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

[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.