Imagine: a dense forest, winter, frost and a blizzard. In such weather, a good owner will not drive a dog outside. But wolves calmly overcome snowdrifts, making their way in a pack through deep snowdrifts. How beautiful this picture is. And how many fakes are circulating around it!
The herd has to regularly travel across its territory in search of food. Since the subway has not yet been laid in the forest, the animals travel on foot, on their paws. Sometimes, through deep snow, sometimes hundreds of kilometers. And what else to do if a herd of deer has fallen to the other end of your territory?
This is where the fun begins: Internet experts build theories about the rules of wolf pack movement that are more epic than kid quotes. Let's break this nonsense down to the bones:
“The three weakest and sickest wolves go ahead. They set the pace, if the strong ones set the pace, they will fall behind and die. But if there is an ambush, they will kill those who are ahead. These weak wolves must still trample the snow and save their strength for the next ones.”
True, the author does not explain how the sick and weak will make their way through fresh snow. But this is not an easy job, even young and strong wolves will lose their strength if they walk ahead for a long time. And I wonder who the wolves are waging a guerrilla war with, in order to expect an ambush from someone? With hares?
“Behind them are five experienced wolves – a mobile vanguard unit.”
If they are mobile, why do they stalk the weak? Why don't they make a way?
“And behind everyone else, a little further away, is the leader himself. He needs to see the entire pack as a whole and control, regulate, coordinate, and give commands.”
I wonder how you can manage and lead a pack while being at the very tail?
In fact, everything is much more logical and simpler. In front, individuals full of strength trample – they pave the way for all other members of the pack. Those behind, regardless of hierarchy and gender, follow exactly the same path, so as not to waste energy. And they do it so clearly that it is almost impossible to determine how many wolves are in the pack.
But no matter how strong a shepherd you are, and no matter how strong your paws are, it won't be long before you can make your way through the snowdrifts. So after a while, the one who was first goes to the end of the column to catch his breath.
The crowd of forest orderlies is coordinated by leaders. The pack can be led by either an alpha male or an alpha female. Moreover, they can be at the end, at the beginning, or in the middle — it all depends on the specific goals and tasks.
To sum up: wolves turned out to be much smarter than the smart guys from the Internet. It's understandable – it's not for nothing that they are credited with boyish quotes filled with wisdom and philosophy.
