What is the average wolf litter size

Packs of 20 to 30 wolves sometimes occur, and these larger packs may have two or three litters of pups from more than one female. The social order in the pack is characterized by a separate dominance hierarchy among females and males.

In most areas wolf packs tend to remain within a territory used almost exclusively by pack members, with only occasional overlap in the ranges of neighboring packs. Despite a generally high birth rate, wolves rarely become abundant because mortality is also high.

In much of Alaska, the major sources of mortality are: predation by other wolves; hunting; and trapping. Diseases, malnutrition, and accidents also help regulate wolf numbers. Predation by other wolves is a major cause of death because wolves defend their territories from other wolves. Dispersing wolves e. Typically one female wolf in a pack has a litter of about seven pups each year. This varies, in some packs more than one female may bring off a litter.

In some cases a pair of wolves may not form a pack or belong to a pack, and will bring off a litter of pups. The rate at which wolves kill large mammals varies with prey availability and environmental conditions.

A pack may kill a deer or moose every few days during the winter. At other times, they may go for several days with almost no food. Since wolves are opportunistic, young, old, or debilitated animals are preyed upon more heavily than healthy middle-age animals. Under some circumstances, however, such as when snow is unusually deep or prey is scarce, even animals in their prime may be vulnerable to wolves. In Southeast Alaska, Sitka black-tailed deer, mountain goats, and beaver are the most important sources of food.

Research indicates that salmon are important seasonally where they are available, especially to young wolves. During summer, small mammals including voles, lemmings and ground squirrels are taken.

Wolves also scavenge, and coastal wolves will beach comb. The wolf occurs throughout mainland Alaska, on Unimak Island in the Aleutians, and on all of the major islands in Southeast except Admiralty, Baranof, and Chichagof. This range includes about 85 percent of Alaska's , square-mile area. Wolves are adaptable and exist in a wide variety of habitats extending from the rain forests of the Southeast Panhandle to the arctic tundra along the Beaufort Sea. Alaska is home to an estimated 7, to 11, wolves.

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She even licks her pups to stimulate them to urinate and defecate—to pee and poop! If Mom needs a break from the pups, sometimes Dad or other wolves in the pack will babysit. All members of the pack take care of the puppies and are very protective if intruders come into the area. Mom may even gently carry her puppies in her mouth to move them to another den site if the pack feels threatened. When hungry, the pups will go up to any adult and lick their muzzles. The pack members find this irresistible and will regurgitate food for the pups.

They are also scavengers so they look for carcasses of dead animals, called carrion, to snack on. The pups start using more of the communications that adults use, such as moaning, growling, yelping, woofing, and whining. Around this time, they also step outside of their den for the first time and will start howling as well. Soon after, they join in the daily chorus howls with the entire pack. It is like a family sing-along!

Soon, the toddler pups become more independent and need less attention from Mom. Scientists think playing like this helps pups develop skills they will need as adults and also helps them bond as a family. At this stage, conflict behavior has been observed when food is around.

If a pup becomes protective of a piece of food they may warn others to stay away. This is done by growling or making little lunges at an approaching sibling.

The pups also start caching hiding food—just like adult wolves do—so they have something to snack on later. By now, the pups have sharp little teeth. They use their mouths to engage with adults by playing with them and soliciting food and attention. Since pups use their mouths to play and communicate, they sometimes hurt other pack members by accidentally biting too hard! Pups also can get a bit rowdy! Adult wolves will discipline them by snapping or lunging at them—but they never hurt the pups.

It just gets their attention! If they are mobile enough to accompany adult wolves on a hunt, the pups begin to understand that their low-pitched, long howls help them talk to one another over vast territories. They still lack the skills to survive, but they now feed on kills with the rest of the pack. Four to Eight Months Old The pups grow very rapidly over the summer and though they are not yet full adults when fall comes, they can start to go hunting with the pack.

When hunting in the fall and winter months, wolves in North America are looking for large mammals, such as deer, moose, and elk. Wolves can survive on as little as 1. This style of eating is called feast or famine.

Wolves have established territories that they will generally defend from other packs. This can lead to fights between the two packs, which may result in the deaths of some members. Wolves hunt as a team, taking down prey with teeth and teamwork, unlike solitary hunters like mountain lions and bears that also use their sharp claws and strength.