Denali – Doesn’t Need to be Near Food to Possess it

Denali has always been a wolf with a strong tendency for food possession.  Lately, there seems to be a direct intent to keep Grayson away from food resources.  This may have something to do with Grayson and Denali’s relationship.  Since Grayson’s introduction, Denali has focused on Grayson, usually resulting in chasing Grayson around the enclosure and into the safety of the pond rocks.  For those of us who have been in wolf care for a few years, this is very reminiscent of Maya’s focus on Aidan.   Why focus on Grayson?  Maybe Denali sees more potential for competition from Grayson than Axel.  There is no doubt, Grayson has more intensity than Axel in most of his activities.  This is not just a one-way interaction between Denali and Grayson.  Lately Grayson has displayed some grab-bites that instigates some of Denali’s chases.  Whenever possible, wolf care staff try to provide a distraction to diffuse some intensity between individuals.  But, wolves live in the moment,  What can be intense at one instance can be completely opposite the next.  On May 4th staff noted an observation in the logs: “Grayson went into main den for several hours with Aidan and Denali, when Denali finally came out and laid down elsewhere, Grayson came out of the den and went to go sleep with Denali” 

The biggest challenge we have managing this exhibit in the summer is the stimuli created by summer enrichments.  Wolves in summer tend to be more crepuscular, active at dawn and dusk, which doesn’t align as well with summer viewing.  In an effort to stimulate the wolves during the visitor center viewing hours, we schedule enrichments after each “Ambassador Wolf” program and have a special noon-time enrichment during the heart of summer.  Staff need to be creative as the Center is open seven days a week from May 11 – October 14th.  We also need to cognitive of the food enrichments.  While they are great stimuli, food creates competition and competition creates facial expressions like Denali.  For Denali, he doesn’t need to be near food to possess it.