The "Om-ega"

[ChocolateRain]

I just read Michelle's post on the pack hierarchy and I'll be sure to avoid using such terms in the future but now for my question. Since a wolf pack is not a hierarchy but just a family why are there packs that have these so called "Ome-gas" or scapegoats, if you will. Do all packs have these certain wolves that are picked on or what? What! I don't know!

edit: I really thing the censoring of Om-ega is unnecessary but whatever.

[wolf567]

Yep this is true, but when i saw a program about wolves there was a really low omega that if a wolf was angry it would just go up to it a fight it, but if a alpha wolf is kicked it sometimes goes to the lowest ranking, well thats what happened in the program.

[CLBaileyi]

The term "O-mega" and "scapegoat" have been used for over 30 years, and it can be difficult to change our terminology in wolf behavior. Again, most of the early studies in wolf behavior was done with captive animals that were not necessarily maintained in a true "wild wolf pack" formation (i.e. there are all one sex or the other, or one animal of one sex with the remaining pack members of the opposite sex). Also, as captive managers, we assembled these groups with our preferences in mind-not what you would find to occur in a wild wolf pack.

Dominance and submission occur in any pack. Sometimes it can be easy to "jump to conclusions" when observing animals and even let our emotions play a role in the interpretation of the behaviors. As far as the post by wolf567, I think it would be easy to say that the wolf was "angry" and not necessarily understand all of the dynamics of what happened in the pack before the interaction. To quote Dave Mech: "I occasionally saw intense "pinning" of a 2-year-old female by her mother in summer 1994 that some might label "hostile". However, to me this behavior appeared to be merely the type of interaction I observed between the mother and an errant pup she could not control." The dominant and submissive displays are used to constantly remind all pack members "who is who" and the relationship between one another.

For the post by ChocolateRain, I would again say that the hierarchy can be used to discuss captive packs, where the pack is not a "naturally structured" pack as it might be if they lived in the wild. We certainly see this behavior with our Mexican Gray wolves at the zoo, but again, our pack is a group of all males, that are from two separate litter. Last season (during the breeding season when we had 3 female wolves in the group) we did see some intense change-over in the group and more subordinate male became more dominant over his brother. Some may call the previously dominant male "o-mega" or scapegoat when they see the interactions between the two. However, to me, I see one wolf who is showing very clearly to another wolf-"who is dominant and who is subordinate". Nearly all of the interactions between wolves are more display with postures, facial expressions, etc. that actual physical harm. Granted, wolves certainly can kill one another, but this rarely happens. Since 1991 when I started working with the wolves, I would say we only had 1 case where the dominance might be considered excessive and we split the group. Again, in that situation, it was an "artificial grouping" and due to the situations of captivity, we could not allow her to disperse as she would do if she was in the wild.

Sorry to all if I get a little "long" with my posts-this is such a difficult topic to explain when there are so many variables to consider.

[_Nimbus_]

Omega is the last letter in the Greek alphabet, referencing the omega's low status
Same with alpha except vice versa.

[alethe]

The wolf pack does not have such a hierarchy. It consists of a breeding pair, and then the rest of the pack.

[Koa]

Omega is the last letter in the Greek alphabet, referencing the omega's low status
Same with alpha except vice versa.

Please be sure not to bump threads in this forum.
This question has been answered before.