• maniclucky@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    7
    ·
    10 months ago

    I’m not sure about the captivity thing, but I do know that what were originally asserted to be ‘alphas’ were the breeding pairs. They were parents leading their children.

    • seaweedsheep@literature.cafe
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      9
      ·
      10 months ago

      There was a very flawed study years ago where a biologist observed wolves in captivity and determined that they fight for dominance within the pack. Later, he realized that in a natural setting, a pack is a breeding pair and their pups, as you stated. A natural pack is much more cohesive and doesn’t have a strict hierarchy, but the ridiculous myth of “alpha wolves” won’t go away completely, despite the same biologist’s efforts.

      • schmorp@slrpnk.net
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        10 months ago

        Because we’ve caged ourselves and behave like the captured wolves of the study, including the Alpha male shit.