That being said, here's what we know and what we can infer about wolf cognition:
They are social animals: Wolves live in packs, which means they need to be able to communicate with each other and understand social cues. They have complex social structures with clear hierarchies, roles, and responsibilities. This suggests they have a good understanding of individual relationships within the pack.
They are intelligent: Wolves are highly adaptable animals, able to solve problems, learn new behaviors, and remember things. They have been observed using tools, navigating complex terrain, and planning hunts. This suggests they possess a certain level of problem-solving ability and abstract thought.
Their brains are similar to ours: While their brains are smaller than human brains, they share many of the same structures and functions. This suggests they might experience emotions similar to humans, such as fear, joy, grief, and anger.
They have strong senses: Wolves rely heavily on their senses, especially smell and hearing. They use these senses to navigate, hunt, and communicate with each other. Their keen senses allow them to process and understand their environment in ways that we might not be able to.
They are highly attuned to their environment: Wolves live in constantly changing ecosystems, and they need to be able to adapt to these changes. This means they are constantly observing their surroundings and making decisions based on what they see, hear, and smell.
What we don't know: While we can learn a lot from observing wolves, we still don't know for sure how they experience the world. We don't know how they perceive colors, sounds, or smells. We don't know what their internal experiences are like.
It's important to remember: While wolves are incredibly intelligent and complex animals, they are still different from us. Their brains are wired differently, and they experience the world in a different way. We should avoid anthropomorphizing them and trying to understand them through a human lens.