Content
- How is the organization of a pack of wolves
- The organization of a pack of wolves for hunting
- What are the advantages of hunting in packs?
- Do wolves hunt day or night?
The Wolves (kennels lupus) are mammals belonging to the Canidae family and are known for their habits and for being the supposed ancestors of dogs. Their appearance often inspires fear and they are animals that can be dangerous for humans. But the truth is that they strive to get away from us, being found today in very few places within their former distribution area, such as in North America, part of Europe, North Africa and Asia, where they inhabit wooded, mountainous areas. , grassland or swamp areas.
In addition to being highly intelligent animals, whose social structure is very complex and with very striking hierarchies. They are also characterized by their climate adaptations that allow them to live in areas with extreme temperatures of up to -50 ºC. But how is the organization of a pack of wolves? How do wolves hunt, do they hunt in groups or alone? Continue reading this PeritoAnimal article to get those answers.
How is the organization of a pack of wolves
The social structure of these animals is one of the most organized that exist, because the wolf hierarchy it is well established and marked. Some studies indicate that in each pack there is a breeding pair in charge of leading the hunt and being the core of the pack, as we explained in this other article on wolf breeding. On the other hand, three or four other individuals take turns entering and leaving the group, while another individual is in charge of protecting the leading pair, watching their backs.
The lead breeding couple is also in charge of resolving and intervening in any dispute that may arise between the members of the pack. They also have absolute freedom within the group, as they have control over resources and are the ones who keep the pack together. social trait is fellowship, between others. On the other hand, there is a second breeding pair that follows the alpha pair, called the beta pair, and is the one that will replace the first in case of death and the one that controls the lower level individuals within the pack.
Generally, wolves are monogamous, although there are exceptions, as the alpha male (the leader and dominant male of the pack) may sometimes prefer to mate with another member of a lower rank. In the case of females, they occupy the second position in command and the offspring do not participate in this hierarchy until they reach maturity.
O Alpha wolf he has many privileges, and when it's time to feed on prey, he does it first, and then gives way to others, who will be submissive to the alpha male. Submission is like bending and curling your body, lowering your ears, licking the alpha on the muzzle, and tucking your tail between your legs. On the other hand, studies speak of the existence of an omega wolf, which is the last to be considered at mealtimes or during games and games between them.
The number of individuals within the organization of a wolf pack is subject to several factors, such as the environmental conditions of its habitat, the different personalities of its members and the availability of food. That is why, a pack can have 2 to 20 wolves, although 5 to 8 is said to be common. A new pack is formed when a wolf moves away from its original pack, where it was born, to find a mate and then claim territory, and can travel long distances in search of other wolves. Also, each group must have great respect for the territories of others, otherwise they could be killed by members of other packs.
In this other article we show you the different types of wolves and their characteristics.
The organization of a pack of wolves for hunting
The Wolves hunt in small groups, usually between four to five individuals. Together they corner the prey into a polygon, leaving little chance of escape, not only closing it in on all sides, but also because wolves are agile and very fast. Leaders and adults always go ahead, while the younger ones follow, watching every move.
The hunting party has two main rules: one is that they must approach the prey little by little and slowly until they are a considerable and safe distance away. The second is that each one must move away from the others, always maintaining the position and being ready to attack. Furthermore, the attack will depend on the size of the prey, because if it is domestic cattle, for example, they hunt through observation and a member of the group is responsible for distracting, if necessary, the sheepdogs that guard the flock. Thus, when a wolf is seen by the shepherds, the others attack the prey.
When it comes to other larger animals such as moose, wolves choose prey that are visibly at a disadvantage, whether it is a calf, an older individual, sick or severely injured. First, they may harass them for hours until they are cowed or too tired to escape, at which point the wolves seize the opportunity to attack one of them. These attacks can also be dangerous to wolves, as moose and other large prey can attack them with their horns.
What are the advantages of hunting in packs?
The organization of a pack of wolves for hunting is important because, as a group, they have great advantages in relation to isolated hunting, as they all attack prey from different angles of the hunting area and their success is due to this strategy, as the victim is stranded and there is no way to escape.
In addition, hunting in a group allows them access to almost any large prey such as moose, reindeer, deer, among others, as opposed to hunting the wolf alone, as it must be content to hunt smaller prey such as rabbits, beavers or foxes. to avoid any injury in case of handling larger animals. However, one of the disadvantages of group hunting is that they will have to share the prey among all members of the pack.
Perhaps you might be interested in this article on why wolves howl at the moon.
Do wolves hunt day or night?
Wolves have a very keen sense of smell and vision, which allows them to hunt both during the day and at night. In general, they hunt at twilight hours thanks to their vision that allows them to see in low-light conditions. This is due to the presence of a layer of tissue located behind the retina, called the tapetum lucidum.
During the day they rest and sleep somewhere protected from humans or possible predators, although during winter it is possible for them to move at any time.
Now that you know what wolf pack organization is like, its hierarchy, and how wolf hunting works, don't miss our other article on 15 dog breeds that look like wolves!
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