0:00:02 > 0:00:06How can wolfblood run so fast and for so long?
0:00:06 > 0:00:08Why are their senses so intense?
0:00:10 > 0:00:12And why is family so important to them?
0:00:14 > 0:00:17It all comes down to the extraordinary wild wolves
0:00:17 > 0:00:19that they share their qualities with.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22In this series, we'll uncover the truth about wolves
0:00:22 > 0:00:26and reveal just why wolfbloods are the way that they are.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28This is Wolfblood Uncovered.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56In this episode, we'll take a look at the wolf pack,
0:00:56 > 0:00:59the tightknit family unit where most wolves spend their lives.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02And we'll discover why it's key to their survival.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10Maddy and Rhydian are both wolfbloods,
0:01:10 > 0:01:13but they come from very different backgrounds -
0:01:13 > 0:01:14Maddy lives in the family home
0:01:14 > 0:01:15with Mum and Dad,
0:01:15 > 0:01:18and Rhydian lives in foster care, with no parents around.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21So when the school set an art project about family,
0:01:21 > 0:01:24it was always going to be tough for Rhydian to deal with.
0:01:27 > 0:01:28Who's damaged this?
0:01:30 > 0:01:34We had...some issues.
0:01:34 > 0:01:35The subject matter.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37Aw, poor kid.
0:01:37 > 0:01:38We need to get him round more.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41- Make sure he knows he's welcome any time, right?- Mum.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44For the past two weeks he thought he was the only wolfblood in the world.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47Give him some time to adjust, will you?
0:01:47 > 0:01:50Listen, Rhydian needs to be around his own kind.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52Pack animals don't do well on their own.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55Rhydian was a lone wolfblood,
0:01:55 > 0:01:57but he clearly wanted to be part of a pack.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00Somewhere he could be amongst other wolfbloods,
0:02:00 > 0:02:02somewhere he felt safe, where he belonged,
0:02:02 > 0:02:05and it's not difficult to understand why he might have felt like that.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07Because he's a wolfblood
0:02:07 > 0:02:10Rhydian shares many of the same attributes as a wolf
0:02:10 > 0:02:13and most wolves spend their entire lives belonging to a group,
0:02:13 > 0:02:15so how do these packs start?
0:02:17 > 0:02:19When a male and female wolf meet,
0:02:19 > 0:02:23they pair up, often for years, sometimes even for life,
0:02:23 > 0:02:25and produce offspring.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31These leaders of the pack, often called the alpha wolves,
0:02:31 > 0:02:33are the mum and dad,
0:02:33 > 0:02:37and most members of the pack are their children of various ages.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43So at its heart, the wolf pack is a family.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51Packs usually have between five and ten members,
0:02:51 > 0:02:54although some packs do become huge.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00One of the largest ever recorded had 42 wolves,
0:03:00 > 0:03:02just imagine being the parents in charge of that.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08Their size changes year to year, as new pups are born
0:03:08 > 0:03:10and older offspring leave
0:03:10 > 0:03:12to find a mate and set up their own pack.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16Sometimes a pack will adopt a lone wolf.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20One that's not part of the original family.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23Much likes Maddy's parents did with Rhydian.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30But packs aren't just a big unruly group of wolves,
0:03:30 > 0:03:33they have a structure, and each wolf knows its place.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39At the top are mum and dad,
0:03:39 > 0:03:40leading the hunt for prey,
0:03:40 > 0:03:43marking territory to protect it from outsiders,
0:03:43 > 0:03:45and keeping all the others in line.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48Then there are the older brothers and sisters
0:03:48 > 0:03:50who often intimidate and discipline the youngest.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57So in many ways, pretty much like a human family.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05The leaders keep the rest of the pack in line
0:04:05 > 0:04:07with body language and snarling,
0:04:07 > 0:04:09but rarely have to resort to fighting.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13No wolf wants to get injured, or fall out with the rest of the pack.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17So wolf packs can be different sizes,
0:04:17 > 0:04:20but essentially they're all pretty close groups.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22When Rhydian was taken in to Maddy's pack,
0:04:22 > 0:04:25he had their help and support whenever he needed it.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27But there's always a bit of gave and take
0:04:27 > 0:04:30and there's certain responsibilities that come with being in a pack,
0:04:30 > 0:04:32and it's never more true than when things start to go wrong.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38So when Maddy was using the supernatural power of eolas,
0:04:38 > 0:04:42and she ran away, her pack - her mum, dad and now Rhydian -
0:04:42 > 0:04:45pulled out all the stops to try and find her.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52And then once she made it to the city...
0:04:53 > 0:04:57her mum had to use her wolf-like abilities to track her down.
0:05:02 > 0:05:03Where you going?
0:05:03 > 0:05:05There's no way out down there.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22Just give me the rucksack and you won't get hurt.
0:05:27 > 0:05:28Are you...
0:05:28 > 0:05:30Are you growling at me?
0:05:31 > 0:05:33She's growling at me!
0:05:40 > 0:05:42Give it to me.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50Get away from my daughter!
0:06:01 > 0:06:03Like werewolves, do you?
0:06:03 > 0:06:05Well, they don't like you.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07THEY SCREAM
0:06:08 > 0:06:10Mum.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14I'm sorry.
0:06:14 > 0:06:15I'm so sorry.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17That's OK, pet.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19You're safe now.
0:06:19 > 0:06:20You're safe.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25Maddy needed her family pack to come to the rescue
0:06:25 > 0:06:27and protect her from those group of girls.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Led by her mum, they worked as a team to try and find her -
0:06:30 > 0:06:32together they were stronger.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35Being part of a pack, like being part of a family,
0:06:35 > 0:06:37sometimes has its downsides,
0:06:37 > 0:06:39but definitely has its advantages too.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42Wolves are highly social creatures, and working collectively
0:06:42 > 0:06:44brings lots of good things that benefits the whole group,
0:06:44 > 0:06:46and helps them to survive in the dog-eat-dog world
0:06:46 > 0:06:48of their wild environment.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53Teamwork's particularly important
0:06:53 > 0:06:56when it comes to looking after their young.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01Pups are key to continuing the family bloodline,
0:07:01 > 0:07:04so the whole pack gets involved in raising them.
0:07:04 > 0:07:05During the first month,
0:07:05 > 0:07:08the pups stay in the den with their mother,
0:07:08 > 0:07:11suckling for milk and keeping warm.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16The father's job, along with the rest of the packs,
0:07:16 > 0:07:19is to bring food for the female, and protects the den from any predators.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24Which is exactly what this group had to do
0:07:24 > 0:07:27when a bear got that little bit too close for comfort.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32Even though the bear was at least three times as big as the him,
0:07:32 > 0:07:35this wolf bravely bit him on the rear.
0:07:35 > 0:07:36And by working together,
0:07:36 > 0:07:39the wolf team manages to scare the bear off.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41Danger over.
0:07:41 > 0:07:42For now.
0:07:43 > 0:07:48The pups gradually learn to eat meat and all the wolves help feed them.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50When the adults return from a kill,
0:07:50 > 0:07:54the pups pester them until they're sure they have every last bit,
0:07:54 > 0:07:57licking their mouths to make them regurgitate the meat.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02And small prey such as this Arctic hare is also brought back,
0:08:02 > 0:08:04causing a lot of excitement between the pups.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10Even when the mother leaves to hunt for food,
0:08:10 > 0:08:12the pups are never left alone.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19Another pack member, called a babysitter, stays behind.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23Here they've been left in the capable hands of their older brother.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30So how else does being part of a pack help a wolf?
0:08:34 > 0:08:36The success or failure of a wolf pack
0:08:36 > 0:08:39depends on the strength of its leaders.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42They need to provide food and security,
0:08:42 > 0:08:45but they also need to teach the kids the family business.
0:08:47 > 0:08:48Hunting.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52So the pack acts like a nursery.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55It starts with play.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57Pups spend a lot of their time playing,
0:08:57 > 0:09:00which lets them practise the skills they need for hunting -
0:09:00 > 0:09:05pouncing, stalking, and chasing one another.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07The older wolves get involved too,
0:09:07 > 0:09:09letting the pups tug on their ears
0:09:09 > 0:09:11and even bringing back toys for them to play with.
0:09:16 > 0:09:20As they grow up they join the rest of the pack on hunting trips...
0:09:22 > 0:09:24to see the more experienced wolves at work.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33They learn that if you're going to take on something
0:09:33 > 0:09:34as mighty as an elk...
0:09:36 > 0:09:39..it's best to tackle it from behind
0:09:39 > 0:09:42or you could be in big trouble.
0:09:44 > 0:09:45In the meantime,
0:09:45 > 0:09:47the youngsters also learn
0:09:47 > 0:09:49how they can help the rest of the pack find food.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55The pack needs many ears, eyes and noses on the job,
0:09:55 > 0:09:59especially since prey can be spread over such vast distances.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07And when it comes to bringing down a large animal,
0:10:07 > 0:10:10teamwork is extremely useful.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14Even though single wolves are able to bring down big prey on their own
0:10:14 > 0:10:18it's often easier with a few of the more experienced wolves
0:10:18 > 0:10:19to move in and help out.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24Working together is essential to when it comes to protecting what's theirs,
0:10:24 > 0:10:26be that the food they've just caught
0:10:26 > 0:10:29or the territory that they live and hunt in.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34So there really is strength in numbers
0:10:34 > 0:10:36and many great reasons to be part of a pack -
0:10:36 > 0:10:38it far outweighs being alone.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41Packs give security, food, companionship -
0:10:41 > 0:10:44all the things wolves and wolfbloods want and need
0:10:44 > 0:10:46if they are to survive and thrive.
0:10:46 > 0:10:47It's your choice.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49Lone wolf or...
0:10:49 > 0:10:50pack?
0:10:54 > 0:10:55You want me to go with you?
0:10:55 > 0:10:57Yes.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00If you come with me, you'll have a pack.
0:11:00 > 0:11:01A family.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd