In the highlands of South and Central Asia, you can meet an amazing animal. If you just look at the photo, you can hardly tell who it is. The body structure resembles a jackal, the color resembles a fox, and the behavioral features resemble wolves. People have been hunting them for hundreds of years for the sake of a trophy, thereby bringing the population closer to the brink of extinction. Let's figure out what kind of animal it is and how to save it.
Description of the mountain wolf
These animals are very beautiful and smart. Representatives of a rare species of the canine family are called red or mountain wolves; they are closest to their gray relatives in terms of family ties. The animal has a fairly large size: the length of its body is one meter, body weight ranges from 17 to 21 kg. Appearance harmoniously combines the features of three predators: jackal, fox and gray wolf. The animal differs from the latter in its bright color, longer tail that hangs downalmost to the ground, fluffy hair. The muzzle of the mountain wolf is pointed and shortened. Large ears with rounded tips, erect and set high, give it a resemblance to a jackal.
As a rule, the red (or mountain) wolf has a red tone of color, however, depending on the range, it can vary greatly. The tail is very fluffy, like a fox, but with a black tip. The fur in winter is high, very dense, soft and thick, in summer it is darker and coarser. Baby wolf cubs are born dark brown and stay that color for up to 3 months. According to the criterion of color, body size and fur density, zoologists described 10 subspecies of the animal, while two of them live in Russia.
Area
The red wolf (mountain) is distributed over a very vast territory, its total number is small. The territory of its habitat extends from the Tien Shan and Altai mountains to Indochina and the Malay Archipelago. A large number of individuals are found in the mountainous part of South and Central Asia.
Even in the 19th century, the northern border of its habitats reached the Katun River. Now the red wolf (mountain) appears only in the southern part of the Far East, where, apparently, it enters from the adjacent lands of China or Mongolia. There is no exact data that the species currently inhabits the territory of Russia.
Food and lifestyle
The mountain wolf is a typical inhabitant of the peaks and can rise to a height of 4 thousand meters above sea level. During the year, it mainly stays in the subalpine and alpine belts, hiding in rocks or gorges. On the plains (less often forests, steppes, deserts) canmake seasonal migrations in search of food, but do not settle on them. Like many other animals, it lives high in the mountains, where there is snow cover almost all year round. The predator rarely descends to the foothills or to the southern slopes. Does not come into conflict with a person, attacks on pets happen very rarely.
The red wolf, mountain and wild, hunts in a pack of individuals of different ages, the maximum number of which does not exceed 12. Behavior in a group of animals is non-aggressive, without a clear leader. As a rule, they go hunting during the day and pursue their prey for a long time. The diet is varied and includes both small rodents, lizards, and antelopes, deer. A large pack can attack a leopard and a bull. A distinctive feature of hunting is the method of attack - from behind. They do not use a throat grip like most canids do.
Animals stand out for their secretive nature, they try to avoid people, hide in rocky crevices, niches, caves, do not dig holes. They are distinguished by subtle hearing and excellent swimming abilities, jumping up to 6 meters.
Offspring
Due to the small population and secretiveness of animals, their breeding biology is not well understood. It is reliably known that the red, or mountain, wolf is monogamous; males take an active part in raising young animals. When living in captivity, the process of active mating begins in winter (approximately in mid-January). Pregnancy in femaleslasts about 60 days, in one litter there are from 5 to 9 puppies.
In India, small cubs are periodically born throughout the year, due to the year-round warm climate. Only born puppies have a dark brown color and look like a German Shepherd or an ordinary wolf. After about two weeks, their eyes open, by the age of six months the animals already weigh as adults. At the age of 2, the young reach sexual maturity.
Population status and conservation measures
This wolf is listed in the World Red Book. The mountain animal is now on the verge of extinction. By the way, attention was paid to the small number of its population in the 19th century. This situation largely determines the low level of knowledge of the species. Nowadays, the population size, range boundaries, as well as the reasons for the rapid extinction of animals have not been fully explored. Scientists suggest that the common gray wolf, which is a direct competitor of the species, played a significant role in this. Another likely reason is a decrease in the food supply due to a decrease in the number of wild artiodactyl animals.
In order for the mountain wolf from the Red Book not to migrate to the infamous Black Book, various measures are being taken at the international level. The main task is to actively identify the boundaries of the range and the subsequent creation of protected areas in these territories. In addition, it is necessary to conduct conversations with the population, talking about the vulnerability of the species, the necessary measures to save it and prevent accidentalshooting.
