Wolf Pack Hierarchical Structure
A wolf pack is consistently associated with a hierarchical structure whether in the wild or in captivity. As the captive wolf pack in the study had lost their alpha male, it was expected that one wolf would take the alpha status over. This is supported by Woodroffe et al (1997), who stated that a loss within a pack would prompt a change in the hierarchical structure in order to accommodate for the loss. Due to constraints of captivity, there can be effects on the hierarchical structure amongst other social behaviour due to increased stress levels (Claxton, 2011, Hosey and Druck, 1987). Enclosure size can be a limiting factor in growth of the pack, as there is no room for individuals to move off to create their own pack, meaning that a hierarchy needs to be established within the pack to keep the group together without any extremely harmful or fatal altercations occurring.
Throughout the study, the wolves would frequently walk as a group to and from two zones in their enclosure (zones A and D (see figure 1 for zones)), often in single file, or as a group. This is thought to be because the two zones (A and D), are associated with food by the wolves, and so is a point of interest for them. Their indoor enclosure is located within zone A, which is where the wolves are being trained to feed. Furthermore, zone D is a point of interest because it is a vantage point for them to see zoo keepers walking down towards their enclosure, and keepers are associated with food. The leader of the group when walking to these zones was recorded as it was hypothesised that this would be the most dominant wolf. In a wild wolf pack it is most common for the breeding pair or dominant males to lead the hunting party on an attack, as described by Clark (1971) and Mech (1988). Considering that captive wolves get their food brought to them, this ‘patrolling’ behaviour was deemed the closest thing to leading the pack on a hunt. Figures 4 and 5 show that wolf A had the highest proportion of
Throughout the study, the wolves would frequently walk as a group to and from two zones in their enclosure (zones A and D (see figure 1 for zones)), often in single file, or as a group. This is thought to be because the two zones (A and D), are associated with food by the wolves, and so is a point of interest for them. Their indoor enclosure is located within zone A, which is where the wolves are being trained to feed. Furthermore, zone D is a point of interest because it is a vantage point for them to see zoo keepers walking down towards their enclosure, and keepers are associated with food. The leader of the group when walking to these zones was recorded as it was hypothesised that this would be the most dominant wolf. In a wild wolf pack it is most common for the breeding pair or dominant males to lead the hunting party on an attack, as described by Clark (1971) and Mech (1988). Considering that captive wolves get their food brought to them, this ‘patrolling’ behaviour was deemed the closest thing to leading the pack on a hunt. Figures 4 and 5 show that wolf A had the highest proportion of