See British Adventurer Meet a Wolf Pack In the Dead of Winter

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Written by Kellianne Matthews

Published: January 21, 2025

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three timber wolves
iStock.com/GatorDawg

For some, a wolf is nothing more than an oversized, fluffy dog; for others, wolves are the stuff of nightmares. But in reality, the truth lies somewhere else entirely. Wolves are unique creatures — they are neither cuddly pets nor threatening monsters. Sadly, wolves remain some of the most misunderstood animals when it comes to their behavior and interactions with humans. As you’ll see in this video, adventurer Steve Backshall set out to discover the truth behind these one-of-a-kind creatures and came face to face with an entire wolf pack.

Wolf Behavior and Pack Mentality

A family of grey wolves in the forest.

Members of a wolf pack are often related.

Naturalist Steve Backshall, known for the popular “Deadliest Animals” series, traveled to Norway to see wolves at a research center. Backshall quickly discovered that while these wolves had some previous exposure to humans, their wild instincts remained solidly intact.

Wolves are highly intelligent and social animals who live in tight-knit groups called packs. They develop deep, emotional connections with their fellow pack members, and often care for crippled or elderly wolves and even grieve the loss of their packmates.

These packs operate under a strict hierarchy with each member contributing to the group. The “Alpha” wolf leads the pack, while the “Omega” wolf seems to hold the lowest rank. However, even the Omega’s position is crucial to maintaining harmony within a wolf pack. Omegas care for pups when other adults need to hunt or sleep. They are also the ones to initiate play, helping to keep things light and strengthen the emotional bonds of the group.

As seen in the video above, Backshall’s encounter with wolves in Norway demonstrated this pack mentality. The wolves were curious but cautious, sniffing and nervously playing together. When Backshall pushed the pack’s boundaries, however, one of the wolves nipped at his hand without hesitation, quickly reinforcing the pack’s hierarchy and reminding the man of his place outside the group.

How Do Wolves Interact With Humans?

Frolicking Wolf Pups

The pack is very protective of young wolf pups.

It’s important to note that the wolves in this video were observed in a research setting, which may not adequately reflect all aspects of wild wolf behavior. Wolves living entirely in the wild do their best to avoid humans whenever possible. They prefer to stay far from any roads, buildings, and human establishments as much as they can. And contrary to popular belief, wolf attacks on humans are extremely rare. When a wolf encounters a human in the wild, they generally run away.

Although wolves are not as aggressive as we once thought, they are territorial. Wolves defend their pack and territory with fervor, especially during denning season when young pups are present (typically April through July). If a human encroaches on their space, the wolves typically respond with warnings rather than attacks. A wolf commonly will bark, growl, snort, howl, or snarl. They may also circle or pretend to attack as a warning to encourage the human to leave.

On occasion, however, some wolves have become more habituated to humans. This is entirely due to human actions, such as leaving food accessible to the animals or even intentionally trying to feed wolves. This, of course, can lead to more dangerous situations than truly wild wolves typically present.

Safety Tips For Visiting Wolf Country

Wolves running in the snow.

Wolves can run around 36 to 38 miles per hour.

If you go hiking or camping in areas known for having wolf populations, follow these guidelines to stay safe:

  • Continually pay attention to your surroundings. Look for animal tracks, droppings, chewed-up bones, or other unusual leftovers.
  • When possible, bring a friend with you or travel in a group. Wolves are more likely to avoid larger groups of people.
  • Always keep your dog in control and on a leash.
  • Don’t leave any food or litter behind.
  • Stay at least 100 yards away from any wolf or wolf pack.
  • Intentionally make noise (i.e. air horns, noisemakers, talking, singing, etc.).

What To Do if You Encounter a Wolf or Wolf Pack

Grey Wolves in Snow

Wolves have complex emotional lives and experience happiness, fear, anger, and grief.

Spotting a wolf in the wild is quite rare. However, if you do find yourself near a wolf, stay calm and follow these tips:

  • Do not run. Remain calm and move slowly. Never attempt to feed or move closer to a wolf.
  • Stay calm and back away slowly. Keep your eyes on the wolf (but avoid direct eye contact) and don’t turn your back on the animal.
  • If the wolf gets too close, use rocks, branches, or other items to deter it.
  • Although attacks are extremely rare, if it does happen, stand your ground and fight if necessary.

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About the Author

Kellianne Matthews

Kellianne Matthews is a writer at A-Z Animals where her primary focus is on anthrozoology, conservation, human-animal relationships, and animal behavior. Kellianne has been writing and researching animals for over ten years and has decades of hands-on experience working with a variety of different animals. She holds a Master’s Degree from Brigham Young University, which she earned in 2017. A resident of Utah, Kellianne enjoys creating, analyzing movies, and hanging out with her dog and cats.

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