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

[Jonathon Woolf <jwoolf@erinet.com>]

Jaime Headden wrote:

<snip>

> 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.)

I can't speak to _right_ or _wrong_, but I can say that I've never read
anything on wolf behavior that agrees with what you've said.  Everything
I've read, including several works by such experts as David mech and Adolph
Murie, agrees that where there's a definite packleader at all, the leader is
always a male. May I ask where you heard or read this about female
packleaders?

-- Jon W.