Cheyenne's Howl

Printed in Mountain Messenger on Friday July 4, 1997

Wolf Communication

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We wolves are excellent communicators. We use vocalization, gestures or postural signaling, and scent marking to express our needs and wants to other members of our pack and to other animals that may wander into our territory. Each wolf can make a variety of sounds and each sound has its own meaning. If a wolf is restless or excited, it will whimper. We also whimper when we bring food to the pups. We will stand at the front of the den and whimper. The pups will then come to the entrance and receive the food that the adults have brought. Many of you have heard me whimper when I see a dog. It is my way of saying come over and play with me.

A snarl or growl means that you better back off because I am not happy with what you are doing. I am giving you fair warning to keep your distance. This usually occurs when a subordinate wolf steps out of line and tries to take over. The higher ranking wolf will then threaten to set the other back in place by staring directly at the others eye, and by baring its teeth and growling. If this doesn't stop the unacceptable behavior then the higher ranking wolf will firmly, but not to cause injury, bite down on the others muzzle. I have learned that if Dad stares and growls at me I better stop doing what ever I am doing or I'm going to get my nose bit.

I am often asked if wolves bark. The answer is yes, but not like a dog. Unlike many dogs that just bark, bark, bark, all day just for the heck of it, a bark from a wolf has a specific meaning. A short "woof" is used as a warning sound when a member of the pack senses danger. If the wolf is suddenly startled or if the danger is great, a quick bark will warn the others that it's time to get off the pot and flee.

Now I am going to talk about my favorite subject other than food, howling. When you humans think about a howling wolf, thanks to Hollywood, the description comes out like this; an erie, mournful cry made by a lone wolf sitting on a hilltop, back lit by a full moon. Now this might make up a good story line or a good photograph, but like most human images of the wolf, you guys are way off base. We could care less if the moon is out or not. The only thing the moon does for us is to make night traveling easier. We will howl at any time, not just at night. There is also nothing better than a group howl and when we howl together, we harmonize. Each of us will howl in a single note, rising sharply in the beginning or breaking abruptly at the end as we reach out for more volume. It can contain as many as twelve related harmonics. This is great because when we howl together, each of us will howl on a different note. This creates the impression that there is a greater number of us in the pack.

Next week I will tell you more about what kind of things we are communicating when we howl. Be sure to check out the ICE CREAM SOCIAL at the park on July 4 from 1 to 4 PM and stop by and see Ray at the museum.

Cheyenne