Bear Wolf

Bear Wolf

Habitat: Long Island; Prairie
Type: Large Pack-Hunting Mammal
Length: 8 to 10 Feet
Height: 3.5 to 4.5 Feet (at shoulder)
Weight: 400 to 550 Pounds

Bear Wolf

The Bear Wolf is the dominant predator of the prairie in the middle of Long Island. It lives and hunts in packs with up to eight adults. Packs have a home den, where they leave their cubs with an adult babysitter when going hunting. When hunting, the pack moves together across open ground, spreading out as they travel, and closing in once prey has been located.

The Bear Wolf is a large, heavy-built animal, with a broad head, strong jaws, and long legs built for short bursts of speed. The coat is usually tawny in color, marked with darker stripes that break up its outline in the tall grasses. This allows it to move in very close before being noticed. 

The Bear Wolf will hunt just about anything it can bring down, but it shows a clear preference for large animals. Common targets include Unicorns, Heavy Kangaroos, and Giant Camels. Packs work together to isolate a single individual, surrounding it and attacking from multiple sides. Once the attack begins, it is fast and direct, with each animal taking turns rushing in to bite and pull the prey off balance until it collapses. Death for the prey usually comes from blood loss and shock.

Pack Stalking Heavy Kangaroos

On occasion, Bear Wolves will attempt more dangerous prey. Packs have been seen going after young Broadsnout Elephants, as well as Brute Hogs and Brown Pandas. These hunts are risky, and not always successful. Injuries are common when dealing with animals of that size. In fact, it is common for pack members to be killed by these larger prey animals. 

After a kill, the pack feeds quickly. Carnivorous Kangaroos are frequent followers, and will often try to move in and steal meat. The Bear Wolves do not tolerate this, though, and packs will often break off from a carcass to chase these scavengers down. The kangaroos are singled out and attacked directly whenever possible. 

A much greater threat comes from the Red Bear. When one arrives, the pack almost always gives way. Even a full group will not challenge it directly. The Red Bear is far larger than the Bear Wolves, and when it commits to taking a carcass, there is little the pack can do to stop it. They will circle at a distance and wait, but the kill is usually lost.

Young Bear Wolves face additional danger from above. Red Teratorns will sometimes swoop down and carry off smaller pack members. Because of this, the pack tends to keep its young closer to the center of the group when moving across open ground.

Bear Wolf Mother And Cub

• Naturalist Note: The Bear Wolf described here corresponds closely to the genus Amphicyon, a member of the family Amphicyonidae. These animals are characterized by a combination of bear-like and canid-like features, suggesting a versatile predator capable of both power and speed.
  
  Daniel’s description of hunting behavior is particularly important. Rather than long-distance pursuit, the Bear Wolf appears to rely on coordinated stalking followed by rapid, close-range attacks. This aligns well with its body plan—heavily built, but still capable of quick acceleration—and suggests a hunting strategy based on positioning and teamwork rather than endurance.
  
  The Red Bear is identified from Daniel's other writings as a short-faced bear; possibly Arctodus, but more likely Arctotherium. Daniel states that these bears are large enough to drive off a pack of five-hundred-pound Bear Wolves, which indicates that this is a larger species, likely approaching a full ton in weight.