Does this wolf want to play—or attack? Take a close look at its face.

A recent study published in Animal Behaviour has found that wolves use subtle facial cues to communicate their intentions and maintain harmony within their pack. The researchers observed captive gray, arctic, and Canadian wolf packs in forested enclosures and analyzed 135 hours of footage to identify five distinct facial expressions that wolves use to signal different levels of playfulness and aggression. These expressions include relaxed lips and open mouths during playful interactions, pulled back lips and narrowed eyes during intense play-fighting, and a light spot on the gums as a warning sign of an impending fight. The study highlights the importance of further research on wolves and raises questions about why domestic dogs have a more simplified facial expression repertoire. [Extracted from the article]