Minam wolf pack, Oregon – reconstructing pack’s history

It has been very exciting to reconstruct the histories of the original recolonizers of Oregon. The first wolf families to settle anywhere likely establish a legacy that does not fade easily even if packs replace one another. For example, the first settlers choose their home in accordance to the configuration of the landscape with respect …

Has dispersal promoted individualism in wolves and has individuality, paradoxically, evolved due to pronounced sociality?

While watching the International Wolf Center livestream videos, I cannot help but wonder at the extraordinary ability by these individuals to keep track of highly dynamic (on physical and social level) interactions (and speedy, as well). Also, these wolves seem to be capable of minding what everyone else is doing even if each individual acts …

Games that adult/subadult wolves play. My will be done

Recently I began a thread of posts concerning the types of play I have observed in the IWC Exhibit Pack live stream camera feeds (North / South). I will not repeat the introductory part and you can read the first two posts here – Games that adult/subadult wolves play. Social status dynamics game, Games that …

Games that adult/subadult wolves play. Strategizing game

Recently I began a thread of posts concerning the types of play I have observed in the IWC Exhibit Pack live stream camera feeds (North / South). I will not repeat the introductory part and you can read the first post here - Games that adult/subadult wolves play. Social status dynamics game. I will, however, …

Games that adult/subadult wolves play. Social status dynamics game

As I have been watching the International Wolf Center live camera feeds (North / South) as well as some videos recorded by IWC wolf fans (because my time zone does not overlap with the greatest wolf activity in Ely), I began noticing certain types of games (and I would call them intellectual games) that the …

Captive wolves – unintentionally specializing in raven hunting?

In several wildlife books I have encountered statements by scientists who have observed wolves and who have analyzed wolf diet (e.g., scats) claiming that ravens are (almost) never caught and eaten by wolves. It is surprising because ravens are frequent companions of wolves and some of the most influential scavengers of wolf kills. In fact, …

Evolutionary history of wolves – choices wolves made to be together

Last weekend I was sitting by the river and watching a spot where sometimes deer can be seen (not at the moment, though). Suddenly, I recalled the piece of information that deer had evolved from a woodland species. Then I remembered that wolves, in turn, (genus Canis) had evolved essentially during Pleistocene where woodland was …

Learning subordination as an intentional and desired path of life – wolves

Recently I have curiously come across a couple of references in early scientific publications (Haber, G.C., 1977; Ballard, W.B. et al., 1991) where it has been implied that 'weaker' (highly subordinate, non-effective hunters) individuals might be tasked with pup-care during the pup-raising period in wolf families. The study by Ballard, W.B. et al., 1991 also …

Larger pack size in wolves – motivational and psychological support in hunting formidable prey?

There has been much debate regarding the pack size evolution in wolves and the adjustment of the pack size to such possible factors as prey abundance, territory size, prey size etc. It has not been conclusively proven that packs were necessarily larger upon the conditions of greater prey abundance. In fact, if prey abundance is …

Raising aggression levels through ‘performance art’ to increase testosterone in males

Often when I read about animals, I find it difficult to believe that the aggression that is observed (at least in some instances), is truly felt and stems from some deep motivation. For example, I have watched videos of red deer bachelor herds where the males hang out without much tension although some displays, of …