How the death of one wolf can effect the entire pack. Living With Wolves in a summary by Danielle Flam, Research & Program Manager, September 24, 2015, answered the important questions; Can the death of a single wolf cause the rest of the pack to fall apart? Studies show it can, depending on which wolf is killed, the size of the pack, and the season.

“…Wolves are extremely social animals that live in families. Each wolf plays an important role in the pack’s survival, from the rearing of pups to teaching the younger wolves how to hunt. Yet, the long-term effects of losing specific individuals from such highly complex social groups are still poorly understood.” Living With Wolves summary

“…What they found is that in 77% of the cases where a pack dissolved, the dissolution was preceded by the death of a breeder. Moreover, the pack was more likely…