The Ellesmere pack illustrates the mentality of pack-bound wolves. For example, after “Mom” (Left Shoulder’s first mating partner) was no longer the breeding female of the pack, she continued to care for the offspring produced by Left Shoulder and her daughter Whitey. The nurturing interactions that transcend direct parental relations exhibits an interesting characteristic of the reproductive dynamic in wolves. Although they may age past their own reproductive viability, pack members still take on roles in providing and caring for the young of their pack, allowing the it to continue to grow as the breeding female continues to produce more offspring.
A wolf’s social environment refers to the members of the wolf species with which one will engage or interact. For example, the social environment would be comprised of lone wolves and the other members of its pack. On the other hand, the physical environment is comprised of the atmospheric and environmental factors that affect wolves, as well as other…show more content… For example, wolf pups are typically born in the early spring, making it easier for their parents to provide for them due to heightened amounts of herbivore prey. Furthermore, since the pups are born at this point in the year, they have grown enough by the autumn to assist in the hunts for larger prey.
Male wolves do not have great incentive to leave their partners because estrus, the period in which females are receptive to copulating, only lasts for about a month. Therefore, it is more beneficial for the male wolf to stay with the female and assist in raising the pup, since there are not many opportunities to inseminate other females.
Indirect care are the mechanisms and preparations made by wolves to provide adequate and safe environments for the pup members of their pack grow. For example, lactating females provide to their own pups, as well as, others in the
