The Use Of Dens

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Not too long before giving birth to pups, the female wolf will spend that time to seek out a suitable den. These dens can be set in a numerous amount of locations, such as deep riverbank hollow, logs, a space underneath an upturned tree, etc. Wolves may also use abandoned dens of other animals such as bears. They may occasionally use beaver dams as a den as well.

Dens often are reused by generations of wolves. For example, a den located within Jasper National Pack was reused 8 times in the space of 15 years.

The entrance to a wolf den is typically about 20-28 inches wide and 15-20 inches tall. Dens also have the possiblity of having more than one entrance, which can be marked by large piles of earth. In terms of the location of a den, they are often near a source of water and are typically elevated so that wolves are able to easily detect their enemies.

When it comes to the den and the dominant male, the dominant male is usually very protection of the den. He will act as a decoy to lead enemies away from the site of the den. Also, wolves will often stand their ground against enemies to protect the den site, however, in the case of humans they will usually flee.

Usually only one female uses a den at a time, however, there have been reports of more than one female using a den at once.

Wolves have the ability to change their dens throughout the year, moving their pups a mile of even more. This can occur for a variety of reasons, such as parasitic infestation of the den or disturbance by humans or possibly other animals.

Source of information: http://www.wolfcountry.net/information/WolfDen.html