The song about a little gray top that grabs a barrel is familiar to almost everyone who was put to sleep with a lullaby as a child The stupid and simple-minded Gray is the hero of many fairy tales, where, according to the plot, he is deceived by Fox Patrikeevna or killed by hunters, taking Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother from their bellies In the folklore of the Lapps (Sami), representatives of the Finno-Ugric peoples, and the Koryaks living in Kamchatka, the wolf is white, and the fox is not red, but blue In the climatic zone close to the North Pole, the color of animals adapts to the surrounding landscape with its snow cover
Science also knows other species of predatory mammals from the canine family In Arabic and Turkish fairy tales, which take place in countries with hot climates, the red wolf, or steppe dweller, appears The dark color of the coat and skin is due to the ability of the melanin pigment to absorb sunlight in large quantities, protecting the predator from overheating under the influence of sunlight This unique animal, native to Central and South Asia, is endangered Therefore, May 28 is celebrated as World Red Wolf Day
The predator is a typical inhabitant of mountainous regions The animal jumps well and swims well, has developed hearing, lives and hunts in packs of 6-12 individuals Food for the red wolf includes both small animals (marmots, rabbits, lizards, etc) and large ones (deer, antelope, goats) Rock crevices, niches and caves in the mountains serve as shelter for the beast
The appearance of the predator combines the features of a wolf, jackal and fox It is distinguished from other wild representatives of the canine family by its shortened and pointed muzzle, large erect ears and long tail The thick and fluffy red coat makes the red wolf look like a fox These wild members of the canid family use a variety of sounds to communicate Their melodiousness impresses people, which is why the animals are often called “singing mountain wolves”
Animals were depicted in “The Second Jungle Book” by R Kipling The writer presents red wolves as “red dogs of the Dean” - animals dangerous to all inhabitants of the tropical forest They roam in a huge pack, which even the tiger Sherkhan and the elephant Hathi avoid meeting Red wolves are also mentioned in the story by VK Arsenyev's "Dersu Uzala", the novel by J Verne "The Children of Captain Grant" and the works of other writers
The animal population is declining year by year It is no coincidence that the red-colored predator is included in the Red Book Previously, it could be found in the Tien Shan, Altai (there were 2 subspecies of the red wolf in Russia), China, Vietnam and the territories of the Hindustan Peninsula Today this is almost impossible due to the fact that the animal is under threat of complete extinction
World Dhole Day calls for the creation of wildlife sanctuaries and sanctuaries in areas where the red wolf occurs People should try to preserve its natural habitat, creating opportunities for the animal to live comfortably in its natural environment In honor of World Red Wolf Day, various events and flash mobs are organized Explanatory work is being carried out among the population of the countries where it lives to prevent accidental shooting of the predator and other activities