The War Of The Wolf Packs - Part 1 (Wolf Documentary HD) | White Wolf | Real Wild

paper was light gold in medieval times i want tobacco sugar [Music] that everything we thought we knew about the world might turn out to be completely wrong [Music] winter blows into hayden valley a land of deep snows and arctic conditions in the heart of yellowstone national park here temperatures can plunge to 40 below snow drifts up to 20 feet or more few animals can survive winter under these conditions a few bison winter here losing energy with every step foxes must break the crust for every meal this valley was the heart of a vast volcano its remnant leaks out in steam and hot springs wolves have not called this valley home for more than 80 years until now ten years after they were reintroduced into yellowstone [Music] two wolves one gray the other almost white have arrived to colonize the valley [Music] the couple in their prime have already reared litters together it remains to be seen if this new hayden valley pack can hunt enough food to survive the fierce wetters and whether they can avoid the attacks of the much larger molly's pack expanding north into the hayden pax territory [Music] by the early 1900s people had nearly eliminated predators like wolves throughout the globe in the continental u.s the species nearly went extinct park rangers killed the last wolf in yellowstone in 1926 but by 1995 in a groundbreaking experiment the united states congress voted that wolves be restored to the west so 41 wolves were relocated from canada to yellowstone six weeks later when researchers cut open the fences one by one each wolf gathered its courage and left free in the next decade wolves filled yellowstone's fertile northern range one of the largest elk wintering grounds in the world the swan lake pack grew to 24 wolves here the pack rallies reinforcing their bonds with each other and letting other wolves know they will defend their territory the druid peak pack grew to 37 members training generations of powerhouse hunters and seeding new packs these druids choose prey that are malnourished sick or injured when the druid pack dwindled the slough creek pack began a land grab this druid pup runs for his life when several huge packs formed after reintroduction biologists wondered if wolves would over populate yellowstone yellowstone researchers discovered that wolves themselves limited their growth when populations climb packs waged territorial wars that knocked down their numbers the dominant female of the agate creek pack picks up the scent of encroaching slow pack wolves in yellowstone with such dense wolf numbers one pack is never on top for long at one time the howls of the druid slew and agate packs could be heard along yellowstone's entire northern range [Music] but for 10 years after reintroduction no pack had ventured south into hayden valley as permanent residents not until the white wolf and her pale gray mate in the future dna analysis would show that these two traveled from different packs to find each other the pair call out to discover if other wolves have staked claim to this valley if a pack were already in residence it would answer the house far from the competition on yellowstone's northern range this couple has found a territory of their own satisfied that there's no rival pack here white wolf sets off to explore but other canids share the valley coyotes like this mother and her mate became top dogs after the wolves were killed off in the park wolves often dig out coyote dens and kill the pups they view any other dog wild or domestic as competition white wolf is scouting prey these coyote pups have been trained to run from strangers especially big ones like white wolf perhaps the wolf considers digging up the den but something changes her mind when their young are in danger coyote parents forget fear and they fight the wolf is bigger and knows how to kill coyotes but suddenly she's outnumbered or the coyotes just have more at stake than she does she has pups of her own back at the den [Music] her yearling daughter is babysitting the two pups sometimes she's at a loss and can't get the jump on these two rambunctious youngsters but like most yearlings or any wolves she adores pups [Music] pebbles invite explorations into cause and effect they roll down a slope when you push them white wolf just wants a nap at two to three months the pups still use their den for protection against bears and other wolves but they no longer retreat to the hole for warmth rain is no hardship thunderstorms come frequently during the summer in these high mountain valleys the rains will dissipate quickly [Music] the dark yearling has gone hunting she's too small to take an elf by herself but she has a bead on a beaver since it is smaller prey perhaps there is a chance though about 90 of wolves diet is elk they test and sometimes kill a variety of animals but the yearling comes up with nothing for her troubles she's no match for this mature beaver he gives his parting shot the bison collect into massive herds before their thunderous mating season in late summer calves depend on their mothers for milk and they're heard for protection and learning they cannot let a swift moving current separate them from the herd melting snow waters the landscape and swells the rivers nurturing birds and waterfowl a heron fishes in the river hayden valley nestles within a forested caldera the mouth of the ancient volcano the dormant volcano now a hot spot beneath the earth's crust rises in geysers steam vents called fumaroles and hot springs the volcanic soil nourishes plants that feed deer bison and elk elk rut or mate before the winter not far south of hayden valley lies pelican valley territory of another pack the molly's pack the molly's pack are big boned wolves and numerous it's a large pack male grizzly bears follow packs of wolves in hopes of stealing their carcasses when they kill this bear decides to travel with the molly's wolves almost like another pack member although a slow one when he finds the pack with a kill he takes over now that wolves are back in yellowstone bears routinely steal wolf kills even 14 wolves can't hold their ground against a mature grizzly bear winter is the only season when the wolves get a break from the bears it's also the season when the yellowstone wolf project puts radio callers on wolves white wolf's mate gray male runs as if for his life biologists collar about 30 of each yellowstone pack their work has produced more than 20 years of original wolf research the researchers collared white wolf she's now number 540 the hayden pack has made it through to january in addition to white wolf and gray male the pack includes a yearling and two pups both female biologists identify a group of wolves as a pack once they have a breeding pair which researchers sometimes call an alpha pair and at least one pup surviving to december hayden valley's high elevation contributes to the heavy snowfall and violent winters that drive the elk and many bison out when snow piles up in hayden valley elk herds migrate to yellowstone's milder northern range leaving behind the most formidable prey bison the pack returns to feed on a bison they've killed generally there's no pecking order at a carcass when adults kill everybody in the pack eats wolves have evolved to live in packs weighing up to 2 000 pounds a bison can get mired in the valley's heavy snows wolves the edge in a hunt but this fox is in her element like the wolves foxes and coyotes feed primarily on rodents prey too small to sustain the much larger wolf for little fox it's a nice sized meal hayden valley offers some unlikely winter habitats the yellowstone river warmed by thermal springs remains open providing water for this trumpeter swan to winter over by april elk begin migrating into hayden valley from lower elevations grey male is on a hunt he's positioning himself to make an attack on an elk's throat a typical maneuver for a large male wolf he gets ahead of the cow who is laboring [Music] his two-year-old daughter doesn't have the heft or jaw strength to crush the esophagus as a larger wolf would unlike cougars wolves jaws and teeth cannot deliver one clean killing bite rather wolves repeatedly bite and mash tissue exhausting both prey and hunter but that's no help to this cow gray male finishes the killing but then leaves the carcass like many prime hunters he's so winded that he must rest before eating they will return to feed on the carcass later two-year-old rolls in the snow to clean off her father uses the grass this two-year-old seems to be taking after her mom her fur is starting to whiten at her rough even the sight of her father stimulates submission in his daughter flattened ears slitted eyes and a low tail she approaches at an angle anything less would be rude the younger wolf averts her face as she nears she greets him with postures reminiscent of puppyhood looking him as she once did to ask for food the wolves must swim to the carcass the wide yellowstone river splits the hayden packs territory in two so these wolves often must swim to get from one place to another mountainous terrain and river drainages influence the pack's movements and hunting patterns but their territory also depends on available prey she swims strongly showing the resilience of wolves they have only themselves their strength and vitality to depend on for survival a pack must have a territory that supplies enough food for their pack size for the haydens the river is a minor obstacle both sides have ample supplies of elk when the valley is snow free white wolf makes a raised leg urination followed by a ground scratch generally only the alpha pair leave this territorial marker she's a mom again and needs the food she'll nurse the pups and regurgitate partially digested meat as puppy food for them wolves waste nothing on a carcass if bears do not prevent them pack members consume all the tissues and chew the bones this two-year-old wolf has come a long way she's matured into one of the pac's key providers by two years old female wolves are accomplished hunters and ready to bear pups many strike out on their own to find mates and begin packs a roll in the snow will clean her muzzle after rolling in the snow white wolf seems invigorated making a beeline back to the den to bring meat to her pups while they are waiting pups find plenty to do there's sniffing the ever popular rolling and chasing [Music] the black pop doesn't seem to mind acting as prey pups take turns being on the bottom the black pup cannot have been born to the hayden breeding pair black is a dominant gene so at least one parent had to be black the two-year-old female hurries to the pups they lick her lips stimulating her regurgitations there's enough for all and her black pup though last to the table gets his share the pup's glossy black coat comes from his absent father if food is scarce the breeding pair will not tolerate any but their own litters because there's enough elk the parents allowed the beta to return home pregnant and raise the pup alongside their own though her father would never accept her black mate into the pack for once the little black pup is ahead of the game he runs to meet his grandfather who brings in a deer skull and antlers a perfect puppy snack that'll serve as a toy later [Music] the black pup seems thrilled he alternates between exploring his gift and thanking his grandfather with kisses but these are also gestures he uses to ask for food at the main den area the yearling mouths playing pops when they try to jump on their older sister she's had enough grey male watches the little black pup chew on the antlers when white wolf and the pup's mother arrive he prevents each adult from horning in on the pups prize the two-year-old goes for a drink a respite from puppy antics and family politics nearby a pup is full of industry a cloud of muddy grass makes a great find oh a larger rival with his tail higher [Music] the yearling and the lighter two-year-old compete for time with the [Music] pups [Music] uh white wolf can't resist a pup but she gets no respect for her troubles gray male lols as his two-year-old daughter grooms him submissively but he is very affectionate [Music] the dark yearling climbs atop the den wallowing in pups gymnastics can get out of hand the sight of an adult provokes activity in the pups but grey male is going hunting and the pups are too young to follow [Music] gray male is scoping and scenting for food he rouses a cow elk she charges gray mail it's a common sight in yellowstone elk chasing wolves grey male may have passed too near her hidden newborn and the big male has to watch out for a healthy savvy cow she weighs about four times what the wolf does her hooves are razor sharp elk calves born with little scent are especially vulnerable in the first seven days of life before they're strong enough to run cows leave the calves in high grasses travel away to browse and return to nurse they're young the cow doesn't like the look of a hungry wolf with pops to feed [Applause] the two-year-old wolf returns to the den high above the river in a secluded location the pack has made a kill the breeding pair feed ravenously collecting food in their bellies to bring to the pups and to keep their own bodies and souls together but the catch is small a calf white wolf snaps and lunges at the dark yearling perhaps she wants all of this food for the pups gray male is lean from giving away most of his food and he's patchy from shedding but the pups are sleek from his care still chewing an enormous mouthful the black pup follows his grandfather he knows there's more to come white wolf is also scruffy arrives next with a belly full of more food she too is mobbed by eager pups her slight wag belies her exhaustion even a tired mom can't resist puppy charms gray male cools himself and takes a much-needed drink the black pup thinks he's invited to the bath a discreet show of teeth says otherwise but rejection seems to roll off the pups backs they've seen this bluster before the beta two-year-old comes in to give her share of puppy food with two mothers gray male and a big sister yearling feeding them these pups are well cared for the black pup has grown strong he leads his cousins on a scouting party when the others catch up to him he invites play the pups don't need the den for warmth anymore and the distance they explore on their own expands [Music] nothing keeps him down the next generation begins their explorations of moving objects it helps to have a committee [Music] the black pup will not be outdone there's always more to be gleaned from observation sometimes those pebble critters shoot down from nowhere where did they go the autumn mornings now resonate with the strident challenges of bull elk autumn ushers in the elk rut the bull elk bugles his dominance over other males he's possessive of the cow herd called a harem though the cows actually decide whether to stay or go but the competition isn't over during the rut bull elk who usually live amicably side by side are flooded with hormones that drive them to fight the stakes are high the dominant bull will mate with most of the herd but who's the winner take some sorting out there's no clear winner but the bulls separate and return to different harems [Music] as evening descends on yellowstone the mating contests will continue the ascendant moon will observe countless episodes of conflict and survival many animals prefer the night for hunting and feeding until morning light [Music] the black pup and his cousins are five months old old enough to travel with the pack even if it means a swim the breeding pair seems less haggard these days they've brought their packs through the toughest months on an october morning with temperatures well below freezing wolves simply find the water refreshing black pup is a robust boy he outruns the others and catches up with his grandparents they're on the hunt they soon catch the scent of a dead bison a grizzly bear also picks up the odor another bear has commandeered the carcass but he flees as a larger bear saunters in to eat bison lots of animals have their eyes on the meat a grisly sow with three young cubs thinks about it the bears are packing on the pounds before hibernation only the largest bear can turn over a two thousand pound carcass three times his weight the sow sniffs cautiously identifying other bears male bears are notorious for killing cubs yet the smell of the meat is too enticing she edges closer the dark hayden yearling has been waiting out the bear but when the sow turns towards her she decides to sneak away tangling with a mother grizzly is bad for your health at first the yearling wolf hustles along but she stops for one appraising look it will be several years before any of the cubs succeed in stealing carcasses or chasing off wolves late in the day the bears begin to move off and gray mail comes in but that attracts the attention of the possessive big bear no chance for food yet but the breeding male won't leave without marking nearby with a territorial urination this is our carcass when the bear clears out nearby white wolf leads her young they're hungry she detects it's the sow and her cubs it's risky but wolves can sometimes kill bear cubs especially when a sow has too many to defend the sow realizes her peril [Music] meanwhile a coyote decides to try her luck at the carcass the coyote calls her mate to share in the feast [Music] that may have been a bad move a hayden yearling goes after a competitor she can handle or so she thinks the coyote makes sharper and she has backup the coyotes drive off the young hayden she's too far from her pack for help and the coyotes have no mercy grey male rests he knows there's no more food to be had from the lost bison carcass the young wolves rally white wolf saves her energies riding up on each other is playful but also about status holding a muzzle rubbing a face over the top of another and climbing up on each other are tender displays of dominance the black lines and dark lips and eyelids on a gray wolf or mocha blonde markings on a black are like stage makeup they broadcast a wolf's emotions clownish joyful or angry and deliver social messages like let's play or back off two-year-old initiates a hunting party she's a mother and the pack needs food her dark sister is alert too white wolf has picked up a scent a cow and calf the calf seems vigorous but the powerful wolf easily keeps pace with it the cow begins to falter if either cow or calf shows weakness the wolves have a chance the beta female pulls ahead we see only flashes of wolf and calf but in this race a life is in the balance [Music] a pup is last to the carcass it lowers its body into a submissive crouch when one of her older daughters arrives white wolf pins her tail high face bristling with teeth why so fierce perhaps elevated breeding hormones have made her cranky no one seems upset for long wolves are individuals they may have issues but full bellies smooth out a lot of wrinkles they feed together now they may rest on into the night [Music] the next morning a bear arrives to see what he may steal he's met by a charging wolf the two-year-old mother she won't give up food easily pack members help her chase him off and the hayden wolves rally at the carcass the pack musters another go at the bear no room for bears sometimes even an alpha kicks up his heels grey male snatches up an irresistible play toy the height of the elk inviting a chase two pups are ready the lighter pup tries to grab the hide but he's cowed by his father's snarly face and rolls over in surrender a perfect opportunity the darker pup steals the hide hanging on at all costs against a fierce rival will be vital later in this pup's life now it's a three-way tug gray male is done showing his teeth for emphasis he's the alpha male and reasserts that position something disturbs white wolf at a rest bad news the molly's pack a clash could be disastrous with tails high the mollies investigate the scent marks the hayden pair had laid down the pack is ready for aggression even though they are the trespassers the molly sniff out who and how many hayden there are their alpha male a huge black wolf has led the pack in many conflicts the packs with more adult wolves and more males usually win these terrifying sometimes mortal battles with 14 members and lots of males the mollies could crush the hayden pack the younger molly sent something in the air but it is the adults who know what they are undertaking holding a larger territory may make a difference for her pack but her pups need their parents and she could be killed the molly's breeding female leads the tracking hot on the hayden's trails white wolf and gray male scrutinize the ground fortunately the mollies have moved on today the packs avoid each other but the mollies have begun taking the hayden pack's measure and the hayden pack is very aware of the molly's threat late autumn brings snow to hayden valley these ravens are according pair to preparing to nest gray male grabs a leg from the remains of an elk carcass the pups have been growing putting on winter coats the black pop and his packmates are high spirited and in search of food they approach their father hopeful for a snack this time gray male isn't willing to share but the pups are unbowed perhaps their mother has something for them no they are too old now to solicit puppy food they try their sister the two-year-old beta she simply shows her teeth here's the problem a bear has taken over their carcass so close to hibernation it's not likely to surrender it without a fight the bear has covered the carcass with dirt a way that bears steak acclaim it's discouraging for a young wolf [Music] with the bear hogging the food the pups get restless their mother too gray male chooses to wait out the bear but white wolf makes a run at it but no luck the two-year-old and yearling beta females work with their mother repeatedly ganging up on the bear but the bear is quick and powerful the wolves must be careful to keep clear but they don't give up a grey pup runs in to nab that prize his father has abandoned he chases the ravens off but they settle around him ravens can be as much of a nuisance as a bear a mass of ravens may scour a carcass clean in hours and ravens have their strategies especially with pups like a wolf pack the birds may try to coordinate the adult females won't give up on that bear pups watch learning how to press and how to be cautious the two-year-old makes a rush and this time she and her sister follow through just right famished pups tear into the meat even the adults are grabby white wolf digs out more of the carcass for everyone even ravens when you're hungry it's easy to get derailed from chasing ravens but when well fed the sport of chasing ravens gets renewed attention the black pup may not be brave enough to chase off a bear but he makes good sport of vanquishing ravens white wolf claims her carcass gray male also decides to mark the carcass for good measure and then carries off another leg well fed a pup may ponder a raven another pup joins in the preoccupation well when you're a pup the chances of winning especially against a raven are low a raven looks up at his mate she works on a stick but then drops it to her mate in a sort of game between them he'll bury it for later a coyote draws the adult females back to the carcass on her return her mother exacts the required display of submission again perhaps it's because mating season nears the howls of the molly's pack announced they have returned and the hayden's answer back the hayden gray male bark howls an alarm call of danger and distress [Music] the mollies shout him down there are more of them and they seem to know it the hayden pair howl back but they seem shaken the yearling seems aware of the danger she raises her voice with her pack the howls of the rival packs volley back and forth across the valley they are assessing each other suddenly grey male retreats and his pack [Music] follows [Music] white wolf listens but then the adult mollies make a move they begin to travel tails lifted in the direction of the hayden howlers the molly's top female leads an attack everything about her body displays aggression the hayden pups have been hanging back the molly's voices spook them and they go in search of their parents the hayden wolves scurry away from the advancing mollies keeping close to each other [Music] gray male knows they are outnumbered he flees for his life it is the last time he's seen alive white wolf is broken she's mortally injured and dying and her mate is dead [Music] she does not survive the night [Music] a coyote makes off with the wolves hindquarters all that's left of grey mail the molly's pack rally and triumph they've gambled with their lives and for now they own the valley the surviving hayden wolves seek each other out their world is collapsed and they must regroup two grey pups have gone missing after a week of confusion and chaos the earling female leads the remaining two grey pups to join with a large grey male wolf she has encountered a mystery wolf his bloody face shows that he and the hayden yearling hunted successfully together the two establish a new pack that passes out of yellowstone [Music] so the yearling and three pups leave hayden valley the place where they were raised hunted and lost their parents but one pack member remains the two-year-old the mother of the black pup still travels yellowstone she longs to join even one wolf perhaps that black male she'd mated with last year he might be her best hope her chance to start again in hayden valley you

Channel: Real Wild

Views: 4,903,813

Keywords: Real Wild, animal mating behavior, animal welfare initiatives, ecosystem balance, hunting strategies analysis, natural habitat observation, natural selection process, natural wilderness beauty, predator behavior study, rare wolf species, wilderness preservation, wildlife conservation, wildlife education, wildlife protection laws, wildlife tracking techniques, wolf family dynamics, wolf pack communication, wolf pack social structure, wolf pack survival, wolf pack territory

Id: A_9j8nvV6Zc

Length: 52min 40sec (3160 seconds)

Published: Thu Jun 17 2021