A photo claiming to show a strategic wolf pack formation appeared in several videos that have gone viral on social media in recent months. The videos claim the oldest and sickest wolves lead the pack as they walk single file through the snow. They are followed by a second tier of young and strong wolves, then “women and children,” so-called bodyguard wolves and finally the pack leader.

The photo is real, taken from a 2011 BBC documentary showing wolves in Canada’s Wood Buffalo National Park. However, a wildlife biologist familiar with wolf behaviour said wolves do not hunt and travel in the fanciful hierarchy described by the videos.

THE CLAIM

“The wolf pack’s formation is an impressive example of strategy and protection, with each tier serving a specific role,” reads the caption of an

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