The Wolf Pack
The size of a wolf pack can very in numbers depending on the amount of animals in their territory that can be used as prey, the age of the adult wolves; their state of health; and whether they are being trapped or hunted my humans (GRRR!!). A pack may be made up of as few as two or as many as twenty wolves. An average pack has about six or seven members.
Pack numbers go up and down. Death reduces, birth increases them. Some people believe that wolves overpopulate themselves, NOT TRUE... nature controls wolf numbers in many ways. If humans have not trapped or shot members of a pack, only the male and female leaders will breed. Any other adult wolves that show signs of wanting to breed are quickly discouraged by the leaders. Newborn wolf pups are delicate in their first few weeks of life and many of them die. Accidents and hunting injuries kill adult wolves. Also, wolves suffer from a number of illnesses and are almost never free of parasites, which can bring about disease and death.
A wolf pack is like a traditional human family. There is a father, called the Alpha Male, and the mother, called the Alpha Female. Then there are aunts and uncles and new generation brothers and sisters. The Alpha wolves are in charge of the pack. The Alpha wolves guide the family, determine when they should hunt, select the rendezvous and the home territory, lead the hunt, and are first to defend the young. The leaders have the most responsibility and usually face the most dangers themselves.
...having fun yet?
