Pack members cooperate in hunting, killing large prey, feeding and caring for the young, defending their territory against other packs, and so forth. The pack functions mostly as a strong autocratic system, with each individual having fought for its placement or rank within the group. Generally only the top male and female are permitted to breed, while any attempts to do so by others are punished. When to hunt, where to hunt, and many other activities are also commonly determined by the pack leaders. Because of the ways in which wolves have evolved and the special demands of their way of life, wolves have become one of the most highly social of all carnivores.
Researchers studying wolves today observe the common traits shared by humans and wolves.
Like many human beings, wolves live in extended families. For wolves, those families are called packs. Wolves live in packs because cooperation allows wolves to bring down larger prey than individual wolves can do on their own. Pack life also insures the care and feeding of the young, and allows wolves to expertly defend their common territory. The male and female leaders of the pack are called alphas.