Why do gray wolf packs need larger territories when prey is scarce?

Gray wolf packs require larger territories when prey is scarce to ensure they have enough food to sustain the group. A pack's territory size can range from 80 to 3,000 square km (31 to 1,200 square miles), and this range is directly dependent on the abundance of available prey in the area.12

Because wolves are active predators that rely on large herbivores such as deer, elk, and moose, they must travel extensively to locate and hunt these animals. When food sources are limited, the pack must expand its hunting grounds to cover a wider area to meet its nutritional needs, as failure to secure sufficient food can lead to starvation.34