I’m sure many of you will watch Grizzer’s video and be a bit worried about Malik. It’s never easy to recognize that a pack of wolves always has a top and a bottom. Fortunately, Grizzer is still young and while he may be testing the arctic’s, he’s not that intense on his follow through. The video clip for Malik this week shows that while Malik is free to do as he pleases in the enclosure, including eat on carcasses, he is mindful of the actions of the other wolves. In the background video, you will hear Grizzer and Shadow having a dominance dispute, that’s enough for Malik to be concerned and leave his piece of carcass. Don’t worry, wolf care staff assess all wolves scat for determination of meat processed in their diet and if anyone is lacking, they are separated out and fed a special diet. So far, all wolves get their share. The biggest concern is not the interactions between wolves, but Shadow’s always been intimidated by strangers and tends to avoid feeding when the public is at the window watching. But, one smell of Shadow’s breath on Saturday mornings, and you will know that he had a full meal.
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We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again. Of all the wolves at the Center, Maya is the best at stalking and pouncing. Some week’s, it’s a raven that gets the attention, in this week’s video, it’s Grizzer. As you watch, he walking across the enclosure, you will see her head drop and her stare intensify as she does a quick stalk, then pounces off the den onto Grizzer. She proceeds to dominate Grizzer who shows complete submission and relaxation (his tail is not tucked and he exposes his belly). This is how littermates release a little energy. There’s no change in status, just an opportunity to practice some skills.
Due to time constraints, there will be one log posted for all. Spring has arrived, causing significant snow melt filling the pond in the main Exhibit Pack enclosure. The colder weather quickly followed and created an ice covered pond that the wolves have been enjoying. Initially, they tested the ice for stability, now they run across without consideration. More snow fell on Sunday night, requiring new straw beds and more shoveling. Dominance was calming down, but this new snowfall stimulated the pack again. The dominance seems to be focused toward Malik, but Shadow is alert and assertive if Grizzer shows and testing behavior. In this week’s photos, Jacky Fallon from the Minnesota Zoo provides two great photos showing the dominance hierarchy and Shadow’s strong role when leading the pack in howls.
Due to time constraints, there will be one log posted for all. Spring has arrived, causing significant snow melt filling the pond in the main Exhibit Pack enclosure. The colder weather quickly followed and created an ice covered pond that the wolves have been enjoying. Initially, they tested the ice for stability, now they run across without consideration. More snow fell on Sunday night, requiring new straw beds and more shoveling. Dominance was calming down, but this new snowfall stimulated the pack again. The dominance seems to be focused toward Malik, but Shadow is alert and assertive if Grizzer shows and testing behavior. In this week’s photos, Jacky Fallon from the Minnesota Zoo provides two great photos showing the dominance hierarchy and Shadow’s strong role when leading the pack in howls.
Due to time constraints, there will be one log posted for all. Spring has arrived, causing significant snow melt filling the pond in the main Exhibit Pack enclosure. The colder weather quickly followed and created an ice covered pond that the wolves have been enjoying. Initially, they tested the ice for stability, now they run across without consideration. More snow fell on Sunday night, requiring new straw beds and more shoveling. Dominance was calming down, but this new snowfall stimulated the pack again. The dominance seems to be focused toward Malik, but Shadow is alert and assertive if Grizzer shows and testing behavior. In this week’s photos, Jacky Fallon from the Minnesota Zoo provides two great photos showing the dominance hierarchy and Shadow’s strong role when leading the pack in howls.
MacKenzie is continuing to slow down, and as the warm weather approaches, we are noticing a great deal of panting. Wolves have a difficult time during this spring adjustment period when the temperatures can be very warm, but they haven’t begun the shedding process. Wolves will generally start to shed around the first of June. If you’ve ever visited Minnesota during May, you may have experienced the black fly season. It might explain why the shedding process is a bit more delayed.
The position of 3rd ranking male seems to have been defined and Malik is it. While Grizzer is still a relatively calm 2nd male, his mere presence will make Malik growl or bare his teeth, even with a submissive posture from Grizzer. In this week’s photo, Malik has shown the same posture to Maya, but she just submissively licks his face and walks away. If Grizzer does respond to Malik, it usually ends up in a chase. In this week’s video, you will see both Malik and Shadow investigating the ice chunks remaining in the pond. This is the earliest date for the pond to thaw and drain. The frost went out of the ground, thawing the pond, before the top ice melted, causing the ice chunks to collapse.
Shadow surely takes the lead in communicating for the pack. He is first to sense any external threat, in this week’s photo, he was howling in response to wild wolves that howled from the wooded area behind the enclosure. He postures himself on top of the main rock and faces the direction of the intruders. He is still very social with Maya and Grizzer, if Grizzer allows it, but it is clear his confidence has been decreased this winter. When Grizzer is behind him, he tucks his tail and attempts to whirl around and face him. This causes Grizzer excitement and intensifies the interaction. There have been no physical bites between the males this winter and that’s a good sign. Dominance between wolves can sometimes be more physical. Our hopes are for continued pack compatibility through next winter and the presence of the 2008 pups will bring the focus on the young and not on the weaknesses of the older animals.
It’s been an interesting week, from record high temperatures last week that melted the pond, to a predicted snowstorm with up to 7 inches of accumulation. Weather has a great impact on wolves’ behavior. When the weather was warming, the wolves were moving into a pattern of decreased dominance and increased resting patterns. All of the photos this week are of wolves in various routines of sleeping. The sleeping arrangements of the wolves are of interest to the wolf care staff. Grizzer took over the top of the den, Shadow and Malik were sleeping together on the side hill and Maya spent some time in the woods. The pack dynamics seems to be calming as spring approaches and the natural hormonal decline occurs. In this week’s video, you will see Shadow and Malik directing some displays toward Grizzer, but Grizzer ignores them.
MacKenzie is very alert to all activity that occurs within her enclosure and outside of her enclosure. In this week’s photo, she is doing a threat display towards the male dominance hierarchy in the Exhibit Pack, even though their fence line is over 25 feet away. One day during wolf care, MacKenzie was in a very excited mood, actually running toward wolf care staff and submitting. Her video clip this week, you show MacKenzie in a submissive posture, before she gets up and runs across the enclosure to one of the staff. It’s always a thrill to see these older animals so excited.
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