These nocturnal mice of North and Central America let everyone know where their turf is by raising their head and howling like a wolf. Grasshopper mice are awfully cute, but they're also Tarantino-grade cool. You don't have to be top dog to have a big voice. (See an adorable YouTube video of puppies learning to howl.)įor instance, Sherman’s own terrier will sometimes make a howling sound when he is aroused and wants to interact with her.Īlaskan malamutes, Siberian huskies-which are closely related to wolves-and some hounds are known howlers.īasenjis, Sherman says, "produce sounds described as a 'yodel' or howl." Basset hounds and beagles sometimes "bay," and while greyhounds typically don't bark or howl, they'll " produce a vocalization sometimes called a 'roo.'"ĭogs can also howl when they hear a siren or another alarming noise, to attract attention, or as a reaction to separation anxiety, according to the ASPCA. However, many dogs produce attention-seeking vocalizations that owners call "talking" or "howling," and which varies by breed and individual, Sherman says. Most domestic dogs don't make true howls, which are defined as a sustained, long-range call, says Barbara Sherman, a veterinary behaviorist at North Carolina State University. Jackals, all three species of which are native to Africa, howl "to repel intruders and attract family members," Craig Sholley, of the African Wildlife Foundation, says via email.Ī chorus of howls "is thought to reinforce family bonds, as well as establish territorial status," he says. Others animals in the Canidae family howl, including jackals (listen), coyotes, and man's best friend. That's because wolf packs raising pups want to avoid giving the den's location away to other animals-and possibly putting themselves at risk.
"Interestingly, during the denning season, howling drops to almost zero." Howling also has a "strong seasonal component," Smith says. Wolves also howl to find fellow pack members when they're apart-gray wolf howls can carry for miles-and for social purposes, such as maintaining relationships within members of the pack. One is "to communicate to other wolves that this is their territory, or stay away," he says via email. (See "Wolves Identified by Unique Howls, May Help Rare Species.") These predators also have a method to their melody-there are three reasons wolves howl, according to Doug Smith, senior wildlife biologist at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. The most famous howler is probably the wolf. For this Saturday's Weird Animal Question of the Week, we thought we'd listen in to the howling creatures of the world. When someone asked me recently "Why do wolves howl?" my first thought was, "Wouldn't you, if you could?"Īs far as calls of the wild go, howling is among the most mesmerizing-but not many animals do it.