Dominance & Pack Hierarchy

Wolves live in packs of at least 3 members, sometimes up to 20.

Dominant wolves (alphas and betas) lead and protect, and submissive wolves serve.

Dominance
Dominance is determined by personality, initiative, ability to lead, motivation, and support of pack members.

The alpha pair are the dominant wolves. They will sometimes appoint a beta, who acts as their right hand man and representative.

The alpha pair are usually the only pair that breeds. Occasionally other pairs will be granted special permission to breed. To breed without permission is very offensive and will result in punishment.

In the Island of Moon, ability to lead is often a trait passed down to the alpha's offspring. Some times these wolves are groomed for leadership. It is not uncommon for an alpha's child to take over the pack when the alpha grows too old.

Dominant wolves often play with subservient wolves, and dominance hierarchy does not seem to affect their play behaviors.

Joining a Pack
In the wild, wolf packs are almost always agressive to unknown wolves. To join, the wolf must demonstrate that they are submissive to the alpha wolf and will be loyal to the pack.

To join a pack, the lone wolf must get the pack's attention through howling or aproaching them. If the lone wolf choses to enter the pack's territory, the pack is very likely to be agressive to them.

Submission is shown through tucking the tail between the wolf's legs, laying the ears flat with the head low, or even rolling over to show the belly and neck to the dominant wolf. The wolf will also often whine.

This passive submission is different than the active submission of subordinate pack members, who often simply display affection to dominant wolves by licking their mouths and keeping their tails lower than the alpha's. To read more about submission, read the Wolf Communication page.

Hierarchy
Captive wolf packs of wolves that do not know enough other will often fight and create a strict dominance hierarchy, with each wolf submissive to those above it and dominant to those below it. This is not the case in the wild or at Moon Island.

Packs formed of a core of family members, with other wolves accepted into it over time, do not have such a strict social structure. All wolves submit to the alphas, and any beta, but often do not squabble for dominance among themselves.

It is rare for an alpha to be challenged for dominance, and in only in extreme circumstances would a challenger defeat the alpha. The rest of the pack rallies around the alpha and would drive away a challenger. Please keep in mind that challenges for dominance are plotted out ahead of time with several members approval.

Territories
Wolves territories up to 150 square miles. A territory is defined as the are over which the pack hunts and travels.

Territory borders are marked by scent. Just the alphas or occasionally the entire pack will urinate over 1000 feet or so along the fringes of their territory. Wolves will also rub their faces and necks on trees, and scrape their paws on the ground to release scents from glands.

Packs howl to protect their territory and declare their presence. The except is when there are new pups, the pack will not howl to keep the location of their puppies secret and protected.