Luna – Resting in a Cushion of Snow

Snow has insulating value and for Luna, this is a comfort.  When temperatures decrease and the snow gets compacted, we also provide the wolves with a bed of cover hay in the front of the enclosure where the darker hay absorbs some radiant heat from the sun.  But, when a least weasel makes his way into the enclosure and hides in some rocks, Luna will plant herself on a cold shelf of ice to be there when the weasel decides to vacate the rocks.  This was the scenario during last Monday’s wolf check.  When we arrived, we noticed Luna resting in a rather odd posture and it appeared that she had been lying down for a while.  We physically checked her, but she became increasingly aggressive when we blocked her view of the rock pile.   It was then that we discovered a little white head of the weasel.  Luna was obsessed with the weasel and no amount of physical discomfort could distract her from her watch.   It wasn’t until later in the day that we managed to give the weasel an escape by lying a wheelbarrow over the rocks and within a minute, watched him scurry back into the garage where he has been keeping a good control of the rodent and shrew populations.  As soon as the weasel was gone, Luna’s obsession ended and she went about the routine of being a normal pack member.