Shadow was born on May 8, 2000, and he and his brother Malik were socialized by one of the Center’s board members in southern Minnesota before meeting the Center’s wolf care team in Ely on June 30, 2000.

Shadow was an arctic wolf having some physical adaptations to their northern climate, such as a white or cream colored pelage, although Shadow had a dark saddle on his back and a dark muzzle earning him the name Shadow. Adapted to their northern climate, arctic wolves have rounder ears, shorter legs, shorter muzzles and more heavily furred paws than their southern relatives. These features help them conserve heat.

Shadow had a quiet intensity as a pup. He was more alert and wary of strangers than his littermate Malik and, at an early age, sounded a bark howl in alarm when things were too hectic around the enclosure.  This behavior continued into adulthood and was probably the first indication that he would be a future pack leader. By 2002, he led the testing and deposing of the 1993 litter leaving him as the dominant male to greet future pups.  His time as a pup with MacKenzie mimicked the serene behavior of the 2004 and 2008 litter of pups. With all of our “Gone but not Forgotten” wolves, we select one word or phrase that characterizes the most memories about their life. For Shadow, the word we chose was “Serenity”. Even when pups turned into yearlings and started to test his status, his facial expressions showed a remarked calm and serene response to some bold behaviors. Most wolves in the wild don’t live past eight years of age, but even with joint supplements and added care of ambassador wolves, age eventually catches up with wolves. He was transitioned to the Retired Pack on Saturday evening June 26, 2010. This was a planned transition in response to behavioral indications that he was having difficulty interacting with the younger pack members. Shadow was reunited with Malik and maintained his dominant status for the remainder of his life. On Wednesday, July 2, 2014 wolf care team members noted an acute and significant physical decline in his overall condition. Shadow had been living alone since Malik was euthanized on March 22, 2014 and we often see behavioral impacts that can impact an animal’s health. The necropsy that was performed showed the significance of his decline. The University of Minnesota diagnostics lab revealed that the cause of Shadow’s rapid decline was a ruptured mass on his kidney that resulted in internal bleeding and he would have likely succumb to blood loss if not euthanized.

For more information on our ambassador wolves, watch extended wolf videos on the International Wolf Center’s YouTube Channel or enjoy a close-up of wolf behavior on our Wolf Watch Cams.