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updated: 11/2/2010
edit the entire thing to give a quick and better understanding
Quote:
Outmoded notion of the alpha wolf
The concept of the alpha wolf is well ingrained in the popular wolf literature at least partly because of my book "The Wolf: Ecology and Behavior of an Endangered Species," written in 1968, published in 1970, republished in paperback in 1981, and currently still in print, despite my numerous pleas to the publisher to stop publishing it. Although most of the book's info is still accurate, much is outdated. We have learned more about wolves in the last 40 years then in all of previous history.
One of the outdated pieces of information is the concept of the alpha wolf. "Alpha" implies competing with others and becoming top dog by winning a contest or battle. However, most wolves who lead packs achieved their position simply by mating and producing pups, which then became their pack. In other words they are merely breeders, or parents, and that's all we call them today, the "breeding male," "breeding female," or "male parent," "female parent," or the "adult male" or "adult female." In the rare packs that include more than one breeding animal, the "dominant breeder" can be called that, and any breeding daughter can be called a "subordinate breeder."
The concept of the alpha wolf is well ingrained in the popular wolf literature at least partly because of my book "The Wolf: Ecology and Behavior of an Endangered Species," written in 1968, published in 1970, republished in paperback in 1981, and currently still in print, despite my numerous pleas to the publisher to stop publishing it. Although most of the book's info is still accurate, much is outdated. We have learned more about wolves in the last 40 years then in all of previous history.
One of the outdated pieces of information is the concept of the alpha wolf. "Alpha" implies competing with others and becoming top dog by winning a contest or battle. However, most wolves who lead packs achieved their position simply by mating and producing pups, which then became their pack. In other words they are merely breeders, or parents, and that's all we call them today, the "breeding male," "breeding female," or "male parent," "female parent," or the "adult male" or "adult female." In the rare packs that include more than one breeding animal, the "dominant breeder" can be called that, and any breeding daughter can be called a "subordinate breeder."
source: http://www.davemech.org/news.html
For more information, click on the source and read the PDF file that's located on that page.
David Mech researches about wolves, and from what I read he's been doing so since 1958. That's a lot of years of experience from now.
Mech is also the founder of the International Wolf Center and sits on its Board of Directors as Vice Chair.
Their website: wolf.org
He observes wild wolves and not captive wolves to learn how a pack forms naturally. Some researchers observe captive wolves which is why they get the wrong idea on packs.
I believe people are still learning about wolves and are taking out things from what they thought were true.
Unrelated but related example: Pluto is not a planet.
If you're a huge reader, read The Wolf: The Ecology and Behavior of an Endangered Species(1980's old version), and compare it to Wolves: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation.(2003 new version) Just to see the difference between the two on how the views on wolves changed.
Or just read Wolves: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation(2003), which is more accurate & including new information about wolves.
Books are from David Mech.
I'm planning on reading the new version.
