Dogs are well-known for their ability to recognize and respond to the voices of their human companions, even when they are not physically present.

They can distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar human voices, and show different emotional reactions depending on the tone and content of the voice.

These canines can also learn to associate human voices with commands, rewards, or punishments, and follow them accordingly.

But what about wolves, the wild ancestors of dogs? Do wolves also have the capacity to recognize and react to human voices? And if so, how did this ability evolve, and what does it mean for our understanding of the relationship between humans and canines?

A new study, published in the journal Animal Cognition, has shed some light on these questions by testing how wolves respond to the voices of familiar and unfamiliar humans in different contexts.

The study was conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Lincoln, the University of Copenhagen, and the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna.

How wolves encounter human voices

(Photo : THOMAS KIENZLE/AFP via Getty Images)

Wolves (Canis lupus) are social animals that live in packs and communicate with each other through various vocalizations, such as howls, barks, growls, whines, and yips, as per Phys.org.

Wolves use these vocalizations to convey information about their location, identity, mood, intentions, and needs.

They can also recognize and respond to the vocalizations of other wolves, both within and outside their pack, and also encounter human voices in their natural environment, especially in areas where they coexist or conflict with humans.

Wolves may hear human voices from hunters, farmers, tourists, researchers, or conservationists. Wolves may also hear human voices from radio collars or speakers that are used for monitoring or management purposes.

They may have different reactions to human voices depending on their previous experiences and associations with humans. Wolves may be curious, fearful, aggressive, or indifferent toward human voices.

Furthermore, wolces may also learn to associate human voices with positive or negative outcomes, such as food or danger.

How wolves react to human voices

To test how wolves react to human voices, the researchers conducted an experiment involving 24 gray wolves from five zoos and wildlife parks in Spain, as per Barron's.

The wolves were exposed to recordings of human voices from speakers that were placed near their enclosures.

The recordings consisted of four types of voices:

Familiar positive: The voice of a keeper who regularly interacted with the wolves in a friendly manner and provided them with food and care.
Familiar negative: The voice of a keeper who occasionally interacted with the wolves in a neutral or unfriendly manner and performed unpleasant tasks such as cleaning or medical procedures.
Unfamiliar positive: The voice of a stranger who spoke in a friendly tone and said positive words such as "hello" or "good boy".
Unfamiliar negative: The voice of a stranger who spoke in an angry tone and said negative words such as "no" or "bad wolf".

The researchers recorded the number and duration of each wolf's visits to the speaker during each recording session. They also observed the behavior of the wolves during and after each session.

The results showed that wolves recognized and responded differently to the four types of voices.

Wolves visited the speaker more frequently and for longer periods when they heard familiar positive voices than unfamiliar positive or negative ones.

Moreover, wolves showed more positive behaviors such as wagging tails, licking lips, or approaching the speaker when they heard familiar positive voices than when they heard unfamiliar positive or negative voices.

They visited the speaker less frequently and for shorter periods when they heard familiar negative voices than when they heard unfamiliar positive or negative voices.

Wolves also showed more negative behaviors such as growling, snarling, or avoiding the speaker when they heard familiar negative voices than when they heard unfamiliar positive or negative voices.

The researchers concluded that wolves recognized and reacted to the voices of familiar humans more than strangers and that they discriminated between positive and negative tones and words.

These findings suggested that wolves have a similar ability to dogs to distinguish human voices based on familiarity and valence.

Also Read: "Conflict Between Wolves and Humans" Becomes the Reason Behind Swedish Government's Decision to Cull Wolf Population by Half

Implications for canine evolution and conservation

The study has implications for both the evolutionary history of canine domestication and the current conservation status of wolves, as per FMT.

The study supports the hypothesis that dogs inherited their ability to recognize human voices from their wolf ancestors, rather than acquiring them through artificial selection during domestication.

This implies that wolves had already developed some social cognition and communication skills that enabled them to interact with humans before becoming dogs.

The study also highlights the importance of considering human voice recognition as a factor that influences wolf behavior and ecology in areas where they coexist or conflict with humans.

Human voice recognition may affect how wolves perceive and respond to human presence, activity, or management interventions.

Human voice recognition may also affect how humans perceive and respond to wolf presence, activity, or conservation efforts.

According to the study, wolves can learn to associate human voices with positive or negative outcomes and that these associations may influence their attitudes and actions toward humans.

Therefore, the study recommends that humans who interact with wolves should use positive voices and words to foster trust and cooperation and avoid negative voices and words to prevent fear and aggression.