Pack Life Wolfblood Uncovered

How can wolfblood run so fast and for so long?

Why are their senses so intense?

And why is family so important to them?

It all comes down to the extraordinary wild wolves

that they share their qualities with.

In this series, we'll uncover the truth about wolves

and reveal just why wolfbloods are the way that they are.

This is Wolfblood Uncovered.

In this episode, we'll take a look at the wolf pack,

the tightknit family unit where most wolves spend their lives.

And we'll discover why it's key to their survival.

Maddy and Rhydian are both wolfbloods,

but they come from very different backgrounds -

Maddy lives in the family home

with Mum and Dad,

and Rhydian lives in foster care, with no parents around.

So when the school set an art project about family,

it was always going to be tough for Rhydian to deal with.

Who's damaged this?

We had...some issues.

The subject matter.

Aw, poor kid.

We need to get him round more.

-Make sure he knows he's welcome any time, right?

-Mum.

For the past two weeks he thought he was the only wolfblood in the world.

Give him some time to adjust, will you?

Listen, Rhydian needs to be around his own kind.

Pack animals don't do well on their own.

Rhydian was a lone wolfblood,

but he clearly wanted to be part of a pack.

Somewhere he could be amongst other wolfbloods,

somewhere he felt safe, where he belonged,

and it's not difficult to understand why he might have felt like that.

Because he's a wolfblood

Rhydian shares many of the same attributes as a wolf

and most wolves spend their entire lives belonging to a group,

so how do these packs start?

When a male and female wolf meet,

they pair up, often for years, sometimes even for life,

and produce offspring.

These leaders of the pack, often called the alpha wolves,

are the mum and dad,

and most members of the pack are their children of various ages.

So at its heart, the wolf pack is a family.

Packs usually have between five and ten members,

although some packs do become huge.

One of the largest ever recorded had 42 wolves,

just imagine being the parents in charge of that.

Their size changes year to year, as new pups are born

and older offspring leave

to find a mate and set up their own pack.

Sometimes a pack will adopt a lone wolf.

One that's not part of the original family.

Much likes Maddy's parents did with Rhydian.

But packs aren't just a big unruly group of wolves,

they have a structure, and each wolf knows its place.

At the top are mum and dad,

leading the hunt for prey,

marking territory to protect it from outsiders,

and keeping all the others in line.

Then there are the older brothers and sisters

who often intimidate and discipline the youngest.

So in many ways, pretty much like a human family.

The leaders keep the rest of the pack in line

with body language and snarling,

but rarely have to resort to fighting.

No wolf wants to get injured, or fall out with the rest of the pack.

So wolf packs can be different sizes,

but essentially they're all pretty close groups.

When Rhydian was taken in to Maddy's pack,

he had their help and support whenever he needed it.

But there's always a bit of gave and take

and there's certain responsibilities that come with being in a pack,

and it's never more true than when things start to go wrong.

So when Maddy was using the supernatural power of eolas,

and she ran away, her pack - her mum, dad and now Rhydian -

pulled out all the stops to try and find her.

And then once she made it to the city...

her mum had to use her wolf-like abilities to track her down.

Where you going?

There's no way out down there.

Just give me the rucksack and you won't get hurt.

Are you...

Are you growling at me?

She's growling at me!

Give it to me.

Get away from my daughter!

Like werewolves, do you?

Well, they don't like you.

THEY SCREAM

Mum.

I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

That's OK, pet.

You're safe now.

You're safe.

Maddy needed her family pack to come to the rescue

and protect her from those group of girls.

Led by her mum, they worked as a team to try and find her -

together they were stronger.

Being part of a pack, like being part of a family,

sometimes has its downsides,

but definitely has its advantages too.

Wolves are highly social creatures, and working collectively

brings lots of good things that benefits the whole group,

and helps them to survive in the dog-eat-dog world

of their wild environment.

Teamwork's particularly important

when it comes to looking after their young.

Pups are key to continuing the family bloodline,

so the whole pack gets involved in raising them.

During the first month,

the pups stay in the den with their mother,

suckling for milk and keeping warm.

The father's job, along with the rest of the packs,

is to bring food for the female, and protects the den from any predators.

Which is exactly what this group had to do

when a bear got that little bit too close for comfort.

Even though the bear was at least three times as big as the him,

this wolf bravely bit him on the rear.

And by working together,

the wolf team manages to scare the bear off.

Danger over.

For now.

The pups gradually learn to eat meat and all the wolves help feed them.

When the adults return from a kill,

the pups pester them until they're sure they have every last bit,

licking their mouths to make them regurgitate the meat.

And small prey such as this Arctic hare is also brought back,

causing a lot of excitement between the pups.

Even when the mother leaves to hunt for food,

the pups are never left alone.

Another pack member, called a babysitter, stays behind.

Here they've been left in the capable hands of their older brother.

So how else does being part of a pack help a wolf?

The success or failure of a wolf pack

depends on the strength of its leaders.

They need to provide food and security,

but they also need to teach the kids the family business.

Hunting.

So the pack acts like a nursery.

It starts with play.

Pups spend a lot of their time playing,

which lets them practise the skills they need for hunting -

pouncing, stalking, and chasing one another.

The older wolves get involved too,

letting the pups tug on their ears

and even bringing back toys for them to play with.

As they grow up they join the rest of the pack on hunting trips...

to see the more experienced wolves at work.

They learn that if you're going to take on something

as mighty as an elk...

..it's best to tackle it from behind

or you could be in big trouble.

In the meantime,

the youngsters also learn

how they can help the rest of the pack find food.

The pack needs many ears, eyes and noses on the job,

especially since prey can be spread over such vast distances.

And when it comes to bringing down a large animal,

teamwork is extremely useful.

Even though single wolves are able to bring down big prey on their own

it's often easier with a few of the more experienced wolves

to move in and help out.

Working together is essential to when it comes to protecting what's theirs,

be that the food they've just caught

or the territory that they live and hunt in.

So there really is strength in numbers

and many great reasons to be part of a pack -

it far outweighs being alone.

Packs give security, food, companionship -

all the things wolves and wolfbloods want and need

if they are to survive and thrive.

It's your choice.

Lone wolf or...

pack?

You want me to go with you?

Yes.

If you come with me, you'll have a pack.

A family.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd