that scientist is L. David Mech. heâs considered an authority on wolves around the world, and the reason he thought âalpha theoryâ was a thing is because he was, at the time, studying wolves in captivity.
the captive wolves were unrelated animals that had never met before, and therefore their behavior was radically different. you see, in the wild, wolf packs are actually families; the dominant pair are usually the parents, and subordinate adults are almost always their grown pups from past years.
adding to this, wolves are intensely territorial animals. packs have massive territories that they patrol often, and they will absolutely chase or even kill intruders. in fact, the leading cause of death in adult wolves is actually wolves in other packs.
because the captive wolves were not related and had no preexisting relationships, they were put under a great deal of stress. this resulted in a physical power struggle, including fighting. so basically, these captive wolves were basically put in an enclosure with complete strangers in neutral territory and biologists expected them to behave as they would in the wild. hence âalpha theory.â
it wasnât until Mech studied wild wolf packs that he realized how wrong he was, and heâs been trying very had to challenge what the world thinks of wolf behavior. if youâd like to read more about L. David Mech and his findings, his website is here. itâs a fascinating read.
wolves are intelligent and fascinating animals. they are shy, flighty, and anxious, but when it comes to their families, they are fiercely loyal. theyâre infinitely more likely to run from humans than attack, yet theyâve been painted as bloodthirsty monsters throughout history.
the hatred humanity has for wolves has led to near-extinction as well as mass cull orders in states like Idaho, where politicians are planning to wipe out 90% of the existing population with almost no regulations. Governor Brad Little signed a law that will kill up to 1,350 wolves in a state with a population of just 1,500.
Idaho wolves will be hunted, trapped, and killed because Republicans believe theyâre evil. while itâs true hunting has its place in conservation, this is not that. this is blind, seething hatred for animals that play a key part in their ecosystems. itâs ignorance and a blatant disregard for science.
if we are to protect wolf populations, we need to arm ourselves with the truth. understanding the true nature of wild wolves is key to dispelling the lies put forward by centuries of misrepresentation. by educating yourself, youâre already helping the cause.
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