometimes even attack people. This suggests that the instincts of wild animals, which are accustomed to fighting for their existence, awaken in dogs.
Page 1 of 4
There are about 40 species of animals in the canine family - wolves, coyotes, jackals, foxes, arctic foxes, wild and domestic dogs. Almost all canines are dexterous and skilled hunters. They have an elongated snout with strong jaws, which are convenient for reaching the victim in the chase and inflicting numerous bites on it with sharp teeth until it falls from its wounds. For fast running, dogs acquired a strong body and long strong legs with powerful blunt claws.
Gray wolf
The common, or gray, wolf is the “face” of the canine family and the central species of a large genus of wolves. A large, strong and merciless predator, the wolf inhabits the entire northern part lands of the Earth, from the tundra of the Far North of Eurasia and North America to the Arabian deserts and Indian jungles. During the hungry winter, wolves gather in large packs to hunt large prey: elk, deer, wild boar. The pack is led by a leader - the strongest and most experienced wolf. In a pack, only the leader and his wife, a seasoned she-wolf, have offspring. The wolf cubs are fed by the whole pack. In the summer, when it is easier to get food, wolf packs often break up, and wolves live alone.
In a pack of wolves, the dominant male demonstrates his power by imitating a bite in the neck of a hierarchically inferior individual, who assumes a submissive pose. The group howl of wolves, accompanied by touching and wagging of tails, looks like a joyful event.
Wolves living in different conditions look different. Timber wolves, inhabitants of dense thickets, are darker colored than their counterparts from the southern deserts, which are hidden in the sand by light gray-beige fur. The largest wolves live in the tundra and on the eternal ice of the Arctic - polar wolves. Spending most of the year among the snow, these wolves turned white. In the summer in the tundra there is a lot of prey for wolves - these are small, mouse-like rodents, lemmings, hares, and geese flying to nesting grounds. But in winter, when everything is covered in ice and snow, packs of polar wolves go on long journeys in search of herds of reindeer or musk oxen. This is not an easy prey: deer quick legs, and they are armed with strong hooves, musk oxen are slow, but strong, and they have sharp horns. The prey of wolves is often cubs that have strayed from the herd. But their parents also protect them, and only one out of 10 hunts for wolves is successful.
Jackals and coyotes
Jackals and coyotes are small relatives of wolves. Coyotes, or prairie wolves, live in the North American steppes and prairies, and jackals live in southern Eurasia and Africa. There are 4 types of jackals: common, black-backed, striped and the rarest Ethiopian. Jackals and coyotes do not form packs and do not hunt large prey; they live alone or in families.
Coyotes' main prey is gopher-like prairie dogs. Jackals prey on meerkats and deftly catch the birds, grabbing them in a jump. Both of them do not disdain carrion and waste and even go into cities to rummage through garbage dumps. Coyotes and jackals are not as vicious as wolves, and all disputes are settled not in fights, but in noisy skirmishes. They are playful and engage in playful fights with each other and with their cubs, teaching them hunting techniques. Friendly and curious, jackals and coyotes are easily tamed.
There is an expression: “Cowardly as a jackal,” but is that true? Jackals often steal prey from large predators such as lions. Lions drive away thieves, and people, seeing how jackals run away from just one menacing roar, considered them cowardly. The jackal is weaker than the lion, which can kill with one blow of its paw. However, the jackal is cunning, dexterous and brave, and as soon as the vigilance of the lions weakens, he will again steal a piece of prey right from under the nose of the huge predator.
Dingo dog
Australia is separated from other continents by a large expanse of water, which is difficult for land animals to overcome. There, in isolation from the rest of the world, ancient marsupial animals, extinct on other continents, such as kangaroos, koalas, cuscus, and two marsupial predators survived: the marsupial wolf and the marsupial devil (the first was already extinct, the second survived only in Tasmania). Australia's only "modern" animal was the wild dog, the dingo. The dog in Australia seemed like an alien from another world, a creation of the future who accidentally ended up in the past - after all, in Australia, unlike the rest of the planet, time and evolution seemed to stand still.
How did dingoes end up in Australia? They were brought there as pets and hunting assistants by people - the first settlers of the mainland, the Australian Aborigines. They gave them the name - “dingo”. In Australia, dingoes found paradise - it was full of defenseless marsupials that became easy prey. Marsupial predators did not compete with such perfect hunters as dogs. The dingoes that escaped from their owners went wild, multiplied and populated all of Australia. Dingoes had no enemies before Europeans arrived in Australia. Europeans began to raise sheep and rabbits in Australia. Dingoes have accepted pets as a pleasant addition to the menu of marsupials. In response to the extermination of sheep, people began to exterminate dingoes. But wild and multiplying rabbits, as well as new villages and cities with their abundant garbage dumps, gave the dingo a rich source of food. And no matter how much people killed dogs, they restored their numbers, quickly multiplying on good food.
Dingoes are found not only in Australia, but also on the islands South-East Asia, from where they were brought to Australia by the Aborigines, as well as in Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and southern China. Dingoes live in packs of up to 12 dogs, led by a leader and his wife. Only this pair produces offspring, which are fed by all members of the flock. The flock occupies its hunting area and protects it from the invasion of neighbors. Dingoes living in cities eat garbage and catch rats and mice. IN wildlife they hunt small kangaroos and other marsupials, causing damage to the nature of the mainland. But the basis of their diet is rabbits. By reducing the number of rabbits, which deprive marsupials of plant food, which is so scarce in arid Australia, dingoes provide a service to the local fauna.
Maned wolf
In the canine family there are animals that, although called wolves, do not belong to the genus wolves. This is an inhabitant of the South American steppes (pampas) - a maned wolf. Outwardly, he looks more like a large fox than a wolf: red fur, a sharp long muzzle, large ears. This animal has disproportionately high legs and long dark hair at the withers, forming a kind of mane. Stilt legs carry the maned wolf over the tall grasses of the pampas, and he looks out from above for prey: the South American large rodents agouti and pacu, birds, lizards, insects. Maned wolves eat a lot of fruits and roots, and occasionally, during times of lack of food, these loners unite to jointly hunt domestic sheep. Next to the maned wolves, in the thickets of bushes along the banks of the rivers, small animals called maikongs, similar to short-haired foxes, live. They live alone, in pairs and in small family groups. At night they go out to get crabs, fish, frogs, lizards, insects, and look for berries and fruits.
The canine family includes some of the most intelligent animals, living in a strictly subordinate hierarchy and mostly hunting in packs. These predators are fleet-footed, cunning and often fearless. Some of them are not afraid of humans or are easily tamed. They are real helpers in the fight against rodents and insects - the main pests of agricultural land, although sometimes they themselves harm livestock in search of food. In our Top 15 most beautiful representatives of the canine family, we tried to highlight the most remarkable and beautiful predators.
Coyote (prairie wolf)
A predatory mammal of the canine family. The name comes from the Aztec coyotl, "divine dog". The species' Latin name means "barking dog." The coyote is noticeably smaller in size than the common wolf, but its fur is longer than that of the wolf. The shape of the muzzle is more elongated and sharper than that of a wolf, and resembles a fox. Distributed in the New World, from Alaska to Panama. There are 19 subspecies. The coyote is characteristic of open plains, occupied by prairies and deserts. Rarely runs into forests. It is found both in deserted places and on the outskirts of large cities like Los Angeles. Easily adapts to anthropogenic landscapes. Attacks skunks, raccoons, ferrets, opossums and beavers; eats birds (pheasants), insects. In areas around large cities, domestic cats can make up up to 10% of a coyote's diet. The main enemies are the puma and the wolf. The coyote cannot tolerate the presence of the red fox, its food competitor, in its territory. Sometimes coyotes interbreed with domestic dogs, and occasionally with wolves.
Maikong
Carnivorous mammal; the only one modern look kind. The generic name Cerdocyon is translated from Greek as “cunning dog”, and the specific epithet thous is “jackal”, since the maikong looks somewhat like a jackal. This is a medium-sized fox of a fawn-gray color with red markings on the legs, ears and face. Found in South America from Colombia and Venezuela to Uruguay and northern Argentina. Maikong inhabits mainly wooded and grassy plains, and is also found in mountainous areas during the rainy season. He prefers to hunt at night, alone, less often in pairs. Almost omnivorous. The maikong feeds on small rodents and marsupials, lizards, frogs, birds, fish, turtle eggs, insects, as well as crabs and other crustaceans (hence one of the names of the maikong is “crabeater fox”). Does not disdain carrion. They don’t dig their own holes, they occupy other people’s holes. Maikong is not a protected species. Its fur has no value; During drought, animals are shot as carriers of rabies.
Black-backed jackal
One of the species of the genus of wolves. The saddle-backed jackal is reddish-gray in color, but on the back of the individual the dark hair forms a kind of black saddle, stretching to the tail. This saddleback is a distinctive species characteristic that is inherited by all subspecies of the black-backed jackal. Individuals of this species are longer than the common gray wolf, but shorter. Found in South Africa and on the east coast of Africa from Nubia to the Cape of Good Hope. Throughout the entire length of its range, the jackal prefers places heavily overgrown with bushes and reed beds near water bodies. Omnivorous. This jackal is very trusting, easily gets used to people and can even become almost tame. The fur of the black-backed jackal is thick and soft; in South Africa, fur carpets (the so-called kaross) are sewn from the skins (dog) of the black-backed jackal.
Bush dog (savannah dog)
A predatory mammal of the canine family; the only species of the genus Speothos. It lives in forests and wet savannas of Central and South America. One of the most unusual dogs, because in appearance it resembles an otter or other semi-aquatic animal. Her physique is heavy, dense, her body is elongated, her limbs are short. Webbed feet. Despite its extensive range, the bush dog is very rare. Initially, it was considered an extinct species, since it was known only from fossilized remains found in Brazil. Most often it inhabits tropical rainforests and gallery forests, choosing the most sparse, open areas of the forest. Also found in savannas. Stays close to water. Bush dogs are nocturnal, spending the day in a hole that they dig themselves, or in a natural shelter. Sometimes they occupy the burrows of other animals (armadillos). Bush dogs are excellent swimmers and divers, which is generally uncharacteristic of canines. In flocks they can attack animals that are larger than themselves in mass - capybaras and rhea ostriches. The meat is swallowed without chewing, which is functionally associated with a decrease in the number of molars and poor development of the remaining ones. They are rare species; their population density is low. Listed in the International Red Book as a vulnerable species. They are not the object of hunting.
Red wolf (mountain wolf)
A predatory mammal of the canine family; the only species of the genus Cuon. A rare canine species that is endangered. His appearance combines the features of a wolf, fox and jackal. The red wolf differs from the ordinary wolf in color, fluffy fur and a longer tail that almost reaches the ground. Based on the variability of color, fur density and body size, 10 subspecies of the red wolf have been described, 2 of them are found in Russia. In Russia it was found mainly in the south of the Far East, where it probably entered from the adjacent territories of Mongolia and China. There is no reliable evidence that the species lives permanently within Russia today. The red wolf differs from other representatives of the canine family in its reduced number of molars (2 in each half of the jaw) and a large number of nipples (6-7 pairs). They have developed hearing, swim well and jump well - they are able to cover a distance of up to 6 m. Red wolves avoid people; In captivity they breed, but are not tamed. The red wolf is listed in the IUCN Red Book with the status of an endangered species, as well as in the Red Book of Russia.
Maned wolf
A predatory mammal of the canine family; the only representative of the genus Chrysocyon. The largest member of the canine family in South America, the maned wolf has a unique appearance. He looks more like a large fox on tall, slender legs than a wolf. Translated from Greek, its name means “short-tailed golden dog.” Despite their long limbs, they cannot be called good runners. They inhabit mainly open grassy and shrubby plains. They lead a nocturnal and twilight lifestyle; During the day they usually rest among dense vegetation, occasionally moving short distances. The diet contains food of animal and plant origin in almost equal proportions. It hunts mainly small animals: rodents (agouti, paca, tuco-tuco), rabbits, armadillos. It also eats birds and their eggs, reptiles, snails and insects; eats bananas, guavas and nightshade plants. The population density of the maned wolf is low: judging by research, 1 animal is found in approximately 300 km². However, the maned wolf is not an endangered species. They are also susceptible to diseases, particularly parvovirus infection (distemper). Despite the external resemblance to foxes, the maned wolf is not their close relative. In particular, it lacks the vertical pupil characteristic of foxes. Apparently, it is a relict species that survived the extinction of large South American canids at the end of the Pleistocene.
Hyena dog (wild dog)
A predatory mammal of the canid family, the only species of the genus Lycaon. Its scientific name means: Lycaon is translated from Greek as “wolf”, and pictus is translated from Latin as “painted”. Being the closest relative of the red wolf, the hyena-like dog is more reminiscent of a hyena - its physique is light and lean, its legs are high and strong, and its head is large. The ears are large, oval in shape, similar to the ears of a hyena. The jaws are powerful, the teeth (premolars) are larger than the teeth of other canines and are adapted for chewing bones. Due to the developed skin glands, the wild dog emits a very strong musky odor. This wild dog was once distributed throughout the African steppes and savannas of sub-Saharan Africa, from southern Algeria and Sudan to the extreme southern tip of the continent. Now its range has become mosaic; it is preserved mainly in national parks and in landscapes undeveloped by humans. It lives in savannas, shrubby heaths and mountainous areas. Not found in the jungle. It is most typical for savannas with their abundance of ungulates, which serve as the main prey for this predator. They live and hunt in packs. The main enemies of wild dogs are hyenas and lions. They are not very afraid of people, but gradually disappear from populated areas, where they are exterminated. The wild dog is included in the IUCN Red List as a threatened species.
Wild dog Dingo
Secondarily feral domestic dog, the only placental predator in the fauna of Australia before the arrival of Europeans. The name "dingo" arose early European colonization New South Wales and is probably derived from "tingo", a term used by the Port Jackson Aboriginal people to describe their dogs. Judging by the fossil remains, dingoes were brought to Australia not by settlers (approximately 40,000-50,000 years ago), as previously thought, but by immigrants from Southeast Asia. The dingo is usually considered a subspecies of the domestic dog, but many experts consider it a completely independent species. It is believed that the dingo is an almost purebred descendant of the domesticated Indian wolf, which in the wild is now found on the Hindustan Peninsula and in Balochistan. Purebred dingoes do not bark, but are capable of growling and howling like a wolf. They are predominantly nocturnal animals. Their main habitats in Australia are the edges of wet forests, dry eucalyptus thickets, and arid semi-deserts inland. They make dens in caves, empty burrows, among the roots of trees, usually not far from water bodies. In Asia, dingoes stay close to human habitation and feed on garbage. Approximately 60% of the Australian dingo's diet consists of small mammals, in particular rabbits. They hunt kangaroos and wallabies; to a lesser extent they feed on birds, reptiles, insects and carrion. Initially, the attitude of settlers towards dingoes was tolerant, but the situation quickly changed in the 19th century, when sheep farming became an important sector of the Australian economy. Dingoes that hunted sheep were caught in traps, shot and poisoned. At the end of the 19th century, in New South Wales alone, farmers annually spent several tons of strychnine on fighting wild dogs. In some countries, keeping dingoes as pets is prohibited.
Corsac (steppe fox)
A predatory mammal of the genus of foxes of the canine family. Similar to the common fox, but noticeably smaller, with larger ears and high legs. The corsac differs from the common fox by the dark end of its tail, and from the Afghan fox by its shorter tail. Corsacs run very fast and are able to overtake a car. Distributed in steppes, semi-deserts and partly in the deserts of South-Eastern Europe and Asia. In Russia it is found: in the west - occasionally reaches the Don region and the North Caucasus. Has a good sense of smell, vision and hearing. The corsac feeds mainly on small rodents (voles, pieds, mice, jerboas), reptiles, insects, birds and their eggs. Less often it catches gophers, hedgehogs, and hares. When there is a lack of food, it eats carrion and all kinds of garbage. The main enemies are the wolf and the fox. Corsac is an object of the fur trade (winter skins are used). Beneficial in exterminating rodents. There are no exact data on the corsac population. The Corsac species is listed in the International Red Book.
Raccoon dog (Ussuri fox, Ussuri raccoon)
A predatory omnivorous mammal of the canine (canine) family. The animal is the size of a small dog. The natural habitat of the raccoon dog is the forest and mountain forest areas of North-Eastern Indochina, China, Japan and the Korean Peninsula. In Russia, it was initially found only in the Ussuri region and in the southern part of the Amur region. The raccoon dog's favorite habitats are wet meadows with swampy lowlands, overgrown floodplains and riverine forests with dense undergrowth. She is unpretentious in choosing housing. Its shelters are usually the burrows of badgers and foxes (often residential). Active at dusk and at night. According to the method of collecting food, it is a typical gatherer, exploring all kinds of secluded places in search of food. Omnivore. It feeds on animal and plant foods. It is worth noting that the raccoon dog is the only one of the canine family that, in case of danger, if possible, prefers not to fight, but to hide, pretending to be dead, which often helps it out. The only representative of the canine family that hibernates for the winter. Many raccoon dogs are destroyed by wolves, as well as lynx, stray dogs. Sometimes she is a carrier of the rabies virus.
Common fox (red fox)
A predatory mammal of the canine family, the most common and largest species of the fox genus. Distributed very widely: throughout Europe, North Africa (Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, northern Tunisia), most of Asia (up to northern India, southern China and Indochina) , in North America from the Arctic zone to the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The fox was acclimatized in Australia and spread throughout the continent, with the exception of some northern regions with a humid subequatorial climate. Foxes inhabit all landscape and geographical zones, from the tundra and subarctic forests to the steppe and deserts, including mountain ranges in all climatic zones. Foxes living near hiking trails, boarding houses, in places where hunting is prohibited, quickly get used to the presence of humans, are easy to feed and can beg. They are of great economic importance as a valuable fur-bearing animal, as well as a regulator of the number of rodents and insects. In southern Europe, wild foxes are the largest carrier of the rabies virus.
Big-eared fox
A predatory mammal of the canine family, the only species of the genus. The scientific name of this animal is translated from Greek as “big-eared big-eared dog.” Similar to an ordinary fox, but smaller and with disproportionately large ears. It is found in two regions of Africa: from Ethiopia and southern Sudan to Tanzania, and from southern Zambia and Angola to South Africa. This distribution is associated with the habitat of its main food - herbivorous termites. Inhabits arid lands - dry savannas and semi-deserts, sometimes close to human habitation. The diet consists mainly of insects and their larvae: 50% - termites, the rest - beetles and locusts; less than 10% are lizards, small rodents, and bird eggs. The big-eared fox is quite numerous, and there is even an expansion of its former range. The main threats to the number of eared foxes are hunting (its meat is edible and its fur is used by local residents).
Arctic fox (polar fox)
A predatory mammal of the canine family, the only representative of the arctic fox genus. A small predatory animal resembling a fox. The only representative of the canine family that is characterized by pronounced seasonal color dimorphism. Based on their color, they can be distinguished between ordinary white fox (pure white in winter, dirty brown in summer) and blue fox. Distributed beyond the Arctic Circle, on the coast and islands of the North Arctic Ocean, in the tundra and forest-tundra zones. In Russia it is typical representative fauna of the continental tundra and forest-tundra. On sandy hills and coastal terraces, it digs holes, complex underground labyrinths with many (up to 60-80) entrances. The Arctic fox is omnivorous; its food includes about 125 species of animals and 25 species of plants. However, it is based on small rodents, especially lemmings, as well as birds. It feeds on both beached and caught fish, as well as plant foods: berries (blueberries, cloudberries), herbs, algae (seaweed). Does not refuse carrion. The Arctic fox has well-developed hearing and sense of smell; somewhat weaker - vision. The arctic fox is pursued by larger predators. He is attacked by foxes, wolverines and wolves; young arctic foxes are grabbed by eagles and snowy owls. Young animals often die from helminthic infestations, adults - from encephalitis and rabies. An important game animal, it is a source of valuable fur; in the north it forms the basis of the fur trade. The skins of the blue fox, which is also the subject of cage breeding, are especially valued.
Wolf (gray wolf or common wolf)
A predatory mammal of the canine family. In addition, as shown by the results of DNA sequence studies and genetic drift, it is the direct ancestor of the domestic dog, which is usually considered a subspecies of the wolf. The wolf is the largest animal in its family. The wolf was once much more widespread in Eurasia and North America. In modern times, its range and the total number of animals have noticeably decreased, mainly as a result of human activity: changes natural landscapes, urbanization and mass extermination. As one of the key predators, wolves play a very important role in the balance of ecosystems in biomes such as temperate forests, taiga, tundra, mountain systems and steppes. In total, there are approximately 32 subspecies of wolves, differing in size and shades of fur. It lives in a wide variety of landscapes, but prefers steppes, semi-deserts, tundra, forest-steppe, avoiding dense forests. Lives in flocks, settles in certain areas, the boundaries of which are indicated by odorous marks. The basis of wolves' diet consists of ungulates: in the tundra - reindeer; in the forest zone - elk, deer, roe deer, wild boars; in the steppes and deserts - antelopes. Wolves also attack domestic animals (sheep, cows, horses), including dogs. They are active mainly at night. The wolf harms livestock and hunting, but on the other hand, plays an important role in the ecosystem, controlling the number of animals and destroying weak and sick individuals. Wolf hunting is carried out all year round and without special permits. This is done in order to reduce the population of an animal that harms livestock production.
fennec
A miniature fox with a distinctive appearance that lives in the deserts of North Africa. Sometimes it is classified as a special genus, Fennecus. This animal got its name from the Arabic fanak, which means “fox”. The smallest member of the canine family, it is smaller in size than a domestic cat. The largest population of fennec cats is found in the central Sahara, although they are found from northern Morocco to the Sinai and Arabian Peninsulas, and as far south as Niger, Chad and Sudan. Inhabits sandy deserts, where it prefers to stay in thickets of grass and sparse bushes, which provide it with shelter and food. He lives in holes with a large number of secret passages, which he digs himself; leads a nocturnal lifestyle. They live in family groups, the number of individuals in which reaches up to 10. Fenech is omnivorous and digs most of its food from the sand and earth. Fenech feeds on small vertebrates, eggs, insects (including locusts), carrion, plant roots and fruits. Huge ears allow him to catch the slightest rustle made by his victims. It can go without water for a long time, obtaining liquid from meat, berries and leaves. Stocks food supplies. Fenech exhibits great agility and liveliness, the ability to jump high and far - up to 0.7 m up. Its protective coloring allows it to blend into the sandy landscape. The exact number of fennecs is unknown. They are hunted, killed for their fur, and captured and sold as pets.
Send your good work in the knowledge base is simple. Use the form below
Students, graduate students, young scientists who use the knowledge base in their studies and work will be very grateful to you.
Posted on http://www.allbest.ru/
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCERUSSIAN FEDERATION
Branch of the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Professional Education "Moscow State University
Technology and Managementthem. K.G.Razumovsky" in Rostov-on-Don
Faculty of Biotechnology and Fisheries
Department of Aquatic Bioresources and Aquaculture
Specialty: 020400
COURSE WORK ONVERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY
Subject: "Prepresentatives of the canine family. Features of biology and distribution»
Completed:
2nd year student of the Siberian Federal District, Pelikh A.A.
Checked by: Associate Professor, Ph.D.
Abrosimova E.B.
Rostov-on-Don 2013
Introduction
2.2 Distribution of foxes
2.3 Food of foxes
2.4 Reproduction of foxes
2.5 Fox hunting
2.6 Silver-black foxes
2.7 Corsac
3.2 Distribution of the Arctic fox
3.3 Arctic fox diet
3.4 Arctic fox breeding
3.5 Arctic fox population
Conclusion
List of references
Introduction
The canine family unites typical predators, most of them medium in size, well adapted to actively catching animals, chasing them or hiding them.
The Wolf family includes dogs, wolves, coyotes, foxes and jackals - 34 species in total. Many members of the family can interbreed with each other, producing offspring. This is confirmed by the fact that almost all species of the Wolf family belong to one created genus, baramin (from the Hebrew word bara - to create and min - genus).
The body of all members of the family is elongated, resting on slender, tall or relatively short legs. Dogs have 5 toes on their front paws and 4 on their hind paws; Only the wild dog has 4 toes on its front paws, while domestic dogs sometimes have 5 toes on their hind paws. They are armed with strong but blunt claws. The head is elongated, with a more or less elongated muzzle, erect, usually pointed, sometimes very large ears. The tail of all species is densely covered with hair and long. The hair is thick, sometimes quite fluffy. The coat color is varied: plain, speckled, spotted, sometimes very bright. The white arctic fox is characterized by seasonal color changes. In accordance with the carnivorous nature of nutrition, the dental system is of a pronounced cutting type: canines and carnassial teeth are highly developed. Most species have 42 teeth; in the genus Guon the last lower molars are absent and the total number of teeth is reduced to 40, and in the South American bush dog (Speothos) there are no posterior upper molars, so there are only 38 teeth. On the contrary, the African long-eared fox (Otocyon) has 4 molars in both jaws and the total number of teeth reaches 48. Most scientists believe that the most likely ancestor of all dogs is a wolf. But if a dog has been considered a friend and helper of man since ancient times, then the wolf has always been his main enemy. The systematic extermination of these animals has led to a sharp reduction in their numbers. In Europe, for example, wolves have practically disappeared.
But the wolf plays an important role in any ecosystem. By killing mostly sick and weakened animals, it maintains the health of the population, prevents the occurrence of epidemics and regulates the number of herbivores. Wolves can live alone or in large packs. In the summer, when there is plenty of food and it is not difficult to catch a marmot, hare or other small animal, wolves often live and hunt alone. But with the onset of winter, it becomes more and more difficult to obtain food, and wolves unite in packs. It is easier to survive together in winter and you can hunt not only small animals, but also reindeer, moose or musk oxen. Such large prey is only possible for a pack: wolves imperceptibly surround a herd of herbivores and suddenly rush to attack, trying to push some weak or young animal away from the herd. An adult healthy elk or deer can easily fight off wolves, inflicting serious injuries on them with antlers and hooves, and on average only one attack out of ten brings the desired result. Sometimes wolves chase a fleeing herd. And then, easily finding weak, lagging animals, predators pounce on them, grabbing them by the legs, neck, sides, until the victim, exhausted from wounds and fatigue, falls to the ground. A pair of wolves at the head of a pack maintains discipline and cohesion among all its members. The leader's authority is based not only on physical strength, but also on correct behavior and the ability to subordinate others to your will. The stronger the leader and the stronger his position, the more friendly the pack and the fewer conflicts between its members. When dividing the spoils, the leader of the pack and his girlfriend are the first to be fed. Wolves After the leaders move away from the carcass, the remaining wolves in the fight determine which of them will get the best pieces. Only the leading couple in the pack can have offspring. Shortly before the cubs appear, the she-wolf prepares a den where the newborn wolf cubs will initially live. None of the pack members, including the leader, dares to approach them. Wolves respectfully leave offerings near the den - pieces of meat for the nursing mother. Only when the wolf cubs grow up will their mother introduce them to the pack. All adult members of the pack will participate in raising the babies. Each wolf is an individual with his own character, with certain abilities and “talents”. The personal qualities of a wolf determine its position in the pack and its role during the hunt. A wolf can be strong or weak, brave or cowardly, independent or disciplined, and not everyone is ready to obey the will of the leader and follow the rules of life in the pack. Wolves who do not want to obey the leader leave the pack and live alone, trying to form a new pack. Your territory Wolf Pack jealously guards against strangers. To let neighbors know that the territory is occupied, wolves howl in unison about once every 10 hours. This howl can be heard for many kilometers. Joint singing strengthens relationships in the pack and unites its members. Sometimes wolves howl just for their own pleasure. Representatives of the family are distributed across all continents, not excluding Australia, and inhabit all landscapes, from the Arctic tundra and taiga to steppes, deserts, savannas, tropical forests and mountains. They are especially numerous in open areas. They lead a single-family or group lifestyle. The latter is typical for predators actively pursuing large ungulates. Most species are carnivorous, but often feed on carrion, insects, and plant foods. Active all year round, with the exception of the raccoon dog, which in the northern areas of its habitat falls into a shallow winter sleep. Canines breed their offspring in burrows, natural shelters, or in dens on the surface of the earth. In most cases they are monogamous; They breed once a year and are highly fertile.
The family is of great practical importance: representatives of a number of canine species have valuable fur and are even bred in captivity; some are livestock pests and dangerous in terms of epidemics. The domestic dog with its numerous breeds and offspring belongs to the family.
Let's look at three genera of the canine family: the wolf genus, the fox genus and the arctic fox genus.
1. Characteristics of representatives of the wolf genus
1.1 Features of the biology of the common wolf
Common or gray wolf (Canis lupus). The entire appearance of this predator testifies to its power and excellent adaptability to tireless running, pursuit and attack on its victims (Figure 1). In size, a seasoned wolf is larger than a large shepherd dog.
Figure 1 Gray wolf (Canis lupus)
Body length is on average 105-160 cm, tail 35-50 cm, shoulder height 80-85 cm and up to 100 cm. Weight is usually 32-50 kg. The literature mentions wolves that supposedly had a mass of more than 90 kg, but among the many hundreds of accurately weighed wolves from different parts of the USSR there was not a single one heavier than 79 kg, and even those were only a few.
The maximum weight of a wolf from North America also does not exceed 79 kg. The color and size of wolves are subject to strong individual and geographic variability. In our country alone there are almost 8-9 subspecies of wolves, and there are even more of them in North America. The largest animals live in the Far North, the small ones in the south. The first ones are painted in very light colors, and in winter they turn almost completely white. The forest zone is characterized by wolves of the most intensely colored subspecies, while in the south, in the deserts, they are replaced by animals of a dull sandy color.
1.2 Distribution of the common wolf
The wolf is quite widespread. It is found on the Iberian Peninsula, Italy, Poland, Scandinavia, Finland, almost throughout the entire territory Soviet Union, starting from a number of Arctic islands and the coast of the Arctic Ocean to the southern borders of the country (excluding Crimea) and up to Pacific Ocean. There is no wolf on Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands. In Asia outside the USSR, it inhabits the Korean Peninsula, partly China and the Hindustan Peninsula, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, the Arabian Peninsula, and was destroyed in Japan. In North America, the wolf, once widespread throughout almost the entire continent, is now severely extirpated. The wolf is distinguished by great ecological plasticity.
It lives in a wide variety of landscapes, but prefers open steppes, semi-deserts, tundra, forest-steppe, avoiding continuous forest areas. The reason for this is the abundance of food, primarily the presence of wild and domestic ungulates, as well as the conditions for hunting them, especially in hungry winter times, when the distribution and number of predators is decisively influenced by the depth of the snow cover. The fact is that in the loose, deep snow in the forests the wolf sinks greatly and cannot catch up with the elk or deer. The situation changes only in the spring, during strong crusts that easily hold predators, but break under the weight of running ungulates. Wolf hunting in open spaces with little snow is incomparably more effective than in the taiga.
A family lifestyle is typical for wolves. They form pairs for an indefinitely long number of years, almost for their entire lives. The basis of the flock is a brood of young of the year with their parents, which can be joined by last year’s arrived animals and single males. There are only rarely more than 10-12 individuals in a flock. Wolves are very attached to a once chosen den and hunt within a known, fairly large area. If they are not pursued, they stubbornly stick to their favorite area. At the same time, the plots of individual families are isolated from one another, never overlap and are strictly guarded by their owners. Wolves mark the boundaries of their occupied territory by urinating or defecating at certain, clearly visible points - on individual hummocks, bushes, near trees, poles, etc. This “olfactory telephone” serves as an important and accurate means of mutual information between animals, preventing collisions between the owners of the site and the newcomers, and during the breeding season, on the contrary, facilitating the meeting of males and females.
The lair for wolves is usually one or another natural shelter - under the inverted roots of trees, among windbreaks, in niches, on the slopes of ravines, in rock crevices, etc. Sometimes wolves adapt the holes of badgers, marmots, arctic foxes and other animals, less often they dig them on one's own. Predators locate their home in remote, hard-to-reach places, always close to water bodies, carefully camouflage it and, when approaching it, take all possible precautions so as not to reveal to their enemies where the offspring are. In contrast, there are a number of cases where wolf cubs were found in completely unexpected places: in old stacks of straw left in the field; in stacks of firewood and snow shields near the road; in a grain field 300 m from the village; in a hemp field 10 le from the estate. It is characteristic that wolves never hunt close to their home, but at a distance of 7-10 km and further, which, of course, also contributes to the safety of the broods. After the wolf cubs grow up, the animals stop using a permanent den, but settle down to rest in different but reliable places.
1.3 Diet of the common wolf
The wolf is a typical predator that obtains food on its own by actively searching for and pursuing victims. Everywhere, the basis of wolves' diet consists of ungulates: in the tundra - wild and domestic reindeer; in the forest zone - elk, deer, roe deer, wild boars, domestic sheep, cows, horses; in the steppes and deserts - antelopes and domestic animals. Along with large animals, small animals play an important role in the diet of wolves - hares, gophers, mouse-like rodents, especially during the years of their mass reproduction. In the warm season, wolves catch many voles, lemmings and other animals and on this food they fatten up well for the winter and even get fat. In summer, wolves do not miss the opportunity to eat a clutch of eggs, chicks sitting on the nests or feeding on the ground of grouse, waterfowl and other birds. In areas where molting geese and ducks gather, wolves also often catch them with great dexterity. Predators often prey on domestic geese as well. The prey of wolves is sometimes foxes, raccoon dogs, corsac dogs, as well as domestic dogs, which the wolves specifically hunt, boldly abducting them on village streets, right from the yard and almost in front of the hunters’ eyes. Occasionally, hungry wolves dare to attack bears sleeping in a den. Wolves are also prone to cannibalism. There are many known cases when they tore and ate weakened animals, wounded by hunters or seriously injured in an internecine fight during the rutting season. Unlike some other predatory animals, wolves often return to the half-eaten remains of their own prey, especially during the hungry season. They do not disdain the corpses of livestock, and on the sea coasts - the carcasses of seals and other sea animals thrown up by the waves. In the steppes and deserts, the usual food of wolves are all kinds of reptiles, beetles and locusts (during mass breeding years). Wolves, especially in the southern regions, also eat some plant foods - various berries, lily of the valley fruits, wild and garden fruits (carrion), even mushrooms. In the steppes, they often make raids on melon fields, watermelons and melons, satisfying not so much hunger as thirst, because they need regular, plentiful watering. The wolf is known for its gluttony. Indeed, if he is hungry, he is able to eat up to 10 kg of meat.
However, under normal conditions, the daily requirement of an adult animal is only about 2 kg; the rest of the meat is simply taken away and hidden in reserve, eaten later, which is not always taken into account and contributes to exaggerated ideas about the gluttony of the wolf. On the other hand, this beast has amazing ability starve without losing your vitality. In the Yamal tundra, a wounded wolf lay without changing place and without hunting, that is, being hungry, for 17 days. He lost a lot of weight, but fully recovered from his wounds and ran as if he were healthy. In the process of wolves hunting for large game, it is especially clear how highly developed predators they are and how complex their behavior is. Even when hunting together in the summer, wolves often practice division of duties, when one becomes a beater, and the other hides in ambush. The first of them acts very carefully, gradually, methodically directing the intended victim to his partner. In a pack chasing an elk, deer or saiga, often some predators run on the heels of the prey, while others run across them or trudge slowly and, having rested, replace the leaders. At the same time, predators display amazing tirelessness, merciless persistence and sooner or later achieve their goal. Sometimes they drive the wapiti into the rocks, “to settle,” and, having surrounded them, wait for him, tired, to try to break through and run away. Finally, wolves skillfully drive roe deer and deer onto the slippery bare ice of taiga rivers or kill them in deep, loose snow or on crust. However, under other conditions, predators cannot catch up with a healthy deer and, after a short chase, stop hunting.
1.4 Reproduction of the common wolf
The rut occurs in winter, in different areas of the range - from December to March. In old wolves, the rut usually proceeds in a fairly peaceful environment, unless their pair is preserved or unless another, single male appears. A group of males can gather near young and single old she-wolves. Fierce fights arise between them, sometimes with fatal consequences for the weaker ones, until a couple is formed. This is facilitated by the excess of males, often observed in wolf populations in Eurasia and North America.
Pregnancy lasts from 62 to 75 days. In a brood there are on average 5-6 wolf cubs, occasionally up to 14-15, and sometimes only 1-2. They are born in the spring, blind, with closed ear openings, covered with sparse brown fur. They mature in 9-12 days; at 3 weeks of age they begin to crawl out of the den; They are fed milk for a month and a half, but even before that they begin to eat semi-digested meat regurgitated by the male, who all this time supplies the she-wolf and the cubs with food. They grow quickly: in the first 4 months their mass increases almost 30 times, but then the growth rate drops noticeably. Gradually, the wolf cubs learn to kill small animals that their parents bring to them, and then learn real hunting. Although adult wolves take very careful care of their offspring, many puppies die in the first year of life. The mortality rate of wolf cubs during this period can reach 60-80%. According to observations of Canadian tundra wolves, in addition to the parents, a single adult male, apparently related to them, often participates in raising wolf cubs. Female wolves reach sexual maturity in the second year of life, and males only at the age of three, and even then they often do not find a mate. In nature, wolves live up to a maximum of 15-20 years, but already at 10-12 years old they show signs of old age. Wolves are active mainly at night, but sometimes they can be found during the day. They often make their presence known with a loud howl, which differs greatly in character among mature males, she-wolves and young ones, and also depending on the situation. The fact is that with the help of various kinds of howls, wolves exchange information about the presence of prey, the appearance of other wolves, people and other events that are important to them. The expressions of wolves' faces, body postures and movements, and the position of the tail are very diverse, which reflects the differences in the emotional state of the animals and is of paramount importance for establishing contacts between individuals or, conversely, preventing a collision. Of the analyzers, the wolf has the best developed hearing, somewhat weaker - vision and smell.
1.5 Physical characteristics of the common wolf
Well-developed higher nervous activity in wolves is combined with strength, agility, running speed and other physical characteristics that greatly increase the chances of this predator in the struggle for existence. If necessary, the wolf reaches speeds of up to 55-60 km/h, is capable of traveling up to 60-80 km per night, and on average travels more than 20 km per day (in the forest zone). A calmly walking or running wolf amazes with its ease of movement. It seems to spread over the ground; without changing his gait, he covers long distances without a trace of fatigue. If there are a couple or a group of wolves, then they walk in single file, stepping strictly one after the other, and only at a turn or at a resting place where the animals disperse can one determine their number. The paw prints on the ground are very distinct, which makes them different from the incomparably more vague footprints of large dogs.
The wolf has not only speed and tirelessness in movement, but also great strength. Without apparent difficulty he can drag a sheep in his teeth, carrying it in front of him or throwing it on his back. In the tundra, as well as in the mountains, wolves make seasonal migrations following herds of wild and domestic ungulates. Sometimes there is a noticeable increase in the number of predators in any area due to a sharp deterioration in living conditions in the neighborhood. In North America, along with the common wolf, another species lives - the red wolf (C. niger); it is smaller and red-brown in color. Its range is limited to the southern United States.
1.6 Lifestyle of the common wolf
In its lifestyle it is close to an ordinary wolf.
For the open plains occupied by prairies and deserts in the west and central part of North America (up to Alaska), the coyote, or meadow wolf (C. latrans), is very characteristic. In size it is noticeably inferior to an ordinary wolf. The length of its body is only 90 cm, the length of the tail is about 30 cm, the height at the shoulders is slightly more than 50 cm, and its weight does not exceed 13 kg. Like other wild dogs, the coyote has erect ears and a long fluffy tail, which, in contrast to the wolf, it holds down when running. The coat is thick, long, grayish or reddish-brown in color on the back and sides, very light on the belly. The end of the tail is black. In the appearance and lifestyle of the coyote there is something close to jackals. In the biocenoses of the American prairies it occupies a similar place to them. He runs into the forests only by chance. It feeds on hares, rabbits, prairie dogs, small rodents and carrion, and also catches birds, lizards, insects, sometimes fish, and eats fruits. It attacks domestic sheep, goats, wild deer and pronghorn very rarely. It doesn’t bother people at all, but in national parks it sometimes gets so used to them that it even takes food out of their hands. The coyote apparently mates for life. The rut occurs in January - February. Pregnancy lasts 60-65 days. There are 5-10, sometimes up to 19 cubs in the brood. They are born in some cave, a crevice among the rocks, in the hollow of a fallen tree or in a deep hole, and there is no bedding in the lair itself. Both parents participate in family care. During the first days, the female does not leave the hole at all, and the male gets food. He brings and leaves rodents at the entrance or regurgitates half-digested food. Sometimes the female does this too. In the future, both parents are forced to spend whole days hunting. At the age of 6 weeks, puppies begin to emerge from the shelter. In the fall they become independent, the brood breaks up and the young animals set off in search of their own hunting ground. Many of them die from hunger and enemies. Coyotes live up to approximately 13 years. They sometimes interbreed with domestic dogs. There is a common belief among ranchers that the coyote is a harmful predator. In fact, it destroys a lot of harmful rodents. The coyote is distinguished by highly developed higher nervous activity. It adapts well to a changing environment and, despite persecution, has even expanded its range somewhat in recent years. The coyote hunts both alone and in a pack, reaching speeds of up to 64 km/h. In the evenings, on the prairies where coyotes live, their peculiar loud howl, which is an integral feature of this landscape, can be heard far away. As we noted, jackals have biological characteristics similar to coyotes. In the fauna of Africa, South Asia and Southern Europe there are 4 types.
1.7 Biological features of the common jackal
The most widely distributed and studied is the Asian, or common, jackal (C. aureus). In some areas we call it chekalka. In appearance, the jackal looks like a small wolf. Its body length is 71-85 cm, its tail is 20-36 cm, its shoulder height is 45-50 cm, its weight is from 7 to 13 kg. The color of the coat in winter is fawn, dirty yellow, with noticeable red and black shades; the tail is reddish-brown, with a black tip.
1.8 Distribution of the common jackal
The jackal is distributed from Central Africa through the Middle East, South-Eastern Europe, Central Asia up to Hindustan. In the Soviet Union, it lives in the Caucasus, Central Asia, and sometimes appears in Moldova. The jackal prefers dense thickets of bushes and reeds on the plains, near rivers, lakes and seas. It is less common in the foothills, not rising above 1000 m above sea level; very often lives near populated areas. Usually uses various types of shelters natural niches and depressions, crevices among stones, sometimes holes of badgers, porcupines, foxes, and occasionally digs them on its own.
There is a known case when a jackal settled under a residential building. Clearly visible paths usually lead to its shelters. The jackal feeds on a wide variety of food, mainly small animals and birds, as well as lizards, snakes, frogs, dead fish, locusts, beetles, other insects, snails, etc. An important role in its diet is played by carrion, the remains of prey of large predators, and all kinds of garbage. The jackal eats many fruits and berries, including grapes, watermelons, melons, plant bulbs, and wild sugar cane roots. In Tajikistan, in autumn and winter it feeds mainly on oleaster fruits. Living near villages, he sometimes carries chickens. IN harsh winters When water bodies freeze, the jackal exterminates wintering waterfowl and acclimatized nutria in large numbers. Pairs form for life, and the male takes an active part in constructing the burrow and raising the brood. The estrus of jackals living in the USSR is observed from January until February and even until March. The rut is similar to that described for a wolf.
1.9 Reproduction of the common jackal
Pregnancy lasts 60-63 days. The young are born from the end of March to the end of May. There are usually 4-6 of them, occasionally up to 8. The female feeds the cubs with milk for 2-3 months, but already at 2-3 weeks of age she begins to feed them by belching. In autumn, the young become independent and hunt alone or in groups of 2-4. Females reach sexual maturity in about a year, and males in two. Life expectancy is unlikely to exceed 12-14 years.
1.10 Physical characteristics of the common jackal
The jackal is a very dexterous, one might even say, impudent predator. The latter property is especially characteristic of those animals that live near populated areas and constantly encounter people. It is active mainly at night, but often during the day. Before going out to hunt, the jackal emits a loud howl, similar to a high, whining cry, which is immediately picked up by all other individuals nearby. They begin to howl for other reasons, for example, when bells ring, sirens sound, etc. Jackals hunt more often alone, in pairs, and occasionally in small groups. They deftly sneak up on the prey and instantly grab it, and hunting together, they drive the prey against each other. The jackal conducts its hunting search at a small trot, often stopping to sniff and listen. Where there are large predators, jackals follow them in order to take advantage of the remains of their prey.
Jackals are sedentary animals and do not make seasonal migrations, but sometimes go far from permanent place stay in search of prey and appear in areas where there was a massive death of livestock or wild ungulates. Jackals cannot be considered harmful everywhere, given their sanitary function in nature. Only in intensive hunting grounds, in particular in nutria and muskrat, as well as in wintering areas of game birds, can they be intolerant.
We also have to take into account the fact that jackals are sometimes sources of dangerous diseases - rabies and canine distemper. Their value in the fur industry is negligible, since the skin is rough and has little value. Not only puppies, but also adult jackals are well tamed.
It is not without reason that in the distant past they probably gave rise to some primitive breeds of domestic dogs.
1.11 General characteristics of other jackals
Two more species of jackals live in Eastern and Southern Africa: black-backed (C. mesomelas) and striped (C. adustus). In the northeast of this continent they are found together with the Asian jackal. The black-backed jackal got its name from its black, saddle-back-like coloring on its back. The end of its tail is also black, while that of the striped jackal is white; in addition, the striped jackal has two dark and light stripes on the sides of its body. In their lifestyle, these jackals are very similar to the Asian one. They live in savannas, hiding during the day in thickets of bushes and only occasionally in the depths of the forest. They hunt in pairs, mainly small vertebrates, including small antelope calves, and also feed on insects and plants. They hatch their cubs (2-7) in a hole, which they often dig themselves. Pregnancy from 57 to 70 days.
Puppies grow quickly and from 6 months they begin to accompany their parents on hunts. African jackals are constant companions and backbones of lions. Black-backed jackals in some areas significantly harm poultry farming.
1.12 General characteristics of dingoes
Dingo (C. dingo) has long been a difficult mystery for zoologists, who have not yet come to a consensus about its origin and systematic position. This unique wild, or more precisely, secondarily feral dog is the only predator in the native fauna of Australia. Apparently, dingoes were brought there back in the Stone Age by hunters and fishermen who came from the Malay Archipelago. It is no coincidence that the dingo is close to the wild Sumatran and recently extinct Javanese dogs. In Australia, dingoes that escaped from their owners or were abandoned by them found excellent living conditions - a lot of game, complete absence enemies and competitors, multiplied and settled almost throughout the continent.
Due to what has been said about the probable origin of the dingo, some scientists consider it only as a subspecies of the domestic dog. However, most experts rightly consider the dingo to be a completely independent species. The dingo is a well-built, medium-sized dog. He has a slender body, strong, straight legs, a proportional head with erect ears, and a not very long, fluffy tail. The water cover is thick, but not long, and quite soft. Typical coloring is rusty-red or reddish-brown, with white ends of the paws and the end of the tail. However, sometimes there are individuals almost black in color, gray, white, and piebald. Dingoes live primarily on open plains or in sparse forests. Here he hunts kangaroos and other game, alone, in pairs or as a family, acting like wolves. With the beginning of mass breeding of sheep, the dingo began to attack them, which led to its destruction by farmers. The female brings 4-6 puppies, which she gives birth to in a burrow or natural shelter in the forest or among rocks. The male participates in their upbringing. A purebred dingo does not bark, but only yelps and howls. The excellent hunting properties of the dingo and its beautiful exterior have repeatedly prompted efforts to domesticate it. However, even dingoes raised as puppies are usually characterized by such indiscipline and such restless behavior that it is impossible to keep them at home. Dingoes interbreed freely with domestic dogs. In 1956, a wild dog similar to the dingo, but smaller, was discovered in the forests of New Guinea. It was named Canis dingo hallstromi. Unfortunately, the biology of this animal is unknown.
1.13 General characteristics of the modern domestic dog
The modern domestic dog (C. familiaris) belongs to the genus described. Despite the extraordinary diversity of its breeds, they all constitute one species. Apparently, domestic dogs descend from wolves, jackals and similar predators, which were domesticated back in the Stone Age. Typically, all breeds of domestic dogs (Tables 25 and 28) are divided into three main groups (depending on the purpose of the dogs or human use): service, hunting and decorative. Service dogs include ancient mastiff dogs, sled dogs and reindeer huskies, shepherd dogs, Doberman pinscher, boxer, giant schnauzer, Airedale terrier, black terriers, etc.
They are used to protect herds and various objects, to search for criminals, and to search for minerals. During the war, dogs searched for the wounded and took them out of battle, helped signalmen (sometimes they themselves played the role of signalmen), destroyed fascist tanks, and looked for mines. In the Far North, dogs go in sleds. People keep many service dogs for sport and as guard dogs. Group hunting dogs covers a large number of breeds of huskies, hounds, pointers, spaniels, miners, greyhounds, bred for various types of commercial and sport hunting of animals and birds. Decorative dogs have no economic importance and are bred by pet lovers. This group ranks first in the number and variety of breeds. It includes all kinds of lapdog breeds, dwarf breeds terriers, poodles, spitz dogs, Pekingese and Japanese dogs, pugs and many others. Along with purebred dogs, there are many mongrels and crossbreeds. Sometimes domestic dogs can go wild and lead the life of almost completely wild animals. Such, for example, are the numerous dogs living on some of the Kuril Islands, where at one time they were even mistaken for wolves. Cases of crossing domestic dogs with their worst enemies - wolves and obtaining fertile offspring with mixed characteristics are by no means rare. Despite the diversity of morphological features and behavior of dogs, some common features can be noted, in particular with regard to the biology of reproduction. Their gestation period is on average 62-63 days. A litter usually consists of 6-8 puppies, which begin to see sight after 9 days, and begin to hear on the 12th-14th day. Breastfeeding lasts one and a half months. Sexual maturity occurs at 10 months of age. Life expectancy is about 15 years. In addition to their immediate practical value, dogs are used as laboratory animals. It is not without reason that a monument to the dog was erected in Leningrad (on the territory of the Institute of Experimental Medicine) as a sign of its invaluable services to humanity.
2. Characteristics of representatives of the fox genus
2.1 Peculiarities of fox biology
Second, no less important family The canine family is the genus of foxes (Vulpes), numbering 6 species. Unlike wolves, foxes have a long but squat body, a head with an elongated sharp muzzle, large pointed ears, and eyes with a vertical oval pupil (Figure 2.).
Figure 2 Fox (Vulpes)
Females usually have 6 nipples. The most common and well known is the common red fox (V. vulpes). Its dimensions are larger than those of other representatives of the genus: body length is 60--90, tail - 40--60 cm, weight - 6--10 kg. In most cases, the color of the back is bright red, with an unclear dark pattern, the belly is white, but sometimes black.
The coloration of animals from the southern regions of the range is dull. Along with the typically colored fireflies, there are individuals with darker fur: gray lions, crosses, and black-brown ones. Albinos are rarely seen.
2.2 Distribution of foxes
The fox is very widespread: in Europe, North Africa, most of Asia (up to Northern India, Southern China and Indochina), in North America south to the northern Gulf Coast. It was previously believed that a special related species (V. fulvus) was found in America, but now it is considered only as a subspecies of the red fox. The color and size of foxes are highly variable geographically. Only on the territory of the USSR there are 14-15 subspecies, and for the rest of the range more than 25 subspecies are known, not counting many others described by taxonomists, but dubious forms.
In general, to the north the foxes become larger and brighter, to the south they become smaller and duller in color. In northern regions with harsh climatic conditions, black-brown and other melanistic forms of coloration are more common. The noted diversity in color and size of the fox is associated with the vastness of its range and the large differences in living conditions in its individual parts. Suffice it to say that the fox inhabits, albeit with varying densities, all landscape-geographical zones, from the tundra and forests to the steppes and deserts, including mountains.
Moreover, the fox is found not only in the wild, but also in cultural landscapes, including the immediate vicinity of villages and cities, including large industrial centers. Moreover, sometimes in areas developed by humans, the fox finds a particularly favorable environment for itself.
Everywhere, the fox prefers open areas, as well as those areas where there are separate groves, copses, as well as hills and ravines, especially if in winter the snow cover there is not too deep and loose. Therefore, on the territory of our country, most foxes live not in forests, but in forest-steppes, steppes and foothills of the European and Asian parts.
2.3 Food of foxes
The fox, although it belongs to typical predators, feeds on a wide variety of foods.
Among the food it eats in our country there are more than 300 species of animals alone, not counting several dozen species of plants.
Everywhere, its diet consists of small rodents, mainly voles. We can say that the well-being of the populations of this predator largely depends on their abundance and availability. Larger mammals, in particular hares, play a much smaller role, although in some cases foxes catch them, especially hares, quite often, and during the hare pestilence they eat their corpses. Sometimes foxes attack small roe deer cubs. Birds in the fox's diet are not as important as rodents, although the predator will never miss an opportunity to catch any of them found on the ground (from the smallest to the largest - geese, wood grouse, etc.), as well as to destroy the clutch and chicks . Even domestic birds are abducted by the fox not so often and not so large number, as is commonly thought. In the southern regions of the USSR, foxes often hunt for reptiles; in the Far East, living near rivers, they feed on salmon fish that died after spawning; Almost everywhere in the summer months they eat a lot of beetles and other insects. Finally, they willingly use all kinds of carrion, and in times of famine, various refuse.
Plant food - fruits, fruits, berries, less often vegetative parts of plants - are included in the food of almost all foxes, but especially in the south of their range. In general, the nature of nutrition and the species composition of food vary greatly not only in different geographical areas, but also among individuals of adjacent populations inhabiting different habitats.
An individual plot occupied by a couple or family should provide the animals not only with a sufficient amount of food, but also with comfortable, safe places for the device no. Foxes dig them themselves or (and very often) occupy those belonging to badgers, marmots, arctic foxes and other animals, adapting them to their needs. Most often, foxes settle on the slopes of ravines or hills, choosing areas with well-drained sandy soil, protected from flooding by rain, melt and groundwater. Even if the burrow is dug independently, not to mention badgers and arctic foxes, it usually has several entrance holes leading through more or less long, inclined tunnels into a vast nesting chamber. Sometimes foxes use natural shelters - caves, rock crevices, hollows in thick fallen trees. In most cases (but not always) the dwelling is well hidden in dense thickets. But it is unmasked by far-stretching paths, and nearby there are large outbursts of soil near the entrances, numerous food remains, excrement, etc. Lush weed vegetation often develops in fox towns.
2.4 Reproduction of foxes
As a rule, foxes use permanent dwellings only during the period of raising young ones, and during the rest of the year, in particular in winter, they rest in open dens in the snow or in grass and moss. However, to escape persecution, foxes often burrow at any time of the year, hiding in the first hole they come across, of which there are many in their habitats. Like the wolf, the fox is a monogamous species that breeds only once a year. Her estrus occurs from December to March in different regions of the USSR and lasts only a few days for each female. The time of the rut and its effectiveness depend on the weather and the fatness of the animals. There are years when up to 60-70% of females are left without offspring.
Pregnancy in foxes lasts from 49 to 58 days. The litter consists of 4-6 and up to 12-13 puppies, covered with dark brown down. At two weeks of age, they begin to see, hear, and their first teeth erupt. For a month and a half, the fox cubs are fed with milk, but even before that they appear near the burrows and are gradually accustomed by their parents to regular food, as well as to getting it. In general, from the time of the rut to the final exit of the fox cubs, about 6 months pass.
Both parents participate in their upbringing. Grown-up puppies begin to leave the “home” early and are often found far from it, while still very small. By autumn they are fully grown. Some females begin to reproduce as early as the next year and, in any case, reach sexual maturity at the age of two. In captivity, foxes live up to 20-25 years, but in the wild only a few years. The fox is quite settled. In most areas it is not characterized by regular migrations. They are known only in the tundra, deserts and mountains. For example, one of the foxes tagged in the Malozemelskaya tundra was caught 600 km to the southwest. Young, spreading animals in the central zone of the USSR were caught at a distance of 2-5 to 15-30 km, and one fox went 120 km from the banding site. Foxes hunt at different times of the day and, where they are not pursued, are found during the day, and do not show any concern at the sight of people. In other cases, the fox is distinguished by extreme caution and an amazing ability, when escaping from pursuit, to confuse its tracks and resort to all sorts of tricks to deceive the dogs.
2.5 Fox hunting
The fox also displays amazing habits when hunting. It is not without reason that in the folklore of almost all peoples familiar with the fox, it invariably serves, so to speak, as a symbol of cunning and dexterity. Indeed, in the conditions of a severe struggle for existence, the fox developed very complex forms of behavior, and in some individuals they reached great perfection. A calmly walking fox follows in a straight line, leaving a clear chain of footprints in the snow. When frightened, it can run very quickly, at a gallop, or literally spread out over the ground and stretch its tail far out. A wonderful sight is presented by a fox engaged in mowing in winter, that is, hunting for voles, somewhere in a snow-covered field. Getting excited, she either listens to the squeak of rodents under the snow, then makes a graceful jump and begins to quickly rummage, scattering snow dust around, trying to overtake and grab her prey. At the same time, the predator sometimes gets so carried away that she lets her get very close to her. However, the fox’s vision is not sharp and it can run up almost close to a standing or sitting person. But the sense of smell and hearing are very well developed and serve as the main analyzers. During the rut or in a state of excitement, the fox emits a rather loud, abrupt bark, like a yelp. Fighting or angry animals squeal shrilly. The number of foxes in nature fluctuates noticeably from year to year. Its condition is affected by the abundance of rodents, meteorological conditions, and mass diseases.
In years of famine, not only does the fertility of females decrease and few young survive, but conditions also arise that promote the spread of epizootics, sometimes covering vast areas. These are epizootics of rabies, canine distemper, scabies and a number of unknown diseases. Sometimes dozens of corpses of animals are found, and the quality of the fur of the survivors sharply deteriorates. The fox is of great practical importance as a valuable fur-bearing animal and an energetic enemy of harmful rodents and insects.
The damage caused to poultry and game cannot be compared with the benefits brought by this predator. In fur procurement in the USSR, fox pelts are in fourth place in terms of their value (on average, more than 480,000 fox pelts are harvested annually). A very large number of them are mined in other countries, especially in the USA and Canada.
2.6 Silver-black foxes
At the end of the 19th century. A breed of silver-black fox was artificially created. Through selection, not only was the quality of the skins of silver-black foxes significantly improved, but also completely new breeds were developed - platinum, Bakurian, etc.
2.7 Corsac
In the steppes, semi-deserts and partly in the deserts of Asia and South-Eastern Europe, along with the red fox, there is a very small, dull-colored corsac fox (V. corsac). The length of its body is only 50-60 cm, the tail is 25-35 cm, the height at the shoulders is about 30 cm. The ears are large and wide at the base.
Winter wool is very fluffy, silky and, despite its light color, beautiful. In the European part of the USSR, the corsac is distributed to Volgograd and the southern regions of the Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, and in the Asian part - in Kazakhstan, Central Asia and Transbaikalia. From here, individual individuals sometimes run to the north. Outside the USSR, the corsac dog is found from Northern Iran and Afghanistan to Mongolia and Northeast China. Corsac belongs to the typical inhabitants of semi-deserts and dry lowland steppes, with little snow in winter or with compacted snow cover. Here the corsac hunts mainly on animals no larger than young hares and marmots, and in the summer months it also eats birds, reptiles, and insects, but almost does not touch plant food. Of the rodents, the corsac's prey is mainly voles, parrots, ground squirrels, jerboas, etc. When they are deficient, it eats carrion and all kinds of garbage. Like other predators, the corsac dog can withstand hunger and even after a week or even two it remains fully active. He doesn't need water. For housing, the corsac uses marmot holes, adapts gopher holes, occasionally occupies those belonging to badgers and foxes, and digs them only as an exception. There are usually no emissions of soil near the entrances, since it is leveled. Sometimes burrows are located in groups, but only one of them is residential. The corsac hunts mainly at dusk, but often during the day, unless (in summer) it is too hot. He carefully, gradually looks out of the hole, then sits down near it, looking around, and only then goes fishing. The corsac dog has a good sense of smell and hearing. When hunting, it walks slowly or trots against the wind and, sensing prey, hides it or strives to overtake it. The corsac sometimes allows a person, and even more so a car, to get very close. Sometimes, unable to hide, he very cleverly pretends to be dead, but at the first opportunity he runs away. This small and weak predator often has a hard time, especially after a snowfall, as it gets very stuck in the snow. Therefore, in many areas in the fall, corsacs migrate to the south, sometimes following herds of saigas, which trample the snow and thus make it easier for corsacs to move and hunt. Mass eviction of corsacs can also be caused by steppe fires, catastrophic extinction of rodents, etc. During such migrations, corsacs appear far beyond their range and even run into cities. Corsac is monogamous. The resulting pairs apparently last a lifetime and break up only if one of the animals dies. The rut is observed in January - February, usually at night, and is accompanied by the barking of males. Mating occurs in the burrow. The duration of pregnancy is not precisely established, but is probably 52 days. There are usually 3-6 puppies in a litter, but there is a known case when 16 cubs of the same age were dug out of a hole. Newborn puppies are covered with light brown, plump hair. They begin to see clearly on the 14th-16th day; At the age of one month they begin to eat meat. Corsachats grow quickly and disperse early. However, with the onset of cold weather, they gather together again, so that several are found in one hole. Females become sexually mature the following year. The beautiful, fluffy skin of a corsac dog has significant value. In addition, the corsac brings considerable benefits, exterminating many harmful rodents. In the extreme south of the Turkmen SSR, the surprisingly small Afghan fox (V. glanders) is very rarely caught. The length of its body is only 40-50 cm, the tail is 33-41 cm, the height of the ear is about 9 cm. The color of the winter coat is brownish-gray, with a noticeable black coating, spreading over the top of the very long fluffy tail. The Afghan fox, apparently, comes into our country only occasionally. It is mainly distributed in Eastern Iran, Afghanistan and Northwestern Hindustan. Its biology has not been studied at all; there are no complete skulls and very few skins in the collections. Therefore, any information about this animal is of great interest. American dwarf foxes (V. velox, V. macrotis) are somewhat similar to the corsac fox and the Afghan fox. The length of their body is only 38-50 cm, the tail is 23-30 cm, the height at the shoulders is about 30 cm, and their weight is up to 3 kg. Dwarf foxes, especially the dwarf agile fox (V. macrotis), have very large ears, almost like a fennec fox. The coat color is brownish-yellow, the end of the tail is white. Pygmy foxes inhabit the short grass plains of western North America. They are nocturnal, very timid, and in case of danger they quickly run away, constantly changing direction instantly. These indiscriminate predators feed on rats, rabbits, birds, insects and other small animals. They live all year round in deep, long burrows, sometimes with several entrances. Here, usually in April, 3-7 cubs will be born. They feed on milk for about 10 weeks. Both parents participate in upbringing, with whom the fox cubs do not part until the end of summer - beginning of autumn.
3. Characteristics of representatives of the Arctic fox genus
3.1 Features of the biology of the arctic fox
A special genus of arctic foxes (Alopex) includes only one species - the arctic fox (A. lagopus). In some countries it is called the polar fox.
This is a relatively small animal: body length 50-75 cm, tail 25-30 cm, shoulder height approximately 30 cm, weight in winter about 6 g, and in rare cases even 10-11 kg (Figure 3) .
Figure 3 Arctic fox (A. lagopus)
Unlike the fox, the arctic fox's body is more squat, its muzzle is shortened, its ears are short, rounded, and weakly protruding from the winter fur. The Arctic fox is the only representative of the canine family that is characterized by pronounced seasonal color dimorphism. In summer, the animal is dressed in short fur that is dirty brown on top and yellowish-gray below.
In winter, the vast majority of individuals wear lush snow-white hair, and only a few, the so-called blue foxes (Table 26), have a dark winter outfit, in different shades - from sand and light coffee to dark gray with a bluish tint and even brown with silver.
...Similar documents
Distribution of the Arctic fox, social structure and reproduction of the animal, its importance and breeding. Appearance, lifestyle and diet of the arctic fox, factors influencing numbers and distribution. Autumn hair change in the Arctic fox under natural conditions.
course work, added 10/24/2009
The structure of the wolf's body, the meaning of smells, sounds, facial expressions and postures as means of communication. The Feline family, morphological features, nutrition and hunting. Representatives of the bear family, features of internal structure, appearance and distribution.
presentation, added 04/19/2015
Taxonomy of representatives of the herring family. Genus Sprats: characteristic features, distribution, lifestyle. Kharenguly clan, Zunasi. Sexual maturity of the Far Eastern sardine. Big-eyed, Sapozhnikovsky pot-bellied guy. Body length of ilish and spotted herring.
presentation, added 03/27/2013
Basic concepts related to the anatomical and morphological structure of the main representatives of plants of the lily family. A family of monocots, perennial herbs, or shrubs. The main genera of the Liliaceae family, their distribution and ecology.
course work, added 11/05/2014
Systematic position and geographical distribution of the Sparaceae family. Reproduction, development and nutrition of fish. Comparative morphological characteristics of males and females. Rates of linear and weight growth. Fatness and obesity of the viscera.
thesis, added 05/31/2013
Distribution and ecology of plants of the onion family. Anatomical and morphological structure of the main representatives of the family, study of their economic importance. The main tribes are Agapantaceae, Onionaceae, Hesperocallisaceae, Gilisaceae, Milliaceae and Brodyaceae.
course work, added 03/24/2014
External and internal structure of the family Acrididae. Features of the biology of the family, its development cycle. Ecology of the locust family, causes of outbreaks of mass reproduction. Nutrition of larvae and adults throughout their lives. Change in species abundance.
course work, added 01/17/2016
Order of bony freshwater fish - carp-like: external structure, habitat, reproduction and distribution. Characteristics of representatives of the carp, chukuchanov and loach families: carp, ide, bream, roach, crucian carp, loach; fishing and pond farming.
presentation, added 09/28/2014
Representatives of the genus and family of flightless birds from the order Rheaidae, living in South America. Description of the appearance of the rhea and their characteristic cry. Distribution of birds, features of their lifestyle. Omnivorous nature of rheas, their reduced need for water.
presentation, added 01/10/2013
The concept and essence of the genus Pulmonaria, its biological description and distribution. Methods of reproduction of lungwort, care features, diseases and pests. Description of species of the genus Pulmonaria introduced into culture. Use of lungwort in botanical gardens.
Loading...