Why do wolves howl? Wolves. Laws of the wolf pack Wolves do not bark
People have a private idea that the cause of wolf howls is the night satellite of our planet, the Moon. It is she who provokes the animal to such behavior. Is this really so, or the real reason lies in something completely different?
In fact, the Moon has absolutely nothing to do with it. So in an original way wolves communicate with each other. Well, the upturned muzzle, facing the night luminary, is just a coincidence. After all, wolves howl not only on the full moon, but also on cloudy days. Sometimes their howl can be heard even during the day. At the same time, for better sound propagation, they raise their heads upward. Well, the fact that wolves howl more often at night is easy to explain. The nights are much quieter than the days. At this time, the wind subsides and sounds travel better. As for people, they cannot see a howling wolf in pitch darkness. They have such an opportunity only on a moonlit night. Hence the sudden conclusion that wolves howl at the moon.
Wolves are pack animals and monogamous. They live in pairs, gathering in small flocks. Everything here is ruled by a leader who coordinates the actions of the pack, keeps order, protects its territory together with other wolves, informs relatives about the prey found, organizes the hunt, etc. The language of communication of animals, in addition to gestures and smells, also includes sounds. For wolves, this is barking, growling and, of course, howling. The roaring wolf looks very scary. He bares his fangs and makes an angry expression on his muzzle. Thus, the animal expresses the extreme degree of its dissatisfaction, and with its entire appearance shows that it is ready to take decisive action. Wolves rarely bark, and only if they are aggressive. Their howl is a kind of battle cry, a notice of ownership of a given territory, a way of obtaining information about the location of the flock, and a method of warning relatives about danger. Depending on the goal pursued by the wolf, its tone also changes. This is the original communication tool that wolves have.
Just like people, each wolf has its own original voice. However, this originality is inherent in each species of wolves and each individual pack, which allows its members to easily recognize each other. These include: tonality, loudness, style. All this is comparable to piece of music, the style of which may differ, be it jazz or classical. Scientists recorded the howl of the North American timber wolf and compared it with the howl of the African jackal. The sound was completely different. In addition, it was noticed that the howl of a lone wolf differs sharply from the howl of a wolf surrounded by the love and care of a pack. The love duet has a completely different mood and a different tone.
Of course, everything we have just told you about is just our guess. We can be right about some things and wrong about others. Over time, everything will fall into place, and we will finally be able to understand the meaning of the wolf howl. For now, we’ll have to be content with the knowledge we have.
Since ancient times people have revered and feared Wolf, they called him the elder brother, they scared children with him, they made up legends and retellings about him. The wolf genus itself is quite extensive, including coyotes and jackals, but it is wolves became the direct and closest ancestors of the domestic dog.
Wolf is a fairly large predator from the mammal family, which used to be found almost everywhere in Russia and the CIS. But due to a number of problems caused by technological progress, the habitat of these animals has narrowed significantly in recent decades.
The name itself " wolf"comes from the ancient Slavic language, has ancient Indo-European roots and literally means " drag" or "drag".
It turns out that the Wolf family is quite extensive - there are about 32 different subspecies of wolves, but only six main ones are found on the territory of Russia - tundra, Central Russian forest, Mongolian, Caucasian, Siberian and steppe.
What do wolves eat
Basic Wolf's diet are ungulates depending on their habitat. These could be reindeer, horses, roe deer, pigs, moose, goats, both wild and domesticated.
In desert regions, Wolves hunt antelope and sheep. Due to the expansion human activity and the introduction of humans into the natural habitat of wolves, predator attacks on livestock farms occur.
But wolf population constantly decreasing due to lack of food and constant hunting for them. During difficult periods, Wolves can feed on frogs, lizards and even large insects. They sometimes eat berries, mushrooms and fruits, and to quench their thirst they can plunder a watermelon or melon planting.
Where does the Wolf live?
Wolves prefer wooded areas and choose flat or mountainous areas with sparse vegetation and a temperate climate for housing.
Pack of Wolves usually occupies an area of 30 to 60 km and prefers a sedentary way of existence. But in the spring-summer period, this area is divided into fragments in accordance with the hierarchy of the pack: the best goes to the strongest Wolves.
Wolves can also be found in the north in the taiga and tundra near human settlements.
Wolves are smart and they understand that where there is a person, you can always profit from something. And although they do harm agriculture, but, on the other hand, they also regulate the balance of the ecosystem, controlling the number of animals and acting as forest orderlies.
Are Wolves Dangerous to Humans?
Scientists have come to the conclusion that the Wolf will not just attack a person, since he has an instinct of self-preservation. But sometimes they happen sad cases attacks by animals with rabies. Or if there is a severe shortage of food.
Wolves breeding
Mating season for wolves lasts from January to April. Wolves are monogamous and lead a family lifestyle; a couple stays together until one of the partners dies.
Before the onset of estrus, the she-wolf does not accept the sexual advances of the male. Brutal fights for the attention of females, often with fatal, are absolutely normal among Wolves.
She-wolves reach sexual maturity in the second year of life, and Wolves - at 3 years.
Wolves have only 1 estrus per year, so that the cubs are born in the warm spring, when there is enough food around.
Wolf couple First, he takes care of a safe shelter for future offspring. These can be either various secluded places, or other people’s burrows of badgers or arctic foxes; they rarely dig their own burrows.
Only the She-Wolf uses the lair; she is also involved in raising small wolf cubs, which at first resemble the puppies of an ordinary dog. Usually, the She-Wolf gives birth to from 3 to 13 wolf cubs, and the whole pack helps to feed them.
But despite close care from parents and other Wolves, in the first year of life only 20-40% of wolf cubs survive. This is due to disease, lack of food and competition within the family, when more strong puppies receive more food, and the weak gradually die.
Wolves have a rather interesting voice, which has much greater capabilities than other animals. Wolves don't just howl They are also believed to be able to grumble, whine, squeal, yelp, bark and growl. Moreover, they are fully aware of these sounds and understand the information voiced by their fellow tribesmen. This helps to find out where prey is hiding, where to go hunting, and even report the appearance of people. And the collective wolf howl is distinctive feature active social life.
By the way, The wolves can hear fellow tribesman and transmit messages from a distance of about 8 kilometers.
The Wolf has a very highly developed sense of smell, he distinguishes odors 100 times better than a person, so scent plays one of the main roles in the wolf family.
Wolves are strong and hardy animals that can cover a distance of up to 80 km, and if necessary develop speed 60 km/h, which is one of important conditions for survival.
In nature Wolves survive up to 15 years, but already at 10-12 years old they show signs of old age.
The wolf also symbolizes devotion and loyalty in the family; it is associated with many heroes folk tales and epics of the ancient cultures of the peoples of the North, where he personifies strength and courage. But sometimes he is perceived as an evil and negative character who is greedy and greedy, and sometimes serves dark forces.
26.10.2015
Being formidable predators, wolves have a bad reputation. Having learned a little more about these animals, you become imbued with respect for them. The life of a pack is subject to certain laws, which allows smart and strong predators to coexist peacefully and obey the will of a wise leader. What is the secret of wolf strength and invulnerability? The 10 most important ones will help you figure this out. interesting facts about them.
10. Who is the boss in the pack?
Relationships in a wolf pack are subject to a strict hierarchy. At the head of the pack is the so-called alpha pair. Where the male is the leader who makes the most important decisions and is responsible for each relative. He does not fight for his dominance by force; there are also more powerful and hardy males in the flock. The main advantages of a leader are a sharp mind and a stable psyche. The leader's companion also enjoys considerable authority, but her care is mainly given to the females of the pack and puppies. The leader has an unspoken deputy who will replace the leader in the event of his death. This beta male is located slightly lower on the hierarchical ladder, and is completely subordinate to the will of the leader. It happens that the role of the leader in certain critical situations The female can also take over. There are also individuals in the flock who bear the rank of warriors. These can be not only males, but also females who are not burdened with motherhood. It is they who bear the responsibility for obtaining food and protecting the weak and young. At the bottom of the hierarchy are old and sick animals. Puppies are outside the hierarchy; all members of the pack, without exception, pay maximum attention to them. This one is complicated social group unquestioningly listens to the instructions of the leader, and gets along well with each other. Even looking from the outside, you can determine the place of each animal in the pack. The leader holds his tail high, the rest of the wolves have their tails down, and the weakest individuals have their tails tucked under their bodies.
9. Wolf tenderness
Newlyweds are often wished swan fidelity, and never wolf fidelity. But in vain. These animals can serve as an example of amazing relationships. Having met once, they never part until their death. In the spring, during the rutting season, the wolf and she-wolf separate from the pack in order to fully devote themselves to each other. With other members of the pack, the she-wolf, from this time until the appearance of the cubs, behaves unfriendly and sometimes aggressively. But let's return to the lovers. When courting, animals show their emotions not only through facial expressions. They rub their muzzles against each other, lick their partner and bite gently. All this time the couple does not part, and with the appearance of the wolf cubs, the male shows himself as a very caring father.
8. Wolf Kindergarten
The she-wolf bears her offspring for 2 months. During this time, she must select and prepare several lairs - places where she could stay with the kids. Most often these are caves, badger holes or depressions near the rhizomes of old trees. At one time, the female is able to reproduce from 3 to 5 puppies. The young are born absolutely helpless and feed exclusively on mother's milk. Blind and deaf wolf cubs weigh only 300 grams. But after 3 weeks their eyes open, which in all wolf cubs are piercing blue color. And only by 8 months the eyes of wolf cubs acquire a golden hue. By one and a half months, babies are already turning into meat eaters. All members of the pack strive to feed the babies, regardless of the degree of relationship; it is they who deliver food to the she-wolf and her offspring. And in the first 4 months of life, the weight of puppies increases 30 times. However, not by bread alone. The flock has professional nannies who, regardless of gender, get along well with the kids and play with them. The leader himself pays a lot of attention to the young animals.
7. Best qualities
Wolves, like well-trained special forces fighters, have the most important qualities for survival. So, they swim perfectly, for this nature has provided small membranes between the fingers. Thanks to this feature, an adult wolf can swim more than 10 km. Also, in moments of greatest danger, wolves can accelerate up to 56 km/h. And this can be explained by regular training, because throughout the day they move at a speed of about 8 km/h. In addition, the wolf has an extraordinary sense of smell. He is able to distinguish up to 200 million odors, which is 40 times more than a person. And the predator can easily smell prey at a distance of up to 1.5 km. And if the prey comes into view, the wolf pack will not miss its target. It’s not for nothing that the wolf’s grip has become a household word. After all, a pressure of 300 kg/cm² is created in the cleft palate. By comparison, dog fangs close with half the force.
6. Even a wolf howls
To communicate, adult wolves most often use howling, which allows them to gather all members of the pack together or scare away the enemy. Howl is perfect for communication; with its help, wolves are able to convey various information and even emotions. Contrary to popular belief, a wolf howl lasts no more than 5 seconds, and already the echo carries the sound, making it drawn out. It is extremely rare for wolves to bark, snort and whine. In moments of extreme danger, animals can growl and clang their teeth. But these smart animals communicate not only through sounds. They are one of the few capable of conveying their emotions with the help of facial expressions, and wolves also know how to demonstrate their attitude towards another animal. By licking each other and lightly biting their faces, they show tender feelings. A wolf crawling towards the leader demonstrates its respect and submission to him. Lying on his back and exposing his unprotected belly, the wolf expresses complete trust.
5. Happy hunting!
Animals as brave as wolves are difficult to scare with anything, unless they are flags. Knowing about this weakness of predators, hunters use flags to drive the animal. And the wolf rushing at top speed stops in front of the scraps of fabric fluttering in the wind. He rushes along the rope on which the flags are hung, but for some reason he does not dare to jump over. What's the matter? There is an opinion that animals have a similar reaction exclusively to red fabric, which they mistake for flashes of fire. In fact, the color does not matter, since wolves do not distinguish between them. However, they are very good at smelling. And flags, having been in the hands of a hunter, smell like a person. For most wolves, this smell is unfamiliar, and therefore potentially dangerous. And the fabric flutters in the wind, scaring away the inexperienced beast. It is curious that flags are not an insurmountable obstacle for all wolves. Those animals that live far from humans and feed exclusively on game, without attacking livestock, do not experience any emotions at the sight of flags.
3. Does the wolf perform in the circus?
Wolves are practically impossible to train. They are easy to train, and when in an enclosure they can accurately carry out even complex commands. However, their submission is completely deceptive, and at the first opportunity the wolf will try to break free. In this case, the animal can behave very aggressively, posing a threat to the life and health of others. Perhaps, thanks to this fact, the idea took root in the minds of ordinary people that wolves never perform in the circus. Like, the whole secret is in their love of freedom. This idea is only partly true. So, in 1965, Perm circus artist Ekaterina Korenkova entered the arena with wolves. Her performances were a huge success, but only Catherine herself knew how much work it cost her. The fact is that wolves are cowardly by nature. Finding yourself in an unusual environment (unfamiliar arena, many people, bright light, sharp sounds), the wolf tucks its tail and flees. But once a wolf finds himself in a pack, he becomes noticeably bolder and, in response to stress, can become aggressive. In addition, wolves are too touchy and vindictive. And as soon as the trainer relaxes a little, the predator immediately decides to take revenge, remembering old grievances. All this makes the performance of wolves in the circus unreasonably dangerous and unpredictable.
2. Smarter than dogs
Austrian scientists from Messerli University conducted an experiment that clearly demonstrates the intellectual superiority of wolves over dogs. 14 six-month-old wolves and 15 mongrel dogs of the same age were recruited to participate in the study. Each tailed participant in the experiment was shown a video where a trained dog, using its paws and its own teeth, opened a box with a treat hidden inside. After viewing, each puppy ended up at this very box, which he had to open. Surprisingly, all the cubs, remembering the video hint, completed the task. But out of the group of dogs, only 4 puppies turned out to be resourceful. In a more in-depth study, when the wolves were asked to open the box on their own, only a few of them completed the task. This fact proves that wolves are more attentive and capable of learning than dogs. From a purely physiological point of view, this is explained by the fact that a wolf’s brain is 30% larger than a dog’s. Their memory is more developed, which allows predators to successfully track prey along long-familiar routes.
1. To help environmentalists
IN national park Yellowstone (USA) There were no wolves for 70 years. During this time, the deer population increased to enormous proportions. While getting food for themselves, herbivores destroyed young trees, thereby dealing a serious blow to the entire ecosystem of the park. Scientists sounded the alarm, but after making a lot of efforts, they were unable to seriously change the situation. It is unknown what further deer expansion would have led to, but in 1995, 14 wolves were released into the park. They slightly reduced the number of deer, and forced the remaining ones to choose places for grazing more carefully. As a result, in just 6 years the number of trees in the national park increased fivefold. And this contributed to an increase in the population of beavers, which now had the opportunity to build dams. Ducks and muskrats settled in the creeks. Wolves also reduced the number of jackals, which allowed hares and mice to breed. The latter attracted hawks to the park. But the most amazing thing is that thanks to wolves, the river beds have changed. Now trees and grasses began to grow along the banks, which strengthened the coastal zone with their roots. So many positive changes in the park happened thanks to the appearance of a pack of wolves. Thus, the natural balance was restored in nature.
It is stupid to accuse wolves of bloodthirstiness. After all, no one would think of blaming a fish for living in water. So the wolf does not want harm to anyone, he is just born a predator.
The first time I heard a real howl of a wolf was when I came to visit my grandmother in the village. To be honest, it became very creepy and scary from these sounds. It seemed to me that their howls were getting closer to home. Why do wolves make such sounds? Now I will dispel some myths and tell you a little about these animals.
Where do wolves live
Wolves are known in many countries on our planet. Their habitats are:
- Europe;
- Asia;
- North and South America.
Wolves are also not uncommon in our country. They live everywhere, with the exception of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands. I think everyone knows that wolves are predators. Individuals can be of average and large size. Outwardly, they are very similar to dogs. They do a great job with different conditions habitat, so it will not be difficult for them to survive, for example, in the tundra.
Wolves gather in packs of up to 40 individuals. They mark the territory of their residence. Such a flock is headed by a pair of leaders, and the rest are their relatives and individuals who have come from outside. Wolves are mainly nocturnal, and during daylight hours they hide in shelters.
What does a wolf howl mean?
I am so much different options I heard about why wolves howl. Some almost proved that wolves are werewolves. All this, of course, is nonsense. And wolves don’t howl at any moon either. Wolves can howl every day, and it makes no difference at all whether the moon is visible in the sky or not. You can just hear the sounds of howling at night, due to the fact that wolves begin their hunt precisely in the dark.
Howling for a wolf is a way of communication. With such sounds he can notify other flocks about his territory. In communication with each other, they can notify about the start of the hunt for prey and tell about their location. Wolves navigate very well by these sounds. And there is nothing mystical about it.
It turns out that there are even several artificially bred breeds that are a mixture of a dog and a wolf. But some even have real wolves at home. I would say that it is not a very safe idea to have such a pet.
Think about some interesting features your dog's daily behavior: they may howl, dig holes, sniff out odors and tree bark. All these actions constitute behavior transmitted at the genetic level from their ancestors - wolves. We think you will not argue with us on this matter. In fact, some of these traits, of course, are definitely generic, but it turns out that not all of them can be classified as such.
Since dogs are direct descendants of wolves, it is clear that many of the innate behaviors of our four-legged friends come from their ancestors. However, it is interesting that barking cannot be classified as such. Actually a mature wolf wildlife does not bark like our pets. This behavior is limited to cubs and juveniles.
The reason for the lack of barking is that in the wild, wolves know that if they are threatened real danger, then it is best to behave as quietly as possible, without giving away your presence in any way until the threat disappears.
Dog's reaction to direct threat
On the other hand, our canine companions prefer to deal with threats in the opposite direction - barking at them until they go away. But if wolves are the ancestors of dogs, why are their ability to bark reduced to zero?
Some researchers believe that dogs acquired this behavior pattern because of their close relationship with humans. Humans are very musical, and our puppies quickly learn to hear, understand and respond in the same way. But we are not so good at deciphering their nonverbal signals.
To make sure their owners understand that they are trying to communicate, our dogs default to certain verbal cues. However, there are other researchers who believe that a dog's barking is due to years of selective breeding. We prefer dogs that are gentle and friendly and have developed these characteristics in our pets over the years. And, you guessed it, barking is just side effect these relatively recently acquired skills.
Conclusion
If you ask what barking is, we will answer that it is simply one of the many attractive behaviors without which we cannot imagine a four-legged creature.
Whether our dogs bark to communicate with us or simply because they look more like a young wolf than a mature wolf, we perceive this behavior as a natural reaction of our four-legged friend to certain stimuli.