Vocal Communications

Vocal communication among canid species varies greatly, especially between the different social structures (Cohen & Fox, 1975). Its been found from experiments on many different species including wolves, African wild dogs, foxes, coyotes, singing dogs and dingoes, that there are 12 various sounds (Cohen & Fox, 1975). These are whines, yips, hows, growls, clicks, yelps, screams, barks, coughs, coos, mews and grunts. Depending on species, these sounds may vary in time, pitch and frequency (Cohen & Fox, 1975). 66

Wolves howling
http://animaljam.wikia.com/wiki/File:Predators-forest-wolves
-howl-wolf-animals.jpg accessed 4/4

The same sound emitted by different species can mean different things. For example foxes only bark when there is a threat and scream as a greeting whereas domestic dogs bark for many reasons and growl for  a threat (Cohen & Fox, 1975). Domestic dogs are also the only species to yelp (Cohen & Fox, 1975). This is a shorter whine used for greeting (Cohen & Fox, 1975). This sound is seen to be analogous to the yip of coyotes and screams of the foxes (Cohen & Fox, 1975). Certain groups such as the Vulpines or foxes produced higher pitch sounds such as screams and were the only species to coo (Cohen & Fox, 1975). A coo is a trilly, cackle sound witch at the moment doesn't have a known meaning. The foxes also displayed minimal social sounds due to general lack of sociability (Cohen & Fox, 1975). The Canines, generally the wolves and more dog like species, produced lower sounds such as coos and guttural vocalizations (Cohen & Fox, 1975). The high pitched yipping sounds were only made by the coyotes and jackals. 129

Mixing off these sounds is used in more complicated emotional portrayal in generally the more social canids (Cohen & Fox, 1975). 'Yowling' a combination of the yelp and bark is seen in domestic dogs (Robbins, 2000). This is a social sound analogous of the wolves group howl (Robbins, 2000). Other extremely social species, such as the African wild dogs, have been known to mix many sounds creating sounds unique to them such as twitters and rumbles (Robbins, 2000). The African wild dogs also have such a range of barks that almost rivals the domesticated dogs,  thus showing the extent social structures effect vocalization variability (Robbins, 2000).

(Cohen & Fox, 1975)
Cohen. J.A, Fox. M.W, 1975, Vocalisations in wild canids and possible effects of domestication, Behavioural Processes, Vol.1(1), 77-92
Robbins. R.L. 2000, Vocal communication in free ranging Afriacn wild dog (Lycaon pictus), Behaviour, 137, 1271-1298

Canis lupus social structure

African wild dog pack
http://www.zambezitraveller.com/caprivi-kavango/
conservation/african-wild-dogs-best-team-africa accessed 2/4

Canid social structures vary for many reasons including hunting and prey size, defence and shared parenting (Macdonald, 1983). Social groups such as wolves and African wild dogs have complex social structures and use their numbers for hunting large prey (Macdonald, 1983). The Ethiopian wolf however is completely lone animal until breeding (Gotelli et al. 1994). Other Canids such as red foxes (Vulpis vulpis) have been known to live in small groups up to about five, but hunt alone (Macdonald, 1983).

Grey wolves (Canis lupus) are the largest wild canids (Mech, 1974) and tend to form packs of about 8 members, although larger packs near 40 members have been reported (Mech, 1974). The packs are comprised of mostly yearlings with a smaller amount of pups and a couple of mature adults (Mech, 1974). The packs have a dominance structure with the alpha male then female being the top (Mech, 1974). Other mature wolves in the packs are ranked separately in males and females with the higher level females protecting and feeding the pups (Mech, 1974). Greetings between dominant and less dominant wolves shows the less dominant wolf’s submissive behaviour (Mech, 1974). Active submission is portrayed by lowering the body and drawing back the lips and pushing the tongue out (Mech, 1974). Passive submission has the animal lay on its back with limbs tucked in and urinates (Mech, 1974). This behaviour is learned while pups when the pup lays on its back and the mother licks the perineal area encouraging the pup to urinate (Mech, 1974). Dominance is generally asserted while pups with the first serious position fights being at around 30 days old. These are the main dominance struggles with no more being until adulthood (Mech, 1974).

Canis lupus submissive behaviour
http://www.agefotostock.com/age/en/Stock-Images/Rights-Managed/PLP-120715p230  accessed 2/4 

Unlike most mammals, social canids such as wolves are mainly monogamous (Macdonald, 1983). The strong bonds between the alpha pair are initiated during courtship which can be up to two months before breeding (Mech, 1974). These bonds are the basis for the pack and hold the whole social structure together (Mech, 1974).

References: 

Macdonal. D. W. 1983, The Ecology of Carnivore Social Behaviour, Nature, vol. 301

Mech. L. D. 1974, Mammalian Species No. 37, Canis Lupus, The American society of Mammalogists    

Gotelli. D, Sillero-Zubiri. C, et al. 1994, Molecular Genetics of the most endangered canid: The Ethiopian wolf/ Canis simensis, Molecular Ecology, vol.3 p 301-312.