Alpha male and female In social animals, the alpha is the individual in the community with the highest rank. Male or female individuals or both can be alphas, depending on their species. Where one male and one female fulfill this role, they are referred to as the alpha pair. Other animals in the same social group may exhibit deference or other symbolic signs of respect particular to their species towards the alpha or alphas.
In hierarchical social animals, alphas usually gain preferential access to food and other desirable items or activities, though the extent of this social effect varies widely by species. Male and/or female alphas may gain preferential access to sex or mates, and in some species only alphas or an alpha pair is permitted to reproduce. Alphas may achieve their status by means of superior physical prowess and/or through social efforts and building alliances within the group. The position of alpha also changes in some species, usually through a physical fight between a dominant and subordinate animal. Such fights may or may not be to the death, with relevant behavior varying between circumstance and species. The control of the males is generally the duty of the male alpha, and the females by the alpha female, although either leader may dominate the subordinates of either gender. Alpha Wolves maintain their rank by simple respect; which is granted by their ability to dominate other members of the pack in ritual combat. When one Wolf seeks to dominate another challenge is made and if the challenged Wolf does not submit a fight may result to determine which Wolf is superior. Repeatedly winning these contests results in a reputation within the pack, making the dominating Wolf the pack leader. The leaders of an established pack retain the right to mate, not through title, but through the ability to keep other Wolves of their gender from copulating with others during the mating season. The alpha male usually accepts the strongest female to mate with; and this tends to be the same bitch year after year unless she is deposed. The alphas are the first Wolves to feed at the site of a pack kill. Alphas generally tend to keep the pack under control during feeding time. |
alpha wolf couples |
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