𝓕𝓛3 .Ⲭ. Posted January 5, 2023 Posted January 5, 2023 Wolf The gray wolf (Canis lupus), which is also known by various names such as the bush wolf, the gray wolf, the grizzled wolf, or simply "wolf" in most languages of the world, is the largest of the wild members of the Canidae family. Fossils show that gray wolves lived on Earth approximately 300,000 years ago, that is, at the end of the Pleistocene, and thus they are considered one of the animals that survived the mass extinction event that occurred at the end of the last ice age. DNA sequencing and genetic drift studies have shown that the gray wolf shares a common ancestor with the domesticated dog (Canis lupus familiaris). Although the reliability of some aspects of this scientific conclusion has been questioned, the majority of available evidence confirms the validity of what has been reached. Scientists have identified a number of subspecies of the gray wolf over the years, but the actual number is still a matter of debate. Wolves are considered major or main predators in the ecosystems they inhabit, and although they do not adapt to the presence of humans in the areas they inhabit, unlike other dogs that are less specialized than them, they are able to live in a number of different environmental habitats, such as: forests temperate regions, deserts, mountains, tundra, taiga, grasslands, and some urban areas. Gray wolves were once widespread throughout Eurasia and North America, but today they occupy a small part of their former habitat due primarily to the destruction of their habitation sites, due to human encroachment into the areas where wolves make their home, and the resulting contact between them and humans which ultimately leads to the eradication of the local po[CENSORED]tion. However, the global po[CENSORED]tion, or the species as a whole, is considered not threatened with extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Today, gray wolves are protected in some areas, hunted for entertainment in others, or relentlessly persecuted and killed in certain places because they are considered a threat to domestic livestock and domestic animals. Wolves appear in the culture and mythology of the peoples with whom they coexisted over time, in both positive and negative ways, according to the view of each people separately. Physiology Physical specifications The sizes and weights of wolves vary greatly across their habitat, but both increase the further north the subspecies lives, as stated by Bergmann's Rules The height of the wolf ranges between 0.6 to 0.95 meters (24 to 37 inches) in total, and its weight shows the difference more clearly. European wolves weigh an average of 38.5 kilograms (85 pounds), and North American wolves reach 36 kilograms (79 pounds). Arabian and Indian wolves weigh an average of 25 kilograms (55 lbs). Some unique individuals of these animals weighing up to 77 kilograms (170 lb) have been documented in Alaska, Canada, and the former Soviet Union. The heaviest wolf ever found in the New World was killed on July 12, 1939, in the Seventy Mile River in eastern central Alaska, and its weight reached 79 kilograms (170 lbs), while the heaviest wolf was documented. In the ancient world, he was killed after the end of World War II in the "Koplyaki" (Ukrainian: Кобеляки) region of the "Poltava Oblast" (Ukrainian: Полтавська область) in Soviet Ukraine, and his weight reached 86 kilograms (190 lbs). Gray wolves are sexually dimorphic animals, with females of any subspecies or po[CENSORED]tion weighing 20% less than the weight of the male, and have narrower snouts and foreheads; Fur legs are shorter and softer, and shoulders are less massive. The length of gray wolves from nose to tip of the tail, which is a quarter of the total body length, ranges from 1.3 to 2 meters (4.3 to 6.6 ft). Gray wolves rely on their endurance rather than their speed when hunting, as their narrow chests, backs and strong legs make it easier for them to move effectively. Wolves are able to travel great distances by fading at a speed of 10 kilometers per hour (6 miles per hour), and they are known to reach speeds of up to 65 kilometers per hour (40 miles per hour) while chasing their prey. A case has also been documented in which a female gray wolf leaped 7 meters (23 feet) while chasing its prey. The paws of wolves are suitable for moving over different types of lands, especially over the snow, and they have a light woven tape between each toe to help them move over the snow relatively easier than their prey. Gray wolves are even fingered animals, which, in addition to the large size of their paws, helps them distribute their weight on the surface of the snow blanket when moving around. The front paws are larger than the hind paws, and they have a fifth toe called the zygoma. The coarse hairs of the paws and blunt claws help the wolf hold on to slippery surfaces, and special blood vessels ensure that the soles of the feet do not freeze when walking on such cold surfaces. Wolves also have scent-secreting glands between their fingers that help them leave chemical marks behind them while they walk, which makes them move in a wide range in conjunction with leaving messages to other herd members about their whereabouts. Unlike dogs and coyotes, wolves have fewer sweat glands on their paws. This trait is also seen in eastern Canadian coyotes, which have recently been shown to have ancestors from wolves. Wolves in Palestine and southern Lebanon are unique because their two middle toes are fused together, a trait that was thought to be specific to African wild dogs. Source:https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/ذئب_رمادي
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