Re: group hunting (was Scavenger vs. Predator Argument)

["Jaime Headden" <jaemei@hotmail.com>]

<<<If young males stayed with their natal pride, they would probably be 
too weak at first to have access to the breeding females. They would be 
able to help raise younger siblings, half-siblings, cousins, etc..>

<<Sounds like wolves and hyenas, who are matriarchal in hierarchy.>>

<Hyenas are matriarchal, but wolves are not. A wolf pack is dominated by 
the alpha male, and male wolves are decidedly larger than females.>

I'd rather not get into the sexual politics of lupines on this one, but 
the alpha female chooses her mate, who leads the pack in much of the 
rest of activities in a sort of proxy-leader or figurehead, like the 
American president or the British monarch, where the apparent 
next-in-power actually holds the reins. So, the alpha male rules, at 
least until he is beaten by the beta male, then the alpha female gets a 
new mate and the pack gets a new figurehead. The female controls nearly 
everything the group behavior short of the hunt or territory dominance, 
and at home, the alpha female really does wear the pants!

(I have more than a passing interest in wolves, so I wanted to include 
my knowledge where I thought it went. Correct me if I'm wrong, though.)

Jaime A. Headden

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