A wolf pack is a complex social unit not unlike the family structure of humans. There are old wolves who need cared for, pups who need educated, and adolescents who want to be assertive.
Play is a vital part of a wolf’s life. They can release energy, exercise, and make friends. Playtime can be aggressive, but rarely do the wolves harm each other.
There are two main species of wolf in North America. The red wolf (Canis rufus) resides in the southeastern United States. The gray wolf (Canis lupus), the wolf the Dutchers observed, can be found from the U.S./Canadian border nearly all the way to the North Pole.
Wolves were reintroduced to the American West in 1995, and since then the ecosystems they live in have been stabilized and restored. The populations of birds, antelope, and trout have all increased.
Jim and Jamie Dutcher spent six years living in the Idaho wilderness among a pack of wolves. The Dutchers captured wolves’ lives on film and became closer with the pack than they ever could have imagined.
Wolves are very affectionate animals. They rarely pass by each other without a nuzzle or a lick, and they often relax together with the head of one draped over the neck of the other.
Wolves are dominant carnivores with large teeth and powerful jaws. Their bite has a force of 1,500 pounds per square inch, capable of crushing the thighbone of a moose.
The second in command to the alpha is the beta wolf; he maintains order and protects the pack but cannot rule. On the other end of the hierarchy, the omega wolf is the lowest-ranking member and must constantly submit to other pack members.
Wolf pups are born in late winter or early spring and weigh about one pound at birth. Within a year, pups are nearly full-grown and can begin to run with the pack.
Wolves howl for a variety of reasons, the majority of which may never be known to us. Howling increases during the mating season, and is typically initiated by the alpha wolf.
