Wolves are less dramatic than previously thought

[nancylebov]

Wolves leadership is apparently only determined by fighting if the pack is made up of unrelated wolves-- as is apt to happen in zoos.

In the wild, a pack is typically a family, and the parents are the leaders.

Not only is it good to see someone saying he got it wrong and is now correcting it, but a lot of werewolf tropes could be reconsidered.

Link thanks to Unqualified Offerings.

Comments

[mama-hogswatch.livejournal.com]

That's cool. I like that on several levels. A scientist correcting himself is truly awesome.

[madfilkentist]

I'm shocked -- shocked to learn The Jungle Book isn't realistic.

[redneckgaijin.livejournal.com]

Well, the Peter is the Wolf pack is made up of unrelated wolves, so I don't have to change...

[jtglover.livejournal.com]

Cool. BTW, did/have you ever read Whitley Streiber's Wolfen? Much more family-oriented take on things than many current werewolf books.

[xanath.livejournal.com]

:D If I wasn't already fascinated by wolves, I would be now!

[captain-button.livejournal.com]

So I need to rewrite my "Werewolves in Space" RPG campaign?

[drcpunk.livejournal.com]

Hm. At first, I thought I'd have to rethink -- or ignore the new data -- for my Cthulhupunk Strange School play by email. But, the wolfy / werewolfy students there are not family, and are strangers, much like in a zoo. So, I guess it still works.

Awesome to hear someone correcting himself. I really do wish that this meme would enter the culture as being all right on a wider level.

[nancylebov.livejournal.com]

In addition, werewolves could be influenced by fiction. They're human as much as they're wolves.

[henrytroup.livejournal.com]

One of the attractions in Ontario is the Haliburton Forest Wolf Centre (http://www.haliburtonforest.com/wolf.html). The captive, not-tame pack is easily observed, mostly sleeping. (Here's a nice winter picture. (http://www.haliburtonforest.com/images/photos/gallery7_lg.jpg)) The interesting thing is that the wolves must know the people are there - the observation bunker is neither smell-tight nor sound-proof. But they don't care.

The centre asks for "no flash photography" - it's amazing how many people can't figure out how to turn off the flash on a modern point-and-shoot camera.