A new approach to study organization of wolves’ activity (Canis lupus) in time sequences

A group of four wolves 1-7 months old was observed. The wolves were kept in 1.5 hectare forest aviaries. Twenty-four-hour observation was performed once every 7-10 days in summertime and once every 15-20 days in autumn. Using the time slice method, the activity type of each animal was registered each minute. Eighteen types of activity were recorded. The sequential stream of activity of all four animals was analyzed to find time patterns that are repetitive events not randomly following each other within the critical time interval. A lot of types of time patterns including different activities were observed (1300-13 500 types). There are patterns of individual, social, and mixed activities. A dramatic increase followed by s decrease in the number of pattern types was registered in the period from the 75th to the 115th days. Other important changes in ontogenesis of growing wolf cubs are related to this period.