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The Wolf Pack
Few Mammals anywhere are aware - and as loyal to - their group as the wolf. Unlike coyotes and foxes, the wolf usually exists for its pack. The rare exception is the proverbial "lone wolf" - the runt, the outsider, ostracized from the pack. This wolf may wander ten kilometres (six miles) or 1000 kilometres (600 miles), passing cautiously through the domains of other packs, If it is very lucky and finds a mate, and if there is enough territory available for them, they might be able to start a new pack of their own.
For most wolves, however, their identity begins and ends as part of a cohesive, eight to, fifteen-member pack. The hierarchy of the pack is known to all and reinforced by favors, rituals, nips, and fights.
(above right) photograph ©Richard E. Flauto Wildlife Foundation | Each pack has a leading, dominate pair, The top male, called the alpha male,who submits to no one and to whom all the other males defer. Likewise, a top alpha female,to whom all other females must submit (The subservient members are usually direct descendants of the Alpha parents).
Contrary to popular belief a female can lead the pack, in one study of 5 packs almost 50% were lead by a female wolf
Next in rank to the alphas are the beta male and beta female. For each gender, every wolf has a rank or place in line where they must submit to anyone higher than they are, but can bully or dominate the wolves lower in rank. At the bottom there is an omega male and omega female.
These wolves have no one under them and may be harassed to the point where they disperse, or leave the pack.
Within the pack, wolves will constantly demonstrate their rank. When two wolves in the pack meet, the higher-ranking one will show aggression and confidence by raising its tail, putting its ears forward, lifting its lips in a snarl, and making itself look as big and threatening as possible.
The hackles, the fur along the top of its back, will go up automatically when a wolf is threatening a lower-ranking one. The subordinate, or lower-ranking wolf, tries to make itself look small and non-threatening. Its tail will be tucked under its belly, ears laid back flat, and it will roll over and submit to the higher-ranking wolf, licking its muzzle and "letting it know that it's boss." In almost all cases, this ritual substitutes for actual fighting. If wolves often fought and hurt each other, they might be too injured to be able to hunt and survive.
The Alpha Wolf may show friendly dominance by closing its teeth on a subordinate's muzzle in a ritual bite. The bite does not draw blood and is, indeed as much a sign of affection as of benign discipline that status of each of the participants.
Wolves will defend there territory, they work as a pack to harass larger animals like bears, although a pack of 12 were once known to kill a grizzly bear, most times if the animal runs away the wolves will not attack.
Animals the wolf may come in contact with are:
Coyotes - They will avoid wolves most times. but when encounters occour they are aggressive.
Grizzly bears - Are known to eat wolf pups, wolves will chase away bears from the den area.
Cougars - Although rare in nature, the cougar being a lone hunter is at a disadvantage in a fight with a wolf pack.
Foxes - Foxes have been observed stealing from wolf kills, wolves have been know to steal fox dens, wolves have been known to kill foxes, though it is rare, more often than not they ignore these tiny predators, the exceptions is in the arctic region where wolves will usually kill a fox on sight.
Ravens - One of the most fascinating relationships between animals is the one that seems to exist between wolves and raven. The raven, scavenger of food of all types, will often follow wolf packs in hopes of morsels of food. and wolves have learned to watch for circling ravens as a sign of possible food below.
Tigers - Wolves and tigers once co-existed in India, tigers would prey on wolves. In a modern setting of a safari park in ontario, when a tiger got loose and entered the wolf compound, the 130 pound alpha male wolf attacked the 500 pound cat immediately before workers gained control of the situation.
Dogs - Although wolves are physiologically capable of breeding with dogs, such crossed usually happen in captive situations, trappers tales of wild wolves mating with dogs is usually a campfire myth. Most encounters between wild wolves and dogs are aggressive in nature, it is only natural a dog would be a trespasser in a wolf's territory, small yapping dogs may be attacked as nuisances.
Communication
Body Postures
Wolves use body language (the way the present themselves) to communicate, this way another wolf will know exactly what they are thinking. For example when a kill is made the two alpha wolves eat first, a lower ranking wolf will come in lowering it body, ears laid back.
It is, in effect asking for permission to feed.
Here are some other examples of Body postures:
- Tail held high and standing tall, represents a more dominate wolf, shows all others his rank in the pack.
- Tail down or between the legs, lowered body, pawing at higher the ranking wolf, shows a subordinate wolf.
- Ears straight up and bare their teeth shows anger.
- Rolling on the back also shows submission.
- Squinting the eyes and ears pulled back shows a wolf is suspicious.
- Flattening the ears against the head shows fear.
- Dancing around and putting the front of its body down, while leaving the back part up in the air shows a playful wolf.
Wolves love to play, shouldering one another, bumping bodies together, flopping tails over each other's backs, and leaping up placing forepaws around other' necks. Play especially in pups, develops strength and hunting skills, and aids in establishing pack communication and hierarchy.
The intention to play is often signaled by the gesture well known to dog owners of dropping the front quarters into a crouch position, with smiling face and wagging tail. Adult wolves stage mock fights, play chase, and leap on each other. The ambushing of unwary pack members is a favorite game.
Communication through Scent
Wolves have a very good sense of smell Research shows wolves have been able to detect their pray at distances of up to 1.75 miles (3 kilometres), which they also use to communicate. Wolves mark their territory with urine and faeces. This is called scent marking. When "outside" wolves smell this, they know that an area is already occupied. Of course, their sense of smell also tells them when food or enemies are near.
Communication through Sound - The Wolf Howl
Have you ever heard a wolf howl? That is one of the ways wolves communicate with their voices. Wolves don't howl at the moon. They will howl any time of the day but are most often heard in the evening because that is when the pack is most active. They howl to find other pack members, to let "outside" wolves know where their territory is, or to get the pack excited and ready to hunt.
Sometimes, it seems as if they howl just for fun. Wolves also bark to warn other pack members of danger or to challenge an enemy. They often growl in dominance disputes or other kinds of "fights." They make a squeaking noise to call the pups, and the pups' mother will whimper to calm them down.
A howl may range from half-second in duration to about eleven seconds. Communal howls often begin with a few sharp barks by a few pack members, followed by a low howl that builds to a louder group howl.
Wolves seldom stay on the same note while howling, but rather shift pitch to achieve almost harmonic effect.
Far across the tanana, a mile or two to the south of us, a group of wolves were singing. I call it singing, not howling, for that is what it was like. We could distinguish three, perhaps four voices - wavering, ascending in pitch, each one following the other, until they all broke off in a confused chorus. Their voices sank into distant echoes on the frozen river, and began again. A light and uncertain wind was blowing out there, and the sound grew and faded as the air brought it toward us or carried it away southward. It might have come across a thousand years of ice and wind-packed snow, traveling as the light of the stars from a source no longer there.
John Haines; the stars, the snow, the fire | |
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