aidan – Dec 3, 2010 12:00 AM

Aidan is probably the best indicator of pack tension. As the omega, if there's tension, there's redirection to the omega, usually by Maya. If you get a chance to view the Youtube footage for this week, you will see Aidan moving about the enclosure with very little concern for Maya's presence. This type of response certainly indicates calm behavior. Denali continues to be a testing two year old, but his testing is less intense and he's actually been observed playing with Aidan again. Of course, if they wrestle and chase too much, it draws attention from Maya and Grizzer, but it's a good sign of pack cohesiveness. A wolf pack doesn't appear to function well with uncertainty of rank, if everyone knows their position, the pack has a much calmer energy.