Canis lupus social structure

African wild dog pack
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conservation/african-wild-dogs-best-team-africa accessed 2/4

Canid social structures vary for many reasons including hunting and prey size, defence and shared parenting (Macdonald, 1983). Social groups such as wolves and African wild dogs have complex social structures and use their numbers for hunting large prey (Macdonald, 1983). The Ethiopian wolf however is completely lone animal until breeding (Gotelli et al. 1994). Other Canids such as red foxes (Vulpis vulpis) have been known to live in small groups up to about five, but hunt alone (Macdonald, 1983).

Grey wolves (Canis lupus) are the largest wild canids (Mech, 1974) and tend to form packs of about 8 members, although larger packs near 40 members have been reported (Mech, 1974). The packs are comprised of mostly yearlings with a smaller amount of pups and a couple of mature adults (Mech, 1974). The packs have a dominance structure with the alpha male then female being the top (Mech, 1974). Other mature wolves in the packs are ranked separately in males and females with the higher level females protecting and feeding the pups (Mech, 1974). Greetings between dominant and less dominant wolves shows the less dominant wolf’s submissive behaviour (Mech, 1974). Active submission is portrayed by lowering the body and drawing back the lips and pushing the tongue out (Mech, 1974). Passive submission has the animal lay on its back with limbs tucked in and urinates (Mech, 1974). This behaviour is learned while pups when the pup lays on its back and the mother licks the perineal area encouraging the pup to urinate (Mech, 1974). Dominance is generally asserted while pups with the first serious position fights being at around 30 days old. These are the main dominance struggles with no more being until adulthood (Mech, 1974).

Canis lupus submissive behaviour
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Unlike most mammals, social canids such as wolves are mainly monogamous (Macdonald, 1983). The strong bonds between the alpha pair are initiated during courtship which can be up to two months before breeding (Mech, 1974). These bonds are the basis for the pack and hold the whole social structure together (Mech, 1974).

References: 

Macdonal. D. W. 1983, The Ecology of Carnivore Social Behaviour, Nature, vol. 301

Mech. L. D. 1974, Mammalian Species No. 37, Canis Lupus, The American society of Mammalogists    

Gotelli. D, Sillero-Zubiri. C, et al. 1994, Molecular Genetics of the most endangered canid: The Ethiopian wolf/ Canis simensis, Molecular Ecology, vol.3 p 301-312.