Why do wolves, identified with the full moon, howl at these times, or if there is no such thing, why does this idea prevail? Is this just a myth created by humans from past to present?
This situation, which we do not know the answer to even today, has taken its place among the stories that have been the subject of legends from history to the present and passed down from generation to generation.
There are various “mythical” ideas about howling; From the thought of having a friend on the Moon to the fact that they landed the Moon…
Wolves are loyal animals with high herd psychology. This brings up a variety of ideas about how they call their friends. Maybe whoever we ask will make this justification. This is also accepted for wolves, as the family of dogs howls each other in general. But is that actually true?
This story has nothing to do with reality. The truth of the matter is this:
Wolves are more concerned about the creatures they will hunt for food rather than the companions they seek, and the irritating fleas that cling to their fur. Well, you might be wondering how this event coincides with the time of the full moon. In many studies on the subject, no connection has been found between the howling of wolves and the movements of the Moon. That is, they howl even when there is a crescent instead of a full moon in the sky.
So why have we associated their howls with the full moon?
Every living thing you can think of in nature, from the smallest to the largest, makes sounds to communicate. We humans can speak, but in animals this communication is only possible through the sounds they have. Raising their heads and howling against the sky can be understood as a ritual of summoning their distant family. In many myths and legends, it is said that wolves that raise their heads “call to the moon”.
Although we know the only sound they can make is howling, in fact, wolves can make all the sounds that dogs make.
The sounds dogs make are not unique to them, and the howling of wolves is not unique to them. No matter how tame, a dog does not go unanswered when it hears howling.
The full moon has also inspired many legends.
The most familiar to us is the legend of the werewolf. At the full moon, the werewolf turns into a wolf with wild features, leaving aside his human features. According to the legend, sleeping in the open air in the full moon and drinking the water that wolves drink caused one to become a werewolf.
How can they communicate only by howling?
Wolves, who live in packs and are identified with the night, go hunting not alone but in packs. For this reason, howling is a kind of “invitation to the hunt”. It is possible to see their howls reaching a distance of 9.6 km in a forest area and 16 km in a treeless area.
Wolves form a howl chorus when they see other packs join the area they have designated with their own packs. The howling sound that intimidates other wolves and comes out in unison seems to be important for them to dominate their territory.
Apart from all these, it is useful to remember that when you hear a wolf howling, it may actually be looking for a mate.
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