26 votes
Accepted

Why did the wolf-pack withdraw from attacking me?

So, first of all there is no alpha male! An alpha male only exists in captive wolf packs but never ever in the wild. Further reading about this topic here for example. The pack you've encountered was ...
OddDeer's user avatar
  • 23.4k
24 votes
Accepted

Why do predators seem as abundant as prey in trail camera footage?

If the footage has been put on YouTube, it's probably been edited. Reasonable editing would be to show the range of species and/or behaviour in the area - after all, it's entertainment or at most ...
Chris H's user avatar
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12 votes

Is it possible to differentiate between a dog howl and a wolf howl?

The answer is yes, but it may require equipment, which is not just the human ear. The publication quoted below is from Montana State University Disentangling canid howls across multiple species and ...
ab2's user avatar
  • 23.9k
12 votes
Accepted

Did I see a wolf's pawprint?

That snow clearly isn't fresh and has been slowly melting and refreezing for a few days. The thing is, prints get larger as the snow melts. I own retrievers that weight about 34 kg (75 lb) and I've ...
Carey Gregory's user avatar
12 votes

Should a hiker be concerned about wolves in the back-country?

*Are wolves a legitimate worry-worthy threat to back-country travelers?* The short answer is no. I can honestly say I have a lot of experience around wolves. I live in Alaska and have encountered ...
Buck Nelson's user avatar
10 votes

Do wolves hunt on moonless nights?

There are usually some light sources, even on a moonless night there are stars. Even with thin cloud cover it is not that bad, it blocks some light but also reflects some. Only a really overcast night ...
user3067860's user avatar
  • 1,287
8 votes

Why do predators seem as abundant as prey in trail camera footage?

I think there might be another reason beyond the accepted answer. Predators have to roam a lot more throughout their territory in order to find food and if they fail an attack on a prey they have to ...
FluidCode's user avatar
  • 721
6 votes
Accepted

Artificial reintroduction of wild animals: how frequently does it happen, and what is the purpose?

It happens fairly often, and usually the purpose is to reintroduce the animals to places where they used to be but were wiped out. This is know as species reintroduction/restablishment. Species ...
Charlie Brumbaugh's user avatar
6 votes

Why did the wolf-pack withdraw from attacking me?

I think you're told (i.e. we're taught) not to run from wolves (they can out-run you). If I take my dog for a walk and we see a cat, then the dog's behaviour depends on the cat: If the cat stays ...
ChrisW's user avatar
  • 562
4 votes

Is bear spray effective against other animals?

The other answers sum it up great for the most part: it will work on other mammals if you have a chance to use it. It's pretty strong stuff, and while I could imagine something like a bull elephant in ...
Monster's user avatar
  • 1,923
3 votes

Do predators understand human footprints?

Generally they will avoid humans as much as possible, except for occasional animals that have become habituated to humans. This is especially so for animal species that have been hunted extensively at ...
bob1's user avatar
  • 10.2k
3 votes

Are predators attracted by fire?

No, not necessarily. In the wild, fires are commonly caused by lightning and other natural causes, rather than by humans and are a cause for alarm rather than "food". Having said that, there ...
bob1's user avatar
  • 10.2k
2 votes

Why would a polar bear or other top predator give away his kill, as opposed to merely allowing scavengers to clean up after it?

A possible explanation is the wolf-raven interactions described in this question. Ravens and wolves share kills. Ravens will descend almost immediately after -- sometimes even before -- the wolves ...
ab2's user avatar
  • 23.9k
2 votes

Why did the wolf-pack withdraw from attacking me?

Keeping your eyes on the wolf in a way that he could observe might also have been helpful. Because he was very thin (poor thing) he might also have been very weak. He might have been waiting for a ...
DesdeCuando's user avatar

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