T ree wolf pups squirm inside their den. T ey’re only a few


days old. T ey’re blind and helpless, barely able to crawl. T ey will stay in the den for the next few weeks. Only their mother will see and take care of them. Not far away, however, five wolves wait.


Wolves are pack animals. T ey live together in small groups, or families. As the pups grow, they’ll join this pack and learn the ways of the wolves. T e pack is eager to welcome the pups. Outside the den, one member of the pack


tips his head back and points his nose to the sky. He closes his eyes and howls. It’s a howl of support, to let the pups know that the pack is there. T e other pack members tip their heads back and add their voices to the call.


Joining the Pack


Winter gives way to spring. At last the pups are allowed to join the rest of the pack. Heading out of the den, they run ahead of their mother to meet the other wolves. One tall, gray wolf steps forward. His eyes


are watchful, and he holds his tail high. T is wolf is the alpha male, or leader. He makes the decisions and is responsible for all the wolves in the pack. T e alpha male greets each pup by licking


its face. Before long, the other wolves greet the pups, too. T e pups yip and jump in excitement, clearly enjoying the attention. T e alpha male and mother wolf step away


from the pack. T e alpha male is the father of these pups. T e mother wolf is called the alpha female. She is just as important as the alpha male in the pack. One wolf with blonde fur takes a special


interest in the pups. He’s the beta wolf, or second in command. Oſt en the beta wolf is a peacekeeper. Sometimes the beta wolf is the pack babysitter, too. He will act like a favorite uncle, watching over the pups. He’ll help them learn their roles in the pack.


4 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORER Learning to Hunt


T e beta leaps in front of the pups. He holds his head low, and his front legs are spread wide. He holds his rump high and wags his tail. T is is an invitation to play. T e pups spring into action. T ey chase the


beta. He circles around them. T ey pounce on him and nibble his ears. One pup bites his tail. T e beta doesn’t react with anger, though.


T is type of play is practice. It teaches the pups how to stalk and kill prey. It also helps them learn their role in the pack. Soon the pups will play with “toys” like


bones, feathers, or the skins of dead animals. T ey are learning to hunt. As they get older, they will hunt small animals, like rabbits. When the pups are six months old, they’ll


follow behind the pack and watch as it hunts large animals. Wolves are apex predators. T ey have few competitors for food. T eir primary prey is elk, deer, caribou, and moose. When hunting large animals, wolves always hunt together as a pack. T e alphas lead the hunt, and all of the wolves know their roles.


a wolf pup


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