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Almost all wild dogs, wolves, and even domestic dogs howl in one way or another, and it is common knowledge that wolves howl at the moon. Right? It lived in folklore and entertainment until it was recorded and recorded, but do wolves really howl at the moon? In short, no. This is nothing more than a literary image and artistic license in a broad sense. So where does the legend come from and why do most canines howl?
It’s all about communication
At first glance, howl is vocalization, and all vertebrate vocalizations are for communication. Wolves can use the howl to communicate with their pack or rival packs on a wide variety of topics, none of which are related to the current moon phase. Scientists have long known that wolves will howl to each other, and they’ve even been able to track their ability to determine pitch and other variations in certain types of howls.
In open terrain, the howl of a wolf can be heard up to ten miles away, and even in dense forest, the howl can be heard up to six miles away. A more agitated wolf will have a higher tone in its howl than one who is in a calmer emotional state. The wolf will also communicate by yapping, barking, growling, and growling like other similar species.
More recent research has shown that wolves will use howl to communicate more often with other pack members that they have close relationships. This means that attachment can also play a large role in the decision to howl. Scientists have studied this by measuring the level of cortisol in the saliva of wolves after they howled. Because cortisol is a stress hormone, its absence in their saliva after a howl leads to the assumption that the cause of howling comes from happier emotions rather than anxiety.
So when do the wolves howl?
Since most species like the gray wolf (Canis lupus) are nocturnal, you can often hear howling at night. This is completely unrelated to the presence of the moon, and simply has to do with the fact that the moon is absent when the wolves are most active. Howls can be heard during the day, during the new moon and even when the moon is hidden by a dense cloud cover.
These mammals howl for many reasons, and wolves of all levels in the pack howl. Sometimes this is needed in order to signal the start of a hunt, the presence of prey, the desire to leave, or even signal their location after they have been separated for some reason. Packs will even howl to alert rival packs of the whereabouts of their territory.
Because this is an emotionally controlled act, it is not uncommon for wolves to howl just because they hear others howling, just as your dog will copy the howls of other neighbors. Howling has been shown to strengthen bonds between pack members when performed in a group. Packs of wolves harmonize when they howl together rather than trying to match the tone of the initiating member. This has the added effect of making the flock appear larger than any potential competing flock or nearby predators.
Misconceptions about wolf howls
We have already discussed the biggest misconception that a wolf does not howl at the moon, but where did this story come from? It may have been transmitted through oral stories from much earlier time periods. In those days, wolves would have been much more active during the full moon than during any other lunar phase, due to the increased illumination, and it could just happen that people naturally heard more howling during this time because they were also outside. and not in a dream. … It could also be related to the sight of the wolf’s head facing the moon at a higher altitude. This has more to do with the most effective means of howling at a higher volume than any celestial body. An open throat facing the sky allows the howler to make the greatest sound, while seeking a higher pitch allows the noise to carry the greatest distance, reducing the number of obstacles the sound must pass through.
Another common misconception is that wolves and dogs howl in loneliness. As long as your pet dog (Lupus vulgariss) may howl when left alone at home, more likely to try to find you, a missing member of their pack, or as an outlet for the emotional distress they feel than to express any feeling of loneliness. In addition, howling for wild animals such as the wolf is inherently more dangerous for a lonely creature without a pack. Howl can be used to find a howler, and if that howler does not have a pack to defend, drawing others to his or her location can be a fatal mistake.
It is also often thought that wolves will howl when in pain, but this is another misconception. If the wolf tries to vocalize something due to physical pain, it will emit a piercing howl that does not sound like a real hoarse howl. The origin of this particular myth is rather unclear, and it may have to do with some artistic freedom taken by some due to the woeful sound of a single howl.
While it may seem more sinister to think of wolves as creatures that howl at the moon, these communication masters are simply trying to coordinate with their family, spread awareness of their situation, and possibly snack while warning others to stay away from their habitat. These night hunters have nothing more to do with the phases of the moon than you and me.
Next: Why do animals love to be petted?
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