In the previous article, we discovered the wolf's hunting abilities. It's clear that the predatory instinct is genetic, and therefore passed on to offspring through the genes. Behaviors, on the other hand, are learned through upbringing, experience, learnings and observation. With the exception of fixed motor patterns and reflexes, they aren't genetic. The cub is born with a predatory instinct, but will subsequently have to develop its abilities and learn all aspects of hunting, including strategies, communication, organization and so on. This learning process begins in the first few weeks, primarily through play (between cubs) but also by training with insects and rodents. Then, as two specialists who observed pack hunts in the field (D. Smith & D. MacNulty) have shown, the development of predatory skills takes place in two phases:
Phase 1: based on learning through observation --> can last up to 2 years)
Phase 2: based on pack hunting (organization, communication, strategies, etc.) --> takes place between the ages of 2 and 4.
By experimenting, the wolf quickly learns that there are certain prey that are best left alone, especially if he's alone. In our regions, where there are few large prey other than red deer, lone wolves generally prefer to prey on smaller animals (roe deer, chamois, hares, rodents etc.). With the exception of calves less than two weeks old, attacks on cattle weighing 100kg or more are overwhelmingly carried out by packs. The wolf must find the right balance between fear and aggression. A wolf that is too fearful could quickly go hungry. And if he's too aggressive, then he could be injured. So, one way or another, most wolves find the fine balance between being too aggressive and too timid. Otherwise, they die ! Thus the central problem for wolves on the hunt is to kill without being killed.
But before the wolf is faced with this dilemma, he has to solve another problem : finding prey and confronting it. And this is where prey behavior can differ. Over the course of evolution, prey have learned strategies that vary according to the environment in which they evolve. This is the case of ungulates (deer, roe deer, chamois etc.) which, as you discovered earlier, could inflict injury or even kill the predator. One of the most obvious of these strategies is to see the predator before he spots them. This requires ungulates to adopt a heightened level of vigilance, observing their surroundings frequently, at all times. This has a cost in terms of energy, which is why other strategies come into play, such as forming a herd, breaking up into smaller groups, avoiding areas heavily frequented by the predator, taking refuge in rock faces, running faster than the wolf, the famous "flocking" (regrouping during an attack, putting the weaker individuals, the small ones, in the middle to protect them) or, as you will see, facing the predator head-on.
Indeed, once wolves encounter quarry that flee, then the chase begins. Some prey will flee, so the wolf will have to give chase, overpower its prey and then kill it. Others, on the other hand, will stay and confront the wolf, especially larger prey (bison, elk). According to D. MacNulty, out of 180 elk attacked by wolves, 63% fled, 24% stayed to confront the wolves and 13% fled and then stopped to confront the wolves once they had caught up. Of the 63% who fled, 7 were killed. As soon as a large prey animal stops and confronts the wolves, the latter have to decide whether to risk killing it or not. This, of course, doesn't happen with smaller prey.
In addition to their recognized intellectual abilities, wolves have undeniable physical assets to help them predate : their size (between 28 and 45 kg for males, 25 to 39 kg for females) and their large paws, which enable them to walk on any type of surface (rough, rocky, etc.) and at high speed, thereby shaping their movements. Its paws are also equipped with a pair of tines, which allow it to move at an average speed of 8.7 km/h, covering between 50 and 76 km in 12 hours. In our country, wolves have less trouble finding prey than in the Great Plains of America, where they often have to travel for hours/days to find it. However, he'll sometimes miss its target, going without food for a few days.
To find their prey, canids use their senses. According to one study (Peterson, 1977), wolves located moose 10x out of 17 by smell, 6x by sight and 1x by tracking in the snow. This is hardly surprising, given the behaviour of domestic canids (and countless other species...) and the undeniable importance of their senses in their daily lives. Wolves can see prey from as far away as humans, and can smell it from miles away. Remember that wolves, like dogs, have a sense of smell at least 1000 times superior to that of humans.
Next: The wolf, what a hunter he really is - part three
Article : TT - Wolf Mission
Photo : Jacques Bibinet
Ref. : D. Mech, D. Smith, D. MacNulty, R. Peterson & J.-M. Landry
