From ancient times to the present, the wolf has always seemed to be a cruel image in our impression.
Pictured| a different Arctic wolf
In documentaries or films, we can often see them hunting prey in droves.
When it comes to mates, however, wolves are very specific. A male wolf will mate with only one female.
Pictured| Gray Wolf
The term "monogamous" is often used to describe the institution of marriage between humans, but it is also practiced among wolves.
A male wolf will only live with one she-wolf, and even if there are other she-wolves in the pack, the male wolf will never touch it.
Picture | this is what love looks like
A significant difference from wolves is that dogs are less "specific" in this regard. As a close relative of wolves: Dogs are very different from wolves in mating, and a dog can often mate with many dogs.
There are many kinds of dogs |
Dogs are now abundant and we can see them everywhere, while wolves are still rare. So what is the cause of this remarkable difference?
<h1 class="pgc-h-decimal" data-index="01" data-track="5" > the ranks of wolves</h1>
Wolves are a social animal, so there are both male and female wolves in the wolf pack.
In groups of orangutans or monkeys, often only the strongest orangutan or monkey in the group has the right to mate with the other females in the group.
Figure | In the monkey group, only the monkey king has the right to mate
Other males in the group are not eligible to mate with females. Whenever a new orangutan or monkey seizes the throne, it will kill the descendants of the predecessors to preserve their own bloodline.
In the wolf pack, there is a strict hierarchy.
Figure | Wolves, like humans, are social animals
According to the classification of wolves in the wild, it can be roughly divided into three types, which are: lone wolves in the wild, wolves living together in couples, and wolves living in groups.
Among these three modes of survival, the first two types of lone wolves and husband and wife wolves live together, because of their small number, often live together or two, they are not hierarchical.
Figure| Lone Wolf must be extremely careful not to set foot in enemy territory
When the wolf leaves its birthplace or group, it becomes a lone wolf. In most cases, lone wolves run away from home between the ages of 1 and 2, which is the stage of sexual maturity. Lone wolves are generally ambitious wolves, and after failing to challenge the previous wolf king, the previous wolf pack can no longer tolerate this provocative wolf, so they are expelled from the group. In the case of insufficient food, some weaker wolves may not be able to get enough nutrients and will therefore be expelled. Both male and female wolves can be expelled from the herd, and studies predict that the global population of lone wolves accounts for less than 15 percent of the total.
Only in larger wolves will there be a strict hierarchy, and in a wolf pack there will be two head wolves to play a leading role, these two wolves are one male and one female.
In the wolf family structure, at the top of society are the female and male wolves (alpha wolves). The male head wolf is equivalent to the king of human society, so it is called the "wolf king". The female head wolf is the queen and is known as the "wolf queen". The leader of the wolf pack is not necessarily the male wolf, the female wolf can also be the leader, because the wolf is not ranked according to gender, but according to the strength of the body and the ability to fight.
Figure | wolf plays a leading role in the wolf pack
They often have an absolute say in wolves, so they can also preferentially enjoy their prey and feed their offspring. In other words, the only two wolves in the whole wolf pack who can really mate are the head wolf, and the other wolves are not qualified.
In addition to the head wolf of the wolf pack, the wolf in the second rank of the wolf pack is called "beta wolf".
Wolves of this rank are mainly responsible for protecting the head wolf cubs and raising the head wolf cubs in the wolf pack. They have no mating rights, so they can only care for the cubs born of the head wolf, and catch prey in the hunt to raise the wolf pack cubs, just like they earn money to raise other people's babies.
Picture | Cubs in a wolf pack can be cared for by multiple adult wolves
It seems that the status of the 'B wolf' is very sad, but the treatment and status of the "B wolf" is already very good among the wolves, because there is also a group of the lowest status wolves active in the wolf pack, called "omega wolf".
These wolves tend to be weak, and when there is a shortage of food, they will often be attacked by other levels of wolves, and they will receive the least amount of food, and their stomachs will often not be full. Especially in cold environments or during the season when food is scarce, these wolves can even be driven out of the pack, thus reducing the burden on the wolves.
Pictured| wolves set out
This also seems to confirm our old saying: birds are exhausted, good bows are hidden. Cunning rabbits die, lackeys cook.
<h1 class="pgc-h-decimal" data-index="02" data-track="5" > seems to be single-minded about feelings, but in fact it is only a symptom</h1>
As we said above, wolves are monogamous. Perhaps here everyone will think, if the head wolf in the wolf pack has changed or one of them has died, what should the remaining one do?
Pictured| Battle of the Wolf King
When the head wolf of the wolf pack can no longer lead the population because of old age or illness, then the second rank B wolf will begin to compete for the first wolf position. After gaining the status of head wolf, they will automatically replace and continue to live with the remaining head wolf, thus ensuring the reproduction and stability of the entire wolf pack.
It seems that the monogamy practiced by wolves also has many substitutes, which is what we often call a word - "spare tire".
Figure | the new Wolf King will continue to live with the remaining head wolf
Why do wolves want to remain monogamous?
As we mentioned above, groups such as orangutans or monkeys are usually polygamous. In order to ensure the reproduction of the population, they will mate many times to produce offspring.
Pictured | monkey herd
Wolves have also retained the mating habit of monogamy to this day, which is related to the environment in which they live.
Compared with the lions, which are big cats, the wolves are relatively weak in their predatory ability and attack power. In general, the number of wolves in a wolf pack is about 7, the so-called seven wolves. Only a small percentage of wolves can reach a population of 30 or more.
If the wolf pack's population is too large, it will lead to an increase in its own burden. Many times wolves are in a harsh environment, and the food they catch is very rare.
Figure | the position of the group members when the wolves are moving
As we can see from the image above, the 3 wolves in the red circle are old and sick, and they walk at the front of the line to control the pace of the group so as not to fall behind. The next 5 in the yellow circle are the strongest of the wolves, and their mission is to provide frontal protection in the event of an attack. The unsealed group of small wolves and weaker wolves in the center of the team are the safest, they are always protected from any attack. The 5 wolves in the green circle behind them are also the strongest, and their mission is to protect the back in case of attack. The last one is the leader of the wolf pack, walking at the end of the line to make sure that the whole team does not fall behind any wolf. He keeps the team united and on the same path, and is always ready to run in any direction to protect the whole team and act as a "bodyguard".
Wolves are a hierarchical group, and in order to ensure the healthy growth of their offspring, the head wolf is also strictly forbidden for other male and female wolves in the wolf pack to mate with female wolves to ensure the survival rate of their offspring.
Figure | wolf has absolute mating rights
At this point, everyone may think that the head wolf is a bit selfish, but this is also the natural survival law of nature.
There is also a strange phenomenon here, because the monopoly of mating rights causes other males in the wolf pack to compete for mating rights with the head wolf of the wolf pack when they want to mate.
There are also constantly other male wolves in the wolf pack to challenge the status of the head wolf.
The battle for the | Wolf King is brutal, and the losers will be driven out of the wolf pack
Other wolves, knowing that they are invincible, will also choose to leave the pack, form a new pack of wolves or start living alone.
<h1 class="pgc-h-decimal" data-index="03" data-track="5" > wolf's "close relatives", why are dogs polygamous? </h1>
As a "close relative" of wolves, why can dogs reproduce with multiple mates?
Although dogs are domesticated by wolves, after thousands of years of continuous breeding by humans and changes in their own environment, dogs' living habits and lifestyles have long changed drastically compared with wolves.
Pictured| Golden Retriever with a little girl
The wolf looks more ferocious in appearance and sharper in teeth. The appearance of the dog looks more thick and honest, and it is cute. In terms of personality, wolves are extremely aggressive, while dogs are relatively aggressive, which are the differences between wolves and dogs.
The original monogamous wolf in natural life has gradually changed its original living habits after being domesticated by humans, and today's dogs are more inclined to polygamy.
Figure | Some celebrity pet dogs tend to have more mating rights
The reason for this phenomenon is first of all that after being domesticated by humans, dogs have an abundant food source.
They don't need to hunt in the wild to sustain themselves as they did in the wild, and the once cold environment forces them to do everything they can to survive, and they don't have much energy to consider constant mating.
After all, I can't even eat enough, so what do you talk about raising a baby!
Pictured| in the snow and ice, a wolf is hunting a hare
As a good partner for humans, dogs also have many roles in human production and life. Humans are also willing to allow dogs to mate continuously to produce offspring.
After careful breeding by humans, these pups tend to have a very high survival rate, which is also an advantage that wolves that survive in the wild do not have.
Figure | under the careful care of humans, the survival rate of dogs' cubs has been greatly improved
Secondly, the environment in which dogs live is more comfortable and comfortable, and human control over dogs is also relatively relaxed. This makes it often desirable for a female dog to mate with male dogs from many other different areas after entering the estrus season.
On the one hand, this allows female dogs to select the best genetically selected dogs for mating, resulting in a bunch of healthy and strong pups.
It's a bit similar to our human blind date now, through a variety of competition to choose the best people together, think there is still a similarity.
Picture | a large-scale blind date scene, it is not easy to find the right person
Not only can a female dog mate with multiple male dogs, but a male dog can also mate with multiple female dogs.
They are polygamous, and even polygamous, because of environmental influences. Being in a comfortable environment allows the dog to have more energy to reproduce.
Pictured| the mother dog named Kathy fed 9 cubs at the same time
Dogs don't need to do as much as their ancestors do to control the number of populations and ensure the survival rate of their own pups, which is one of the biggest differences between wolf and dog mating and reproduction.
<h1 class="pgc-h-decimal" data-index="04" data-track="5" > different living environments create different mating patterns</h1>
From the different mating styles of wolves and dogs, we can see that although the two are very closely related by blood,
But one is working completely on their own in the wild, and the other is enjoying city life.
Pictured | wolves in the wild
One worries every day about what he eats, and the other lives carefree.
Pictured| some pet dogs even have their own separate rooms, which wolves can never match
Different environments have also created their different mating methods, and they are more to ensure their own survival and the reproduction and development of the population.
For wolves: monogamy is just a helpless act in the living environment.