WolfQuest

Hi, pretty much as the title says, why do some wolves disperse but others don't? Do they disperse at different times, if so, why? Most littermates seem to be old enough to leave their natal pack yet it seems only half do. What is the biological factor for determining when these wolves leave or stay? Why aren't all wolves "lone wolves"?

(Originally answered on the Wolf Q&A Discord)

While some wolves disperse from their natal pack and do not return, others may come and go, even after establishing their own territory. Wolves can disperse at any time; this may be motivated by breeding opportunities or food. Also, think of the possibility of return to the natal pack by a dispersal wolf as a natural part of the dispersal process (and possibly also motivated by food). See below:

“In some circumstances, dispersal is more like a pulsating of members back and forth from the pack, for members may leave temporarily (see above) and return one to six times before finally dispersing. … Extraterritorial forays by wolves can even involve pairing, territorial establishment, and localizing during the denning season, followed by a return to the natal pack half a year later (Mech 1987a; Mech and Seal1987) (fig. 1.2). In fact, wolf dispersal is probably most accurately viewed as a continuum, from single, short departures from the natal pack through intermittent and multiple extended forays to permanent, distant emigration. These movements appear to be motivated by attempts to maximize food input and opportunities to breed.”
(L. David Mech, Wolf Social Ecology, pages 11-12)

Additionally, one actual breeding strategy is for a dispersed wolf and its new mate to set up a territory along the edges of its natal (birth) pack territory and may even include a male or female wolf from the natal pack (L. David Mech, Wolf Social Ecology, pg. 4). This is known as budding.