Grizzer – Good Stimuli

Thanks to all of Grizzer’s followers that want to make sure the Luna isn’t overwhelming Grizzer.  While she has her moments that Grizzer would rather avoid, their living situation is great stimuli.  Not only does he have some social engagement with Luna (yes, there are playbows and chases), but he by living with her, he has more real estate.  Rather than having one of the retirement areas, he has access to all three.  Grizzer seems healthier than he’s been in the last several years and we are most grateful for that as he will be thirteen years old on May 5th. As you can see from this photo, he is very relaxed during the morning wolf checks.

Luna – The Response We are Seeking

Staff continue to work with Luna to help her get some relief from her physical ailments.  We know when we have the appropriate technique by the look on her face and the relaxation in her body.  Luna’s issues are a life-long commitment for the wolf care staff and we continue to explore all avenues to improve her quality of life.  We see a positive response that translates into a more positive social relationship between she and Grizzer. 

Aidan – A Unique Bond

In this photo, Grayson is paying homage to Aidan.  Note Grayson’s flat ears, crouched body while licking Adian’s face; a classic sign of submission.  Grayson has a strong bond with Aidan and certainly spends more time in appeasement behavior than his littermate Axel or any of the the other pack members,  This is certainly in line with Grayson’s more gentler approach to interactions.  We even notice that Aidan does less dominance over Grayson than he does over Axel.  Of course, that’s probably because Grayson doesn’t need much dominance.  The Vermilion Community College Wolf Ethology students will start their data recording sessions in March and we suspect their behavioral data will support our interpretation of a strong bond between the current pack leader and the pup that came into the pack with a host of social anxiety.

Axel – Chin Rests

Axel is displaying a chin rest on Denali as a show of passive dominance.  As you can interpret from Denali’s response, (ears pricked and turned sideways and lips slightly curled), this posturing from a 9-month old pup is less than welcome.  We knew Axel had confidence on the first day of the pup introduction when he successfully fed on a turkey carcass with Denali.  This confidence continued throughout the winter as Axel matured.  There are many observations of Axel’s passive, yet effective signals of status.  Chin rests, stand overs, persistent competition over food resources and overall persistence with Denali’s space and possessions.  There are some similarities between these two. 

Denali – Expressive when Guarding Possessions

In this week’s Youtube clip, there is a video sequence showing the interactions between Axel and Denali that led to this facial expression.  Denali prefers the height and comfort of the pump housing, especially if fresh cover hay is prepared.  This is a great place to rest away from the melting snow, the inquisitive ravens and usually in full warmth of a february sun.  It’s a place to cache bones for a mid-day snack.  The only challenge is that the rest of the pack wants the same space.  In this photo, Denali shows an alert response with the start of a lip curl towards Axel before Axel climbs on the pump housing and attempts to possess not only the space, but all of Denali’s possessions.

Grayson- a Gentle Look

The personalities of the pups are certainly emerging as winter transitions to spring.  Grayson’s facial expressions are very unique.  There is something about his eyes that appear to have a more engaging and softer tone than his littermate.  With that face, seems to be a mirrored behavior.  He is a gentle greeter, not displaying the in-your-face muzzle biting and grabbing that is a typical Axel greeting.  When Grayson is excited so interact, he displays a short howl before running over with tail wagging to greet.  Grayson continues to lag behind Axel is size.  We will be weighing the pups on their 10 month birthday on March 2nd.

Aidan – I Don’t Think So…

Log written by Kim Wheeler, Executive Director, Red Wolf Coalition, Inc.  During my visit at the Center I had the opportunity to see Aidan’s impressive skills at keeping his pack in order.  If you watch the web cams or have the opportunity to visit in person, you will see that Aidan always has a watchful eye on what is going on with all the exhibit wolves.  Aidan was quick to step in if playing got out of hand, especially if Boltz was involved.  Denali was the focus of his attention one day and I witnessed him dominate and roll over Denali on two occasions.   At almost 9 years old, it is amazing to watch Aidan keep up with the pups as they run through the exhibit.  He is a great pack leader. 

Boltz – Opportunistic

This weeks log written by Kim Wheeler, Executive Director, Red Wolf Coalition, Inc.  During my visit at the Center, I had the opportunity to watch Boltz play with the pups.  His play time is often cut short when Aidan steps in to put an end to the fun.  Even though Boltz is often the focus of Aidan, he still finds many opportunities to engage with the pack.  I witnessed Aidan dominate Boltz through a very stern dominance action, and then 30 minutes later they were resting next to each other in the hay.  Just another example of the cohesive nature of this pack.  At 4.5 years old, Boltz is a fit and handsome wolf. 

Denali – An Oversized Pup?

This weeks logs are written by Kim Wheeler, Executive Director, Red Wolf Coalition, Inc.  During my visit to the Center, I had the chance to watch Denali engage with his pack mates. He truly is an over-sized pup.  He often sought out a pup for play and a chase around the exhibit enclosure.  Like Boltz, Denali’s chases and playing with the pups is often cut short by Aidan.   Aidan seems to give Denali a little more space than he does with Boltz, when playing with the pups.  Denali is in good health and runs through the enclosure just like the pups.  I wonder if he has found the fountain of youth?  

Grayson – Intimidation?

This weeks log is written by Kim Wheeler, Executive Director, Red Wolf Coalition, Inc.  During my visit to the Center, I had the opportunity to watch Grayson interact with his pack mates.  Grayson has not only grown in size, current weight 77.8 lbs, but also in confidence. Grayson had a weight gain of 1.6 lbs from last month.  I witnessed many play bouts that were initiated by Grayson, that ended in a chase of Axle.  Grayson and Axle can be found resting near, and sometimes on each other.  Grayson still seeks out Aidan and seems to find comfort with Aidan when he needs it.  This week Grayson and Axle turned 9 months.