Territory

Territories are areas where animals live, find food or mate. They vary in size depending on if there is enough food available. Smaller wolf territories are around 100 km² while larger ones can be 10–100 times bigger. The smallest area of a wolf territory recorded is 18 km² and the biggest in Alaska – 13,000 km².

At the heart of the territory is a meeting point – rendezvous (gathering place, place to meet). This is the safest place, usually sheltered, grassy area near the water. This is where wolves gather. Beside that, this is also a place where older cubs are safely left to play.

If there is food deficiency, wolf territories are bigger than areas where hunting is easy and where there is plenty of prey.

Several wolf territories can be next to each other, end even overlap at certain amount, if there is enough deer or similar, bigger, animals to hunt. On the other hand, between territories it is not unusual to have neutral spaces – buffer zone – only few kilometres wide where wolves do not go.

Leaving scent marks and howling is used to protect the territory from rival packs or other predators. This type of signalization lessens the chance of immediate contact – combat with other wolves – since the goal is to avoid any conflict. Packs tend to stay away from one another. Attack is the last mean of defence.

Scent and sound signals are fine prevention for crossing the boarders so conflicts are very rare. But, when an intruder is found on a territory they will defend it fiercely. Most of the conflicts happen in the buffer zone or alongside the boarders of the territory. Ungulates (potential prey) use this fact and feel safer when they happen to be there. Only the despair, mainly caused by food deficiency, will make wolves leave their territory, enter the buffer zone or even rival's territory.