28 September 2020 – The Pack is Changing Routines

I just wanted to share a change to the Wolf Logs.  As we move forward with managing Boltz’s condition, we have transitioned his weblog information to the Retired Pack.  As we are approaching the winter season which is known for being the season of wolf dominance, we needed to make some decisions about Boltz’s status.  Boltz continues to have mobility issues that would preclude us from putting him back into the Exhibit at this time.  Based on the challenges we had in immobilizing in September and the fact that we don’t have a heated water source in the upper enclosure, we could not risk the potential that he would isolate himself to the woodline even if he improved.  We are also facing the most dominant time of the year, all of these factors are leading me to keep him in retirement for the foreseeable future.  I will include Boltz in the weekly posts for the Retired Pack, but if there are more details on his medical condition, I will post those to his individual page which can be found in the Retired Pack – with his image.

As far as an update on the Exhibit Pack, they are active and starting to change their routines from Crepuscular (dawn and dusk) to more of a diurnal pattern.  In this week’s logs, Axel is greeting Grayson who is resting on what we call the “Greeting Rock”.  This is the rock we encourage the wolves to “Greet” staff for overall physical examinations or to disperse some tension within the social group.  Notice Grayson and Axel’s ears are in a “Pricked and Turned Sideways” posture indicating interest and uncertainty with the interaction.  Axel tends to be more dominant, but with Grayson on the top of the rock, his height gives him more of an advantage, making them both a bit uncomfortable.  Denali is doing well, he continues to dominate the carcass, run with the pack (unfortunately, sometimes that involves chasing Grayson) and has a hardy tail wag whenever wolf care begins.