Wolves

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• published: 19 Apr 2014
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The gray wolf is generally monogamous, with mated pairs usually remaining together for life, unless one of the pair dies. Upon the death of one mated wolf, pairs are quickly re-established. Since males often predominate in any given wolf population, unpaired females are a rarity.[11] If a dispersing male gray wolf is unable to establish a territory or find a mate, he mates with the daughters of already established breeding pairs from other packs. Such gray wolves are termed "Casanova wolves" and, unlike males from established packs, they do not form pair bonds with the females they mate with. Some gray wolf packs may have multiple breeding females this way, as is the case in Yellowstone National Park.[96] Gray wolves also practice alloparental care, in which a wolf pair may adopt the pup or pups of another. This might take place if the original parents die or are for some reason separated from them.[97] In addition to heterosexual behavior, homosexual behavior has been observed in gray wolves.[98] Male gray wolves often mount each other when the highest ranking female in the pack comes into heat.[99] Gray wolf pups, Tiergarten Schönbrunn, Austria The age of first breeding in gray wolves depends largely on environmental factors: when food is plentiful, or when wolf populations are heavily managed, wolves can rear pups at younger ages in order to better exploit abundant resources. This is further demonstrated by the fact that captive wolves have been known to breed as soon as they reach 9--10 months, while the youngest recorded breeding wolves in the wild were 2 years old. Females are capable of producing pups every year, with one litter annually being the average. Unlike the coyote, the gray wolf never reaches reproductive senescence.[100] Estrus typically occurs in late winter, with older, multiparous females entering estrus 2--3 weeks earlier than younger females.[11] During pregnancy, female wolves remain in a den located away from the peripheral zone of their territories, where violent encounters with other packs are more likely.[101] Old females usually whelp in the den of their previous litter, while younger females typically den near their birthplace. The gestation period lasts 62--75 days, with pups usually being born in the summer period.[11] Wolves bear relatively large pups in small litters compared to other canid species.[102] The average litter consists of 5--6 pups,[103] with litter sizes tending to increase in areas where prey is abundant,[103] though exceptionally large litters of 14--17 pups occur only 1% of the time.[104] Pups are usually born in spring, coinciding with a corresponding increase in prey populations.[101] Pups are born blind and deaf, and are covered in short soft grayish-brown fur. They weigh 300--500 grams at birth, and begin to see after 9--12 days. The milk canines erupt after one month. Pups first leave the den after 3 weeks. At 1.5 months of age, they are agile enough to flee from danger. Mother wolves do not leave the den for the first few weeks, relying on the fathers to provide food for them and their young. Pups begin to eat solid food at the age of 3--4 weeks. Pups have a fast growth rate during their first four months of life: during this period, a pup's weight can increase nearly 30 times.[102][11] Wolf pups begin play fighting at the age of 3 weeks, though unlike young foxes and coyotes, their bites are inhibited. Actual fights to establish hierarchy usually occur at 5--8 weeks of age. This is in contrast to young foxes and coyotes, which may begin fighting even before the onset of play behavior.[12] By autumn, the pups are mature enough to accompany adults on hunts for large prey. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray_wolf