Wolf expert says pack can survive following the death of wolf 1901

May 30, 2020

The alpha male of the Bow Valley wolf pack was run over and killed on the Trans-Canada Highway near the Banff townsite last week.

The death of wolf 1901 raises questions about the future of the pack given the breeding female is at the den site with one-month-old pups, and the other five remaining members of the pack are either yearlings or two-year-olds.

“Fortunately, it’s late enough in the year, and there are other wolves there, that I suspect that the pups will be OK.”

For now, the breeding female – known as 1701 – will spend her time caring for and nursing the wolf pups. “She is being assisted all along in the rearing and caring of these pups by the other pack members.”

“They should be OK. There’s both the intuition that they have, which would be innate, and they’ve been with the pack long enough that they are well aware and probably quite capable hunters,” he said.

https://www.rmotoday.com/banff/wolf-expert-suspects-wolf-pack-will-survie-following-death-of-breeding-male-2379589