Who eats what first in a wolf pack?

[Wolf Runner1]

I know that wolves eat Dominant to least dominant, but what do they eat first? I think I read that they eat the liver? But I don't remember, can anyone help me?

Thanks!

[shadowwolf2234]

When wolves are consuming a carcass, they strip the organs and the major muscle groups on the hind and front portions before moving on to the muscle on the legs and hide (Wilmers & Stahler, 2002). Large bones and the hide usually remain uneaten when the pack is finished with the carcass, however wolves have been known to devour entire fawn carcasses (Kunkel et al., 1999). The major muscle groups and organs are consumed at similarly high rates, while the muscles on the minor portions of the carcass are consumed at slower rates. ACR is most likely to differ within the wolf species based on mass, age, and sex. The ACR tends to increase as the wolf gets bigger. Female wolves are slower eaters than males and smaller. As the wolves get older they feed slower, possibly because the older animals are dominant and intragroup competition would not have much effect on their eating availability or their ACR.

Source: http://www.bio.davidson.edu/people/veca ... r/Prey.htm
If you access that link, you can learn more about the eating habits.

That was a good question, and I was happy to learn about that. =)

ACR means Active-consumption rate

[Canidae]

The wolf pups receive first rights on anything killed regardless of their low rank within the pack.

Letting the wolf pups fight for the right to eat, results in a secondary ranking being formed among them and lets them practice the dominance and submission rituals that will be essential to their future survival in pack life.

Source: http://www.animalcorner.co.uk/wildlife/ ... production

I thought I'd add this bit of information, although I'm not entirely convinced that that resource is reliable. So, in search of more reliable information, I found this:

Although adult wolves compete with one another while feeding, they allow pups to eat without confrontation until they reach adolescence. From then on, they must compete as well, eventually finding their place in the adult pack hierarchy.

Source: http://www.livingwithwolves.org/Gallery_Pups.html

That's a website created by Jim and Jamie Dutcher. If you know anything about them, you know how much research they've done, and how much information they have. I'd say they're a pretty reliable resource.

[SolitaryHowl]

I didn't know that about the puppies; although that makes sense...because the puppies would be too young to fight, and they need the best part of the carcass to grow properly.

[shadowwolf966]

Hum.... I heard somewhere that sometimes wolves will crunch open bones to suck out the marrow- but which wolves would be "allowed" to do that? (If they even DID that)

[Wolf Runner1]

When wolves are consuming a carcass, they strip the organs and the major muscle groups on the hind and front portions before moving on to the muscle on the legs and hide (Wilmers & Stahler, 2002). Large bones and the hide usually remain uneaten when the pack is finished with the carcass, however wolves have been known to devour entire fawn carcasses (Kunkel et al., 1999). The major muscle groups and organs are consumed at similarly high rates, while the muscles on the minor portions of the carcass are consumed at slower rates. ACR is most likely to differ within the wolf species based on mass, age, and sex. The ACR tends to increase as the wolf gets bigger. Female wolves are slower eaters than males and smaller. As the wolves get older they feed slower, possibly because the older animals are dominant and intragroup competition would not have much effect on their eating availability or their ACR.
Source: http://www.bio.davidson.edu/people/veca ... r/Prey.htm
If you access that link, you can learn more about the eating habits.

That was a good question, and I was happy to learn about that. =)

ACR means Active-consumption rate

The wolf pups receive first rights on anything killed regardless of their low rank within the pack.

Letting the wolf pups fight for the right to eat, results in a secondary ranking being formed among them and lets them practice the dominance and submission rituals that will be essential to their future survival in pack life.

Source: http://www.animalcorner.co.uk/wildlife/ ... production

I thought I'd add this bit of information, although I'm not entirely convinced that that resource is reliable. So, in search of more reliable information, I found this:

Although adult wolves compete with one another while feeding, they allow pups to eat without confrontation until they reach adolescence. From then on, they must compete as well, eventually finding their place in the adult pack hierarchy.

Source: http://www.livingwithwolves.org/Gallery_Pups.html

That's a website created by Jim and Jamie Dutcher. If you know anything about them, you know how much research they've done, and how much information they have. I'd say they're a pretty reliable resource.

Thank you so much you guys! My question has been answered I think, though if anyone has anything more to add, that'd be great too!

Hum.... I heard somewhere that sometimes wolves will crunch open bones to slurp out the marrow- but which wolves would be "allowed" to do that? (If they even DID that)

Wolves do eat the marrow, it's very healthy. I believe that all wolves are allowed to do that, as that's one of the last things they eat.

[Kakashi Hatake]

Predation for the wolf is also social. The Alpha controls the hunt. His ability to find, track and bring down prey, with the help of the pack, helps to ensure his position. This is one of the most basic functions for the pack leader. At the kill, the social order is most evident. The Alpha eats first, followed in order, by the next strongest and on down. This helps the pack to keep the strong providers strong and reinforces the social order. A predator killing prey can also serve to strengthen that same species while inviting competition for the kill. The relationship between predator and prey is one of the most basic of relationships. Predator serves prey as prey serves predator. The predator cannot survive without prey, while prey is kept in check by predator.

Source:http://hubpages.com/hub/Wolf-Pack-Dynamics

Hope that helped!!

[SweetHart]

Wow thats quite interesting,It be cool to see a documentry on it. Though it does make sense that they let the pups eat first

[onepersonteaparty]

Usually the alpha eats the liver and heart because to wolves they are the "prized organs" of an animal.