Gray wolf location, pack structure and behaviors, and various communication techniques.

1. Vertebrate Zoology
Spring 2018
WOLF SOCIAL GROUPING AND COMMUNICATION

2. Background
Species- Gray Wolf, Canis lupus
Order- Carnivora
Family- Canidae
Subspecies of gray wolf found in the US
◦ Artic Wolf
◦ Mexican Wolf
◦ Great Planes Wolf
◦ Northwestern Wolf or Rocky Mountain Wolf
Source- International Wolf Center

3. Background
Gray wolves are not usually found in Arkansas and are generally mistaken for large dogs or
Coyotes
Habitat
◦ Wide habitat range including remote areas like tundra, woodlands, forests, prairies and deserts
Coloration and size varies according to geographic location
Carnivores that eat:
◦ large ungulates like deer, elk, and wild boar
◦ Livestock and smaller prey
◦ Can eat about 20lbs of meat at a time
10 Facts about wolves
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6tT1NW_6CU
Source- California Department of Fish and
Wildlife

4. Gray Wolf Distribution in North America
Source- National Geographic Blog, Geography in the News: Wolf Controversies

5. Phylogeny of the Gray Wolf
Source- WhoZoo Animal Index Canid Phylogeny

6. Social Behaviors
Live in units called packs made up of up to 40 wolves
Pack size depends upon available resources
Maintain strong boundaries between pack territories
Hostile toward other packs
Aggression between pack members provides order for the pack and is maintained by the alphas
of the pack
Pack Hunting- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jXxtQRy47A
Territorial display- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fsm9opbeyaM

7. Pack Life
Hierarchical Structure of the Pack
◦ Alpha male and female- main breeding pair and primary caregivers that work to maintain order within
the pack
◦ Beta and subordinate adults- hunt and help take care of the younger, less dominant members of the
pack
◦ Omegas- outcasts that live on the edge of the pack’s social structure
◦ Juveniles and pups- offspring of the alpha male and female that have yet to reach sexual maturity
Rank determines the ability of when eating and mating can occur

8. Communication through Sound
4 types of sound
◦ Bark
◦ Whimper
◦ Growl
◦ Howl
Allows pack members to communicate location
Used to designate territory boundaries
Demonstration of wolf sounds- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icDObrsrNr4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IaYm3NjJnM

9. Communication through Sound
Bark
◦ Used for warnings
◦ Emitted if danger is sensed or in defense of territories
Whimper
◦ Indicates a mother’s willingness to nurse
◦ Sign of submission
◦ Only way pups can communicate
Growl
◦ Warning
◦ Indicates dominance
Howl
◦ Done over long distances
◦ Keeps pack together, intimidates, and
gives locations of pack members
Source- International Wolf Center

10. Communication through Smell
Wolves have senses of smell up to 100x greater than humans
Mark their territories by urinating and defecating
Each pack member has a specific urine scent- pheromone
Dominate males mark their territories every 2 minutes
Mark used up food sources
Smell allows wolves to sense food or potential threats
Source- International Wolf Center

11. Communication through Smell
Pheromones
◦ Chemical messages between members of the same species
◦ Secreted by glands on toes, tail, genitalia, skin, eyes, and anus
◦ Used by males to mate with females
◦ Mating only happens when males can sense estrus in a female’s urine
Source- Living with Wolves

12. Communication through Body Language
Designates dominance
◦ Alpha male and female will stand tall and hold their tails high
◦ Less dominant wolves hold tails and bodies lower to show submission
Submission
◦ Active submission includes crouching, licking of their
muzzle, and tail tucking
◦ Used by pups to get food from adults
◦ Used to show intimacy and acceptance of role in the pack
◦ Passive
◦ Exposing the vulnerable underbelly to a dominant wolf
◦ Show aggression but will submit to the dominant before a fight starts
◦ Dominance display https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJvATG3bHbo
Source- International Wolf Center

13. Communication through Body Language
Anger is shown by the baring of teeth and holding their ears straight up
Suspicion shown by the squinting of eyes
Fear shown by the flattening of ears
A desire to play is shown by dancing and
bowing in a playful way
Source- International Wolf Center

14. References
1. Mech, L.D. & Boitani, L. (IUCN SSC Wolf Specialist Group). 2010. Canis lupus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010:
e.T3746A10049204.
2. Dewey, T., J. Smith. Canis lupus gray wolf. Animal Diversity Web.
3. Lineback, N., M. Lineback Gritzner. 2013. Changing Planet- Geography in the News: Wolf Controversies. National
Geographic Blog.
4. The National Wildlife Federation. Gray Wolf. https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/Gray-
Wolf
5. Western Wildlife Outreach. Wolf Ecology and Behavior. http://westernwildlife.org/gray-wolf-outreach-project/biology-
behavior-4/
6. White, A. Wolf Behavior. Gray Wolf Conservation. http://www.graywolfconservation.com/Information/behavior.htm
7. Structure of the wolf pack. http://biology.kenyon.edu/stures/compsbergdahl/structure.html
8. International Wolf Center. Communication. http://www.wolf.org/wolf-info/basic-wolf-info/biology-and-
behavior/communication/
9. California Government. Distinguishing between Coyotes, Wolves and Dogs. California Department of Fish and
Wildlife. https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/mammals/gray-wolf/identification
10. Living with Wolves. The Language of Wolves. https://www.livingwithwolves.org/about-wolves/language/