This past week, the curator was out of town attending conferences for the HP grant and the Society of American Foresters. While we manage with a style of multiple wolf care staff, the change in routine can have an impact on the wolves. To distract the pack from this change, items are given to provide them a behavioral outlet. Last week, a bison hide that was donated from a hunter was given to the pack on Monday. This provided a significant amount of behavior including tug of war, guarding behavior, active submission and dominance and overall excitement. Grizzer was not as actively involved with dominating the hide as he was observing Malik's intense possession. This week's photo posted for Malik and Grizzer shows this expression. Grizzer has remained calm this winter and despite a few dominance scuffles with Malik, his overall nature is very relaxed. The full video clip of the bison hide will be included with the YouTube video this week.
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This past week, the curator was out of town attending conferences for the HP grant and the Society of American Foresters. While we manage with a style of multiple wolf care staff, the change in routine can have an impact on the wolves. To distract the pack from this change, items are given to provide them a behavioral outlet. Last week, a bison hide that was donated from a hunter was given to the pack on Monday. This provided a significant amount of behavior including tug of war, guarding behavior, active submission and dominance and overall excitement. Maya continued to display her stalking and lunging behavior that has become the tone of the winter. Whether it relates to keeping the other wolves from the hide or just a general stalk of Aidan, she has had many interesting displays this winter. Staff also noticed what appears to be a wart-like growth on her head. We will watch this as it progresses, but at this point are not concerned. MacKenzie had a similar growth on her foot for years, and other than occasionally biting it open, it never resulted in any problems. The full video clip of the bison hide will be included with the YouTube video this week.
We had a stretch of warm weather here that really calmed behaviors, but with the forecast of a blizzard, with up to a foot of snow, the wolves are getting excited again. This morning during wolf care, Aidan was very social, but also very mindful of Maya. Maya continues to eye stalk, and follow through with a full run at Aidan. Aidan has taken to running into a corner by the windows, with a threat squeal before she even reaches him. Then, as if nothing happened, he goes about wrestling with Denali and finding scraps from the recent feeding. He has become very submissive to wolf care staff, frequently rolling over for staff. Denali on the other hand, doesn't roll over for much.
Malik continues to have some very high anxiety growling towards just about every wolf in the pack, but the rest of the pack seems to be ignoring his nervous behavior, with the exception of a few following bouts by Grizzer, Malik hasn't had much focus lately. This change has resulted in Malik being more relaxed, resting on the snowbank with the pups, and overall, being more relaxed. It's hard to decipher if the anxiety that Malik experiences is a result of the pack focusing on him, or if his anxious displays is why the pack focuses on him. Our job in wolf care is to not intervene in the social structure, but to create an environment with limited external stress and distractions that might contribute to anxiety.
Shadow continues to be a great pack leader, showing the pups dominance when needed, and showing the pups social bonding behavior as well. It is amazing to watch his reaction to strife, as he approaches with high tail and stands over the activity, not intervening, but letting everyone know his presence. Some days, he comes over to wolf care staff when the rest of the pack is in various stages of dominance, and he just greets with a wag in his tail and a facial posture of confidence. Other days, staff wonder if he wants a break in the retired enclosure. Although, Shadow rarely leaves the enclosure anymore, when the rest of the pack is drawn into holding for the feeding, Shadow doesn't go with them. He waits at the gate for their return.
The wolves are all doing well, and the wolf care staff certainly are appreciative of all the support from members and viewers of the wolf logs. As always, the wolf care staff will be doing wolf care throughout the holidays and people can rest assured that the wolves and wolf care will always main our first priority at the International Wolf Center. Have a great holiday season, and check out the Youtube video, it shows the pack in good spirits, especially Grizzer and Denali who have become great pals. Malik is joining in on pack howls, and has adjusted well to life in retirement.
The logs will all be the same this week due to some other obligations of the Curator. Malik has adjusted well to the new privacy fence erected on the fence line facing the Exhibit Pack. He still has an area to view the pack between the fences at the main entrance gate, but by having the 100 foot wall protected, it gives him more security. There was a lot of debate about the wood privacy fence among staff. We weren’t certain that he would have more anxiety if he could hear the pack, but not see them. We also had to determine if his anxiety was about getting back in with the pack, rather than not being the focus of the pack. If he wanted to get back in with them, he would likely become more excited at the lack of visual connection. If he was insecure about them seeing him, and wanted to be protected from them, then he would likely relax. The fact that he was sleeping comfortably in his den within 15 minutes of the fence completion is probably indicative of an attitude that he wanted protection from the pack. He is very relaxed, and as I write this (we have a security camera on him so he is always visible in the lab), he is very relaxed, watching ravens on his food caches. Many people have asked when we will put a webcam on his enclosure, at this time, we don’t want to make any changes to his environment, and want to give him time to adjust. The webcam boxes are large and bulky, necessary to keep the cameras heated in winter, but a bit intrusive for a wolf that is getting used to his life and enclosure. He will be filmed for the weekly YouTube video, and when he is ready, there will be a camera. The main pack is very calm, Maya and Aidan still have some issues, actually, Maya is just dominant, she has no issue. Shadow is extremely social with all pack members, and Denali likes to wrestle, eat and foreleg stab at things. Grizzer is extremely calm, and the removal of the stress between he and Malik has done wonders for him, and the pack tension overall.
Aidan's been displaying more play behavior this past week than in previous weeks. He's still very aware of Maya, and Maya will still chase him back to the den, but staff have observed Maya doing some courtship behavior, and Aidan and Grizzer spending some time wrestling. The interest by Grizzer is still very social, but staff need to watch this interaction to ensure that there isn't more dominance interest from Grizzer.
Denali is still maintaining some juvenile traits. These include wrestling with Aidan and Grizzer, getting excited with treats and curling up in any straw bed that is present. With temperatures reaching -16 degrees on Saturday night, staff put some straw in the open areas to get some daytime sun on Sunday, and Denali was first to possess the new straw.
The wolves are all doing well, and the wolf care staff certainly are appreciative of all the support from members and viewers of the wolf logs. As always, the wolf care staff will be doing wolf care throughout the holidays and people can rest assured that the wolves and wolf care will always main our first priority at the International Wolf Center. Have a great holiday season, and check out the Youtube video, it shows the pack in good spirits, especially Grizzer and Denali who have become great pals. Malik is joining in on pack howls, and has adjusted well to life in retirement.
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