What Happens to Old Wolves in the Pack?

Old wolves in the pack will stay behind the younger and more vital wolves but are still important members of the pack. They will protect the young pups and share their hunting strategies and their wisdom with other pack members.

The older wolves get, the less agile they get. They are less capable in hunts. However, this doesn’t mean they don’t have their place in a wolf pack.

In fact, they can be quite important for the structure and integrity of the pack.

They will protect the younger pups but also share their experience with younger members of the pack, giving the younger wolves a glimpse into the hunting strategies of an old and experienced wolf.

What You Will Learn show

What Happens to Old Wolves in the Pack?

If the old wolf is considered to be an alpha of the pack, it will still be the leader of the pack, just not as prominent as before when it was younger.

Its role will go from being the combat leader to being a spiritual leader.

Instead of spending time at the front of the pack, leading hunts and attacks on other animals, it will stay behind the main members of the pack and protect the young pups.

They will no longer lead wolf packs, which they will leave to younger and stronger wolves. They can’t do that because they’re not as sharp and strong as they used to be, which makes it harder for older wolves to lead the way in snow and harsh conditions.

With age, the role of the older wolf starts to change. It is no longer the leading wolf in hunts and attacks nor is it the main protector of the pack.

Its role goes from being the leading force of the pack to being the spiritual leader of the pack, sharing its wisdom and experience especially with the younger members of the pack.

Older wolves still have a role to play in hunts, although not as prominent as it used to be.

They have a lot of strategic experience for hunts, so they can provide important insights and ideas as to how a hunt should be conducted. That’s why they will often participate in hunts, especially in pack hunts.

When the wolf gets older and it’s no longer capable of surviving on its own, then other, younger members of the pack will have to start caring for the elderly wolf.

Conversely, the older wolves will also protect and care for the young pups in the pack, and the roles will change once the younglings grow up completely.

Where Does the Old Wolf Stand in the Pack?

Older wolves are no longer capable of leading a wolf pack, so they will stay near the back of the wolf pack, protecting the younger wolves and letting the stronger and more capable wolves lead the charge.

This means that older wolves will stay near the end of the pack, where they will stay near the pups and lead them, as well as protect them from potential attacks from other wolves and animals.

They become educators instead of active leaders, as they will have to learn how to adapt to lead by example. This example is particularly important for the development of the younger wolf pups in the pack.

The experience of the old wolf is still very valuable for the pack, which is why the wolf still plays an important role.

Older wolves will sometimes participate in hunts if they’re still strong enough, but they won’t lead the hunt.

This task will likely be transferred down to the oldest male offspring of the old wolf. Instead, the old wolf will stay with the pack and help plan the attack, while it might even show the way for other wolves, which can be a valuable learning experience for younger wolves.

When moving in tough conditions, the older wolves will stay at the back of the pack and let other wolves lead the way.

That’s because the elderly wolves are slightly weaker and not as strong as they used to be, so they don’t have the ability to make their way through thick snow or other complicated terrains, and they would slow the pack down significantly, so they stay near the end of the pack.

What Happens if the Old Wolf Dies?

If the old wolf dies and it’s the leader of the pack, the pack will get a new alpha, which is the oldest son of the deceased wolf.

If the older wolf has offspring that is capable of leading the pack and is old and strong enough to fend for itself and for the pack, then the leadership will be passed down onto that member of the pack.

However, it often happens that older wolves don’t have offspring members that are old or strong enough to lead the pack. In that case, the pack will dissolve and the remaining pack members will be left to fend for themselves.

This usually means that these pack members will either have to form their own packs, or join other packs.

If the deceased wolf is the only left breeder in the pack, then in 77% of the cases, the wolf pack will dissolve when that member of the pack dies.

If the pack is especially small and if the breeder members are slightly older and both die, then the likelihood of the pack dissolving gets even bigger.

Final Thoughts

Older wolves, like elderly people, still have big roles to play in their respective societies. While both are not as strong and youthful as they once used to be, they can still be very important contributors to everyday life.

In wolf packs, elderly members will likely stay near the end of the pack when moving around.

Their main role will be to protect the young pups and give them guidance to become as strong as possible. They bring a wealth of experience which in the harsh reality of nature, is invaluable and hard to come by.