Hunting with the Pack
Time passes, and the pups are now old enough to help the pack hunt. T e beta and other pack members have taught the pups everything they need to know. T e pups know this land. T ey know the animals that live here. And they know how to hunt them. To hunt large prey, the wolves
must work together. T e fi rst step is fi nding prey. A wolf relies on its sense of smell. A wolf can smell prey several kilometers away. So, when the alpha male catches the scent of elk, he’s ready to lead the pack. T e wolves spread out to cover
more ground. Aſt er searching for hours, one of the pups spots a small group of elk. Together, the wolves study the elk.
T ey’re looking for one that seems weak, old, or sick. It might be slower than the others and easier to catch. Together, the wolves charge.
T e elk bolt forward, but one lags behind. It can’t keep up. T e wolves dart toward it. T ey know to chase the slowest prey. T e alpha male dives forward and bites the elk, knocking it to the ground. T e other wolves attack the elk, killing it.
8 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORER
Taking Turns
T e alpha male usually eats fi rst. He also chooses the order in which the other wolves will eat. Most of the wolves wait for their turn. But a smaller wolf thinks he might be able to take a bite without the alpha male noticing. He creeps up to the elk and bites it. T e alpha male curls his lips to bare
his teeth and snarls. His ears fl atten against his head. He growls. T e smaller wolf backs away with his tail tucked between his legs. T is wolf is the omega, the lowest ranking wolf in the pack. He’s hungry, but must wait. No one questions the alpha male. Soon all of the wolves get a turn to
eat. By working together, this pack fi nds food, defends itself, and copes with changes.
WORDWISE
alpha: the lead wolf in the social order of the wolf pack
beta: the second-highest ranking wolf in the pack
pack animal: an animal that lives and hunts in a small group called a pack
omega: the lowest-ranking member of the pack
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