grizzer – Apr 16, 2006 12:00 AM

The logs for Grizzer today can be summed up in one word, Hot. Wolves tend to have a shedding period that begins in late May and extends into June and they generally shed their entire undercoat and are left with long guard hairs that make them appear long, lean and cooler. There may be some other benefit to keeping a winter coat a bit longer in the spring, and that's protection from the May-early June black fly population. But, if hot weather comes too early such as this past week in Ely, the wolves remain very inactive, and excessively pant to evaporate heat from their bodies. In this week's wolf logs, Grizzer can't seem to beat the heat, no matter where he goes. The pond has been cleaned, but a waterline below ground still has a bit of frost, so no water is flowing. If we get a good rainstorm, the pond line will probably thaw, vegetation will green, and the wolves will be cooler. Let's hope for rain