There are several differences, such as size, eating habits, social organization and behavior towards men. But there is also much in common between dog, wolf and fox: the three are part of the canidae family, which also includes the jackal, the maned wolf, the coyote and the wild dog. In total, there are 34 species of canids. They are medium-sized and omnivorous animals – they prefer to eat the meat of other animals, but, in a situation of food scarcity, they will even stare at a small plant. Over time, they moved from occupying only North America to specializing in hunting in open plains. Large canids tend to live in packs, while smaller ones tend to lead a more solitary life. According to zoologists, there is only one species of wolf, the gray one, divided into several subspecies – the domestic dog is one of them. Because they are close relatives, both of the Canini tribe, dogs and wolves can even interbreed and generate hybrid offspring.
CONSULTANCY: ERIKA HINGST-ZAHER, ZOOLOGIST SPECIALIZED IN MAMMALS AT THE MUSEUM OF ZOOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SÃO PAULO (USP)
Wolf
The gray wolf (Canis lupus) is a wild, non-domesticated canid that lives in packs, groups led by an adult male and female. It can reach 2 meters in length and weigh more than 60 kilograms. The approximately 15 subspecies inhabit forests or plains in Europe, Asia, the United States, Canada and North Africa, but in some places, such as Japan, they are on the verge of extinction because of human persecution.
Fox
The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is the most common of the 16 species of foxes. After man, it is the land mammal with the greatest distribution in the world – it is present in 83 countries on five continents. Foxes are small or medium-sized animals, whose bad reputation (if they call them a “fox” is not a compliment) comes from attacks on animals raised on rural properties. They live everywhere, in places as diverse as forests, swamps, deserts and savannahs.
Dog
Of the three (dog, wolf and fox), the dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is the only one domesticated by man, in a process that began 135,000 years ago. The first domestic dogs played a guard and hunting role. The more than 400 breeds of dogs that currently exist are the result of selection made by man.
DOGS’ ANATOMY
The front paws of canids have four or five fingers, and the hind legs only four. The long tail is used in communication between individuals: submissive animals, for example, place their tail between their legs in front of the dominant one. Long legs and keen hearing and smell are the result of the evolution of these hunters’ skills.
RESISTANCE HEROES
Most medium and large canids prefer to hunt in groups. Although they do not use the element of surprise nor are they as fast as some cats, they have excellent resistance and end up capturing their prey due to fatigue. Some hunts can go on for days
OLD KNOWLEDGEMENTS
Canids are some of the oldest carnivores on the planet. The first ancestors lived in North America 30 million or 35 million years ago, when dinosaurs had already become extinct. They are thought to have evolved from Miacidae, a now extinct family of placental mammals and carnivores.
GLOBAL INVASION
Except in Antarctica and some islands in Oceania, canids are present all over the world. The dispersal of these animals occurred about 6 million years ago. They crossed the Bering Strait, which connects Alaska to Russia, and spread across Asia, Europe and Africa. In Australia, they arrived taken by the man
• Cat claws are retractable, canine claws are not. That’s what makes felids climb trees – something that canids don’t.
• The mouth of canids has 38 to 42 teeth, while felines have a maximum of 30. The reduction in the number of teeth increases the power of the bite, an important trait in felines, animals that only feed on meat
• Felids and canids belong to the carnivorous order, but felines belong to the feliform suborder, while canids belong to the caniform suborder
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