Lakota has had a good week, on Monday’s check, she and MacKenzie were running shoulder to shoulder with Lakota still showing the submissive head posture to MacKenzie as the 2nd ranking female in the Retired Pack. Certainly, the dominance is calmer in Retirement, but it is still existent. I would also like to make a note to the Nannies selected for this year’s pups. We are still juggling teams, and once the teams are set, we will send out a briefing packet to each team member (probably by email), so teams can have some opportunity to converse prior to arrival and possibly offer to carpool to Ely.
Malik continues to have some intense growl response towards Grizzer, but with the warming weather and the peak of the hormonal surge behind us, Grizzer is less intense in responding to Malik's growls. Malik has been displaying some "foreleg stab" behaviors towards Grizzer. When Shadow is dominanting Grizzer and has him on the ground, Malik comes in and stabs at Grizzer with his foreleg. We will try to get this on video for the ethograms, as it is primarily a winter behavior. Malik usually gets a redirected response from Grizzer when Shadow lets him up.
The following text was written by Workin' for Wolves participants: Theresa Williams and Joyce Wells. For almost fifteen years of age, Lakota has the thickest and softest fur of all the wolves. With the warm weather we had on Saturday, she had a hard time cooling off. With the Workin’ for Wolves program this weekend Lakota did a lot of pacing and staying towards the rear of the enclosure to avoid the activity. On Sunday she was much calmer and more relaxed again. The Workin’ for Wolves crew completed a lot of work in the Retired pack, removing a winter’s worth of straw to help provide cool places for Lakota to rest.
The following text was written by Workin' for Wolves participant: Awen Briem. Maya continues to display the most predatory behavior of the wolves in the ambassador pack. On Saturday while volunteers cleaned the retired pack enclosure, Lakota and MacKenzie were moved into the holding pen and given venison ribs. They left the ribs in the holding pen when they moved back to the retired enclosure. At the weekly feeding that night the ambassador pack was moved into the holding pen where Shadow discovered the ribs; Maya took one from Shadow. It is of note that Wolf Care Staff began using a new high definition video camera and monopod on Saturday. Wolves are acutely aware of unfamiliar items. While the ambassador pack is familiar with staff cameras, this particular equipment was new to them and their behavior displayed intimidation. Of the ambassador pack Maya seemed most intimidated by the new items.
Lakota has been enjoying the cooler temperatures, and the fresh snow that accumulated over the weekend. She spends her evenings in the denbox, and smells of the fresh cedar chips that were recently spread during the Workin' for Wolves weekend. We spread cedar chips in an effort to reduce the insect population, not much chance of insects when we still have snow on the ground and temperatures are barely reaching 40 degrees. Lakota and MacKenzie are 15 years old today, in honor of their birthday, they received a small amount of sundried cranberries from Paul and Christine Batiste, along with a donation to buy them something special for this week's dinner. We haven't decided yet, but I think we will likely get them a roasting chicken a piece.
MacKenzie continues to be very interactive in asserting her dominance over Lakota. This is all very calm and postured behaviors, but it is clear that she still has a good mental capacity and remains a very focused wolf. Lakota and MacKenzie are 15 years old today, in honor of their birthday, they received a small amount of sundried cranberries from Paul and Christine Batiste, along with a donation to buy them something special for this week's dinner. We haven't decided yet, but I think we will likely get them a roasting chicken a piece.
Attila is 26 days old today. The pups had a busy day on Thursday with a media event at 4 pm and an open house at 5 pm. The media event was outside in the grassy area adjacent to the building. The pup program for the open house only required 15 minutes in the building. After the programs, the pups were tired. The audio you hear for both pups reflects this desire for sleep, Red Paw lets out a sigh in his audio and Attila is snoring at the end of the day. The pups did additional programs on Friday, there was no whining from pups, and they went after birch bark with hair stuffed inside. They favored deer hair over wolf hair, pulling both out of birch bark. Attila is taking to the bowl and lapping formula well; we are trying gruel today, and hope to transition them to bowl feeding soon. Starting this weekend, the pups logs will only include an image and growth data only. Video and audio will be processed during the week only.
Pups are certainly getting more mobile and more curious. Attila is really focused on the sounds of the main pack, howling, growling and general noise makes him alert. In today’s audio, you will hear Attila pawing at the chain link gate when the wolves are howling in the background. During the auditorium programs, Attila seems to be more nervous than we expected. He likes to step on the ledge and look out into the enclosure. Sometimes Grizzer comes to the window and they look at each other. Attila is taking to the bowl lapping better than Red Paw and may be a good transition since he has such selective bottle feeding traits. The video shows the pups in the auditorium for a public program. They do programs at 11, 1, and 3.
Written by Nanny Team Members Tina and Ed Stimpson. Denali showed no fear avoidance with the new male nannies. Denali was active during the morning program. He was less active during afternoon programs. One of the Wolf Care Staff came to the Wolf Yard in the evening. He showed some fear avoidance. The staff person said his name. Denali recognized the person and he became relaxed. After eating in the evening, Denali was playful around the Wolf Yard. He was chasing Aidan and jumping on and off the picnic table.
It is apparent that high prolactin levels are affecting Grizzer’s behavior. Since the pups were introduce last May, Grizzer’s tolerance level to Malik’s growling and lunging at him had been noticeable to wolf care staff. This weekend, while Grizzer, Maya and Shadow were interacting in a playful way, Malik took advantage of this and lunge at Grizzer’s neck. Grizzer did not respond the first two times, but at the third, he turned around and chase Malik back to the upper enclosure, followed him for a while, and then went back to his business with Maya. This is quite a different behavior from the wintertime interactions.
The International Wolf Center advances the survival of wolf populations by teaching about wolves, their relationship to wildlands and the human role in their future.