The Wolf Pack

[petrushkagoogol]

Wolves hunt in a pack -

 

* They are of modest size

* Their hunger satiety levels are moderate

* They work as a team

 

Contrast this with the tiger which hunts alone and fights off competitors.

 

Which is better in your opinion ?     

[Maine farmer]

It would depend on the prey.

 

 Wolves hunt in packs to bring down larger animals such as moose or elk, but not to dine on rabbits or woodchucks.

 

Tigers hunt primarily by stealth, which is more difficult with larger groups, and their prey are not as able to fight back, so there is less risk involved.

[Turtle]

To each its own.

[HydrogenBond]

The wolf pack requires more development of language (barking and body language) skills, so they can interact as a team in hunting situations. Language, in turn, allows a wider range of extrapolations to new situations. This allows wolves to migrate and do well in most environments. They are not dependent on routines and/or fixed ecosystems since they can extrapolate via its members. 

 

Also a team can be more than the sum of its parts. In sports, periodically, a championship team will be composed of less than the all star players of the league. The team allows even lessor skilled players, to amply themselves, in the context of the team. 

 

Part of the wolf team tradition involves training via pack competition for alpha dog. They will fight with each other, almost 100%. This is connected to training, with the alpha dog, becoming the pack leader. It also defines the pack hierarchy. The pack leader has the hardest job during the hunt. He does not sit back behind enemy lines barking orders. He is has lead from the front, which is the most dangerous job. The pack hierarchy assures the dog with the best chance of survival; alpha, will be their leader. He has to fight something that can kill him, until the others can out flank the critter. 

[Speedjohn]

It is during a hunt where co-operation between wolves within a pack is most apparent. During this time, they are already hunting, assessing the herd, looking for an animal that displays any sign of weakness.A group can hunt more effectively by stalking the herd from several directions.

[DrKrettin]

I'm sure somebody will correct me if this is wrong, but I was under the impression that not all wolves hunt in packs. The Ethiopian wolf, so example.  The American wolf is a pack animal, but the original European wolf was not. I can't find any evidence on the internet for this, but some time ago I read some of  a book about dog training with a new perspective about the origin of the domestic dog. Obviously descended from wolves, but everybody takes the American wolf as an example, and deduces that dogs are, or used to be, animals with a pack instinct. The book took the line that this was all wrong because dogs were descended from European wolves which didn't have this instinct. This might sound academic, but has repercussions in dog training.