Contrary to popular belief, wolves do not mate for life. When their mate is killed or displaced by another wolf, they will bond with a new wolf.
Wolves mate in the winter months (February). During this time, the wolf pack is very stressed. Once the two wolves mate, things settle down. When the alpha pair mate, the male remains conjoined to the female for up to an hour. This guarantees that the pups born in the spring (April or May) are definately his.
When it's about time for the alpha female to have her pups, she searches for a safe place to have them. She can have 4-6 pups. Not all of the pups will survive.
For the first few weeks of their lives, the pups suckle milk from their mother. Soon they will begin to eat semi-solid food regurgitated for them by other pack members. Once the pups are a few weeks old, they are introduced to the pack and start to eat solid food. Soon they learn their place in the pack--at the very bottom.
Wolves love puppies! The whole pack gets involved in raising them. When pups are born, all the wolves begin to produce a chemical that makes them want to play with and raise the pups. |
