Representatives of the huge canine family, which has 37 species, are some of the smartest and smartest animals on the planet, subject to a certain order and hierarchy. They live on all continents except Antarctica, and for the most part, they are fearless swift predators, many of which hunt in packs. Some species are not afraid of humans, and the dog became the first animal domesticated by humans. Let us get to know them better, and in our review the most beautiful representatives of the canine family, with beautiful photographs and descriptions of species.
18
Michong
This beautiful predator from the family of canine representatives is also called the savannah fox, and the mikong lives in Latin America.
Maykongs grow no more than 50 cm at the withers, and weigh from 5 to 8 kg. They prefer to hunt in the dark, alone, but also sometimes in pairs. Maikongs are almost omnivorous animals, and they eat small rodents, birds, frogs with pleasure, and do not mind eating turtle eggs.
It is noteworthy that the generic name of the mikongs "Cerdocyon" in translation from the ancient Greek language literally translates as "cunning dog."
17
Black jackal
Jackal with a reddish-gray color on the back has dark stripes, which became the reason for the species name due to its similarity with cheprak.
You can meet a beautiful small animal on the east and south coast of Africa. The black-headed jackal is slightly longer than an ordinary wolf, but smaller in size.
The animal is very trusting and easily gets used to people. In the habitats, the locals make magnificent fur carpets called caross from the wool of these jackals.
16
Coyote
These meadow dogs got their name from the Aztec word "coyotl", but the Latin name "Canis latrans" is translated as a barking dog.
Coyotes have chosen the habitat of the vastness of North America, and they can be found from Panama to Alaska. They prefer to keep open areas of prairies and deserts, and rarely wander into forests.
Coyotes themselves are small, they grow in length no more than 1 m. It is interesting that coyotes easily adapt to their habitats, and can easily survive in urban areas.
15
Shrub dog
A cute but predatory mammal lives in the wet savannahs of South and Central America. In appearance, this is the most unusual representative of canine, as it is more like an otter.
They prefer to settle near water bodies, lead a nocturnal lifestyle, and hide in burrows during the day. The most social of all canines in Latin America. They can live in married couples, but more often they like to live and get food in a pack, which contains from 10 to 12 individuals.
Despite the huge habitat, shrub dogs are very rare animals, and are listed in the International Red Book. Hunting these cute animals is prohibited.
14
Red Wolf
A rather rare, but very beautiful animal, combining the features of a wolf, a fox and a jackal, is found in Southeast Asia, from the mountainous regions of the Tien Shan to the Malay archipelago.
It is the color that distinguishes him from the ordinary wolf. Also, the red wolf has more fluffy hair and a long tail. Mountain wolves, which sometimes rise to a height of up to 4 thousand meters, are social animals, as they live and hunt in packs.
Unfortunately, a graceful and beautiful animal is threatened with extinction, and is protected by the laws of the states in which it lives.
13
Common wolf
An ordinary gray wolf, which lives in almost all the landscapes found on Earth, is not without appeal.
More recently, the range of wolves was much wider, but decreased, to a greater extent due to the onset of man on the natural habitat of wolves. Dimensions depend on the habitat, and the weight of the largest wolf was 80 kg.
A beautiful but dangerous predator can attack a person. Wolves live, mainly in packs, but there are also loners who fearlessly protect their habitat.
By the way, on our site most-beauty.ru you can read an interesting article about the most beautiful wolves on the planet.
12
Striped jackal
The habitat of striped jackals is Central and South Africa, and the animal settles not far from human dwellings, preferring savannas and wooded areas.
The color of a small animal is mainly gray, and light stripes pass on the sides, which caused the species name. These jackals have a beautiful tail, fluffy, brown in color with a white tip.
Note that among all jackals, striped have the most powerful teeth, and he preys on lizards, small rodents, and the biggest victim is hares.
11
Maned wolf
A predatory and beautiful mammal, with a characteristic mane on the neck, the largest of all canids that live on the South American continent. Outwardly, it looks more like a big fox on long, slender legs than a wolf.
At the withers, the maned wolf reaches from 80 to 87 cm, but the body is short no more than 130 cm in length. During the day, usually animals rest in the shade of dense forests, but in the twilight and at night they go hunting. They hunt small animals, but also eat plant foods.
They communicate with each other through the throat barking, but when they meet with an opponent they growl menacingly, guarding the territory.
10
Wild dog dingo
The second run wild beautiful dog got its name when Europeans came to Australia, who adopted the word “tingo” from the natives, which was used to describe these cute animals.
In appearance, it is a well-built, muscular dog, reaching medium size, and having a characteristic reddish color with various shades. Prefer to lead a nocturnal lifestyle.
Over time, Dingo became the main predators of the Australian continent, but in Asia, often a wonderful wild dog settles near human dwellings.
On our site you can also learn a lot of interesting things about animals that live only on the Australian continent!
9
Melville Island Wolf
A beautiful predator with a characteristic white coat is also called the Elsmere or Arctic wolf, by the name of the islands in North America where you can meet this animal.
Melville wolves are smaller than their mainland relatives, but like them, they prefer to hunt in packs. They hunt both small animals - hares, lemmings, and large ones. In their diet, musk ox, reindeer, can attack moose if they fall under the ice, and cannot resist.
They live in their original habitat, and do not settle in other areas.
8
Hyena dog
Many will find many arguments against the inclusion of a hyena dog in the list of beautiful dogs, but you must admit that this species is not without its charm and attractiveness.
The scientific name of these predators living in the steppes and savannas of Africa is translated as a painted wolf. Indeed, in appearance they are very similar to wolves, but the original color of white, black and red spots makes the animal stand out among the congeners.
Hunt groups of 5-10 individuals on large artiodactyls. But do not mind, like their distant ancestors feast on carrion, or leftovers from the feast of lions and other large predators.
7
Korsak
It is hard to imagine that these cute and cute steppe foxes are predators from a huge canine family. Korsak is much smaller than ordinary foxes, but looks very similar to its red relatives.
Cute chanterelles prefer to settle in a hilly area, and their habitat is limited to deserts, steppes and semi-deserts of Southeastern Europe and Asia.
Korsaks live in burrows, which they themselves dig out, and with the onset of dusk go hunting. Their unusual appearance led to the fact that they became frequent inhabitants of zoos. In captivity, they are active in the daytime.
6
Common fox
Red and sly fox, the most common and largest species of its numerous genus. In addition, as we all know from childhood, this is the main character of most Russian fairy tales.
It lives in different parts of the world, except, of course, Antarctica, as well as South America. Color and size depend on the subspecies, and there are more than 50, and habitat. The graceful body ends with a fluffy tail with a white tip, but triangular ears, usually dark in color, adorn the head.
Belongs to predators, but the diet of beautiful animals is very diverse. Many note the natural cleverness of foxes, which allows them to survive in the wild.
5
Black fox
It is worth mentioning about this beauty, who is an ordinary fox morph, but differs from her relative in incredibly beautiful and magnificent black-brown fur.
They live mainly on the North American continent, and the color of animals is quite variable, from pure black to gray with bluish and brown hues. But the tip of the tail is always white, which gives charm to predators.
The black-brown fox is widely represented in heraldry, and in the household their fur is used to make outerwear and hats.
4
Raccoon dog
The homeland and natural habitat of a cute omnivorous animal is Southeast Asia, but a raccoon dog was brought to Europe, and it easily adapted to local living conditions.
They live in pairs near ponds, and they use burrows of foxes or badgers as shelters, less often they dig holes themselves. A very beautiful animal, which has an unusual color, and the tail, unlike relatives, has no stripes.
Adult individuals grow to the size of a small dog, and, interestingly, the only representative of a large family of canids, which hibernates in winter.
3
Big Eared Fox
A predatory animal with its appearance resembles its ordinary relative, but much smaller and with disproportionately large ears. It was this part of the body that determined the species name of the beautiful fox with large ears and expressive eyes.
It is found on the southern tip of the African continent, as well as on the east coast. It feeds on insects, which make up the main diet, but it also often hunts small rodents.
Big-eared foxes live in pairs or triads, where two females keep about one male.
2
Arctic fox
An animal with incredibly beautiful fur lives beyond the Arctic Circle, and during winter migrations it can reach the south of Finland, and in Russia it can reach the lower reaches of the Amur River.
Due to the resemblance to foxes, arctic foxes are also called polar foxes, and their fur has long been a valuable means of exchange and trade.
Arctic foxes are omnivorous, and their diet includes about 125 species of various animals and about 30 species of plants. It easily gets along with a person, and on some island farms leads a semi-free lifestyle, resorting to a feeding command.
1
Fenech
Perhaps the most beautiful and unusual representative of the canine, it’s small, with large ears, Fenech. Miniature fox can be found in the Sahara and other desert expanses of Africa.
Preferring the desert, nevertheless keeps near small bushes, and in moments of danger hides in burrows or thickets of tall grass. Tears holes in the sand with multiple labyrinths. He leaves his shelters in search of food, mainly at night.
They live in family groups, where the eldest is a married couple, and the number of flocks reaches 12 individuals.
Finally
In the photo: Maikong
It is difficult to single out in the wild the most beautiful representative of such a large family as canids, because everyone has their own zest and peculiarity in appearance and behavior.
In conclusion, we note that many of the representatives of canids because of their valuable fur become an object of hunting. But at the same time, man becomes a victim of fearless predators, and history knows many examples when people became the object of attack from wolves, coyotes, jackals and even foxes.
Article author: Valery Skiba