A. It isn’t uncommon to see pictures of wolves and coyotes howling at a full moon, but it turns out their howling has nothing to do with the moon. That’s right! Wolves and coyotes do not howl at moons; the moon just happens to be visible when they’re typically most active. And while their snouts may be tilted upwards toward the sky, that’s just because it helps them project their howl further.
If they’re not howling at the moon, what are they howling at?
Their howling is a form of communication and is used for several reasons. They howl to keep in touch with and to assemble their pack, to send a message to outsiders letting them know the territory is occupied, even howling together to maintain social bonds.
So next time you hear a howl, know it isn’t being directed at the moon, but rather to pack members or perhaps a potential rival.
