Ethiopian Wolves’ Hunting Strategy
In Ethiopian Wolves’ Hunting Strategy, narrator Sir David Attenborough shows the packs of Ethiopian wolves that live high up in the mountaintops. With one dominant female, the pack works together to care for the pups. In this pack, a mother wolf with six pups stays behind to care for them while the rest head out each day to hunt. But unlike other wolves that hunt in groups, these wolves spread out across the mountains to hunt rats, bringing their daily catch back to the den. This video is excerpted from BBC's Life, a show that explores the remarkable strategies animals and plants use to ensure their survival.
Lesson Express
Q: Why do you think the Ethiopian wolves hunt separately instead of together like other wolf packs?
A: The Ethiopian wolves may hunt separately because the terrain is spread out over a large area, and hunting rats requires them to cover a wide distance. Hunting alone could help them be more efficient in finding food on different parts of the mountain.
Q: How does the dominant female's role in the pack affect the survival of the pups?
A: The dominant female is the only one who mates and reproduces, ensuring that only the strongest genes are passed down. By staying behind with the pups while the rest of the pack hunts, she ensures the pups are well cared for and have a better chance of survival.
Q: What might happen if the pack did not work together to hunt and bring food back to the den?
A: If the pack didn’t work together, the mother wolf might not be able to stay with the pups and would struggle to feed them or keep them safe. The pups might not survive without the constant care and food provided by the pack, and the whole family unit could be at risk.
More Like This
In The Danakil Depression, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores the alien landscape of one of the lowest, hottest places on Earth. Pools of sulfuric acid and churning lava hint at the birth of new mountains. This video is excerpted from BBC's Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In Gelada Baboons at Work and Play, narrator Sir David Attenborough highlights a group of 800 cliff-dwelling monkeys in Ethiopia. Their busy day includes grooming, eating, and playing on sheer cliff faces. This video is excerpted from BBC's Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In The Lammergeier's Search for Bones, Sir David Attenborough describes how the lammergeier bird soars at altitudes over 14,000 feet in the mountains of Ethiopia. Unlike other vultures, this bird is after bones, so he waits for vultures to finish eating before grabbing one. To break it open and access the marrow, he flies high and drops the bone onto rocky ground, where it shatters into smaller pieces that he can swallow. This video is excerpted from BBC's Life, a show that explores the remarkable strategies animals and plants use to ensure their survival.
In Walia Ibex in Alliance With Baboons, narrator Sir David Attenborough explains how the grassy plains of Ethiopia’s highlands can be a dangerous environment for grazers. Luckily, the ibex have allied themselves with gelada baboons as a form of defense. This video is excerpted from BBC's Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In The Danakil Depression, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores the alien landscape of one of the lowest, hottest places on Earth. Pools of sulfuric acid and churning lava hint at the birth of new mountains. This video is excerpted from BBC's Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In Gelada Baboons at Work and Play, narrator Sir David Attenborough highlights a group of 800 cliff-dwelling monkeys in Ethiopia. Their busy day includes grooming, eating, and playing on sheer cliff faces. This video is excerpted from BBC's Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In The Lammergeier's Search for Bones, Sir David Attenborough describes how the lammergeier bird soars at altitudes over 14,000 feet in the mountains of Ethiopia. Unlike other vultures, this bird is after bones, so he waits for vultures to finish eating before grabbing one. To break it open and access the marrow, he flies high and drops the bone onto rocky ground, where it shatters into smaller pieces that he can swallow. This video is excerpted from BBC's Life, a show that explores the remarkable strategies animals and plants use to ensure their survival.
In Walia Ibex in Alliance With Baboons, narrator Sir David Attenborough explains how the grassy plains of Ethiopia’s highlands can be a dangerous environment for grazers. Luckily, the ibex have allied themselves with gelada baboons as a form of defense. This video is excerpted from BBC's Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.