Thursday

We have much in common with wolves. Wolves have emotional lives, can experience emotions such as joy and grief.

Wolves mourn lost pack members. After the death of a wolf, the remainder of the pack walk with their heads and tails held low – a sign of depression. They no longer howl as a group, but each cries in their own way. This behavior often lasts for a few weeks.

Jim and Jamie Dutcher describe the grief and mourning in a wolf pack after the loss of the low-ranking omega female wolf, Motaki, to a mountain lion. The pack lost their spirit and their playfulness. They no longer howled as a group, but rather they "sang alone in a slow mournful cry.

" They were depressed — tails and heads held low and walking softly and slowly — when they came upon the place where Motaki was killed. They inspected the area and pinned their ears back and dropped their tails, a gesture that usually means submission.


It took about six weeks for the pack to return to normal. The Dutchers also tell of a wolf pack in Canada in which one pack member died and the others wandered about in a figure eight as if searching for her. They also howled long and mournfully.

VIDEO

Responses to "Wolves Feel Sadness And Grieve Like Humans "

  1. Anonymous says:

    poor darlings of course they all have feelings the same as we do so sad to watch Val in Perth West Oz

  2. Anonymous says:

    What is truly astonishing is that some will still argue that animals don't have feelings, when we have such clear evidence that they do....

  3. Obviously the quality of the video isn't that clear, but I swear, at the end of it it looks like a shadow of a figure of a wolf passes directly to the right of the wolf that is being filmed. I watched it three times and it still looks that way to me. Of course, I am also a believer in animals having spirits, too, that never die. This was very sad to watch and so mournful to hear. I have seen animals that grieve more than a lot of people do!

  4. Unknown says:

    We are animals, do we not have feelings?

  5. Anonymous says:

    My dogs knew what this howl meant, they all came to the side of the bed with their tails down just to listen. And, PhatMamaKat, I was glad to read your comment, because I saw the same thing and had to watch it again to make sure what I'd seen. I originally thought someone edited over something, but the wolf looks in that direction. Rather comforting, actually..

  6. Anonymous says:

    I'm glad I wasn't the only one who saw a figure of a wolf passing by the one being filmed. I know our cat mourned for weeks after our dog passed away.

  7. Anonymous says:

    I have/had two hybrids, one was put down in May, she was 16 years old. The younger pup crawled into her crate and layed there, not eatting, for days. Broke my jeart for a second time watching her mourn...

  8. Unknown says:

    I got a chill when I saw that shadow. Wolves are amazing animals. So sad that some people are too blind to see that too. It too breaks my heart when I see one of my babies mourn over the loss of another.

  9. Anonymous says:

    Awww.. The grieving process is rough. I was watching this video and my Husky just jumped up and started howling.

  10. Unknown says:

    I believe wolves have more feelings than humans. They are also more family oriented. Look at how they care for their young. ;0)~~~PeAcE~

  11. Unknown says:

    If anyone says that animals don't have feelings then they are either indifferent to the animals in question or doesn't know what they are talking about. And when I watched this video and saw that shadow I thought it was my eyes playing tricks but having watch it a number of times I am convinced the lost pack member isn't lost at all but is running along side the other wolves as usual.

  12. I worked in an animal hospital & the damned greedy place actually used anesthesia on a VERY OLD dog to clean his teeth (I got fired because I was irate & vocal about it. Wrell, that ancient old lab/irish setter mix died on the table & a malamute in a cage there started howling & didn't stop. She smelled death-she knew.

  13. Unknown says:

    For the Love of God people, it is a bug doing a bat crawl across the film. You can see or read anything you want into it but lets be serious. No wonder we are not taken seriously. wolves are animals, so are we. Animals have feeling, but our brains are suppose to be developed. Oh wait, there goes a ghosts. Really???

  14. Unknown says:

    If it was a "Bug" we would have seen wings on it I didn't see wings to each there own I guess I think it could have been a spirit. But hearing that wolf cry almost made me cry.

  15. Anonymous says:

    I think it was a tumbleweed blown by the wind.There are wolves on the back of my land.Beautiful animals.We all have feelings etc.,I don't know why this is news to some people

  16. Anonymous says:

    I saw it and I wanted to cry myself. I did see the shadow & it wasn't a bug it wasn't a tumbleweed. Why can't it be a spirit, not many believe in spirits? Well I'm not the one who told the world spirits are real but millions have read it in a book. Me too so how do you really make fun of people for believing?

  17. Sharona says:

    This is incredible and moving. I too watched it 3 times and saw the shadow of the deceased pack member!!!

  18. Breaks my heart to see any animal, human or otherwise, hurt or grieve. I have had dogs all my life (50+ years) and instinctively I've always known that dogs can think, problem solve, exact vengence against their "people", laugh, love, and grieve. It seems to me that canine/lupine love is more consistent than human love..more dedicated and reliable. I suspect that is why humans seek canine championship. We are seeking trusting and unconditional love.

  19. Angel says:

    Even poor cattle mourn their young.
    How can an animal have a sixth sense, and not have feelings.
    They are smarter in ways than any human, and YES they do have feelings.

  20. Animals tend to be a lot more humanlike than most humans do. Everyday you can clearly see the emotion in your own pets. When you leave for work and when you come home, when you play together, when you're sad and hurting, when you're happy, they're right along with you. Why is it so hard for anyone to think differently about them having emotions?

  21. Anonymous says:

    just finished reading two fantastic books about 2 Yellowstone wolves... Wolf 8,, and Wolf 21,, both alpha males... they had more compassion than many humans i know... rise of wolf 8.... the reign of wolf 21 by rick mcintyre

  22. Many animals mourn but thanks to wildlife photographers we are able to see it..

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