Wolves are very adaptable animals and tend to live in packs ranging from a monogamous pairing of two to a group of twenty but there can be solitary 'lone wolves'. These lone wolves are usually young adults looking for their own territories and mates. Wolves are very sociable and caring for other members of the pack. They have been known to bring food to injured members who are unable to get it for themselves. Packs have a hierarchical organisation with both dominant and subordinate males and females who usually fight for higher position particularly during the breeding season which is from late autumn to late winter.
Wolves attain sexual maturity at about two years old.
Often only one female in the pack mates with one male. She may have to fight other females for this privilege. After this mating the atmosphere within the pack is settles down. The resulting pups number from four to seven and the more subordinate wolves will also help to take care of them. Wolves are very territorial and if wolves from one pack meet wolves from another there is often a violent fight which can result in deaths.