Would the adult Male wolf care for pups if the mother died?

[Lee Lobo]

Would a Male wolf of a breeding pair tend to the offspring pup(s) if the female (mother) of the pair were to die? Like doing things such as grooming, protection (to the point its self is safe)? If the pups were past needing the mothers milk that is.

Or would the male abandon the pup(s) to die and find another mate?

I know males will care, love their pups. They pup sit when the mother is away. But they do not have the same protection instant the mother does. That I know.

Thanks

[Koa]

If the pups are fully weaned, I don't think the sex of the parent matters. If the remaining parent is physically unable to take care of the pups and its own survival is at stake, then it will abandon them.

What is the fate of a "fractured pack"?

A fractured pack's, or pack's whose key members have died, fate depends on just which members have died. Because the heart of a pack is the breeding pair (dominant pair), the death of all offspring would just result in the pair breeding again next year. If one member of the breeding pair dies, the other surviving breeding member may hold the territory until a new mate arrives. If the breeding pair is lost, the remaining members may disperse and become part of the "floating" population, unless they are pups which would die from starvation or from predators.

http://wolfquest.org/bb/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=34625

[Lee Lobo]

If the remaining parent. In this case, male of the breeding pair was the only one left. Say pups were 4-6 weeks old. Would the father try and care for them if able, or would he abandon?

[Koa]

If the remaining parent. In this case, male of the breeding pair was the only one left. Say pups were 4-6 weeks old. Would the father try and care for them if able, or would he abandon?

Weaning is finished around 8-10 weeks so I do not think he would keep them.

[Lee Lobo]

If the remaining parent. In this case, male of the breeding pair was the only one left. Say pups were 4-6 weeks old. Would the father try and care for them if able, or would he abandon?

Weaning is finished around 8-10 weeks so I do not think he would keep them.

Side question then. Would the mother leave the den for any reason and leave the male of the breeding pair to pup sit while pups are 4 weeks of age?

[Koa]

Side question then. Would the mother leave the den for any reason and leave the male of the breeding pair to pup sit while pups are 4 weeks of age?

It's possible, but unlikely.

In real life, both wolves would help hunt and protect, etc., though at this age, the female would typically stay with the pups more and the male would hunt more. But both genders do both things (...)

http://www.wolfquest.org/bb/viewtopic.p ... 45#p943956

In the quote provided above, WQ Coordinator referred to the division of roles between the sexes and its portrayal in WolfQuest. At the beginning of Slough Creek, the wolf pups are six weeks old. I doubt that the female would leave the pups at the age of four weeks.