The wolf logs will all be the same today, we would like to thank all of the wolf care supporters this past year. From the significant donations to the Water in the Lab fund to the vitamins and nutritional supplements, straw, squeaky toys, pigs ears, blueberries, tools, jump drives, web cams and many more items that are donated to the lab each year, we are so grateful there are so many people who help support the Retired and Exhibit Pack. There are too many names to mention, but you know who you are. We can always count on you when the wolves are in need. We are happy to report that all is well on this New Years Day, 2008. The Exhibit Pack received 2 frozen fish from a recent fishing trip, one caught by Assistant Wolf Curator, Donna Prichard and one caught by Lori Schmidt, Wolf Curator. Grizzer and Maya enjoyed rolling on them. The retired wolves are doing well, excited about the thawing of two deer legs for a mid-week feeding. The Nanny applications are posted on the website, they can be found on the Programs tab, look in Wolf Seminars or Learning Vacations – Northern Minnesota. We did institute a prerequisite program for the Nanny program this year, we did this based on some experiences that we had in 2004. Wolf pups are not dog pups, and we want to make sure nannies have to skills knowledge and abilities to assist in the socialization process. This is an historic time for the International Wolf Center, 2008 will mark the first time the Center has had three age structures in a pack and we want to make sure the best interest of the pups and the pack in mind as we move forward. If you have questions about the Nanny program, please email the curator directly at curator@wolf.org
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Malik continues to be the third ranking male, and is very tuned in to the actions of Grizzer and Shadow. Malik has been observed sleeping with Shadow and has some clear litter mate assocication with Shadow. In this week's video, you will see Malik investigating tree branches in the enclosure (where a tree limb snapped off with the weight of the snow). He is interested in the scent, but a bit jumpy when Grizzer and Shadow interact.
The winter continues to be an active time for the Exhibit Pack. While some ritualized dominance struggles are part of the natural order of the wolf pack, the compatibility of the pack is very good. The wolves have strong social interactions, and even though Grizzer will make Malik a target for redirected aggression, the pack spends time together sleeping, feeding and interacting. There’s no one individual that stays on the fringe of activity, which can happen if there’s a lot of tension. Grizzer remains submissive to Shadow and some of the earlier testing seems to have decreased. He has been submissively rolling over for wolf care staff. It is important that external stresses be minimized in the wolf yard at this time of the year, and the staff has made a decision to reduce the amount of Behind the Scenes programs during the winter. The Behind the Scenes programs will continue in May, after the cycle of these dominance hormones decreases. As a reminder, the Nanny and Behavioral Team applications are on the website under the Programs tab… the deadline is February 1st.
The wolf logs will all be the same today, we would like to thank all of the wolf care supporters this past year. From the significant donations to the Water in the Lab fund to the vitamins and nutritional supplements, straw, squeaky toys, pigs ears, blueberries, tools, jump drives, web cams and many more items that are donated to the lab each year, we are so grateful there are so many people who help support the Retired and Exhibit Pack. There are too many names to mention, but you know who you are. We can always count on you when the wolves are in need. We are happy to report that all is well on this New Years Day, 2008. The Exhibit Pack received 2 frozen fish from a recent fishing trip, one caught by Assistant Wolf Curator, Donna Prichard and one caught by Lori Schmidt, Wolf Curator. Grizzer and Maya enjoyed rolling on them. The retired wolves are doing well, excited about the thawing of two deer legs for a mid-week feeding. The Nanny applications are posted on the website, they can be found on the Programs tab, look in Wolf Seminars or Learning Vacations – Northern Minnesota. We did institute a prerequisite program for the Nanny program this year, we did this based on some experiences that we had in 2004. Wolf pups are not dog pups, and we want to make sure nannies have to skills knowledge and abilities to assist in the socialization process. This is an historic time for the International Wolf Center, 2008 will mark the first time the Center has had three age structures in a pack and we want to make sure the best interest of the pups and the pack in mind as we move forward. If you have questions about the Nanny program, please email the curator directly at curator@wolf.org
In Malik’s video, you will see him using Shadow as a buffer to Grizzer. He is very dependent on Shadow for social interactions and has been observed resting near Shadow on a regular basis. But, as the clip also shows, he is very capable of defending himself with a threat display that even Shadow respects. He’s a unique individual that has a different interaction than the other wolves. It is very critical that the pack remains calm, any tension in the social order and Malik gets redirected aggression from Grizzer. It is also tense when feeding small amounts of food or treats, in the end of the clip, Malik has a rawhide chew that becomes the focus of Grizzer. Unfortunately for Malik, Grizzer eats his treats quickly and moves on to the other wolves. Treats are limited here, and is the one reason why large carcasses are fed to the pack, so all the wolves have a plentiful amount of meat to eat. As a reminder, the Nanny and Behavioral Team applications are on the website under the Programs tab… the deadline is February 1st
Shadow is doing well and the pack seems to be very calm. He has been observed showing play behavior towards Grizzer and certainly Maya. It is with high tail and confidence that he walks through the enclosure, and when necessary, his vocalizations remind Grizzer of his rank. He is a great example of a pack leader and we are so looking forward to the pup introduction in the upcoming year.As a reminder, the Nanny and Behavioral Team applications are on the website under the Programs tab… the deadline is February 1st.
Written by Workin' For Wolves participants Andi Nelson and Awen Briem: During this weekend's Workin' For Wolves program, the main objective in the retired enclosure was to stabilize a den, dug by Lakota, that had recently caved in. Roughly a dozen 8 ft. long, 6 in. diameter birch logs were hauled in and placed over the opening to provide shelter from the elements and ensure wolf safety. MacKenzie expressed interest in exploring the den interior, but was reluctant to go in despite the tempation of a pig's ear treat. In this week's video, you will see her investigating the newest addition to the retirement enclosure.
The water and sewer work is completed in the enclosure and wolf yard. The wolves actually did very well with the construction work, and they seemed to really like the contractors. During the initial construction outside of the enclosure, the wolves remained on the Exhibit but were lightly sedated to take the edge off of their anxiety. On Wednesday the 17th, the wolves were locked off the Exhibit in the pack holding area and given a heavier sedative. All wolves went into holding except Maya… she was given a sedative and allowed to watch the construction from inside the enclosure. Grizzer’s larger body size and young vibrant condition made it a challenge to estimate drug dosage. He had a higher dose than any of the pack, yet showed the least signs of effect. There’s been very little redirected aggression observed, and despite some following behavior and chatter between Grizzer and Malik, the pack seems to be cohesive. The video clip for the Exhibit pack shows a howling bout that occurred on Saturday morning. Grizzer attempts to get on the rock with the dominant pair, but is rebuffed. He then spends time shadowing Malik.
Lakota’s winter coat has grown in, the stitches have dissolved and the hair has completely covered her scar. She seems to have a noticeably better attitude since the surgery and is as spry as ever. Of course, when cold weather hits, she will likely be feeling her age again, but for now, you would be hard to tell that she is 14 1/2 years old. The video this week shows Lakota eating her half of a beaver; she has not lost any jaw capacity or ability to rip into meat.
One thing we have noticed is that MacKenzie certainly hasn’t lost her hearing. She is very keen on any noise or activity around the wolf yard. She has had a bit of a time dealing with the noise from the construction, but it was so short-lived, she dealt with it just fine. She still enjoys the beaver feedings, and the special chicken dinner she gets during the middle of the week.
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