Our favorite wolf pack

[Mel]

Just a question to hopefully get someconversation going. A person in the guestbook had an interesting question, about if a normal wolf pack would accept new members so easily. So my topic is, how do you think the DR pack (headed by Blazer) compares to a pack in the wild?<P>I think this pack is not typical, since mst all of them were raised in captivity, and are used to humans...

[SpiritWolf]

Ooh, a topic I'm good with.<P>Well it's all to do with their social structure. The alpha or alpha pair make choices for the pack, the betas and middle ranks do their best to uphold those (usually looking after family and such) and the omegas ... eh, well, the omega is the guy that gets pushed around for not wanting to struggle for a position in the pack.<P>This is a good thing though because this may force the omega to leave and start his own pack where he will be alpha and thus the process starts all over again. Why am I going over all this? Well, it's all related see -- in a pack all Wolves are fiercely loyal to each other to death (and even past it for a time, Wolves howling around a dead pack Brother is a poignant sight indeed). However, outsiders are often never accepted in by the alpha because this not only throws the heirarchy off but it means more possible challengers to his position, so if members are accepted in then they are usually of omega standing. This way the existing omega can climb in rank.<P>I would guess that Wolves join existing packs if they can't find a mate, there's probably more packs than lone Wolves out there.<P>However, as you've stated Mel, in a situation where Wolves are around humans, if the Wolves are raised right then the humans are the alpha's and follow their wishes (same is true in domestication, that's why canines are so easy to train ;>), so if a new Wolf is introduced and treated favourably by the humans then I would guess that the Wolves perceive that said new Wolf is favoured by the alpha's and thus are treated decently, how the omega situation works with partially domesticated Wolves though I don't know since I've never been to an enclosure or such.<P>That's about the best I can offer. So indeed, Blazer's pack is quite different to the wild pack and new Wolves might be accepted in easily. However, if the humans distance themselves from the Wolves to keep them totally wild then the same would happen as in the wild but from what I gather (from reading the DR strips) the humans spend quite a bit of time with the Wolves, hence "Dude". ;><P><B>Edit</B> Actually, come to think of it, if we were to use the DR pack as an example then the outside Wolf enters the pack as a middle rank and the existing omega remains the same ... considering the fact that nobody seems to like BJ. ;><p>[This message has been edited by SpiritWolf (edited 11-16-2000).]

[Mel]

You know, i never thought about the omega. We know Blazer conciders himself Alpha, and Ace, beta, i assume Kess is Blazer's mate, as the only adult female. That only leaves the two pups, Corky and BJ. and Rocky. BJ may be a born omega, they happen. *L* That's how Rocky was able to slip ahead of him, maybe. <P>Butyou know, i know not much about Wolves. But rocks, i coudl out-geology most of you, i think.

[Delphine]

I think the DR pack is somewhat similar to the Sawtooth pack in Idaho, which is an enclosed pack that were mostly raised by humans. It seems to me they had to introduce new members to that pack several times, but I think the new members were more like omegas at first. I know one female was treated like an omega after she was introduced, but then she rose to alpha female status when the alpha male chose her as his mate. I think new males would have a much rougher time than new females though. <P>Ah, here's the website if you want to know more about the Sawtooth pack:
<A HREF="http://www.wolfcenter.org" TARGET=_blank>http://www.wolfcenter.org</A> <P>*sniff* Aw, Kamots died in June. He was the alpha and so beautiful. I have a poster of him on my wall.<p>[This message has been edited by Delphine (edited 11-17-2000).]

[Mel]

Delfy> Kamots died? Bummer!