Monts de Gueret Animal Park
The wolf pack howls on average for 85 seconds. It is usually started by a single wolf, after which other wolves may join in. The pack leader, the alpha wolf, usually uses a lower-pitched howl and howls more frequently than wolves standing on the lower rungs of the pack's hierarchy. Although some functions of the howling are still unknown by scientists, they believe that wolves may howl to scare off other wolf packs from their territory and to gather their own pack, as wolves possess perfect hearing and their howling can be heard for up to in the forest and in open space. Researchers have found a relationship between the number of times a wolf howls and the strength of their relationship with other pack members. According to Friederike Range, co-director of the University of Vienna's Wolf Science Center, "the strength of the relationship between wolves predicted how many times a wolf howled."
Attachment behaviour in wolves
Wolves are animals which live in social groups referred to as packs and are known for forming affiliative bonds with others in their packs. Wolves in packs are known for initiating play with one another. It has been observed that wolves initiating play are not doing so randomly. It may be a reflection of the relationships present in the pack and will reflect the tension, cooperation, and competition present. Tensions are noted to become higher around breeding session where the cost and benefits are weighed against each other. Female wolves are known for being the main initiators of affiliative interactions though a small percentage of males will initiate affiliative interactions. The omega male was not a target of any affiliative interaction. In other studies researchers have separated the most dominant wolf and the most subordinate wolves. It was recorded that the dominant wolf spent less time sleeping and showed more behavioural stress compared to the omega wolf. The dominant wolf was reported to rest in the section of his enclosure closest to his pack. It has been noted by researchers that the younger subordinate wolves seem to have less attachment to their pack compared to their higher ranking compatriots.