How long do wolf pups stay in the den?
By mid- to late summer, when the pups are six to eight weeks old, they are usually moved some distance away from the den. The female carries the pups in her mouth to the first of a series of rendezvous sites or nursery areas. These sites are the focus of the pack’s social activities for the summer months and are usually near water. By August, the pups wander up to two to three miles from the rendezvous sites and use them less often. The pack abandons the sites in September or October, and the pups, now almost full-grown, follow the adults. 20) How long do wolves live? Gray wolves are known to live up to 13 years in the wild and 15 years in captivity. 21) In protected populations, what kills wolves? In natural situations pups die from starvation and adults die from being killed by members of neighboring packs. Adults can also starve to death if the prey base is not adequate. Diseases, such as canine parvovirus and mange, also kill wolves, especially pups. Sometimes adult wolves are kill