What do wolves eat in different habitats

The wolf is a predatory beast from the family of Dogs. The length of the body along with the tail reaches 160 cm, and the height at the withers is up to 90 cm. The weight of such an animal is about 62 kg. According to scientists who investigated genes and DNA, the wolf is the ancestor of an ordinary dog. Previously, these animals were more than now. The reasons for the decline in numbers are a change in the natural landscape, extermination and urbanization. There are areas on which wolves are on the brink of extinction. In the north of the continent their population remains stable. Although there are fewer wolves, there are places where these animals pose a danger to livestock and villagers. Therefore, hunting for such animals is still permitted.

Ancient predator - wolf

The breeding season for the animal comes at the end of winter, around February. Very often couples of wolves persist for life. The duration of pregnancy is on average 65 days. The wolf gives birth to two to fourteen cubs. On the average - five kids. The first months the family feeds the father. He brings food, belches half-digested food to feed the mother of the family and the young. First, of course, the kids are fed milk, but from 1.5 months. Begin to eat ordinary food. By August they weigh about ten kilograms, and since September they go hunting with their parents.

Ration

And what do wolves eat? As a rule, they eat animals, both domestic and wild. These can be deer, hares, wild boars, marmots, horses, beavers, as well as moose, muskrats, cows. If such a food he can not find, then the wolf eats frogs and lizards. On average, one such predator per day eats about two kilograms of meat. A very hungry wolf can eat 12 kg of meat in one sitting. Everything that he did not eat, he hides in a secluded place. If he gets hungry, he always comes to his cache and finishes the remains. On the terrain the predator is guided by the sense of smell and hearing, since the wolf is poorly developed sight, although at night he sees a dog better.

So what do wolves eat? Their diet depends on the environment. These can be lemmings, voles, and also larger animals: deer, wild boars and moose. By the way, predators are hunting for large prey by groups.

Plant food

What does the wolf eat in the forest, except meat? This predator eats berries and nuts with pleasure, as well as some plants. Also, wolves search and eat eggs of birds.

Since this predator is well conditioned reflexes, it quickly adapts to any situation.

Even than the wolves eat? Usually, these predators hunt only for wild animals, but because of a lack of food they can attack domestic animals - goats, sheep and calves. If the wolf is already old and sick, then he chooses an easier prey. For example, having run into the village, he lures the local dogs, and then pretends to run away. The dog, of course, runs after him, and he turns around and attacks her.

What does a wolf eat in the steppe?

His diet consists mainly of meat, although vegetarian food, too, sometimes consumes. But, inhabited in the steppe, these predators make raids on melons and watermelon melons, satisfying not so much hunger as thirst, as wolves need a regular, and quite abundant watering. There are, of course, such a beast and favorite food in the steppes - gazelles and saigas, and in the forest-steppe - roe deer.

What does the wolf eat in winter? Note that during this period of the year such predators become particularly bloodthirsty. As a rule, their diet does not change, but only to get food becomes more difficult. In winter, in the woods, in packs, they mainly attack the roe deer, wild boars and hares.

Wolves often meet in hunting areas, because here you can always eat a wounded, but not shot by an animal, or even the remains of a prey caught by people.

More active these predatory animals at night. During the hunt, they show an incredible trick. The school is divided into two groups. One hides in ambush, and the second attacks. The attackers run along the heights of the prey, and the second group rushes across.

We examined what the wolves eat. Now consider the diet of other predators of this species.

Power polar wolf

This predator lives in the Arctic, except for those places where there is ice. As a rule, such an animal is kept in packs consisting of ten individuals. What does the wolf eat in the tundra? Reindeers, hares and other small animals.

What do red wolves eat?

These animals live in the mountains. They hunt in the daytime. As a rule, they attack large animals, but small ones also sometimes enter the diet of their food. Their food includes small rodents, antelopes, bulls, deer and lizards.

The red wolves are prohibited from hunting, as they are on the verge of extinction, so these predators are listed in the Red Book as an endangered species. The exact cause of their death is unknown. But scientists argue that the whole fault is the gray wolves. They live where the reds are, but much stronger than them. Therefore, the second did not compete with the first. This is only an assumption, there are no exact facts on this matter.

Ration of grivist wolves

These predators are the largest of the family of Dogs. Inhabit wolf-dwelling in Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Brazil and Bolivia. Such predators live not in packs, but in pairs. Hunting is also a pair. Their diet consists not only of food of animal origin, they also use different plants. The most common victims are reptiles, small rodents and insects.

And they also eat snails, birds and bird eggs. In addition, grivist wolves eat guava and bananas. By the way, there were cases when these predators attacked domestic animals (sheep, pigs and others).

Red Wolf and Wildlife

These wolves are the rarest of all canines. They are listed in the International Red Book. Their way of life is similar to that of ordinary wolves. They live in prairies, swampy and mountainous areas in the eastern part of the United States. They live in packs a little less than a pack of gray wolves. Their diet also consists not only of food of animal origin, but also of vegetable. As a rule, such animals as rabbits, raccoons, rodents, and occasionally deer become their victims. In addition, they eat carrion and various fruits. Note that these predators themselves can become prey to red-haired lynxes or alligators.

In the article, we described in detail what the wolf feeds in the forest and other habitats. The more we know about the world around us, the more careful we are towards it.