| HowlingWolves are noted for their distinctive howl. There are several possible reasons for the howling. It can be said at the outset that wolves do not howl when attacking their prey. In fact, it has been shown that prey animals do not even react to the sound. Perhaps they simply fail to make the connection between noise and predator. The most obvious reason for wolves to howl is to keep in touch; it is difficult to think of a better way for a lupine pack to communicate in a thickly forested area or over great distances. Howls are also employed to summon pack members to a location. However, howling also occurs when a pack is together, so there must be some other purpose. Observations of wolf packs suggest that howling often occurs at summer sunsets preceding the adults' departure to the hunt. This is repeated when they return at sunup. Some scientists speculate that these group howling sessions strengthen the wolves' social bonds and comradeshipsimilar to community singing among humans. Howling may also be a form of territorial advertisement and declaration. Studies have shown that the dominant animals in a pack are more likely to answer a human imitation of a "rival" pack when residing in an area that is indisputably theirs. Wolves howl more frequently in the evening and the early morning, especially during winter and spring breeding and pup rearing. The pups themselves, however, towards the end of July and on into the next two months, are a different matter entirely. They howl at the least provocation and stimulus. This may be because the adults often leave them at a "rendezvous site" to go off hunting. Their loneliness may cause them to try to make contact with what they interpret to be a returning pack member. Wolves also howl when they have something to protect, such as a fresh kill. When they wish to avoid conflict with other packs, they howl less frequently. From |