grizzer – Jan 7, 2008 12:00 AM

The pack dynamics continues to support a clear distinction in rank order. Grizzer is the number two male, and despite a few brief tests of Shadow, he shows submissive ear posture and body posture when Shadow's vocalizations become intense. It is a noisy time of year, driven by a surge in hormones as the wolves reach the height of their breeding season in the next month. Of course, the wolves here are spayed and neutered, but while that may calm some of the behaviors, it does not eliminate the behavioral push for being the strongest, most dominant pack members. In this week's video clip, you will see Shadow defending food from Grizzer, with Grizzer showing a submissive status. Of course, Maya comes in and takes Shadow's deer scraps.