Communication Wolfblood Uncovered

How can wolfbloods run so fast and for so long?

Why are their senses so intense?

SHE SNIFFS

And why is family so important to them?

It all comes down to the extraordinary wild wolves

that they share so many qualities with.

In this series, we'll uncover the truth about wolves

and reveal just why wolfbloods are the way that they are.

This is Wolfblood Uncovered.

HOWLING

In this episode, we'll discover why wolves howl,

how they develop this skill

and how they communicate with each other in more mysterious ways.

One of the things wolves are known for is howling.

HE HOWLS

Of course, this conjures up the classic image

of a wolf howling at the moon.

But howling is simply their way of communicating with each other.

Although wolfbloods don't howl when they're in human form,

they do have similar abilities which are equally as impressive.

When Maddy found out that an ancient wolfblood ability,

"eolas", had been kept from her by her mum and dad,

she ran away.

And when her parents joined forces with Rhydian

and tracked her to the woods the next day,

she used a handy wolfblood way of speaking to them from a distance

to avoid being found.

Stop! Traitor - you're supposed to be on my side. Our side.

Maddy, you don't know what you're doing.

NO! You don't know what you're doing, helping them.

This is who we are, this is what we're meant to be.

-Maddy, listen to me...

-No, you listen. You lied to us.

You knew about eolas and withheld it from us.

You withheld my birthright.

I'm sorry. It's my fault. Come out, we'll talk about it.

That's all you ever do, talk - to control and manipulate us.

-Maddy, that's not true.

-How would you know?

She's got you under the thumb as well.

Don't talk to your father like that!

Everything this man does, he does for you.

Man? He's not supposed to be a man.

He's supposed to be a wolfblood.

You don't understand, Maddy. Eolas is dangerous, it's addictive.

More lies! Eolas is our birthright and I'll use it how I please.

That's just it - you're not using it, Maddy. It's using you.

-Come and get us, then.

-Maddy...wait.

So in the same way that Maddy could be heard over a distance,

wolves can hear other wolves' howls from miles away.

This type of long-distance communication is amazing.

The shape of the muzzle actually amplifies the sound further -

sort of like a megaphone.

By projecting in this way...

YOUR MESSAGE GETS LOUDER!

But like any other kind of skill, it takes time to develop.

So where does it all begin?

For the first two weeks of their lives,

wolf pups are actually completely deaf.

But they still make lots of noise so their mum knows where they are

and can avoid hurting or squashing them by accident.

As they get older, they squeal, scream and yelp,

before they learn to make more grown-up sounds

like whines and barks.

WOLF PUPS YELP

They start to join in with the daily howl

from as early as three weeks old.

But it's after six months that they really find their voice

and sound just like an adult wolf.

A wolf's howl can travel up to six miles through thick forest

and up to ten miles over open terrain.

The key to it travelling this incredible distance

is its deep sound.

High frequency sounds bounce off objects easily

or get absorbed by trees and rocks,

but sounds with a low frequency, like a wolf howl,

can make it through.

So a long, deep howl is more likely to travel further.

For the best howl, wolves position themselves on high, open ground,

and throw the sound upwards

so that it carries over the mountains and valleys.

And to really turn up the volume, wolves howl together.

WOLVES HOWL

But why do they need this amazing communication tool,

and what do they use it for?

It all comes down to a wolf pack's lifeline -

its territory.

Having their own patch of land allows them to protect their family,

guard fresh kills and have the best access to potential prey.

But the size of their territory can be vast,

extending for hundreds of square miles over changing terrain,

so they need their impressive howl to reach as far as possible

to cover these areas.

The sound of wolves howling in chorus is truly remarkable.

Each pack creates a different sound

and the meaning of the message will depend

on whether they know them or not.

To a pack mate who's lost,

the howl could mean, "We're here - where are you?"

But to rival packs, a howl is a warning -

"Beware. This is OUR patch."

Howling together makes a pack sound bigger and more formidable,

so it's often a pretty successful way for them to defend their territory,

because it warns off rivals from a distance.

However, if another pack replies,

then it means they're prepared to hold their ground

and remain where they are.

A stand-off begins.

WOLVES HOWL

But in order to avoid conflict, one pack will eventually fall silent

and retreat from the area.

So with these communication skills,

it makes sense that Maddy's parents could hear her

even though they didn't know where she was hiding.

Also, wolfbloods have one other incredible communication ability

that doesn't use sound at all.

-Focus on my eyes.

-OK.

OK - don't get all creepy on me, just relax. Breathe.

Mum told me that the wild bloods call it "eolas".

She said you can't just look.

You have to feel -

feel what's under you, feel what's around you.

If you can, you'll connect to your oldest instincts,

your primal nature.

-And then you'll know what eolas is...

-Shh!

I'm trying to focus here.

Are you OK?

I can see everything.

FLY BUZZES

Hear everything.

This is amazing.

Eolas is a supernatural ability that wolfbloods can have fun with

and also use to keep in touch with each other.

Although wolves don't use eolas,

they do have ways of communicating with each other without making sound

which are just as incredible.

Body language is very important to the social hierarchy of wolves.

Each pack has a dominant male and a dominant female, called alphas.

The alphas are the only wolves in a pack

that will breed and have pups

and to keep this position amongst the other wolves,

they use a variety of different signals.

When a wolf wants to remind the others it's the top dog,

it stands tall and holds its head and tail high in the air.

This dominant behaviour sends a clear message

to show that they are a higher-ranking member of the pack.

Fellow pack members will show they understand these signals

by crouching low to the ground

with their tails tucked between their legs -

a sign of submission and that they know who's the boss.

A submissive wolf will lick the muzzle of another wolf

and sometimes deliberately expose its belly.

It's pretending to be a puppy.

Doing this brings out the parental nature of the dominant wolf

and makes them less aggressive.

This range of behaviour shows that they're not going to cause trouble

and their presence is not a threat.

All this body language is really important when it comes to feeding.

The wolves watch each other closely and are constantly reading the signs.

The breeding pair need - and will get - the first pick of the food.

Lower-ranking wolves must wait their turn.

But sometimes, a lower-ranking wolf gets too pushy.

The higher-ranking wolves respond by snarling and baring their teeth.

And if these reminders don't work,

the alphas will quickly put the troublemakers back in their place.

Wolves are masters of communication.

Using body language,

they're able to maintain hierarchy and order within the pack.

What's more, their impressive howl

gives them the ability to communicate over great distances,

allowing them to warn off rivals and reunite with family and friends.

HE HOWLS

In the same way, wolfbloods use their heightened sense of awareness

to help them avoid danger and find each other in times of need.

(Rhydian! Calm down - don't let on you can hear me.)

How did you find me?

A true wolfblood can always find their kin.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd