The gray wolf is not a solitary animal and must live in a pack to fully flourish. Indeed, the perfect social cohesion that reigns within the wolf packs allows them to hunt, occupy a territory and communicate without any difficulty. The pack is therefore a family group, usually composed of about ten individuals. The pattern of a pack normally consists of a dominant pair, and cubs that this pair gave birth to years ago. Each pack has its own territory that it is responsible for defending against any intruder. The size of the territory of a pack of gray wolves varies according to the food resources of the environment, but in principle it covers no less than several hundred square miles. The boundaries of this territory are marked by odoriferous deposits to warn rival packs