Howling wolf… What is it? An ordinary picture from an art book, part of a landscape or a fragment of a nightmare? As practice shows, this may well be the first, second, and third. Let's try to talk about this, of course, a unique and very interesting animal.
General description of the predator
According to scientists, the gray wolves familiar to us are one of the largest, elusive, strong animals of the Canidae family. Each representative has excellent vision, amazing hearing and a rare quality of smell. In addition, do not forget about the amazing endurance of the described animals.
Adult gray wolf can be up to 160 cm long and up to 85 cm high at the shoulders. Impressive, isn't it? That's why a howling wolf can scare even the most daring and brave traveler.
It should be noted that the weight of the animal differs depending on where it lives. We can only name averages: from 25 to 39 kg. Although recently, individuals weighing up to 100 kg are increasingly common. Females usually weigh 5-10 kg less than males.
In winter, wolves are covered with fluffy and coarse wool with undercoat, thanks to which they can withstand temperatures down to -40°C.
Wolf packs consist of a wolf, a she-wolf and their cubs. Surprisingly, for protection, these mammals can unite in one huge flock. The wolf is monogamous, so the pair lasts until the death of one of the partners.
These animals are capable of breeding from the age of two. Females give birth once a year. Pregnancy lasts approximately two months, and the average litter is 5-6 cubs. At birth, wolf puppies weigh about 500 grams, but due to the fact that they grow very quickly, by autumn, the weight of wolf cubs increases 30 times.
These predators are considered territorial animals. Therefore, if a wolf howls at the moon not far from your house or garden plot, then this is the same animal, which appears every time after dark. The aliens won't get through.
Wolves feed mainly on artiodactyls, but during food shortages they can eat all living things and even carrion. During the harsh winter, packs often attack wounded or weak members of their own species and eat the bodies of dead relatives.
Surprisingly, these predators can hear sounds at a great distance, can swim and run very fast.
Wolves use many distinctive facial movements to communicate and maintain relationships in a pack.
Interesting facts
A wolf cannot, like a snake or a scorpion, kill the victim instantly, so the pack attacks a still living creature and tears off a piece of flesh.
Predators began to eat human meat in the Middle Ages, when the plague progressed in Europe, and people were not buried. Their corpses were eaten by wolves. Most likely, since then, the howling wolf began to inspire such strong fear, becauseit was this animal that began to be associated with illness and death.
It should be noted that, contrary to a fairly common misconception, although the wolf is a distant relative of the dog, he perceives it only as food.
Is the wolf dangerous for humans
People treat these predators differently, but always with admiration. Pictures of wolves howling at the moon now and then appear on clothing or interior items.
Wolves are carriers of various diseases. When an animal becomes infected with rabies, unlike other animals that become disoriented and lethargic, it becomes aggressive and may well attack people.
Of course, the wolf is very dangerous, as it can overwhelm not only an adult, but also a horse. When hunting, the animal always acts with lightning speed and silently.
However, it must be understood that these predators will never attack a person without reason. The wolf kills for only two reasons: to feed itself and, according to the instinct of self-preservation, in order to protect.
Some people don't think wolves are dangerous at all. There is also a legend about a wolf who raised a child. The boy growled like a wolf cub, jumping on his hands and feet.
Why do wolves howl at the moon
Scientists have proven that the predator howls not at all at the night star. Howling is the most important form of communication these animals have in nature. With the help of it, the wolf maintains the cohesion of the pack, coordinates its actions,defends its territory, transmits important information and finds relatives in unfamiliar territory. The wolf's howl lasts no more than 5 seconds, but the echo makes it seem like it sounds for a very long time.
The opinion that the wolf howls specifically at the moon has spread due to the fact that when this happens, the animal always raises its muzzle up, and on a quiet moonlit night with calm weather, the sounds are heard very far away.
What is the wolf dreaming of
A howling wolf in a dream denotes anger, deceit and deceit, a strong and dangerous enemy, a quarrel. If you dream of a pack of wolves, it means loss and damage, a captured beast - to ridicule and shame, a dead one - to victory over enemies. If in a dream you feel the observation of a wolf with evil eyes, then in reality this means that a person has many ill-wishers, and some experts say that if a wolf howl is heard in a dream, this, among other things, can promise need and loneliness.
