Pack structure and genetic relatedness among wolf packs in a naturally-regulated population

Observations of wolf pack dynamics over a six-year period in Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska, found high rates of intraspecific strife, wolf pack dissolution and new pack formation, and the acceptance of new wolves into established packs. These observations corroborate genetic studies that found more genetic links between packs, and more genetic diversity within packs, than would be expected if most packs were composed of an unrelated breeding pair and their offspring. Longevity of packs, stability of pack territories, and the incidence of inbreeding all appear to be less than previously suggested, even in the absence of significant human disturbance. The formation of new packs by two or more local dispersers, the acceptance of unrelated wolves into existing packs, and the presence of multiple breeding females within packs would tend to blur genetic distinctions between the packs in a population.