Have you ever wondered what kind of hierarchy exists in a wolf pack? Recently, the Internet is full of reports that the relationships between grey predators are extremely similar to human ones!
In confirmation they cite a photo of a wolf pack moving through a snowy forest. Here is how the order of the animals in the photo is explained.
At the front of the pack are three old, weak wolves. They would surely die if they were behind, but the others adjust to their speed and help them to survive. But at the same time, these weak beasts will become a kind of victim in case of an ambush.
A group of five of the strongest wolves follows, followed by the rest of the pack. Another group of five strongest wolves closes the column, and only far behind is the leader, who protects the rear and controls the pack, preventing the weaker ones from falling behind or getting lost.
Well, did you believe the beautiful story about how close the laws of the wolf pack are to the unspoken rules of our society? Then I have to disappoint you! In fact, it’s just a beautiful story that has almost nothing to do with reality.
The photo above was taken in Canada’s Wood Buffalo Wildlife Refuge. The original caption says that the photo shows a large pack led by an alpha wolf.
Of course, wolves do not fear any ambushes and do not throw weak pack members under grenades of partisan hare units. In most cases, the pack is headed by a leader (alpha female or alpha male). It is the leader who decides on habitat, hunting and defence. He is responsible for the well-being of the pack, so only the most intelligent animals can become leaders.
The leader is not always at the head. He may move from one group to another, checking on how all members of the pack are doing.
The animals walk in a column to conserve energy. It is hard to move in deep snow, so wolves follow each other. Weak animals would quickly run out of energy at the head of the column, so strong and sturdy wolves walk in the snow ahead.
However, there is indeed a strict hierarchy in a wolf pack. All wolves obey the alpha pair. It is followed on the hierarchical ladder by the beta pair. They are followed by gamma wolves and the lowest hierarchical step – omega wolves, which include older individuals and wolf cubs.
Wolves are also extremely loyal. They are paired for life. Once they meet their mate, they never part until the day they die!
Such interesting relationships reign among wolves. Share this knowledge with your friends, they will be interested to know more about the life of our lesser brothers.
