About forty species of animals include a canine family. It includes wolves, jackals, coyotes, various species of foxes and all breeds of domestic dogs. All of them are united by the ability to hunt, run fast, pursuing prey, and a certain similarity in the structure of the body. These are typical predators, eating mainly meat. They live on almost all continents, in a variety of climatic zones - from the Arctic to tropical forests.
Features of the structure and lifestyle
Animals of the canine family have an elongated torso with an elongated muzzle and strong slender limbs. On the hind legs there are, as a rule, four fingers, on the forelegs five. Claws are very strong, but not sharp and not adapted to capture prey. The main weapons of this family are teeth and well-developed fangs.
The tail is long enough, covered with thick hair. Coloring can be the most diverse - from plain to spotty and speckled. For predators hunting large prey from the category of ungulates, a group way of life is characteristic. They live in packs in which there is a strict hierarchy. All types of animals belonging to the canine family are monogamous and produce offspring mainly once a year, being distinguished by rather high fecundity.
Wolf
Most scientists agree that the wolf is the oldest member of the canine family.
It is also the largest. The length of his body is 100–160 cm, and the height at the withers of some individuals exceeds 90 cm. The size of the wolf depends on its habitat - in the northern regions the animals are larger than in the southern ones. This is a strong and agile beast, with excellent physical data that increase its vitality. He is able to tirelessly run long distances, developing a speed of up to 60 km / h.
This predator obtains food both independently and in a pack. The food is based on large ungulate animals (deer, moose, wild boars, roe deer, antelopes). Often, livestock — sheep, horses, cows — also become victims of wolf attacks. In addition, small animals also serve as food for the predator (especially in the warm season) - hares, mice, ground squirrels, etc. He will not miss the opportunity to eat the found egg laying or brood of chicks. Animals living in the southern regions also consume plant foods, eating berries, wild fruits, and even mushrooms.
The wolf’s den is located in natural shelters, which serve as inverted tree roots, a windbreak, crevices of rocks. A place for him is chosen inaccessible, always near a reservoir and is carefully masked from enemies. Interestingly, taking care of the safety of their offspring, wolves never hunt at a distance closer than 7 kilometers from the lair, until the wolf cubs grow up.
Coyote
A close relative of the wolf, without which it is difficult to imagine the North American steppe, is less aggressive and significantly inferior to him in size. The height at the withers does not exceed 50 cm, and the weight is only 13-15 kg. Life expectancy is an average of 13 years. Like most animals in the canine family, the coyote has erect ears and a long tail. He easily adapts to a changing environment, leads a flock of life, but sometimes he hunts alone. Long and thick coat has a grayish color with a red or brown tint on the sides and back. The tip of the tail is usually black.
The main food for the coyote are hares, rabbits, small rodents. Occasionally, in the absence of prey, it can attack livestock or wild deer. For this, predators gather in a flock. In addition to the meat component, insects, lizards, fish and the fruits of some plants also appear in the diet of these animals.
Couples are formed, as a rule, for life. During the breeding period, both parents participate in the care of the babies. Pregnancy lasts about two months, and from 5 to 19 cubs are born. By the fall, they become independent and go in search of a free area for hunting. Coyotes rarely conflict with each other. They try to escort an alien who has appeared on their territory with the help of a variety of threatening signals.
Jackal
In appearance, this animal is very similar to a small wolf. Its height is not more than 50 cm, and the weight varies from 7 to 13 kg. There are 4 species of jackals living in Africa, southern Europe and Asia. The most common is an ordinary Asian, called a coin box. Its color is dirty yellow with reddish and black shades. It lives mainly on the plains, near lakes and rivers. Very clear trails lead to shelters, which are used for various crevices and burrows.
The food for the jackal are small rodents, birds, lizards, snakes, frogs. Often he catches bugs, locusts, as well as other insects. Can feast on fruits and berries. But since the jackal is part of the canine family, meat is the most important component of its diet. True, he rarely enjoys hunting, preferring carrion and the remnants of prey, which were not eaten by larger predators.
Raccoon dog
This animal is more like a striped raccoon. A sharp muzzle with a distinctive masked pattern and thick, coarse, grayish-brown coat especially emphasize the similarity.
In choosing their nest, these animals are unpretentious. Their shelters can be located near a person’s dwelling and along roads, in a pile of cut down trees and stacks of peat.
The raccoon dog is also undemanding for food. She can eat any living creatures that come across in the way - frogs, mice, birds and their eggs, insects, fruits and berries, and also does not disdain carrion. Of all the animals that belong to the canine family, this is the only one that can hibernate in the case of a cold winter. In autumn, the dog accumulates fatty resources, which facilitate its existence in the cold season.
Fox
One of the most famous inhabitants of the forest, familiar to everyone from childhood, the hero of many folk tales is a fox. It differs from a wolf in a squat long body, a sharp elongated muzzle and eyes with an oval vertical pupil. More than 25 subspecies of these animals are known, but the common red fox is the most common. Its dimensions are average, weight does not exceed 10 kg. The color is red, and in the southern regions it is more dull, and in the northern regions it is quite bright.
Although the fox is part of the canine family, which is represented by predators, its nutrition is quite diverse. Usually small rodents and birds become prey. The animal's diet also includes dozens of plant species, fruits, berries, reptiles, fish, insects.
Known for her cunning, the fox can deftly evade pursuit, confuse traces and confuse the pursuer. She senses prey from afar, knows how to sneak up imperceptibly to grab a gaping victim. Foxes live one by one, forming pairs only during the period of breeding.
Wild dog dingo
Most scientists consider a wild dog in Australia to be a completely independent species.
The animal has a medium size and reddish-brown color. The tips of the legs and tail are usually white. Individuals having black, gray and white coat colors can also be found. Dogs live on open plains or in sparse forests, hunt kangaroos and various game. Sometimes they can attack livestock.
