Boltz – Pelage Blends with the Habitat

There are many unique communication methods employed by wolves.  Tail postures, eye contact, howling, scent marking are the most notable.  But, if you take a moment to look at a wolf’s markings or pelage, you specific parts of the wolf may have a color pattern to aid in communication.  Let’s start with the eyes.  Direct eye stare is a sign of a challenge in wolf communication and we know that ears pricked forward signal a heightened level of arousal and a curl of the lip above the teeth can put the exclamation point on a message of dominance.  If you look closely, you may see the black lips that contrast a white muzzle and a dark rim around the tips of the ears.  A dark tip on the tail is a great way highlight a high tail posture of a dominant wolf.  How about submissive wolf?  Well, when a wolf submits, it exposes a white, pale chest and a white underbelly that may help notice as submissive posture.  Finally, have you every noticed a wolf’s hackles?  The dark coloration on the shoulder and rump are more noticeable when the hackles rise.  Nature is amazing, and so is the effectiveness of camouflage for blending into a background.  Do you notice Boltz’s ability to blend in with his forested habitat?