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Hair-raising: 30 wolves howl in unison

Like the soundtrack to a million werewolf-themed nightmares, video of 30 wolves howling in unison is nothing short of hair-raising.

YouTube user thesadistnationx captured footage of the canine chorus during a recent trip to a wolf sanctuary and was kind enough to share this incredible “symphony of howls” with the human public.

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Wolves howl for a number of reasons, but Fred H. Harrington, Professor of Ethology at Nova Scotia’s Mount Saint Vincent University, notes that their legendary vocalization skills convey a fascinating social component.

“The center of a wolf's universe is its pack, and howling is the glue that keeps the pack together,” he writes on Nova Online. “Some have speculated that howling strengthens the social bonds between packmates; the pack that howls together, stays together. That may be so, but chorus howls can also end with nasty quarrels between packmates.

“Some members, usually the lowest-ranking, may actually be "punished" for joining in the chorus. Whether howling together actually strengthens social bonds, or just reaffirms them, is unknown,” he adds.

And just in case the sight of more than two-dozen wolves behind a series of fences rubs you the wrong way, the video’s author assures viewers that the animals are in good hands.

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“These are RESCUED wolves,” They are not being held captive. They are treated with love and care, fed, and constantly get exercise and everything they need to live and flourish. It's a beautiful place,” he writes.