If we talk about why wolves howl at the moon, the answer is the most prosaic, but does not conceal mystical reasons. What is the reason for this phenomenon and whether there is a sacred and primordial connection between the Moon and the wolf - we will consider further.
What does the howl of a wolf mean?
Every person is like Living being on planet Earth it has its own language as a way of communication and it is expressed in sounds, certain gestures, and body movements. In wolves, such wolf language is barking and whining, growling and howling - this is the clearest and brightest way of communication in the gray predator, which has a wide range of sound and coverage area.
Causes of wolf howling
First of all, it’s worth understanding that these are nocturnal animals that sleep more during the day and go out hunting in the dark. Therefore, it is perceived with mystical overtones, but this does not correspond to the real state of affairs, but is due to the habits of the animal, the lifestyle and physiology of the gray hunter.
Many ignorant people will say that the howl of a gray predator portends trouble or imminent death the one who hears him, but the wolf is unlikely to have such extrasensory features.
Zoologists voice such reasons and very compelling ones.
Through sounds:
- They gather in a flock for hunting - this is a signal for the beginning of the upcoming gathering and future feast.
- Males warn each and every rival that this territory is occupied, plus during the rutting period they attract the opposite sex.
- It can also indicate the death of the alpha male in the pack, or the death of a cub - this is how the animal expresses its sadness and loss.
- The sound produced also acts as a kind of inviting signal, a landmark if one of the flock gets lost along the way.
- The aggressive tone of the sounds produced is a signal and warning about the invasion of an opponent into the territory of the pack.
- The howl also acts as a kind of warning of danger - from hunters and traps, or it can be a signal of simply a bad mood.
Each wolf can howl both individually and in a pack - the sounds it makes have a very different tonality, which its relatives catch and act on, so to speak, according to the circumstances.
What is the connection?
Photo: Why do wolves howl at the moon? Based on the reasons for howling forest predators– the night luminary does not act as the primary source of any of them. Of course, a wolf can howl at the moment when it hangs in the sky and illuminates everything around, but the Moon is not the reason for its “song”. The wolf raises his muzzle to her for other reasons, explanations argued by scientists and in no way connected with folk legends and fairy tales.
These are the hunters leading night look life, when only the Moon, as a natural source of light, illuminates everything around instead of the sun. During the day, predators can also howl, but this happens very rarely, they are not so obvious, and in the silence of the night these sounds are heard more clearly.
It is more convenient to make any sound when the head is thrown back up rather than down - this is not proof that it is important for the animal to see the Moon, but a feature in the structure of its larynx and skull.
Every singer will say that in order to achieve the clearest and strongest sound possible, it is worth freeing the larynx and lifting the chin slightly upward.
Plus, it’s dark at night, and the Moon in the sky is the only source of natural light, so the animal turns its head in its direction, and its thoughts will be about something else.
Many people know the soul-chilling howl of a wolf at the moon, but not everyone knows why the animal does this. As a rule, the unknown gives rise to various arguments and fictions, sometimes even some mysticism is attributed to it.
Indeed, the moon has a very big influence to different areas of earthly life. Depending on its phases, various phenomena occur:
1. Means of communication.
Scientists have not proven the effect gravitational field Moons on the behavior of wolves. At its core, this animal is a social animal and, with the help of howling, maintains communication with other members of its family. This terrifying, blood-chilling sound is a powerful means of communication through which wolves convey various information. They do this regardless of the phase of the Earth’s satellite - wolves howl every day, and they don’t care what kind of moon is in the sky or whether it is visible at all.
These animals are mainly active at night. With the onset of darkness, this gray predator notifies its relatives that it is time to hunt. Also, with a similar sound, he can give a signal that the given territory is occupied, scare off strangers in this way, transmit information to other members of the pack about the death of a relative, or for other reasons.
2. Hierarchy.
Wolves living in a pack may not be blood relatives, but they still have a strict hierarchy. Each representative wolf family he has his chosen partner with whom he spends almost all his time: they sleep, play, and hunt nearby. When a wolf loses its partner, its howl becomes more intense and louder. Scientists have observed that wolves begin to howl as early as 20 minutes into the absence of a relative or dominant member of the family.
Typically, young animals begin to emit a piercing howl by the sixth month of their life. First, the male takes over, moving from low notes of his voice to higher ones, then the female joins him, and only then other relatives.
3. Why do wolves howl into the sky?
Nature so decreed that during this activity the wolves raise their muzzle upward and stretch it out. This fact also contributes to the spread of the incorrect opinion that wolves howl specifically at the night star. In fact, in this position the sound is more intense and prolonged, and in addition, it spreads more evenly in different directions. In calm, windless weather, when the moonlight is very intense, the howl of a wolf is best heard.
4. Do animals confuse day and night?
IN wildlife It is very difficult to see wolves doing this activity, especially when bad weather or on a moonless night. And only in the clear light of the moon is it possible to observe the howling wolf. This is probably why the opinion is connected that they howl specifically at the night star.
Some have suggested that wolves may be confused full moon with the sun because of his vision. They are color blind and see everything in black and white. Usually, during a full moon, internal processes become aggravated, and wolves, like other representatives of the animal world, can be susceptible to insomnia. Therefore, during the full moon, wolves associate the moon with the daylight.
But these aspects have not been proven and are little studied by scientists, so there are many more different versions why wolves howl. The answer has not yet been found whether the wolf howl is some kind of emotional reaction or whether this sound has a purely social context.
And some stories were dedicated specifically to the wolf’s howl. Most often they are associated with love and loss. Such romantic stories.
Nothing surprising, by the way. Wolves most often acquire a pair once and for all. Therefore, many legends call the howl of a wolf a cry for a loved one.
The melancholy wolf howl brought melancholy to those sitting by the window in warmth and safety, and horror to those who were wandering through the forest at that moment. It is the lunar howl that causes the greatest horror. It is in moments like these that some of the best are born. chilling legends and stories.
There are serious pseudo-scientific studies about the phases of the moon and the effect of gravity on vocal cords wolves and, which is why they howl at the moon at night. However, in fact, wolf howls can be heard not only at night. It often sounds during daylight hours.
The fact is that howl easily covers distances and spreads throughout the forest, so it most often serves as a means of communication for wolves. Especially if at this moment.
Wolves are pack animals and they constantly need to maintain contact with their relatives. With the help of howling, they determine their location in relation to the flock. U wolf howl wide range of intonation and impact. Howl can report various events in wolf life. It's like our radio. Wolves are constantly “on air”. He found a she-wolf - he reported on the radio, the cubs were born - he pleased his family again, he started hunting and needed help in pursuit - he howled, and help was right there.
When wolves “grow together” in a pack, this is a kind of designation of territory for possible strangers.
By the way, many stories about werewolves come from wolf hunters who use the wolf howl system, faking it. A deceived wolf allows such a “relative” to get too close to him, which can end tragically for the “forest orderly.” And impressionable mushroom pickers then tell stories about wolf people.
The howling of a dog is unlikely to appear to anyone unusual phenomenon, even in the city you often hear drawn-out sounds. However, if the howl lasts for a long time, and the full moon is shining in the sky, the sound alarms even skeptics.
Debunking the myth
Experienced dog handlers do their best to debunk myths about the relationship between a dog’s howl and the full moon. It is believed that a large night luminary attracts the attention of intelligent four-legged animals in the same way as people, and therefore dogs simply howl to express their interest and nothing more.
Any explanation for howling at the moon in dogs is nothing more than a theory. Real evidence There is probably no argument in favor of one or the other.
People who observe wolves - direct relatives of dogs - claim that wolves use howling as a means of communication, and therefore this is how dog howling should be explained. By the way, wolves only howl to notify about the birth of a new member of the pack, a change of leader or his death; howling at the moon is considered a reaction to a change in lighting, as well as a notification that you can hunt in its bright light (it is known that in twilight or thick the wolf does not go hunting in the fog).
By howling at the moon, a dog also expresses sadness; this opinion is supported by the fact that only stray dogs and those who are experiencing separation from their owner “show up” on the full moon. All you have to do is pet the dog and it will stop howling.
Beliefs
However, folk beliefs They are also not born out of nowhere. Observations of animals, their behavior and comparison of it with subsequent events become signs. For example, people believe that if a dog howls with its muzzle down, it means a dead person. And if it’s the other way around - up, then it’s a fire.
By the way, howling “at a dead person” is quite understandable from a scientific point of view: before death, a person’s body odor changes, and a dog, with its unique sense of smell, senses this. This refers, of course, to natural death.
If a dog is inactive during the day, rolls on the ground or, on the contrary, lies motionless for a long time, refuses food, and leaves the house at nightfall and howls, most likely it is preparing for own death. There are breeds that instinctively try to leave their homes a couple of days before their death, which is why smart owners almost never look for lost dogs.
Animals are amazing indicators of change. environment. For example, before an earthquake, pets begin to behave unusually, trying to inform their owners about the impending disaster.
It is unknown how true all these mystical explanations are; it is very difficult to verify them. However, as practice shows, beliefs have a right to exist.
The influence of the gravity of the Moon and the Sun on our planet is well known. The strength of their influence is such that every day it causes the ebb and flow of the sea. On land this effect does not appear because it is solid. However, even the land changes its spatial position, lifting the crust of tectonic plates towards the disturbing stars.
But since the entire layer rises evenly, we don’t notice it at all. And if the gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun are so great and obvious that they force billions of tons of water in the oceans to move during the tides, then why can’t these forces influence such a grain of sand as a person or a dog?
Of course they can. In mystical films and books, the full moon is often associated with something mysterious and unknown. According to mystical legends, the full moon is the time of werewolves, vampires and witches. Why did the legends develop this way, in this interpretation of the influence of the Moon? And the answer can be found quite scientifically. Many have noticed that sometimes it is difficult to fall asleep during the full moon phases and at the same time, you sleep “like a rock” during the new moon phases. Why?
Why do wolves and dogs howl at the moon at night? Probably the answer to these two questions lies in the same reason. Statistics show that in May-June you want to sleep the least, and in November-December the most. Why? After all, the oxygen saturation of the air, thanks to which a person sleeps better, is greater in winter months, and not in the summer. It's all about the height of the sun above the horizon. IN summer months it almost completely affects North hemisphere planet, and in winter - to the South.
The human sleep cycle consists of the habit of sleeping at night and being awake during the day. Thanks to this habit, to which our biorhythms are tuned, our sleep is entirely dependent on the stable cycle of day and night. But there is no absolute stability. We wake up when the sun rises slightly above the horizon in the east. This happens early in the summer months.
Our body senses this and stimulates early waking up. AND sunlight has nothing to do with it. You can sleep in a completely darkened room and still feel the sunrise. During the winter months, sunrise is late and takes a long time.
We are forced to get up for work on the alarm clock, although our body is not happy about it and during these periods we walk around sleepy. In addition, the height of the sun above the horizon is very low and the condition all day long is equivalent to what happens after 7 pm in the summer. But that is not all. The Moon has even a slightly greater force of influence, and not because it is closer to us, but because its mass/distance ratio is slightly greater compared to the Sun.
If the new moon phases occur, then on these days the strength of the gravitational influence of the Moon and the Sun is summed up, and even in the winter months, sleep is quite stable. People tend to get enough sleep. But during the full moon phases, when the Moon opposes the Sun, gravitational forces act against each other and are almost canceled out.
The human body these days weakly senses the position of the sun above the horizon and therefore many people experience insomnia on such days. And animals are even more sensitive than humans, and the full moon acts on them as a catalyst for vigor. Therefore, on such nights, animals often do not sleep.
Their brain does not rest and they become aggressive (just like a person who is not allowed to sleep). Well, if anyone is still interested in the details - why do dogs and wolves howl at the moon? – I can offer an explanation. If anyone watched the complete solar eclipse, then he knows what is happening to the animals at these moments - cows moo, dogs howl, etc.
But cows only moo when they see that the sun has suddenly covered something. Fear of something unknown life-threatening(humans and animals intuitively feel this state), forces them to express their emotions. At night the cows are in the stall and do not see any moon.
But dogs and wolves on the street and on a clear night watch the full moon. The vision of dogs and wolves does not distinguish between shades of color - it is black and white. Therefore, when a dog or a wolf does not sleep on a full moon for reasons of inability to sleep or insomnia, then, paying attention to the Moon, they begin to interpret it by analogy with the Sun.
But the light in the area from the Moon is dimmer and resembles the moments of a solar eclipse. This frightens the animals and therefore they howl in the same way as during a solar eclipse. How do we, animals and plants, sense the position of our main luminaries? What is responsible for this feeling? We feel this thanks to one of our senses, which is responsible for our orientation regarding the force of gravity. Plants always grow against it, starting from the moment the seeds germinate. Animals and humans, thanks to it, can keep their bodies in a state of balance.
For us, the force of gravity, of course, is many times greater than the gravitational influences of the Moon and the Sun, so we do not react so clearly to the influence of the latter, only feeling their impact at the level of those areas of the cerebral cortex that subtly and sensitively respond to any changes in our sensory perception . These effects are especially noticeable when the body is inactive and in a state of sleep.
It is no secret that animals such as dogs and wolves howl at the moon. I wonder why they do this? Ignorance of the cause led to the appearance of legends and other mythical creatures. So why and why does the wolf howl at the moon?
Howling is not just a sound effect; it is primarily a way of communication between animals. Thanks to him, wolves exchange information with each other. When hunting, the animal signals its fellows by making drawn-out sounds. Or wolves like to howl together with their mate for pleasure.
In fact, there is a direct relationship between wolf howl and no moon. It just turns out that most sounds come precisely to moonlit nights. Why at this particular time? It is more convenient to hunt in moonlight. And the howling of the animals seems to say: “the situation is favorable.”
Animals howl not only in the wild, but also in connection with instincts in captivity. To make it easier for its brothers to understand where the sound is coming from, the animal’s muzzle is raised when it howls. Therefore, it seems as if the beast is howling at the moon. Hunting most often occurs at night, as wolves are most active at this time of day.
There are other points of view, disputes and discussions about which are still ongoing. Scientists and this moment cannot come to a general answer to the question.
When the wolf is about six months old, the animal begins to howl for the first time and does this throughout its life. The male usually starts the song first, and then the she-wolf picks it up. The whole flock responds to these sounds, which is why there is a terrible howl in the forest. Scientists also believe that the howl of a wolf is a reaction to different levels Sveta. Wolves see their surroundings in black and white, and they can’t tell the difference between shades. When a solar eclipse occurs, wolves become aggressive because it causes panic. The light of the moon is something like this a natural phenomenon That's why animals howl. According to research, a relationship has been identified between the full moon and aggressive behavior wolves. At this time, the animal’s brain activity is at its highest, which makes the animal extremely dangerous.
There is also an opinion that howling is a way of conveying emotions such as melancholy, boredom, and fear. Or he calls for help in this way if he is injured. An exact answer to the question: why the animal howls at the moon has not yet been found. The opinions of scientists differ and it has not yet been possible to come to a definite answer. Although it would be interesting to know why the animal behaves this way.
Loading...
