WHAT WOLVES TEACH US ABOUT IT MEANS TO BE AN ALPHA MALE

An OP-ED piece in the June 6, 2015 New York Times by Carl Safina sheds important light on alpha male wolf behavior. In contrast to the notion that the alpha male is dominant and in control in the home and aggressive outside the home, the alpha (dominant) male wolf helps get food for the entire family all year, helps raise the pups and show kindness to other members of the family. Each wolf seems to lead by example, and by a quiet confidence devoting themselves to caring for and defending their families and respecting the females. Also, the (alpha) females, according to Doug Smith (project leader for the Yellowstone Gray Wolf Restoration Project), reports that female wolves make most of the decisions for the family including where to travel, when to rest and when to hunt. The female has an important role in the family and the females and males share many responsibilities. It seems that we have something to learn from wolf families, through the similarities of wolf and human families. Is this another example of a "lower species" being able to teach us, a "higher species", a thing or two.

 Families are important to wolves and humans. Each person and each wolf are members of a family and their happiness is in direct relation to the health of their families and this seems to be closely connected to how wolf-like their parents are.