The communication in a wolf pack is extremely important and there are many forms of the language. Not only sounds are used, but also body positions, movements and smells.
In a wolf pack the position of the tail itself is also very important. Normally a wolf tail will hang down. In a wolf pack the alpha woles will hold their tails in the air instead of hanging down. Other wolves will keep their tails accordingly low especially when the alpha pair are near. The lower ranking members will hold their tails between their legs to show there inferiority. Similiar to the tail position there are other physical characteristics that will indicate status. Alphas will have fluffed out fur and their ears standing up.
Scientists call another form of wolf communication active submission. An example of this is if the alpha will have been away for a while and on his arrival back the wolf pack will crowd around him and lower their bodies to the ground and nip at its muzzle. This in fact is a gesture of friendship and respect. The gesture used to greet is similar to how pups will beg food. In other words the wolves, in using the gesture, can be indicating there need of the alpha and how they look to him/her for protection and food.
Before physical force will be used in a wolf pack gestures and sounds will be tried. Usually stern looks will be enough to indicate the displeasure. Another method used would be for a dominant wolf to growl and bare its teeth or a crouch as if they were going to spring. Passive submission is often shown by a wolf lying on the ground and exposing it belly and/or side to the threatener. This is often considered an apoligy and it is accepted.
There is even language for play time! Have you ever noticed, if you have a dog, that when they get excited and want to play they will often place their front paws on the ground and stick their behind in the air with tail waving like a flag? This is the signal for "I want to play" in a wolf pack. Sometimes the invitation for a good play is refused and so the next communation used it to repeat te gesture and jump and leap zig zagging. Adult wolves and pups both enjoy wrestling, tumbling, and chasing games.
A Single Cry Carries over the Snow
Echo and Return over Barren Plains
Drive through Forests Green and Cold
Open your Ears to Hear Something of Feeling
Crystalline notes of Emotion Pure
Dancing and Singing on each Snowflake
Intertwined Logic and Mysticism
Cold chills of fear and Exilleration
Sign of Friendship True
Kinship Known To Few Men
Living through Darkest Night
Thriving through Coldest Hours
Caring the desperate, the weak, the ill
Past the bounds of time itself
Over Troubled Times
The Howl will be forever
--Silent Wolf
The wolf howl. What comes to mind when you think of a wolf howling? Do you think of a sad lonely creature howling just to announce its sorrow to the world on a dark night? That may be what some think of, but the howl is different then that.
One of the first myths of howling wolves is that they only howl at night. Well,just like we talk at all hours of the day so do wolves. Second, wolves don't just howl alone they also howl in groups.
When one wolf howls others will often join. In some way it is also brings wolves close together.
Sometimes howling is done before a hunt so that it starts it off right. After howling they may better work together becouse these have a feeling of closeness to one another. Even a kill is often celebrated with a joyous howl.
Other purposes for the howl is if one wolf is seperated to find the rest of the members, to communicate over long distances, or to communicate information to neighboring wolves.