How do wolves raise babies?

Answer 1

Wolves live in packs, and when one gives birth, they all help the mother care for the pups. When they are very young they stay inside the den that they were born in for a few weeks. Because they are blind and deaf, they rely on the mother to nurse them. Once they are able to hear and see, they start to play and eventually leave the den.

They eventually play out on the playground outside the den regularly and are weaned from their mothers' milk. They are still too young to hunt, however. Babysitter wolves -- typically females about a year or two old -- watch them while the mother goes hunting with the rest of the pack. The pups during this time play by chewing bones, animal skins, and learning to move in a small pack. These skills are very important later on in life. The rest of the pack brings back food from the kill and regurgitates it for the little ones, because they still aren't big enough to bring down large animals with the grownups.

Eventually, the whole pack leaves the den site. As they travel in the group, the pups learn to keep up with the group and eventually are able to hunt alongside their parents.