What are red wolf packs like?
Wolf packs are complex social structures that include the breeding adult pair (the alpha male and female) and their offspring. The size of the pack varies with the size and density of the available prey. Red wolf packs are smaller than most gray wolf packs because the largest prey a red wolf would hunt is a white-tail deer, while gray wolves generally prey on larger mammals such as bison, elk, caribou and moose. Red wolf packs normally include two to eight members, while gray wolf packs would tend to be larger. The largest red wolf pack in North Carolina included twelve members. A leader earns the alpha role by starting a new pack; therefore that animal and its mate are automatically the alpha male and female. Animals can also assume the alpha role by challenging the alpha leaders in an already existing pack. Usually the challenge involves a fight between wolves. If a subordinate member of a pack challenges an alpha leader and wins, that member often assumes the alpha role, or it may h
