WolvesPack Life and Communication

Presented By;Chris Nast and Erin Harper

Pack Organization

The average pack sizethroughout the variety species of wolves is 4 to 7.

A pack regularly consists of:• Alpha male and female• Beta male and female• General Wolves (Hunter, Patrol, etc.)• Omega

Alpha Pair

The alpha female and alpha male are responsible for leading the pack in hunting and tracking prey, choosing den sites and establishing and maintaining the pack’s territory.

Only the alpha male and female may produce pups within a pack. The pair mates within the months of January or February.

The gestation period of the alpha female normally lasts from 62 to 65 days.

Litters

The average litter size is 4 to 6; when the pups are born and unable to hunt, they are fed by the adults through the regurgitation of food.

The pups grow fully by year one. They normally stay within the pack for about two years before dispersing.

Dispersers are wolves who travel long distances to find unoccupied territories. Others remain on the fringes of occupied territories, hunting and living alone in “buffer zones” – areas where several pack territories converge.

Life Span

The maximum life span of a wild wolf is 16 years, however most do not live beyond the age of 7.

Communication

ExpressionPosture

Scent-markingGrowlsBarksWhimpersHowls