14 DAY TRIAL // A recent study conducted on wolves in Yellowstone National Park has revealed that many members of a pack are in fact freeloaders. They do not contribute to the actual killing process, but show up later to claim their share of the spoils.
The work was focused on Canis lupus, the gray wolf. Numerous packs have been introduced in the iconic park, so as to keep a massive elk population in check. But researchers also kept an eye on the wolves themselves, assessing their hunting patterns.
In a paper published in the journal Behavioral Ecology, experts show that the kill rate of a wolf pack levels off when the group exceeds more than 4 members. Generally, those who risk their fur, so to speak, are the ones who have pups to feed at home.
For the others, there are no incentives to put themselves at risk, instead preferring to show up only when it's time to feed on a carcass, ScienceNow reports.