What are the ranks in a wolf pack?

Question

Could someone please tell me what the ranks are in a pack and what each contributes?

Thanks ^_^

Answer 1

The alpha male and female are the oldest members of the pack and the ones with the most experience in hunting, defending territory, and other important activities.

The other pack members respect their positions and follow their leadership in almost all things, The alpha wolves are usually the ones to make decisions for the pack when the group should go out to hunt or move from one place to another.

The other Pack members all have positions in the hierarchy inferior to those of the alpha male and female. The young adult wolves, who are the grown-up offspring of the alpha pair, have their own special roles under the leadership or their parents. Some of them me able to "boss around," or dominate, their sisters and brothers because they have established themselves as superior in some way. This superiority might be physical-larger size or greater strength - but it can be based on personality Dominant wolves in the pack usually have more aggressive and forceful personalities than their relatives of the same age.

Answer 2

A wolf pack is led by a dominant male and female, who are called the alpha pair. They mate for life and are the only members of the pack to breed. The rest of the pack is made up of their siblings and/or offspring. Below the alpha pair is a second-in-command, called the beta wolf. Next come mid-ranked individuals, and at the bottom of the heap is the omega wolf, the lowest-ranked individual. (The names 'alpha', 'beta' and 'omega' come from letters of the Greek alphabet - alpha is the first, beta the second and omega the last). The different ranks do not have different jobs within the pack, except for the alpha pair being the only ones to breed - all members of the pack help to hunt, defend the territory and raise the young.

EDIT: In response to Holly B's answer, I'd just like to point out that dominance in a wolf pack is not necessarily about size and physical strength. It's more to do with confidence and strength of character. In one of the packs I studied, the omega wolf was the largest (and therefore probably strongest) wolf in the pack. He simply had a very timid and yielding personality. A small but assertive wolf will dominate a large but submissive one. Wolves rarely resort to physical violence to sort out their differences - ranks are maintained by the use of body language and facial expressions, which let each wolf know its place without the need for conflict.

Answer 3

There are really only a few set "ranks" in the pack. The most obvious rank, the Alpha position, includes both a male and female who may or may not be mates. The male, naturally being the larger, generally has more authority than the female. The male rules all the other males in the pack, and the female rules all the other females.

There may also be a beta wolf, whom is always a male and may occasionally breed with the alpha female if for whatever reason she chooses him rather than the alpha wolf.

Next are the basic pack members, known as the "subordinates." They may have their own hierarchys, but basically they are all equal -- they all must obey the alpha wolves.

At the very bottom of the pack, there may be the "scapegoat," or omega wolf. He'll always trail behind the rest of the pack, maybe getting an occasional bite to eat -- this wolf will generally be very old or not of the same bloodline as the rest of the pack. He had to have done something wrong for such family-oriented animals to basically 'disown' him.

Hope that helps. :]

Answer 4

Just to elaborate a bit on what the other people have said- It's not really that one or two wolves are 'in command,' and the beta wolf is second in 'command. ' They lead the way while they maintain their position, but they're not like the king and queen, if a stronger wolf comes along and knocks them off the top spot then the ranks will change. The alpha pair are not necessarily the oldest either. If a wolf lives long enough to be classed as 'old' or is losing some of its fitness in any way, then it will go down he hierarchy. Its also a myth that the alpha pair are the only ones to breed. Although this is the general rule, they're just animals and will often break the 'rules' when the urge takes them and the whole pack is not made up of the offspring of the alpha pair. A pack is more of a cooperation and it's subject to change, as opposed to each of them having their own title or set rank. That's something we've invented to label them with, they can't think like that. For example the alpha male doesn't walk around thinking 'I'm the alpha male, and I rule,' he's just the strongest, most able male there at the present time. If circumstances change down he goes. Sometimes a previously alpha wolf can end up the omega, or completely emitted from the pack.