The wolf is a social and social animal, and the hierarchy in the group is very strict, and the higher the rank, the more privileges the wolf enjoys, and even only the wolf king can mate. The other male wolves are inevitably too pitiful, can they only be "abstinent" for the rest of their lives? What would they do if they wanted to reproduce?
This type of wolf usually moves in packsA pack of 7 to 10 wolves usually grows up to several wolves in the cold of winter. These wolves will give full play to their collective strengths, relying on team chemistry and strict group systems to keep their prey nowhere to escape.
The survival habits of different species of wolves are also different, most of the packs of wolves we often talk about live in the north, and wolves are also distributed in the south, but the species and number will be scarce. Some southern wolf packs tend to live alone or in pairs.
The composition of the wolf pack can be roughly divided into three types:At the top of the pyramid is the alpha wolf, that is, the so-called "wolf king" and "wolf queen", they areThe supreme leader of the wolf pack。The alpha wolf must be the strongest and most fierce of the wolf pack, so that it can play a guiding role in the wolf pack.
In the secondary position is the beta wolf, generally by the wolf king'sSub-adult offspringThey are the loyal "deputies" of the wolf king and can assist the wolf king in managing the wolf pack. The rest is the dirty workOmega wolf, a member of the bottomThese bottom wolves may have been driven out by other wolves, or they may be new members who have been recruited from wandering.
Because of his suspicious and vigilant nature, the leader wolf will not fully trust the newcomer at the first time, and there will be a period in betweenInvestigation period。The head wolf observes the state and performance of the bottom wolves in group activities such as hunting, so as to confirm whether they can integrate into the group and whether they have the ability to stay in the pack.
As the leader, the Alpha Wolf has absolute power and rules over the entire pack. First of all, theirsEating priority must be the highestAlthough he rarely participates in the hunting process throughout the whole process, a shot must be a fatal blow. After the hunt is successful, the wolves below will consciously give the meat to the wolf king wolf before eating.
And secondly, it isResource allocation rights, the alpha wolf has the power to deal with matters large and small in the wolf pack, such as who can eat more and who can only eat a little. The Wolf King will "distribute according to merit" by observing how hard the members are huntingThe first to find the prey or the one who has the most strength to round upwill be given more food.
The wolf king also has a particularly enviable right of wolves, that is, it is the only one in the entire wolf pack that can reproduce. It sounds cool, but it's not like the emperor has "three thousand beauties in the harem", because the wolf isMonogamy, even the wolf king can only mate with his own spouse, the female wolf, that is, the wolf queen.
The wolf king and the wolf queen are both alpha wolves, and they share the responsibility of leading the wolf pack. Normally, wolves obey the command of the wolf king, but during pregnancy, the wolf queen is even more preferential than the wolf king, and can eat the most food first.
Therefore, in a wolf pack, only the wolf king wolf queen can reproduce, which seems to cause a slowdown in reproduction compared to other social animals, and the number of wolf cubs born should not be large. But what is surprising is that the wolves show an extraordinary unity at this point, and the other members do not become estranged because of this.
The offspring of the wolf king wolf queen will be cared for by the wolf pack, and more resources will be allocated to these wolf cubs, thereforeThe survival rate of wolf pups will be relatively high。And because the wolf queen is the best wolf in the pack, the offspring they breed are often alsoThe best genes of the wolf pack are retained, which can stabilize the quality of the offspring wolves.
If other she-wolves are also pregnant like the queen wolf, then the movement will be relatively slow, which will undoubtedly reduce the overall strength of the wolf pack and increase the pressure of hunting. Therefore, in the long-term evolution, the wolf pack has formed such a breeding rule with survival as the first priority.
Wolves generally give birth to wolf cubs in 1 3 months, and give birth to wolf cubs in 3 April, and female wolves can give birth to 4 7 per litter. Except for the wolf king, who has the right to reproduce, the other wolves can almost only suppress their reproductive nature, but in fact, there are other options, so during this time period, the fight between male wolves is very fierce.
Get out of the wolves and live independently
While the individual is faced after leaving the groupThe existential risk increases dramatically, but in order to find a mate to reproduce, the wolf is willing to bear this pressure. In the process of wandering, lone wolves will consciously seek out the opposite sex who are also single and mate with them.
After the two lone wolves live together, the group will slowly multiply and expand, and the two of them became the founders of this wolf pack and the wolf king and queen. It sounds like a lot more freedom than staying in a pack, so it's what most wolves choose to do during heat.
Desperate challenge, the winner is king
Since only the wolf king has the right to mate, wouldn't it be better to challenge the wolf king and replace him? This is indeed a method. But when the lone wolf enters the other wolf pack to challenge the wolf kingThe wolf queen may help to deal with lone wolves together, so there is a high probability that it will become a 1v2 horror situation, if this can also be won, then it is very reasonable for this lone wolf to be the king.
The above situation will happen under the condition that the lone wolf itself is excellent and lucky. However, in reality, most of the challenges end in failure, so you need to suffer the consequences, which may be beenExpulsion from the group, or it could be inSeriously injured or killed in battle, the danger is extremely high.
Waiting for Wang Xu, obscene development
The moon is cloudy and sunny, wolves are born, old, sick and die, and the majestic wolf king is naturally no exception. The wolf king is oldWeakened constitution or reduced fertilityLater, its offspring, the most vigorous beta wolf, will naturally take over the leadership position, and the mating rights will naturally be in his hands after he becomes the wolf king.
The stipulation is dead, and the wolf is alive. In the face of a severe survival situation, the breeding rules of wolves will change, but they are not static. After all, even the race is on the verge of extinction, and who is in the mood to follow those rules and regulations?
Summary: The hierarchy of wolves is very strict, and the wolf king also needs to take on the responsibility of leading the wolf pack when he enjoys exclusive mating rights. However, other wolves do not have no way to reproduce, but they need to take certain risks, which is also a manifestation of the survival of the fittest in nature. What do you think of this system of wolves? Welcome to leave a message to discuss.