We are on exposition "Animals of Russia". Common or gray wolf (CANIS LUPUS LUPUS) (CANIDAE) is one of the typical representatives of Russian fauna. A large enclosure is inhabited by a male "Negdan" with two females. Our wolves are young, they have got accustomed to keepers and behave with them as dogs. However wolf can be dangerous for the visitors. Therefore, despite of deep ditch, enclosure with the wolves is fenced with the electroshepherd.

From all Canidae wolf perhaps is most adapted to the various conditions from tundra up to desert and high mountains, its range is very extensive. The ancestors of the wolves and dogs were, apparently, first domesticated animals.
Let's look at the typical inhabitants of the Russian forests – various mustelids (MUSTELIDAE). Here one can see european mink(MUSTELA LUTREOLA), pine marten (MARTES MARTES) and sable (MARTES ZIBELLINA). All of them are rather similar and differ only by sizes and coloration. All these predators look for their prey on ground, and on trees. The fluffy tails help them to jump. The sable (MUSTELIDAE) is the most interesting among them. This animal is of great value for Moscow zoo, because here sables were bred in captivity for the first time in the world more than 60 years ago. The technique of their breeding was developed in the Moscow zoo by the professor P.A.Manteiphel and now sables are successfully bred at special state fur farms.

Except for various mustelids one can see here many species of our forest birds, for example black grouse (TETRAO TETRIX) (PHASIANIDAE) and capercaillie (TETRAO UROGALLUS) (PHASIANIDAE). These large, beautiful birds have been game species for a long time. However now black grouse and capercaillie are bred in captivity, and the special farms allow to enlarge their populations in forests.

In the forest there are few chances to see, but it is easy to hear night predators – owls. The largest of them is eagle owl (BUBO BUBO) (STRIGIDAE). Contrary to a popular belief its vision is acute in the daytime as well, as at night. The eagle owl in the winter prefers to hunt in day time. The sizes and force of an eagle owl allow it to attack not only rodents, which are the main preys of owls, but also hares and even young ungulates.
European brown hare (LEPUS CAPENSIS) and northern hare (LEPUS TIMIDUS) are representstives of the family LEPORIDAE. They are the most typical inhabitants of Russian forests and open grasslands. In summer pelage of both species is brown or grayish brown. In winter northern hares turn white and only the tips of the ears are black. They live in areas with snowy winters. On the contrary the range of european brown hare includes the open areas where the snow in winter is frequently blown off by the wind or is melting in warm days. That's why in winter these hares molt in pelage which is slightly more light-coloured.