Family of canine: representative, sizes, photo

About forty species of animals include a family of canines. It includes wolves, jackals, coyotes, various kinds 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 trunk with an extended muzzle and strong slender limbs. On the hind legs, as a rule, there are four fingers, on the front five. The claws are very strong, but they are not sharp and are not adapted to capture prey. The main weapon of representatives of this family are teeth and well-developed fangs.

The tail is long enough, covered with thick wool. Coloring can be the most diverse - from monophonic to spotted and mottled. For predators who prey on large prey from the ungulates, a group way of life is inherent. They live in packs in which there is a strict hierarchy. All kinds of animals belonging to the family of dogs are monogamous and bring offspring mainly once a year, differing at the same time with rather high fertility.

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 northern regions, animals are larger than in the southern regions. It is a strong and dexterous beast, with excellent physical data, increasing its vitality. He is able to tirelessly run long distances, developing a speed of up to 60 km / h.

This predator produces food both independently and in a pack. At the core of the diet are large ungulate animals (deer, moose, wild boar, roe deer, antelope). Often, the livestock - sheep, horses, cows become victims of the attack of wolves. In addition, small animals (especially in the warm season) serve as food for the predator - hares, mice, ground squirrels, etc. He will not miss the opportunity and eat the discovered egg-laying or brood of chicks. Animals living in the southern regions, use and vegetable feed, eating berries, wild fruits and even mushrooms.

The wolf's lair is located in natural shelters, which serve as turned out roots of trees, a windbreak, crevices of rocks. The place for it is chosen inaccessible, necessarily near the reservoir and carefully disguised from enemies. Interestingly, taking care of the safety of their offspring, wolves never hunt a distance closer than 7 kilometers from the den until the 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 considerably inferior to it in size. The height at the withers does not exceed 50 cm, and the weight is only 13-15 kg. Life expectancy averages 13 years. Like most animals that are members of the dog family, the coyote has standing ears and a long tail. He easily adapts to a changing environment, leads a gregarious lifestyle, but sometimes hunts alone. Long and thick wool has a grayish color with a red or brown tinge on the sides and back. The tip of the tail is usually black.

The main food for the coyote is rabbits, rabbits, small rodents. Occasionally, in the absence of prey, it may attack livestock or wild deer. For this, predators gather in a pack. In addition to the meat component, in the diet of these animals are also insects, lizards, fish and fruits of certain plants.

Couples are formed, as a rule, for life. During the breeding period, both parents take care of the babies. Pregnancy lasts about two months, and the light appears from 5 to 19 cubs. By autumn they become independent and go in search of a free site for hunting. Coyotes rarely conflict with each other. They found themselves on the territory of the stranger to escort them through 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, in southern Europe and Asia. The most common is the ordinary Asian, called chekalkoy. Its color is dirty yellow with reddish and black hues. Inhabits, mainly on the plains, near lakes and rivers. To shelters, in the quality of which various crevices and burrows are used, there are very well marked trails.

Food for the jackal is small rodents, birds, lizards, snakes, frogs. Often, he also catches beetles, locusts, and other insects. Can eat fruits and berries. But since the jackal is a member of the dog family, meat is an important part of its diet. True, he rarely takes a hunt, preferring carrion and remains of prey, which the larger predators did not eat.

Raccoon Dog

This animal is more like a raccoon raccoon. A sharp muzzle with a distinct pattern in the form of a mask and a dense coarse wool of a grayish-brown color emphasize the similarity. In choosing their nest these animals are unpretentious. Their shelters can be located near the human dwelling and near roads, in heaped-down trees and peat piles.

An undemanding raccoon dog and for food. She can eat any creatures that come across on the way - frogs, mice, birds and their eggs, insects, fruits and berries, and also do not disdain carrion. Of all the animals that belong to the dog family, this is the only thing that can hibernate in the case of a cold winter. In autumn, the dog accumulates fat resources, which facilitate its existence in the cold season.

Fox

One of the most famous inhabitants of the forest, the hero of many folk tales, familiar to everyone since childhood, is a fox. From the wolf differs squat, long body, sharp elongated muzzle and eyes with a vertical pupil of the oval form. There are more than 25 subspecies of these animals, but the most common common red fox. Its dimensions are average, weight does not exceed 10 kg. Coloring is red, and in southern regions it is more dim, and in the north it is quite bright.

Although the fox is included in the family of canines, which predators represent, feeding it is quite diverse. Extraction is usually small rodents and birds. The ration of the animal also includes dozens of plant species, fruits, berries, reptiles, fish, insects.

Known for its cunning, the fox can deftly move away from the pursuit, confuse the tracks and confuse the pursuer. She senses the extraction from afar, knows how to stealthily sneak up to grab the victim. Live foxes singly, forming pairs only during the breeding of offspring.

Wild Dingo Dog

Most of the scientists of the wild dog living in Australia are considered quite an independent species. The animal has a medium size and a rust-brown color. The tips of the paws and tail are usually white. There may also be individuals with black, gray and white hair color. Dogs live in open plains or in sparse forests, hunt kangaroos and various game. Sometimes they can attack farm animals.

Dogs

The size of the dog family (more precisely, its representatives) varies quite a lot, but the greatest variety of breeds can boast of domestic dogs - descendants of wolves. These are the first animals tamed by man many centuries ago, and are considered to this day his best friends and helpers. All breeds can be divided into groups: hunting, shepherds, service, decorative. For the breeding of each, dogs with certain qualities and features of the body structure were selected. Specialists have done a lot of hard work for this purpose. A dog is a schooling animal, accustomed to follow the leader, whose role, as a rule, is performed by a person.

In the photo of the canine family presented in this article, you can see only the main types of animals related to it. In fact, their list is much larger, and includes many more subspecies.