dereksbicycles
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Wolf laugh....
- Thread starter dereksbicycles
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<don't mean to "spoil" anything- but I enjoy observing and thinking about canine body language>
Based on what I know of canine communication<dogs, wolves and coyotes are behaviorally different but many of the basic communication signals are the same>, I -think - that the <gaping mouth> coyote in the first picture is giving some kind of appeasement and/or stress signal to the coyote who is behind her. I'm basing this on the type of gape or yawn that coyote has going on, and the tails sets of both animals. The ears of the coyote who is yawning seem to show stress or conflict. The whole thing could be a mating scenario that is creating the communication postures in the gaping coyote. But the coyote who is behind the one with the open mouth - that second animal also seems to have hackles up in the ruff slightly, possibly hard or direct stare, tension lines in the face. So could also be a status/resource issue.
Some dogs do laugh; I don't know if it has been determined of coyotes laugh or not.
Second picture- coyotes hunting. And/or playing. But coyotes do have quite a degree of cat-like stalk-pounce sequence and they eat anything, including fish, dog kibble and human leftovers. They are much more adaptable than wolves.
Based on what I know of canine communication<dogs, wolves and coyotes are behaviorally different but many of the basic communication signals are the same>, I -think - that the <gaping mouth> coyote in the first picture is giving some kind of appeasement and/or stress signal to the coyote who is behind her. I'm basing this on the type of gape or yawn that coyote has going on, and the tails sets of both animals. The ears of the coyote who is yawning seem to show stress or conflict. The whole thing could be a mating scenario that is creating the communication postures in the gaping coyote. But the coyote who is behind the one with the open mouth - that second animal also seems to have hackles up in the ruff slightly, possibly hard or direct stare, tension lines in the face. So could also be a status/resource issue.
Some dogs do laugh; I don't know if it has been determined of coyotes laugh or not.
Second picture- coyotes hunting. And/or playing. But coyotes do have quite a degree of cat-like stalk-pounce sequence and they eat anything, including fish, dog kibble and human leftovers. They are much more adaptable than wolves.