The mystery of the wolf's howl has been revealed. Why does a dog howl? What are the real reasons for a wolf howl?

When people want to express a state of deep melancholy and sadness, they often say that they want to “howl at the moon.” The imagination immediately paints an eerie picture: a lone wolf standing somewhere in a dark forest, on a hill. He raised his head up and howled protractedly, looking at the moon.

The plot has long become traditional for the artist’s brush. Similar stories are usually shared by hunters and residents of settlements near the forest. And these stories gave rise to many myths about werewolves turning into wolves on a moonlit night. There are also many legends and fairy tales about the mysterious connection of this predator with the moon.

The Legend of the White and Red Wolves and the Moon

A long time ago, back in the days when the sky god Svarog was the father of all gods, he sent the god of moonlight, Hora, to descend to earth, into a dense forest, to convey his orders to the forest inhabitants. And he had to calm down the wolf pack, which was raging beyond measure in its aggression and gluttony.

Having turned into a huge white wolf, Hore went down and conveyed to the pack Svarog’s command to stop the outrages. But the wayward red-haired leader Chubars did not listen to the admonitions of the gods. He wanted to continue gnawing, tearing and biting all living things, so that everyone around him would be afraid of the ferocious wolves.

And then the god Khora decided to severely punish the red-haired Chubars: he sent him into eternal exile to the Moon itself, so that there he would constantly gnaw and tear only bare stones.

Since then, his descendants, the wolves, barely seeing the bright disk of the moon, remember their ancestor-leader and start a mournful song, at the same time melancholy and creepy. People call that song "howl." And they hear in her the bitterness of a predator who has lost part of his strength, and a hidden threat.

What are the real causes of wolf howling?

This is how the fairy tale explains the behavior of animals. Why do wolves actually howl at the moon? Zoological specialists have long been studying the causes of these terrifying sounds.

It turned out, for example, that wolf howl- just one of the types of communication of these predators, with its help they share information with each other:

they “blow” the gathering for the flock to hunt;
resolve territorial issues with rivals;
call females or males to themselves;
warn partners or flock about danger;
give a sign to relatives about their location;
protect freshly caught prey.

It is also curious that wolves in this way share not only practical, useful information, but also with his animal experiences:

this may be the experience of losing a partner or a child;
there may be joy from adding to the family;
expression of pain from the injury;
anxiety when a companion disappears or other emotions.

For example, the famous zoologist Jason Badridze suggested that wolves howl if their leader disappears. In this way they call the leader into the flock. Not all scientists agree with this idea. Many people believe that predators react this way to any stressful situation, and howling helps them relieve stress.

There are also interesting observations that howling is one of the ways of defense, a means of deceiving an opponent. Since the sounds are made in completely different tones, it is difficult for a potential enemy to correctly estimate the number of individuals in the flock. Often the song of 3-4 wolves is perceived as the howl of an entire pack.

The intonation and timbre of a song depend on the type of information being transmitted. Research scientists and some experienced hunters have even learned to recognize whether the voice belongs to a male or female. They can sometimes themselves read information intended for animals. For example, a call to hunt is distinguished from a howl notifying the birth of offspring.

What does the moon have to do with it?

Why do animals need to communicate during the full moon? Moon phases really influence many processes occurring on earth. They influence the ebb and flow of the tides, determine the days of planting and harvesting.

The moon also affects the physical and emotional state people. But, according to most scientists, the luminary of the night has no effect at all on wolves. They may well howl both at night and during the day, both alone and in groups, even in flocks.

Most likely, the answer is that in the dark these four-legged animals are more active; they are night hunters. In addition, when the moon is full, the weather is usually quiet and sounds carry quite far. Its bright light illuminates all the surroundings much better than during the month or in cloudy weather. During this period, everything that happens in the forest becomes more audible and noticeable.

And the predator also looks at the moon for quite understandable reasons. The point is anatomical structure larynx. When you raise your head, it is freed and the outgoing sound is cleaner and louder.

However, some researchers still insist that it is during the full moon that such phenomena are observed more often.

They offer several explanations:

During this period, the lighting is brighter; hunting may be more successful than in complete darkness. Predators simply try not to miss a good chance to get prey.
It is believed that wolves only have black and white vision. This does not give them the opportunity to really distinguish sunlight from night light. A lot of excess light causes panic, irritation and aggressiveness in them.

In any case, the influence of the full moon on wolves cannot be called significant and, even more so, mysterious. But it affects people quite noticeably and during this period they are, of course, more inclined to mystify.

In many cultures, the wolf is considered one of the representatives of dark forces, along with the black raven, bats and some other representatives of the fauna. The moon is also identified in many traditions with witchcraft and magic. Therefore, in a person’s mind, these two symbols are easily mixed, complement each other and become the subject of incredible fantasies.

Video: why does a wolf howl on a moonlit night?

Why do wolves howl at the moon?

There is an old Turkic tale: there was a hungry wolf, and one day, out of hunger, he wandered into a village, where he found a hut from which came the delicious smell of freshly baked pancakes, the wolf burst into the hut, scared the grandmother to death, and grabbed the pancake! And damn it was hot, the wolf howled and ran into the forest. Since then, when he sees the moon, which looks like a huge yellow pancake, he howls...

The moon has a constant influence on all spheres of life on our planet. The world's oceans alternate their ebb and flow, subject to the action of the gravitational fields of our satellite. The growth and development of plants accelerates or slows down depending on the phase of the moon - any gardener knows this. Our well-being also responds to the behavior of the Moon - many people feel increased anxiety, palpitations, and worse sleep during the full moon. It is during the full moon that people suffering from sleepwalking experience exacerbations.

The animal world also does not remain indifferent to the influence of our nearest cosmic neighbor. The drawn-out, tragic howl coming from the forest thicket on a moonlit night has brought mystical horror to people since ancient times. nocturnal lifestyle, high intelligence, a terrible howl that cannot be confused with any other - all these qualities have made wolves heroes of myths, fairy tales, legends and numerous superstitions.

Let's try to answer the question: why do wolves howl at the moon? Part of the reasons for increased anxiety during the full moon were touched upon above: the gravitational field of the Moon has an exciting effect on the central nervous system. However, many experts believe that wolves do not howl at the moon at all, but simply because howling is the only means of communication available to them with their relatives. One could agree with this point of view. But dogs also sometimes howl long and drawn out on moonlit nights - what to do with this?

Some zoologists believe that animals take full moon for the Sun - after all, the visible sizes of the day and night luminaries are absolutely identical, and wolves and dogs have no color vision. At the same time, it is unnatural for sunny day The surrounding darkness is perceived by them as something catastrophic, causing panic and fear.

True, if a dog lives with a loving owner, then at night it will most likely sleep peacefully, warm and full, and howling at the moon will simply not occur to it. So whether a dog should howl or not howl depends on the person. Wolves are a different matter.

And there is no beast more terrible than man

He ran away... People shot at him...

Falling with my paw into the loose snow,

The wolf knew for sure: there would be no salvation,

There is no beast more terrible than man.

And at this moment, hundreds of kilometers away,

A terrible sentence was carried out:

There's a little girl out there somewhere

This is the fourth time I've had an abortion.

The baby was screaming!!! But no one listened to the scream.

He called for help: “Mommy, wait!!!

Give me a chance to be needed by you!

Give me the opportunity to live! After all, I’m alive!!!”

And the wolf ran... The dogs were tearing at his throat...

Drunk people screamed in the forest.

They've almost completely caught up with him,

The wolf raised his muzzle and wiped away a tear...

The baby screamed, bursting into tears

How scary it is to die without being born!

And trying to hide from the piece of iron,

He dreamed of looking into his mother's eyes.

But “mom” doesn’t need this

- It has become unfashionable, you see, to give birth!

She wastes her soul on stupidity,

It’s “not a bad idea” to kill your children.

And the wolf fell exhausted... It was necessary

“He led the barbarians away from the she-wolf.”

She was left alone with the wolf cubs,

When he took the sentence upon himself...

The dogs tore his body to shreds.

But you just can’t tear a wolf’s soul!

His happy soul rushed into the sky

- It makes sense to die for the sake of children!!!

And who, tell me, is the beast really?

And why is this age disgusting?

But animals are simply more humane than us.

And there is no beast more terrible than man!!!

It may well be the first, and the second, and the third. Let's try to talk about this, of course, unique and very interesting animal.

General description of the predator

According to scientists, the familiar gray wolves are one of the largest, elusive, and powerful animals of the Canidae family. Each representative has excellent vision, amazing hearing and a sense of smell of rare quality. In addition, we should not forget about the amazing endurance of the animals described.

Adult gray wolf can be up to 160 cm long and shoulder height up to 85 cm. Impressive, isn't it? This is precisely why a howling wolf can scare even the bravest and bravest traveler.

It should be noted that the weight of the animal differs depending on its place of residence. We can only name averages: from 25 to 39 kg. Although in lately Individuals weighing up to 100 kg are becoming increasingly common. Females usually weigh 5-10 kg less than males.

In winter, wolves are covered with fluffy and large fur with undercoat, thanks to which they can withstand temperatures down to -40°C.

Wolf packs consist of their cubs. Surprisingly, for protection, these mammals can unite into one huge flock. The wolf is monogamous, so the pair remains until the death of one of the partners.

These animals are able to reproduce from the age of two. Females give birth once a year. Gestation lasts approximately two months, and the average litter is 5-6 young. At birth, wolf puppies weigh about 500 grams, but due to the fact that they grow very quickly, by autumn the weight of wolf cubs increases 30 times.

These predators are considered territorial animals. Therefore, if a wolf howls at the moon not far from your house or garden plot, then this is the same animal, appearing every time after dark. Strangers will not pass.

Wolves feed mainly on artiodactyls, but during times of food shortage they can eat all living things and even carrion. IN harsh winter flocks often attack wounded or weak individuals of their own species and eat the bodies of dead relatives.

Surprisingly, these predators can hear sounds at a great distance, can swim and run very fast.

To communicate and maintain relationships within a pack, wolves use many distinctive facial movements.

A wolf cannot, like a snake or a scorpion, kill its victim instantly, so the pack attacks another living creature and tears off a piece of flesh.

Predators began to use it in the Middle Ages, when the plague progressed in Europe, and people were not buried. Their corpses were eaten by wolves. Most likely, from then on, the howling wolf began to inspire such strong fear, because it was this animal that began to be associated with illness and death.

It should be noted that, contrary to a fairly common misconception, although the wolf is a distant relative of the dog, it perceives it only as food.

Is a wolf dangerous for humans?

People treat these predators differently, but always with admiration. howling at the moon, appear every now and then on items of clothing or interior decoration.

Wolves are carriers various kinds diseases. When an animal becomes infected with rabies, it, unlike other animals that become disoriented and lethargic, becomes aggressive, and may well attack people.

Of course, a wolf is very dangerous, since it can kill not only an adult, but also a horse. When hunting, the animal always acts with lightning speed and noise.

However, it is necessary to understand that these predators will never attack a person without reason. The wolf kills only for two reasons: to feed itself and, according to the purposes of protection.

Some people even consider wolves not dangerous at all. There is also a legend about a wolf who raised a child. The boy growled like a wolf cub and jumped on his hands and feet.

Why do wolves howl at the moon?

Scientists have proven that the predator does not howl at the night light. Howling is the most important form of communication of these animals in nature. With its help, the wolf maintains the cohesion of the pack, coordinates its actions, defends its territory, transmits important information and finds relatives in unfamiliar territory. The wolf howl lasts no more than 5 seconds, but because of the echo it seems that it sounds for a very long time.

The opinion that a wolf howls specifically at the moon has spread due to the fact that when this happens, the animal always raises its muzzle upward, and on a quiet moonlit night in calm weather the sounds can be heard very far away.

Why do you dream about a wolf?

Howling means anger, deception and deceit, a strong and dangerous enemy, a quarrel. If you dream wolf pack, this means loss and damage, a caught animal means ridicule and shame, a killed one means victory over enemies. If in a dream you feel the sight of a wolf with evil eyes, then in reality this means that a person has many ill-wishers, and some experts say that if a wolf howl is heard in a dream, this, among other things, can promise need and loneliness.

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 Kuril Islands. I think everyone knows that wolves are predators. Individuals can be medium to large in 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 mainly lead night image life, 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.

The mournful howl of a dog is one of the most unpleasant and even scary sounds for the human ear. It can be especially uncomfortable when the animal “suffers” at night. Of course, after all folk signs They say that the howl of a dog foreshadows the imminent death or illness of its owner. But should you always be afraid of dog “crying”?

For what reasons can a dog howl?

Let's try to find the reasons why the dog howls:

Reason 1: instinct. Even the smallest and most good-natured one is, in fact, a domesticated wolf. And wolves, as you know, use howling to communicate with other relatives. With the help of a voice signal, wild animals communicate with other members of the pack, announce to their fellow tribesmen that they have found prey, and drive strangers away from their land. A dog with wolf blood flowing in its veins, howling, may simply be looking for communication with other individuals. Having heard the piercing howl of another dog in the distance (this noise will not be heard by the owner’s ear), the pet can easily “answer” it, putting the owner into a stupor;
Reason 2: feeling unwell. It just seems to us that a dog is howling for no reason. But an animal can complain about pain, calling a person for help;
Reason 3: sadness or boredom from loneliness. Is the dog’s “song” heard only when the owner is away? Perhaps the dog howls when he is left alone in the apartment, yearning for his beloved owner. The animal is simply lonely and has nothing to occupy itself, which is why it makes noisy, drawn-out sounds. For the same reason, an animal on a chain may “cry” when experiencing loneliness;
Reason 4: call for play and communication. An animal can easily howl if the owner does not pay any attention to it. With the help of a loud howl, the dog seems to say: “Master, pay attention to me, play with me!”;
Reason 5: fear. The dog can react by howling to the sirens of ambulances or fire trucks, fireworks displays, gunshots, or any loud, incomprehensible sounds. When a person is afraid of something, he often screams. Likewise, a dog expresses its fear by howling;
Reason 6: hunger. Is your neighbor's dog howling? Perhaps this is how the animal asks for food. Unfortunately, sometimes people forget to fill the animal's bowl with food when they are late for work. It is not surprising that the dog begins to get nervous and howl;
Reason 7: Singing along. Some music lover dogs, upon hearing human singing or the sounds of a guitar (piano, violin, etc.), begin to howl. The Internet is full of videos in which the owner, say, plays the guitar, and his dog “sings.” True, not all animals respond to music. Most dogs are indifferent to melodies;
Reason 8: warning of a fire or other disaster. Dogs have an excellent sense of smell, they better than man capture the most subtle odors hundreds of times. An animal can howl, for example, when it smells burning (warns of a fire). There is even such a sign: a dog howls with its muzzle up - there will be a fire. In addition, sometimes animals begin to howl several days before a robbery of the owner’s house or another unpleasant event (for example, flooding of an apartment). How four-legged friends sense trouble is a mystery;
Reason 9: prediction severe illness or death. No matter how creepy it may be, sometimes a dog howls in the yard during the day or at night bad news: to illness or imminent death of its owner (or any family member). Mysticism can be approached in different ways, but it happens that on the eve of a person’s untimely death, his dog howls for a long time and piercingly. Why is this so? How can a dog know that a separation is coming? There is an opinion that a pet simply smells a special smell from a person before death. But an animal can howl even before sudden death (road accident, fall from a height, etc.). No explanation can be found. The dog simply anticipates trouble. By the way, according to popular belief, a dog howls to the deceased with his muzzle buried in the ground;
Reason 10: joy. So that it’s not too scary, let’s note that a dog can howl out of joy, for example, when greeting its owner from work. Or smelling an individual of the opposite sex running nearby. That is, the animal expresses its positive emotions with the help of a howl.

Folk signs about howling dogs

People who lived long before us did not have the opportunity to get information from newspapers or the Internet. Therefore, they tried to capture and analyze everything that was happening around: the words spoken, their own and others’ reflexes (sneezing, twitching of limbs, etc.), the behavior of animals and birds, changes in the weather. This is how numerous beliefs were formed, including those about dogs (almost all of them, unfortunately, are negative):

The dog howls in the yard at night, staring at front door(gate, gate) - there will be bad news from afar (from relatives or friends). Another option is that misfortune can happen to the owner, but outside the house. Or the owner will suffer in his own house, but at the hands of alien enemies;
An animal howls when it comes close to a person - a warning about danger (disease, accident, etc.);
An unfamiliar dog follows a man and howls - a bad omen, a signal of trouble;
The dog howls the night before important event (long trip, weddings, birth of a child, etc.) is a bad sign, announcing problems in an important upcoming matter;
The dog anxiously rushes around the owner’s bed and howls pitifully - to a quick deterioration in health. If an animal does this near a crib, it means that the baby may soon get sick;
A dog howls and digs the ground - to the death of the owner or one of his relatives;
An animal howls while rolling on the ground - to significant changes in the life of the owner;
A dog howls at the doorstep, not wanting to go anywhere - a very bad omen of imminent losses (health problems, financial difficulties, etc.);
A dog howls in the yard at night - evil spirits are wandering around the house, which the vigilant dog does not let in;
An animal howls and gets angry at a house guest - a sign that the thoughts of the person who came are not as bright as they seem. Perhaps a hypocritical enemy has entered the owner’s home, who is only pretending to be a friend;
A dog howls from a shelter (kennel) - soon bad news will come to the owner’s house;
A dog howling at the moon means a change in weather;
A dog howls while lying down - to its own demise;
The dog howls, looking ahead - there will soon be war.

What should an owner do if his dog howls?

Considering that most signs about dog “crying” promise very unpleasant news, the question arises: “What to do if the dog howls?” Let's first consider what our ancestors advised us to do:

A stranger's dog howls in the yard– you need to throw her a treat without leaving the yard (for example, through a fence or an open door or gate);
The dog howled on the doorstep– you should quickly take the animal out into the yard or into the house, most importantly, away from the threshold (in the old days, people believed that the threshold was the line between the world of the living and the world of the dead);
A strange dog follows and howls- you need to give alms to the needy and go about business (to work, to the store) or home another way, winding, preferably through 3 bridges and 3 intersections (as if confusing the trouble);
The dog howls at the door– you need to throw a bucket of clean water over the threshold;
The dog howls, hiding in a booth- you need to read prayers and walk around the house and yard with a church candle.

What to do to modern man who heard a dog howl? If a strange dog howls, naturally, nothing can be done. At most, you can call your neighbor and inquire about his health. But if your own dog is bothering you, you should do this:

Calm down yourself. A dog's howl does not always sound like a sign of imminent death! Maybe the dog was just sad. To escape from disturbing thoughts, you can read prayers, watch good movie, read a book;
Talk affectionately to the animal, pet it. Most likely, after communicating with the owner, the house friend will calm down. In general, it is important to pay attention to the dog every day so that it does not feel lonely;
Watch your dog carefully: Does the animal have any signs (stool upset, vomiting, etc.)? The deterioration of a dog's health is often associated with howling. Now is the time to call your veterinarian;
Be wary. What if dogs really sense trouble? This doesn't mean you need to panic. You just have to be a little more careful than usual: don’t speed while driving, reschedule an important meeting for another day;
Be vigilant if someone in the house is sick. There is no harm in going to the doctor. Still churchgoers Orthodox people they advise ordering Sorokoust from the church about the health of a sick person;
[*]Provide the dog’s corner with toys. In the absence of the owner, the animal may get bored and therefore start howling. A ball or rattle will help brighten up loneliness at least a little;
Try to rehabilitate the animal. Some dogs like to howl even for no apparent reason. To exclude this, you can “be silent” or “quiet”.

There is no need to be afraid of a dog barking, but it is necessary to pay attention to the alarming sounds made by the animal. It is important not to shout at the dog if it suddenly howls, but to try to calm the pet and find out the reason for the “crying”.