Wolf Pack Hierarchical Structure
A wolf pack is consistently associated with a hierarchical structure whether in the wild or in captivity. As the captive wolf pack in the study had lost their alpha male, it was expected that one wolf would take the alpha status over. This is supported by Woodroffe et al (1997), who stated that a loss within a pack would prompt a change in the hierarchical structure in order to accommodate for the loss. Due to constraints of captivity, there can be effects on the hierarchical structure amongst other social behaviour due to increased stress levels (Claxton, 2011, Hosey and Druck, 1987). Enclosure size can be a limiting factor in growth of the pack, as there is no room for individuals to move off to create their own pack, meaning that a hierarchy needs to be established within the pack to keep the group together without any extremely harmful or fatal altercations occurring.
Throughout the study, the wolves would frequently walk as a group to and from two zones in their enclosure (zones A and D (see figure 1 for zones)), often in single file, or as a group. This is thought to be because the two zones (A and D), are associated with food by the wolves, and so is a point of interest for them. Their indoor enclosure is located within zone A, which is where the wolves are being trained to feed. Furthermore, zone D is a point of interest because it is a vantage point for them to see zoo keepers walking down towards their enclosure, and keepers are associated with food. The leader of the group when walking to these zones was recorded as it was hypothesised that this would be the most dominant wolf. In a wild wolf pack it is most common for the breeding pair or dominant males to lead the hunting party on an attack, as described by Clark (1971) and Mech (1988). Considering that captive wolves get their food brought to them, this ‘patrolling’ behaviour was deemed the closest thing to leading the pack on a hunt. Figures 4 and 5 show that wolf A had the highest proportion of
events in first place in the order when walking to both zone A and D. This would suggest that wolf A is the most dominant of the group, and that she is taking the alpha role. As wolf A was the last wolf to mate with the deceased alpha male, it would seem that she has taken the role as alpha female, and this status has carried over after the alpha males death. In the absence of any dominant males, the results would support that wolf A is the most dominant individual in the pack, and so explaining why she had the highest results in this area. Wolves C and D were the next two wolves with proportionately the most times in first place, respectively. This could be accounted for by the fact that they are younger wolves, and are more playful and energetic, and even though they were in front, they might not have been leading the direction of the pack (Mech, 2000).
In contrast, the results from the behaviour data suggest that another wolf was attempting to fill the void of the alpha role and Wolf A was not the most dominant. Wolves are a very social animal and depend on a number of communication channels, to live successfully in a group. (Wey et al,. 2008). Two of these communicatory channels are vocal and visual communication and they play a huge role in determining social status within a pack dynamic. The behaviours recorded were split into groups dependent on whether they were; submissive; dominant; maintenance; locomotion; rest or other types of behaviours. Figure 6 and the outcome of the Kruskal Wallis H-Value test, show that for each wolf, there was no significance between the behaviours, so no behaviour was performed significantly more than another. Figure 6 does show that rest and locomotion behaviours had the highest mean frequency of all the behaviours, but as these are not particularly social behaviours, a Kruskal Wallis H-Value test was run again, without the locomotion and rest behaviour categories. This still provided no significant evidence of one behaviour type being displayed more than another in any of the wolves. Even though there was no significance, wolf C and wolf D, almost showed some significant for dominance behaviour and submissive and other behaviours respectively. Figure 7 also shows that wolf B demonstrated a large amount of submissive behaviours in comparison to the other behaviour types. By increasing the amount of time spent collecting these observations, the results may have provided more solid statistical data with significant results. Wolves C and D are both neutered, to prevent any inbreeding within the pack. The neutering process in males reduces testosterone levels and therefore reduces aggression (Messam et al, 2008), as the two males are neutered, it would not be expected for either of them to attempt to take over the alpha role, as their level of aggression is lower, making any challenges unlikely to be successful.
Using the results discovered, the behaviour of wolf C would suggest that wolf C is trying to take the role of alpha status, contrasting what the earlier results suggested. Figures 7 and 8 both show that wolf C would perform the largest number of dominant behaviours, and a Kruskal Wallis H-Value test proved that there was a significant difference between the wolves of the mean frequency of dominance behaviour, with Wolf C having the highest mean rank score. It has been noted on some occasions before that post reproductive wolves can stay in the pack, becoming subordinate individuals within the pack (Mech, 1995). This would support that Wolf C is the most dominant wolf, with wolf A, a previous breeder, staying in the pack to help provide experience and leadership in some activities but generally not in involving group activities, as that would fall to the alpha male or female (Zimen 1976).
Throughout the study, the wolves would frequently walk as a group to and from two zones in their enclosure (zones A and D (see figure 1 for zones)), often in single file, or as a group. This is thought to be because the two zones (A and D), are associated with food by the wolves, and so is a point of interest for them. Their indoor enclosure is located within zone A, which is where the wolves are being trained to feed. Furthermore, zone D is a point of interest because it is a vantage point for them to see zoo keepers walking down towards their enclosure, and keepers are associated with food. The leader of the group when walking to these zones was recorded as it was hypothesised that this would be the most dominant wolf. In a wild wolf pack it is most common for the breeding pair or dominant males to lead the hunting party on an attack, as described by Clark (1971) and Mech (1988). Considering that captive wolves get their food brought to them, this ‘patrolling’ behaviour was deemed the closest thing to leading the pack on a hunt. Figures 4 and 5 show that wolf A had the highest proportion of
events in first place in the order when walking to both zone A and D. This would suggest that wolf A is the most dominant of the group, and that she is taking the alpha role. As wolf A was the last wolf to mate with the deceased alpha male, it would seem that she has taken the role as alpha female, and this status has carried over after the alpha males death. In the absence of any dominant males, the results would support that wolf A is the most dominant individual in the pack, and so explaining why she had the highest results in this area. Wolves C and D were the next two wolves with proportionately the most times in first place, respectively. This could be accounted for by the fact that they are younger wolves, and are more playful and energetic, and even though they were in front, they might not have been leading the direction of the pack (Mech, 2000).
In contrast, the results from the behaviour data suggest that another wolf was attempting to fill the void of the alpha role and Wolf A was not the most dominant. Wolves are a very social animal and depend on a number of communication channels, to live successfully in a group. (Wey et al,. 2008). Two of these communicatory channels are vocal and visual communication and they play a huge role in determining social status within a pack dynamic. The behaviours recorded were split into groups dependent on whether they were; submissive; dominant; maintenance; locomotion; rest or other types of behaviours. Figure 6 and the outcome of the Kruskal Wallis H-Value test, show that for each wolf, there was no significance between the behaviours, so no behaviour was performed significantly more than another. Figure 6 does show that rest and locomotion behaviours had the highest mean frequency of all the behaviours, but as these are not particularly social behaviours, a Kruskal Wallis H-Value test was run again, without the locomotion and rest behaviour categories. This still provided no significant evidence of one behaviour type being displayed more than another in any of the wolves. Even though there was no significance, wolf C and wolf D, almost showed some significant for dominance behaviour and submissive and other behaviours respectively. Figure 7 also shows that wolf B demonstrated a large amount of submissive behaviours in comparison to the other behaviour types. By increasing the amount of time spent collecting these observations, the results may have provided more solid statistical data with significant results. Wolves C and D are both neutered, to prevent any inbreeding within the pack. The neutering process in males reduces testosterone levels and therefore reduces aggression (Messam et al, 2008), as the two males are neutered, it would not be expected for either of them to attempt to take over the alpha role, as their level of aggression is lower, making any challenges unlikely to be successful.
Using the results discovered, the behaviour of wolf C would suggest that wolf C is trying to take the role of alpha status, contrasting what the earlier results suggested. Figures 7 and 8 both show that wolf C would perform the largest number of dominant behaviours, and a Kruskal Wallis H-Value test proved that there was a significant difference between the wolves of the mean frequency of dominance behaviour, with Wolf C having the highest mean rank score. It has been noted on some occasions before that post reproductive wolves can stay in the pack, becoming subordinate individuals within the pack (Mech, 1995). This would support that Wolf C is the most dominant wolf, with wolf A, a previous breeder, staying in the pack to help provide experience and leadership in some activities but generally not in involving group activities, as that would fall to the alpha male or female (Zimen 1976).