Gray wolves and red wolves communicate through visual cues like tail position, posture, facial expressions, and scent marking as well as vocalizations like growling, whining, and howling. Wolves use these methods to demonstrate dominance or submissiveness, warn rivals, attract mates, and mark their territory. Pups imitate the behaviors of the dominant male and female who help care for them along with subordinate pack members who provide food.

1. Wolf Communication
Vertebrate Zoology Spring 2018 Lab
Report E
David Scoles

2. Background
Gray wolf (Canis lupus) and red wolf (Canis rufus)
Order - Carnivora
Family - Canidae
Habitat - Mountains, forests, and wetlands
Arkansas relatives - Wild Dog/wolf hybrids or coyote/wolf hybrids
Diet - Small mammals such as rodents, ungulates, and lagomorphs

3. Reproduction
Only the dominant male and female reproduce
Subordinate wolves help care for the pups
Subordinate wolves provide food for the mother
Pups follow the adults and imitate their behavior
Playing, howling, and submissive actions
Figure 1: Wolf pups howling
Source: www.livingwithwolves.org

4. Distribution
Figures 2 & 3: The historic and current range of gray (left) and red (right) wolves in the United States
Sources: http://www.biologicaldiversity.org (left) and http://aworldwithoutpredators.weebly.com (right)

5. Visual Communication
Tail position
Dominant wolves hold tails up
Subordinates hold tails down
Posturing
Subordinate wolves crouch
Dominant wolves stand tall
Bowing indicates playfulness
Figure 4: Gray wolf showing dominance
Source: www.livingwithwolves.org

6. Visual Communication (Cont.)
Aggressive warnings are sometimes given
Horizontal ears, wrinkled snout, and
barred teeth
Submissive behaviors can calm an angry wolf
Licking the dominant wolf’s snout
Rolling over
Figure 5: A dominant wolf giving a warning
Source: www.livingwithwolves.org

7. Submissive Postures
Figures 6 and 7: Rolling over and crouching can both communicate submissiveness
Source: www.livingwithwolves.org

8. Chemical Communication
Urine serves multiple functions
Warns off rivals
Allows personal identification
Can advertise sexual availability
“Scent rolling” is common
Reason is unknown Figure 8: A wolf performing a scent roll
Source: www.livingwithwolves.org

9. Chemical Communication (Cont.)
Figure 10: Wolf marking territory with urine
Source: www.livingwithwolves.org
Figure 9: Wolves inspecting a scent
Source: www.livingwithwolves.org

10. Vocal Communication
Growling indicates anger and serves as a warning
Wolves growling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gjDI3-zVZg
Whining and whimpering demonstrates anxiety or submissiveness
Howling is a form of a pack declaring its territory
Wolves howling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IaYm3NjJnM

11. References
Body language of wolves. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.livingwithwolves.org/body-
language-of-wolves/#scent
Mulheisen, M., & Csomos, R. A. (n.d.). Canis rufus (red wolf). Retrieved from
https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Canis_rufus/#communication
(n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.wolfquest.org/wolf_red.php