Denali was known for his gregarious nature.
Denali and his littermate, Aidan, were born April 27, 2008. As a juvenile, he was more prone to social engagement and avoided interactions related to dominance. He was encouraged to be more dominant by the second-ranking male at the time, Grizzer, who rarely corrected Denali. By the time Denali turned 2 years old, he was very willing to test for rank. After Grizzer’s retirement in 2011, Denali used his size and tendency to dominate food resources to control who got to eat first during deer carcass feedings. He would allow Boltz and Axel to feed with him, but would chase Grayson away from the carcass until everyone else was full. Denali was ultimately retired in October 2020, being reunited with Grizzer, and adapted to a calmer, more restful life in retirement. On September 4, 2021, wolf care team members noticed that Denali was significantly declining and all symptoms indicated internal bleeding. Denali was humanely euthanized that night. A necropsy revealed that an unidentified tumor on his liver had ruptured. His eagerness to greet handlers and social nature with his packmates are sorely missed.
