Do wolves necessarily need to live in a pack?

Question

...pretty self-explanatory.

Answer 1

Pretty much.  Individuals can't hunt very well (if you've ever seen footage of lone wolves, they're pretty sickly looking).  They rely heavily on superior numbers for their hunting tactics.  Also, individuals are hunted by other animals, like cougars.  Also, an individual won't be able to hold any territory.  They can go short periods of time as lone wolves (like when they're forced out of their pack and have to find a mate and territory of their own), but they can't stay that way indefinitely.

Answer 2

Yes,Wolves live and hunt for the pack .Wolves mate for life,All the female wolves take care of the offspring.Wolves are disappearing,all variety of them just like our own morals.wolves only hunt for food never to destroy.

Answer 3

when times are lean they hunt in packs to bring down bigger kills

such as caribou,or deer  .

but often in the spring and summer ,when there are plenty of gofers ,rats,rabbits ,ground squirrels and mice ,they can be seen for long time alone or in pairs

Answer 4

not really, but ideally - the domestic dog is effectively a wolf.  A solitary dog or wolf would no doubt be unhappy, and will instinctively seek out at least one other companion.  Man utilises the pack instinct in order to train dogs, the man being the 'top dog' and other dogs being subservient.  This would happen in a wolf pack in nature.  It is this behaviour that no doubt enabled stone age man to domesticate a wolf to help his hunting thus leading to the domestic dog of today.  Wolves would naturally be a pack, as all you need is a male & female, when nature takes it course there will be a small family unit that will stick together, hunt together etc.  Hunting as a pack is no doubt more effective than hunting on their own.  Wild dogs in Africa take it in turns to run down & exhaust their prey, I would imagine wolves could do the same. I hope this is helpful.