Who belongs to the canine family. What type of dogs are

Cypress family These are evergreen shrubs or trees belonging to the genera: cypress, juniper, microbiota. Cypress needles are very peculiar. These are tiny bluish or dark green leaves, sometimes with a bluish tint. On the shoots such leaf needles

Family Yew Yew berry (Taxus baccata) Yew berry is one of the most interesting coniferous plants. It grows very slowly and lives for a long time - up to 4000 years, occupying one of the first places in the world among long-lived plants. Yew begins to form seeds quite late.

Family Taxodiaceae Mammoth tree This family includes sequoias - giant representatives of the flora of our planet! The mammoth tree, or wellingtonia (Sequoiadendron giganteum), can grow up to 100 m high. One copy of this species, growing in

Family Welwitschia This family includes only one species - amazing Welwitschia (Welwitschia mirabilis). This plant is called a miracle of nature. It grows in the rocky deserts of Angola and Southwest Africa, where not a drop falls for several months.

Ephedra family The family includes a single genus - ephedra

The feline family includes the lynx, the tiger, and the wild forest cat. They have a rounded head, a short muzzle, and legs with retractable claws. The color of the fur is spotted or striped. They hunt, mostly stalking and suddenly grabbing prey. Lynx Lynx is a large animal,

Kunya family Representatives of the Kunya family are small or medium in size, they have an elongated, narrow body, they are able to penetrate into cracks, holes; have short limbs with non-retractable claws. This family includes the pine marten, sable, ermine, weasel and

Family Bears Representatives are characterized by very large sizes, the tail is short, not protruding from the wool. When moving, they rely on the entire foot, they are called plantigrade. These include brown, white and black bears. Brown bearBrown bear - large

The walrus family The walrus is the largest of the pinnipeds, the body length of the male is 300–400 cm, the weight is up to 1.5 tons, the average size of the female is 290 cm, and the weight is about 700–800 kg. The body is massive, a small rounded head, the neck is short, thick, mobile. There are many vibrissae at the end of the muzzle. fangs

Tapir family Tapirs are large odd-toed ungulates with four toes on the front legs and three on the back. The head is narrow, ending in a short proboscis; the ears are short and usually erect. The body is covered with short but thick hair. Tapirs are common in the South and

Family Rhinos These are large three-toed equids, body length from 200 to 400 cm, weight from 1 to 3.6 tons. There are one or two horns on the frontal and nasal bones. There are no fangs. Distributed in South Asia, in Africa. White rhinoceros In South Africa, the white rhinoceros lives - the largest of

Family Horses These are animals adapted for fast and long running. This is facilitated by long limbs with a developed middle (third) finger, dressed in a hoof. The body is covered with short thick hair. On the neck - a mane, a tail with long hair all over

Systematics of the dog family, wolf:
Genus: Alopex Kaup, 1829 = Arctic foxes
Species: Alopex lagopus Linnaeus, 1758 = (Common) arctic fox, arctic fox
Genus: Canis Linnaeus, 1758 = Wolves, dogs
Genus: Chrysocyon Smith H., 1839 = Maned wolves
Species: Chrysocyon brachyurus Illiger, 1815 = Maned (maned) wolf
Genus: Cuon Hodgson, 1838 = Red wolves, quoons
Species: Cuon alpinus = Red wolf
Genus: Dusicyon Smith H., 1837 = South American foxes
Species: Dusicyon microtis = Small fox (zorro short-eared)
Species: Dusicyon thous = Maikong
Species: Dusicyon griseus = South American fox (gray zorro)
Genus: Lycaon Brookes, 1827 = Wild Dogs
Species: Lycaon pictus = Hyena dog (hyena dog)
Genus: Nyctereutes Temminck, 1839 = Raccoon dogs
Species: Nyctereutes procyonoides Gray = (Ussuri) raccoon dog, Ussuri raccoon
Genus: Otocyon Müller, 1836 = Big-eared foxes
Species: Otocyon megalotis = Big-eared fox
Genus: Speothos Lund, 1839 = Bush dogs
Species: Speothos venaticus Lund, 1842 = Bush dog
Genus: Urocyon Baird, 1858 = Gray foxes
Species: Urocyon cinereoargenteus = Gray fox
Species: Urocyon littoralis = Island fox
Genus: Vulpes Oken, 1816 = foxes
Genus: Pseudalopex = Zorro
Species: Pseudalopex culpaeus = Culpeo
Species: Pseudalopex gymnocercus = Zorro Azara
Species: Pseudalopex vetulus = Gray Zorro

Brief description of the family

Canis are carnivores with a light, slender build. The body is noticeably compressed from the sides, elongated. The head is elongated, with erect ears. Legs strong but slender, digitigrade; 5 toes on the forelimbs, 4 toes on the hind limbs. The thumb is shortened and does not reach the ground. Nails short, blunt, not retractile. The tail is usually long and bushy.
Skull light, stretched out. The combs are big. Predatory teeth are well developed.
The canine family - one of the most ancient families in the order of carnivores - includes small and medium-sized animals of about 37 species. The smallest representative of the canine family is the desert fennec fox (it reaches a length of only 40 centimeters and weighs about two kilograms), and the largest is the wolf (up to 160 centimeters in length and weighing up to 80 kilograms). All canine muzzles are somewhat elongated, most are characterized by large pointed ears, reaching their maximum size in the fennec fox. The length of the paws of representatives of individual species is different, so the animals sometimes bear little resemblance to each other in appearance and move differently. Indeed, the elegant maned wolf moves differently than the short-legged raccoon or bush dog. All dogs have non-retractable blunt claws, which are useful for digging holes, but not suitable for capturing prey. Most of the fur is quite long and thick, but, like other animals, there is a pattern: the further south the animal lives, the more rare and coarse its fur. Some of the dogs (arctic fox and common fox) man learned to breed on fur farms, breeding new breeds and achieving different colors. Almost all canines have specific anal glands, as well as glands located in the paw pads. Representatives of some species, such as foxes, have a so-called "violet" gland, which is located on the upper side of the base of the tail. All dogs are owners of large sharp fangs and well-developed predatory teeth. Number of teeth can be different: from 38 in the South American bush dog to 50 in the big-eared fox.
common canine around the globe with the exception of Antarctica and some (of the large ones are New Zealand, Madagascar, Taiwan, Sulawesi). They inhabit habitats of almost all types, while even representatives of forest species lead a terrestrial lifestyle. They are practically not capable of climbing trees (the exception is the gray fox). Animals often find shelters in burrows that they dig themselves, or occupy the burrows of other animals.
Active canines mainly at twilight and at night, when they go out to hunt. Some of them are able to run well, and chase their prey to "hijack" at considerable distances. feed on these animals are various, up to large ungulates, such as elk or deer, some also eat insects and various plant foods, practically no one refuses carrion on occasion. Big game hunting is much more effective if the pack is active. Therefore, many members of the family hold on family groups, sometimes uniting in flocks. In some cases (for example, in the red wolf, hyena dog), these packs can be very large.
Representatives of a number of species prefer to live in pairs, but most canines still lead a solitary lifestyle. Most often, the male takes part in the upbringing of offspring, bringing food to the shelter for the female and puppies. Average brood size 4-7 cubs. The record for this part belongs to arctic foxes: one female arctic fox is able to give birth to up to 22 puppies. Puppies grow quite quickly, and parents soon begin to accustom them to meat feed. Some animals regurgitate semi-digested meat for puppies. In caring for puppies, parents can be helped by their children from previous litters.
Complex nervous activity contributed to the domestication of the wolf: high variability and artificial selection ensured the breeding of many breeds of dogs. Among wild canids, fox and arctic fox are important fur species. Their domesticated forms with especially valuable fur (silver foxes, blue foxes) are bred on farms.
Wolf - canis lupus- in the past, a major pest of animal husbandry, to a large extent lost this significance: its numbers everywhere, except for the tundra, have been sharply reduced. The raccoon dog acclimatized here is widely settled in the European part of the CIS - Nyctereutes procyonoides, whose natural range in Russia is limited to the Ussuri Territory.

Do you know that she belongs to the Canine family? A family member familiar to us was once the master of the steppe and forest. Representatives of the Canine family are also called wolf and dog.

Below are articles about a variety of species of animals of the Canine family. Here you will find all the most interesting and fascinating about these experienced predators, resourceful hunters and talented trackers.

The wolf is a wild predatory animal. Description and photo of the common wolf

Everyone remembers the fairy tale about the gray wolf, which we were told in childhood. So who is the real wolf? An image from a fairy tale or a dangerous animal? The common wolf is a large predator of the Canine family. The gray wolf is the master of the tundra and taiga, a hardy and very intelligent beast. In this article you will find a description and photo of the wolf, learn a lot of interesting things about the harsh life of this formidable predator.

Dingo is an Australian dog that has gone wild. Description and photo of a dingo dog

Dingo is a secondarily feral domestic dog, a representative of the Canine family from the genus of wolves. The dingo is one of Australia's most famous animals. The dingo dog has a mysterious origin and is highly intelligent. In this article, you can see photos and descriptions of dingoes, learn a lot of new and interesting things about the life of this Australian wild dog.

Animal fennec - eared fox. Fenech fox photo and description

The fennec fox is the smallest and most unusual member of the Canine family. The fennec animal has a very peculiar appearance. This eared fox looks funny and very cute. The fennec fox is a nimble and agile animal. Below you will find a description of the fennec fox and a photo, as well as learn a lot of interesting things about this unusual animal.

Wolf, fox, white fox, jackal - all these are representatives of canines, one of the 7 families of the predatory order. These are animals of medium size with high or relatively short legs, with strong, blunt claws, an elongated head and a densely pubescent tail. All dogs have well developed fangs.

Dogs are distributed throughout the globe, from the polar deserts to the equator and highlands. All of them are predators, but most also eat insects, carrion and plant foods. The family is divided into 3 subfamilies and includes 35 species, of which 8 species are found in the USSR.

The most famous representative of the family is our common, or gray, wolf. This is a strong, intelligent and tireless beast. The length of his body is 1 -1.6 m, the height at the shoulders is up to a meter, the average weight is 30-50 kg. Large wolves weigh up to 79 kg. A wolf can run up to 60-80 km per night, and in case of need it can reach speeds of up to 55-60 km/h. Wolves can go hungry for a long time (2-3 weeks). If the wolf is very hungry, then he is able to eat up to 10 kg of meat at once, but his usual daily allowance is 2 kg. In addition to large animals, the wolf eats a lot of rodents, if caught, and birds, ruins their nests, catches insects, such as locusts. But the main prey of the wolf is ungulates, wild and domestic. Wolves avoid continuous taiga, because it is more difficult to pursue prey in deep, loose snow.

Wolves live in families. Their couples are permanent, often for life. The wolf pack is usually small and consists of parents and wolf cubs of the current year, sometimes joined by last year's wolf cubs or lone wolves. For the sake of safety, wolf cubs never hunt near the den, but move away from it for 7-10 km, or even further. The wolf is a predator with a complex behavior. For example, if a pair of bojjkob are hunting, often one of them works as a beater, and the other guards the prey in ambush. When hunting in winter, they try to drive roe deer or deer onto bare ice or, conversely, into deep snow, where it is easier for them to overtake the prey.

Close relatives of the jackal wolf and North American species are the coyote and the red wolf.

It is still not exactly established where the Australian dingo dog came from. It is believed that this is a secondarily feral dog, which was brought to Australia by ancient hunters in the Stone Age: after all, the dingo is the only representative of predatory animals in the fauna of Australia and it had no competitors. Unlike wolves and jackals, which are well tamed, dingoes are almost impossible to train and domesticate, although they interbreed well with domestic dogs.

Our domestic dogs, which now number about 400 breeds, belong to the same species - the domestic dog and to the same genus as the wolf. The dog is the first of all animals tamed by man. He tamed dogs about 12 thousand years ago, back in the Stone Age.

At first, a man used a tamed dog as a watchman and assistant in hunting, then when grazing cattle, and in the north as a mount.

From the most distant times, dogs have been used in war: first to guard fortresses, then they were taught to guard the owner-warrior in battle. They rushed at the enemy and his horse. In ancient Assyria, there was a special breed of fighting dogs, similar to our Great Danes. The ancient Romans also used dogs in battle and even put armor on them. Later, dogs began to be used in war as messengers. For example, the dog of Peter I accompanied him in all battles and campaigns. She carried his orders to the military leaders and returned with reports from them. In our century, dogs began to be used as orderlies, signalmen, miners, to undermine enemy tanks. One of the Jack Shepherds during the Great Patriotic War suffered 2932 combat reports. Jack often crossed large rivers (for example, the Dnieper), was wounded three times. Another dog, Dick, found 1728 mines at the front. All the guys know the famous border guard dogs, for example, Ingus, the dog of the border guard Karatsupa.

Dog breeds are divided into 3 main groups: service, hunting and decorative. Service dogs, large, strong and hardy, with a good instinct, well trainable, are used in the army, in guard and search service, as shepherd and sled dogs. These are well-known shepherd dogs - East European, Caucasian, Scottish (collie) and others, Doberman Pinscher, Airedale Terrier, Boxer, Giant Schnauzer, northern sled and reindeer dogs.

Hunting dogs include huskies, greyhounds, hounds, burrowers, pointers and spaniels. Burrowing dogs include fox terriers and dachshunds. There are about 10 breeds of pointing dogs. The most famous of them are setters, pointer, short-haired cops (kurtshars) and wire-haired (drathars). Laika in the USSR 4 breeds: Karelian, Russian-European, West Siberian and East Siberian.

Most decorative dog breeds have been bred. These are poodles, lapdogs, miniature terriers, spitz, pugs and many others.

Most importantly, any dog ​​is a faithful and disinterested friend of man. It is not at all necessary that the dog be purebred. Outbred mongrels are often good hunters, watchmen, shepherds, signalmen. And how many dogs (by the way, mostly mutts) have done for science. Suffice it to recall the astronaut dogs Laika, Belka and Strelka. The remarkable Soviet scientist IP Pavlov used dogs as the most convenient object for studying higher nervous activity. In Leningrad, in the garden of the Institute of Experimental Medicine, a monument to a dog was erected.

The genus of foxes also belongs to the canine family. It has 6 species, of which 3 (common and Afghan foxes and corsacs) are found in the USSR.

The common, or red, fox is one of our most famous animals. There are many folk tales about her cunning and dexterity. Indeed, the fox is unusually cautious, evades pursuit with great dexterity, and when hunting, uses the most diverse and interesting tricks. The fox inhabits most of our country, from the southern part of the tundra to the deserts. She does not like continuous forests, she prefers copses alternating with fields, and in the steppe - ravines overgrown with shrubs. She does not avoid densely populated areas. The fox is a very useful animal. Firstly, it is one of the main fur species of our country. In addition, the main food of the fox is mouse-like rodents. Destroying them brings great benefits. The fox attacks poultry much less often than is usually believed.

In the forests of the south of the Far East, a raccoon dog lives - the only representative of canines that hibernates in winter. The raccoon dog was acclimatized in the European part of the USSR, where it took root well. Its long and thick, though rather coarse, fur is one of the warm Samdhas. It feeds on all small animals that it can get, but mostly mouse-like rodents. She also eats fruits, berries, grain.

Another South American animal, the maned wolf, or aguarachai, belongs to a special genus. In South and Central America, there is a bushy dog, dense, rather short-legged, reminiscent of our mongrels. It inhabits the riverside thickets, swims well and even catches its prey in the water - capybara.

In South and Southeast Asia, there is a red wolf, mainly a mountain animal. We have a red wolf found in the mountains of the Far East and southern Siberia, very rare and listed in the Red Book of the USSR. The hyena-like dog is a relative of the red wolf, although it bears little resemblance to it. This is a slender animal the size of a wolf, an unusual bright spotted black-white-yellow color that inhabits the African savannas. Wild dogs are ferocious and tireless predators. In flocks of up to 40-60 animals, they hunt for antelopes, and if there are few ungulates, then they feed on rodents and birds.

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MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCERUSSIAN FEDERATION

Branch of FGBOU VPO "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

Topic: "Pmembers of the canine family. Features of biology and distribution»

Completed:

2nd year student of the CFD, Pelikh A.A.

Checked by: Associate Professor, Ph.D.

Abrosimova E.B.

Rostov-on-Don 2013

Introduction

2.2 Distribution of foxes

2.3 Feeding foxes

2.4 Reproduction of foxes

2.5 Fox hunting

2.6 Silver-black foxes

2.7 Korsak

3.2 Distribution of Arctic fox

3.3 Arctic fox nutrition

3.4 Arctic fox breeding

3.5 Arctic fox population

Conclusion

List of literary sources

Introduction

The canine family unites typical predators, most of them of medium size, well adapted to actively hunting animals, chasing them or stealing them.

The wolf family includes dogs, wolves, coyotes, foxes and jackals - a total of 34 species. Many members of the family can interbreed with each other, producing offspring. This confirms the fact that almost all species of the Wolf family belong to the same created kind, baramin (from the Hebrew word bara - to create and min - kind).

The body of all members of the family is elongated, resting on slender, high or relatively short legs. On the front paws, the dog has 5 fingers, on the hind legs - 4; only in the hyena-like dog and on the front paws there are 4 of them, and in domestic dogs there are sometimes 5 fingers on the hind legs. 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, long. The hairline is thick, sometimes very fluffy. The color of the coat is varied: monophonic, speckled, spotted, sometimes very bright. The white fox has a seasonal color change. In accordance with the carnivorous nature of nutrition, the dental system is of a pronounced cutting type: fangs and predatory teeth are strongly developed. Most species have 42 teeth; in the genus Guon the last lower molars are missing and the total number of teeth is reduced to 40, while in the South American bush dog (Speothos) the posterior upper molars are also missing, so that there are only 38 teeth. On the contrary, the African 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 the wolf. But if the dog from ancient times was considered a friend and helper of man, then the wolf at all times was his main enemy. The systematic extermination of these animals 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. Killing for the most part 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 both alone and in large packs. In the summer, when food is plentiful and catching a marmot, hare or other small animal is not difficult, wolves often live and hunt alone. But with the onset of winter, it becomes more and more difficult to get food, and the wolves unite in packs. Together in winter it is easier to survive and you can hunt not only small animals, but also reindeer, elk or musk oxen. Such a large prey is only possible for a pack: wolves imperceptibly surround a herd of herbivores and suddenly rush into the attack, trying to push some weak or young animal away from the herd. An adult healthy elk or deer may well fight off the wolves, inflicting serious injuries on them with horns 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 behind animals, predators pounce on them, grab them by the legs, by the neck, by the sides, until the victim, exhausted from wounds and fatigue, falls to the ground. A pair of wolves at the head of the pack maintains discipline and cohesion of all its members. The authority of the leader is based not only on physical strength, but also on the correct behavior and the ability to subjugate others to his will. The stronger the leader and the stronger his position, the more friendly the pack and the less conflicts between its members. When dividing the prey, the leader of the pack and his mate are the first to be sated. Wolves After the leaders move away from the carcass, the other wolves in the fight determine which of them will get the best pieces. Only the leading pair in a flock can have offspring. Shortly before the appearance of the cubs, the she-wolf prepares a den where the newborn cubs will live for the first time. None of the members of the pack, including the leader, dare to approach them. Wolves respectfully leave offerings near the lair - pieces of meat for a nursing mother. Only when the cubs grow up, the mother will introduce them to the pack. All adult members of the flock will participate in the upbringing of babies. Each wolf is a personality with its 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. The wolf pack jealously guards its territory from strangers. To let the neighbors know that the territory is occupied, the wolves howl in chorus about once every 10 hours. This howl is heard for many kilometers. Joint sings strengthen relationships in the pack and unite its members. Sometimes wolves howl just like that, for their own pleasure. Representatives of the family are distributed on all continents, not excluding Australia, and inhabit all landscapes, from the Arctic tundra and taiga to steppes, deserts, savannahs, tropical forests and mountains. Especially numerous in open areas. They lead a single-family or group lifestyle. The latter is characteristic of predators actively pursuing large ungulates. Most species are carnivorous, but often feed on carrion, insects, and plant foods. They are active all year round, with the exception of the raccoon dog, which in the northern regions of its habitat falls into a shallow winter sleep. Canine offspring are bred 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 prolific.

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 pests of animal husbandry and dangerous in epidemic terms. The domestic dog with its numerous breeds and offspring belongs to the family.

Consider three genera of the canine family: the wolf genus, the fox genus, and the fox genus.

1. Characteristics of representatives of the wolf genus

1.1 Features of the biology of the common wolf

Ordinary, or gray, wolf (Canis lupus). The entire appearance of this predator testifies to its power and excellent adaptability to tireless running, chasing and attacking its prey (Figure 1). In size, the hardened wolf is larger than the large shepherd dog.

Figure 1 Grey, wolf (Canis lupus)

The body length is on average 105-160 cm, the tail is 35-50 cm, the height at the shoulders is 80-85 cm and up to 100 cm. The weight is usually 32-50 kg. The literature mentions wolves that allegedly weighed 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 there were only a few of them.

The maximum weight of a wolf from North America also does not exceed 79 kg. The coloration and size of wolves are subject to strong individual and geographical variability. Only on the territory of our country there are almost 8-9 subspecies of wolves, there are even more of them in North America. The largest animals live in the Far North, the smallest - in the south. The former 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 dull-sandy-colored animals.

1.2 Distribution of the common wolf

The wolf is widely distributed. It is found on the Iberian Peninsula, in Italy, Poland, Scandinavia, Finland, almost throughout the entire territory of the Soviet Union, 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 the 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, destroyed in Japan. In North America, the wolf, once common across almost the entire continent, is now heavily extirpated. The wolf is distinguished by great ecological plasticity.

He lives in a wide variety of landscapes, but prefers open steppes, semi-deserts, tundra, forest-steppe, avoiding solid forests. 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 the hungry, winter time, when the depth of the snow cover has a decisive influence on the distribution and abundance of the predator. The fact is that in loose, deep snow in the forests, the wolf falls heavily and cannot catch up with the elk or deer. The situation changes only in spring, during strong crusts, which 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.

For wolves, a family lifestyle is typical. They form pairs for an indefinitely long series of years, almost for a lifetime. The basis of the flock is a brood of underyearlings with parents, which can be joined by last year's arrived animals and single males. In a flock only occasionally there are more than 10-12 individuals. Wolves are very attached to a once chosen lair and hunt within a well-known, fairly extensive area. If they are not pursued, they stubbornly adhere to their chosen terrain. At the same time, the plots of individual families are isolated from one another, they never overlap and are strictly guarded by their owners. Wolves mark the boundaries of the occupied territory with the help of urinary points or feces at certain, clearly visible points - on separate bumps, bushes, near trees, poles, etc. This "olfactory telephone" serves as an important and accurate means of mutual information of animals, preventing collisions between the owners of the site and the aliens, and during the breeding season, on the contrary, contributing to the meeting of males and females.

Lairs for wolves are usually one or another natural shelter - under twisted tree roots, among windbreaks, in niches, on the slopes of ravines, in rock crevices, etc. on one's own. Predators locate their dwelling in deaf, hard-to-reach places, always not far from water bodies, carefully disguise it and take all possible precautions on the way to it so as not to reveal to enemies where the offspring is. In contrast, a number of cases are known when wolf cubs were found in completely unexpected places: in old stacks of straw left in the field; in piles of firewood and snow shields near the road; on a grain field 300 m from the village; in hemp 10 le from the estate. It is characteristic that wolves never hunt near their homes, but at a distance of 7-10 km and further, which, of course, also contributes to the safety of broods. After the wolf cubs grow up, the animals stop using their permanent den, and settle down to rest in various, but reliable places.

1.3 Nutrition of the common wolf

The wolf is a typical predator that obtains food on its own, actively searching for and pursuing prey. Everywhere, ungulates form the basis of the diet of wolves: in the tundra, wild and domestic reindeer; in the forest zone - moose, deer, roe deer, wild boars, domestic sheep, cows, horses; in the steppes and deserts - antelopes, domestic animals. Along with large animals, small animals play an important role in the nutrition of wolves - hares, ground squirrels, mouse-like rodents, especially during the years of their mass reproduction. In the warm season, wolves catch a lot of voles, lemmings and other animals, and on this food they fatten well for the winter and even get fat. In summer, wolves do not miss the opportunity to eat laying eggs, chicks sitting on nests or feeding on the ground of black grouse, waterfowl and other birds. In the area of ​​accumulation of molting geese and ducks, wolves also often catch them with great dexterity. Often, predators also prey on domestic geese. The prey of wolves sometimes become foxes, raccoon dogs, corsacs, as well as domestic dogs, for which wolves hunt on purpose, boldly kidnapping them on the village streets, right from the yard and almost in front of the hunters. Occasionally, hungry wolves dare to attack bears sleeping in a den. Wolves are also capable of cannibalism. Many cases are known when they tore and ate weakened animals, wounded by hunters or badly injured in an internecine fight during the rut. 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 by the waves. In the steppes and deserts, the usual food of wolves is all kinds of reptiles, beetles and locusts (in the years of mass breeding). 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 raid watermelon and melon melons, satisfying not so much hunger as thirst, because they need a regular, plentiful watering place. 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 norm of an adult animal is only about 2 kg, he simply takes away the rest of the meat and hides it in reserve, eating it later, which is not always taken into account and contributes to exaggerated ideas about the voracity of the wolf. On the other hand, this beast has an amazing ability to starve without losing vitality. In the Yamal tundra, a wounded wolf lay without changing its place and without hunting, that is, being hungry, for 17 days. He was very thin, but fully recovered from his wounds and ran like a healthy man. In the process of wolves hunting for big game, it is especially clear how highly developed predators they are, 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 an 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 victim, while others run across or trot slowly and, having rested, replace the front ones. At the same time, predators show amazing tirelessness, merciless perseverance, and sooner or later they achieve their goal. Sometimes they drive the red deer into the rocks, “to suck”, and, having surrounded, wait, When he, tired, tries to break through and run away. Finally, wolves skillfully drive roe deer and deer onto the slippery bare ice of taiga rivers or cut them in deep, loose snow or on the crust. However, under other conditions, predators cannot catch up with a healthy deer and, after a short chase, stop hunting.

1.4 Breeding of the common wolf

The rut occurs in winter, in different areas of the range - from December to March. In older wolves, the rut usually proceeds in a fairly peaceful environment, if only their pair has survived or if another, single male has not appeared. A group of males may gather near young and single old she-wolves. Violent fights break out between them, sometimes fatal for the weaker ones, until a pair is formed. This is facilitated by an excess of males, often observed in the populations of wolves of Eurasia and North America.

Pregnancy lasts from 62 to 75 days. In a brood, on average, there are 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 begin to see clearly in 9-12 days; at 3 weeks of age, they begin to crawl out of the den; for a month and a half they are fed with milk, but even before that they are taken to eat half-digested meat, burped by the male, who all this time supplies the she-wolf and the cubs with food. They grow rapidly: in the first 4 months their mass increases by almost 30 times, but then the growth rate drops noticeably. Gradually, the cubs learn to kill small animals that their parents bring to them, and then learn to hunt. Although adult wolves are very attentive to their offspring, nevertheless, many puppies die in the first year of life. Mortality of wolf cubs during this period can reach 60--80%. According to observations of the Canadian tundra wolves, in the upbringing of wolf cubs, in addition to the parents, the remaining single adult male, apparently, who is related to them by blood, often participates in the upbringing. She-wolves reach puberty 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. In their presence, they often let you know 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 important events for them. The expressions of the muzzle of wolves, postures and body 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, on the contrary, preventing a collision. Of the analyzers, the wolf has the best developed hearing, somewhat weaker - sight and smell.

1.5 Physical features of the common wolf

Well-developed higher nervous activity is combined in wolves with strength, agility, speed of running and other physical characteristics that greatly increase the chances of this predator in the struggle for existence. If necessary, the wolf develops a speed of up to 55–60 km / h, is able to make transitions up to 60–80 km per night, and, on average, travel more than 20 km per day (in the forest zone). A calmly walking or running wolf strikes with ease of movement. It seems to creep above the ground; without changing the gait, overcomes long distances without a hint of fatigue. If there are a pair or a group of wolves, then they go in single file, stepping strictly trail after trail, 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 differs from the incomparably more vague traces 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 terms of lifestyle, it is close to an ordinary wolf.

For open plains occupied by prairies and deserts, in the west and in the 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 his 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 the weight does not exceed 13 kg. Like other wild dogs, the coyote has erect ears, a long fluffy tail, which, unlike the wolf, keeps it down on the run. 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 place similar 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. Domestic sheep, goats, wild deer and pronghorn are attacked very rarely. It does not touch people at all, and in national parks it sometimes gets so used to them that it even takes food from the hands. Coyote mates appear to mate for life. The rut takes place in January-February. Pregnancy lasts 60-65 days. In a brood there are 5-10, sometimes up to 19 cubs. They are born in some kind of 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 den itself. Both parents are involved in family care. The first days the female does not leave the hole at all, and the male gets food. It brings and leaves rodents at the entrance or regurgitates half-digested food. Sometimes the female does the same. In the future, both parents are forced to spend whole days hunting. At 6 weeks of age, puppies begin to emerge from the shelter. In autumn they become independent, the brood breaks up and young animals set off in search of their own hunting ground. Many of them perish from hunger and enemies. Coyotes live up to about 13 years. Sometimes they interbreed with domestic dogs. It is widely believed among pastoralists that the coyote is a harmful predator. In fact, it destroys a lot of harmful rodents. The coyote is distinguished by a highly developed higher nervous activity. It perfectly adapts to changing habitats and, despite persecution, has even expanded its range somewhat in recent years. The coyote hunts both alone and in a pack, while developing a speed of up to 64 km / h. In the evenings, on the prairies where coyotes live, their peculiar loud howl is carried far, which is an integral feature of this landscape. As we noted, jackals have biological features similar to the coyote. In the fauna of Africa, South Asia and Southern Europe, there are 4 species.

1.7 Biological features of the common jackal

The most widely distributed and studied Asian, or common, jackal (C. aureus). In some areas, we call him a checker. In appearance, the jackal looks like a small wolf. Its body length is 71-85 cm, tail is 20-36 cm, height at the shoulders is 45-50 cm, weight is from 7 to 13 kg. The color of the coat in winter is fawn, dirty yellow, with noticeable red and black hues; 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, Southeast Europe, Central Asia up to Hindustan. In the Soviet Union, he lives in the Caucasus, in Central Asia, 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 settlements. As shelters, it usually uses various natural niches and depressions, crevices among stones, sometimes burrows of badgers, porcupines, foxes, occasionally digs them on its own.

There is a known case when a jackal settled under a residential building. Well-marked 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 the prey of large predators, all kinds garbage. The jackal eats many fruits and berries, including grapes, watermelons, melons, plant bulbs, and wild sugarcane roots. In Tajikistan, in autumn and winter, it feeds mainly on sucker fruits. Living near villages, sometimes he carries chickens. In severe winters, when water bodies freeze, the jackal exterminates wintering waterfowl and acclimatized nutria in large numbers. Pairs are formed for life, and the male takes an active part in the construction of the hole and the upbringing of the brood. The estrus in jackals living in the USSR is observed from late January to February and even until March. The rut is similar to that described for the wolf.

1.9 Reproduction of the common jackal

Pregnancy lasts 60-63 days. Young are born from late March to late May. There are usually 4-6 of them, sometimes 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 singly or in groups of 2-4. Females reach puberty in about a year, and males in two. Life expectancy hardly exceeds 12-14 years.

1.10 Physical features of the common jackal

The jackal is very dexterous, one might even say, a cheeky predator. The latter property is especially characteristic of those animals that live near settlements and constantly encounter people. It is active mainly at night, but often during the day. Before going hunting, the jackal emits a loud howl, similar to a high-pitched, whining cry, which is immediately picked up by all other individuals that are nearby. They begin to howl on other occasions, for example, when bells ring, the sound of a siren, etc. Jackals often hunt alone, in pairs, and occasionally in small groups. They deftly sneak up on the victim and instantly grab it, and hunting together, they drive the prey one at the other. The jackal conducts a hunting search, jogging at a shallow trot, often stopping to sniff and listen. Where there are large predators, jackals follow them in order to take advantage of the remnants of their prey.

Jackals are sedentary animals and do not make seasonal migrations, but sometimes they go far from their permanent place of residence in search of prey and appear in areas where there has been a massive loss of livestock or wild ungulates. Jackals can not be considered harmful everywhere, given their sanitary function in nature. Only in intensive hunting farms, in particular in nutria and muskrats, as well as in the wintering of game birds, can they be intolerable.

We 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 no great value. Not only puppies, but also adult jackals are well tamed.

Not without reason, 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 East and South Africa: black-backed (C. mesomelas) and striped (C. adustus). In the northeast of this mainland, they are found together with the Asian jackal. The black-backed jackal got its name from the black color of the back, like a black-backed jackal. The end of his tail is also black, while that of the striped jackal is white, in addition, the side-striped body has two dark and light stripes. In terms of lifestyle, these jackals are very similar to Asian ones. They live in the savannas, hiding in the bushes during the day and only occasionally in the depths of the forest. They hunt in pairs, mainly for small vertebrates, including small antelope cubs, and also feed on insects and plants. They breed cubs (2-7) in a hole, which they often dig themselves. Pregnancy from 57 to 70 days.

Puppies grow quickly and from the age of 6 months they begin to accompany their parents hunting. African jackals are constant companions and backbones of lions. Black-backed jackals in some areas significantly harm the poultry industry.

1.12 General characteristics of the dingo

Dingo (C. dingo) has long been a difficult riddle for zoologists, who still have not come to a consensus about its origin and systematic position. This peculiar wild, or rather, 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 fled from their masters or abandoned by them found excellent living conditions - a lot of game, a complete absence of enemies and competitors, multiplied and settled almost all over the mainland.

In view of 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 with good reason consider the dingo to be a completely independent species. Dingo is a well-built dog of medium size. He has a slender body, strong, straight legs, a proportional head with erect ears, a not very long, fluffy tail. The water cover is dense, but not long, rather soft. Typical coloration is rusty-red or reddish-brown, with white ends of the paws and the end of the tail. However, sometimes there are individuals of almost black color, gray, white, piebald. The dingo lives predominantly on open plains or in sparse forests. Here he hunts kangaroos and other game, alone, in pairs or as a whole 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 hole or a natural shelter in the forest or among the rocks. The male participates in their upbringing. Purebred dingoes do not bark, but only yelp and howl. The excellent hunting properties of the dingo and the beautiful exterior have repeatedly prompted him to domesticate it. However, even dingoes raised by puppies are distinguished, as a rule, by such indiscipline and such restless behavior that it is impossible to keep them at home. Dingoes freely interbreed with domestic dogs. In 1956, a wild dog similar to the dingo, but smaller, was discovered in the forests of New Guinea. She 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 described genus. Despite the extraordinary diversity of its breeds, they all make up one species. Apparently, domestic dogs are descended from wolves, jackals, and similar predators that have been domesticated since the Stone Age. Usually, all breeds of domestic dogs (Tables 25 and 28) are divided into three main groups (depending on the purpose of dogs or human use): service, hunting and decorative. Service dogs include ancient Great Dane dogs, sledding 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, 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 Nazi tanks, and found mines. In the Far North, dogs walk in sleds. Many service dogs are kept by people for the sake of sport and as watchmen. The group of hunting dogs includes a large number of breeds of huskies, hounds, cops, spaniels, burrows, greyhounds, bred for various types of commercial and sport hunting for animals and birds. Decorative dogs have no economic value and are bred by pet lovers. In terms of the number and diversity of breeds, this group ranks first. It includes all kinds of breeds of lapdogs, dwarf terrier breeds, poodles, spitz, Peking and Japanese dogs, pugs and many others. Along with purebred dogs, there are many outbred "mutts" and crossbreeds. Sometimes domestic dogs can also run 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 mistaken even for wolves. It is by no means rare that domestic dogs interbreed with their worst enemies, wolves, and obtain fertile offspring with mixed traits. Despite all the diversity of morphological features and behavior of dogs, some common features can be noted for them, in particular in relation to the biology of reproduction. Their gestation period is on average 62-63 days. The litter usually has 6-8 puppies, which begin to see after 9 days, and on the 12-14th day they begin to hear. Breastfeeding continues for a month and a half. Sexual maturity occurs at 10 months of age. Life expectancy is about 15 years. In addition to their immediate practical significance, dogs are used as laboratory animals. No wonder in Leningrad (on the territory of the Institute of Experimental Medicine) a monument to the dog was erected as a sign of its invaluable merits to humanity.

2. Characteristics of representatives of the fox genus

2.1 Features of the biology of foxes

The second, no less important genus of the canine family is the genus of foxes (Vulpes), with 6 species. Unlike wolves, foxes have a long but more 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 common red fox (V. vulpes). Its dimensions are larger than those of other members of the genus: body length 60-90 barely, tail 40-60 cm, weight 6-10 kg. In most cases, the color of the back is bright red, with an indistinct 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 “fires”, there are individuals with darker fur: gray-haired, cross-haired, black-brown. Albinos are rarely seen.

2.2 Distribution of foxes

The fox is very widely distributed: in Europe, North Africa, most of Asia (up to North India, South China and Indochina), in North America south to the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico. It used to be considered that in America there is a special related species (V. fulvus), but now it is considered only as a subspecies of the red fox. The color and size of foxes are characterized by great geographical variability. 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, foxes become larger and brighter towards the north, smaller and duller colored towards the south. In northern regions with harsh climatic conditions, black-brown and other melanistic forms of color are more common. The noted diversity of color and size of the fox is associated with the vastness of its range and the great differences in the conditions of existence in its individual parts. Suffice it to say that the fox inhabits, though with varying density, all landscape-geographical zones, from the tundra and forests to the steppes and deserts, including mountains.

At the same time, 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 the area mastered by man, the fox finds a particularly favorable environment for himself.

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 Feeding foxes

The fox, although it belongs to typical predators, eats a wide variety of food.

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, the basis of its diet is made up 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 an incomparably 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 cubs of roe deer. Birds in the diet of the fox are not as important as rodents, although the predator will never miss the opportunity to catch any of them that are on the ground (from the smallest to the largest - geese, capercaillie, etc.), as well as destroy the clutch and chicks . Even the fox kidnaps domestic birds not as often and not in such large numbers as is commonly thought. In the southern regions of the USSR, foxes often hunt 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 garbage.

Vegetable food - fruits, fruits, berries, less often vegetative parts of plants - are part of the food of almost all foxes, but especially in the south of the 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 unequal habitats.

An individual site occupied by a couple or a family should provide the animals not only with enough food, but also with convenient, safe places for burrowing. 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 with rain, melt and groundwater. Even if the burrow is self-dug, not to mention badgers and arctic foxes, it usually has several entrances leading through more or less long, sloping tunnels into a vast nesting chamber. Sometimes foxes use natural shelters - caves, rock crevices, hollows in thick fallen trees. In most cases (but by no means always) the dwelling is well hidden in dense thickets. But it is unmasked by far-reaching paths, and nearby - large ejections of soil near the entrances, numerous food remains, excrement, etc. Quite often, lush weeds develop on fox towns.

2.4 Reproduction of foxes

As a rule, foxes use permanent dwellings only during the period of raising young ones, and in the rest of the year, in particular in winter, they rest in open dens in snow or in grass and moss. However, fleeing from persecution, foxes often burrow at any time of the year, hiding in the first hole they come across, which are quite numerous 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 each female lasts only a few days. Rutting time and its effectiveness depend on the weather and fatness of the animals. There are years when up to 60-70% of females remain without offspring.

Pregnancy in foxes lasts from 49 to 58 days. In a brood there are 4-6 and up to 12-13 puppies covered with dark brown down. At the age of two weeks, they begin to see, hear, their first teeth erupt. For a month and a half, the cubs are fed with milk, but even before that they appear near the holes and are gradually accustomed by their parents to ordinary food, as well as to getting it. In general, about 6 months pass from the time of the rut to the final exit of the fox cubs from the holes.

Both parents are involved in their upbringing. Grown up puppies begin to leave the "home" early and are often found far from it, while still quite small. By autumn they are fully grown. Some females start breeding 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 nature only a few years. The fox is settled enough. In most areas, regular migrations are unusual for her. They are known only in the tundra, deserts and mountains. For example, one of the fox tagged in the Malozemelskaya tundra was caught 600 km to the southwest. Young, settling animals in the central zone of the USSR were hunted at a distance of 2–5 to 15–30 km, and one fox moved 120 km from the place of ringing. Foxes hunt at different times of the day, and where they are not pursued, they meet during the day, and do not show any anxiety at the sight of people. Otherwise, the fox is distinguished by extreme caution and an amazing ability, moving away from the chase, confusing the tracks and indulging in all sorts of tricks to deceive the dogs.

2.5 Fox hunting

The fox also discovers striking habits when hunting. Not without reason, 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 a straight line, leaving a clear chain of tracks in the snow. Frightened, she can run very fast, galloping or literally sprawling above the ground and stretching her tail far. A wonderful spectacle is presented by a fox engaged in mouse hunting in winter, that is, hunting for voles, somewhere in a snowy field. Entering into excitement, she either listens to the squeak of rodents under the snow, then makes a graceful jump, begins to quickly rummage, scattering snow dust around, trying to overtake and grab her prey. At the same time, the predator is sometimes so carried away that it lets it get very close to itself. However, the fox's vision is not sharp and it can run almost close to a motionless 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 piercingly. The number of foxes in nature fluctuates markedly over the years. Its condition is affected by the abundance of rodents, meteorological conditions, mass diseases.

In famine years, not only the fertility of females decreases and few young survive, but conditions arise that contribute to the spread of epizootics, sometimes covering vast areas. Such are the epizootics of rabies, canine distemper, itch mange and a number of unknown diseases. Sometimes dozens of corpses of animals are found at the same time, and the quality of the fur of the survivors deteriorates sharply. The fox is of great practical importance as a valuable fur-bearing animal and an energetic enemy of harmful rodents and insects.

The damage done to poultry and game cannot be compared with the benefits brought by this predator. In fur preparations in the USSR, fox skins are in fourth place in terms of their value (on average, more than 480,000 fox skins are harvested annually). A very large number of them are also mined in other countries, especially in the USA and Canada.

2.6 Silver-black foxes

At the end of the XIX century. a breed of silver-black foxes was artificially created. Through selection, not only was the quality of the skins of silver-black foxes significantly improved, but completely new breeds were bred - platinum, Bakurian, etc.

2.7 Korsak

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 fox corsac (V. corsac). The length of his 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, wide at the base.

Winter wool is very fluffy, silky and, despite the 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, some individuals sometimes run to the north. Outside the USSR, the corsac is found from Northern Iran and Afghanistan to Mongolia and Northeast China. Korsak belongs to the typical inhabitants of semi-deserts and dry flat steppes, in winter with little snow or with compacted snow cover. Here, the corsac hunts mainly animals no larger than young hares and marmots, and in the summer months it also eats birds, reptiles, insects, but almost does not touch vegetable food. Of the rodents, the prey of the corsac is mainly voles, pieds, ground squirrels, jerboas, etc. With their lack, he eats carrion and all kinds of garbage. Like other predators, the corsac endures hunger and even after a week or even two, it completely retains its activity. He does not need water. For housing, the corsac fox uses the burrows of marmots, adapts the burrows of ground squirrels, occasionally occupies those that belonged to badgers and foxes, and digs them only as an exception. Emissions of land near the entrances usually do not happen, as it is leveled. Sometimes burrows are located in groups, but only one of them is inhabited. 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 to fish. Korsak has a good sense of smell and hearing. When hunting, he slowly walks or jogs against the wind and, sensing prey, hides it or seeks to overtake it. A person, and even more so a car, a corsac sometimes lets it get very close. Sometimes, unable to hide, he very cleverly pretends to be dead, but runs away at the first opportunity. 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 autumn corsacs migrate to the south, sometimes following herds of saigas, which trample the snow and thus make it easier for the 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 the range and even run into cities. Korsak is monogamous. The resulting pairs, apparently, persist throughout life and break up only in the event of the death of one of the animals. The rut is observed in January - February, usually at night, and is accompanied by the barking of males. Mating takes place in a burrow. The duration of pregnancy has not been precisely established, but is probably 52 days. There are usually 3-6 puppies in a brood, but there is a case when 16 cubs of the same age were dug out of a hole. Newborn puppies are covered with light brown, puffy hair. They begin to see clearly on the 14-16th day; at the age of one month they begin to eat meat. Korsachata grow quickly and settle early. However, with the onset of cold weather, they again gather together, so that several pieces are found in one hole. Females become sexually mature the next year. The beautiful, fluffy corsac skin is of considerable value. In addition to that, the corsac brings considerable benefits, exterminating many harmful rodents. In the extreme south of the Turkmen SSR, the surprisingly small Afghan fox (V. sapa) is very rarely caught. The length of her body is only 40–50 cm, the tail is 33–41 cm, the ear height is about 9 cm. The Afghan fox, apparently, runs 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 whole skulls in the collections and very few skins. Therefore, any information about this animal is of great interest. American pygmy foxes (V. velox, V. macrotis) are to a certain extent similar to the corsac 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 the 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 color of the coat is brown-yellow, the end of the tail is white. Dwarf foxes inhabit the short grass plains of western North America. They are nocturnal, very timid and in case of danger they quickly run away, now and then instantly changing direction. These promiscuous predators feed on rats, rabbits, birds, insects and other small animals. All year round they live in deep, long burrows, sometimes with several entrances. Here, usually in April, 3-7 cubs will be born. For about 10 weeks they feed on milk. Both parents participate in education, with whom the cubs do not part until the end of summer - the beginning of autumn.

3. Characteristics of representatives of the fox genus

3.1 Features of the biology of the arctic fox

A special genus of arctic foxes (Alopex) includes only one species - 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, height at the shoulders about 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 fox's body is more squat, the muzzle is shortened, the ears are short, rounded, slightly protruding from the winter coat. The Arctic fox is the only representative of the canine family, which is characterized by a pronounced seasonal dimorphism in color. In summer, the animal is dressed in short fur, dirty-brown above, yellowish-gray below.

In winter, the vast majority of individuals wear a lush snow-white coat, and only a few, the so-called blue foxes (Table 26), have a dark winter outfit, of different shades - from sand and light coffee to dark gray with a bluish sheen and even brown. with silver.

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