Denali – Making his Mark, but Not Quite so Obvious

In the wild, Raised Leg Urination or RLU’s, are typically associated with the dominant pair, both male and female establishing a territory and communicating their active role in pair bonding and defending that territory.  In captivity, especially with a spayed and neutered exhibit, scent marking may still be associated with dominance and confidence, but it may not be as rigid.  In our Exhibit Pack, we see scent marking vary with the individual, the time of year and the interactions among the individuals.  Most of the time, Denali displays a standing or squat urination and Aidan almost exclusively displays an RLU.  In the past month with the absence of Luna and Aidan’s preoccupation with the pups, Denali’s been a bit free to express himself.  But as fall approaches, freedom of expression seems to be waning.  In today’s image, Denali’s RLU is subdued and not quite so obvious.