At 3:30 pm, all wolves howled at a fire siren with the exception of Mackenzie who didn't even lift her head from her sleeping position (she's still tired from the introduction). The pack rally lasted 4 minutes and the pups readily joined in but didn't run to any of the adults. Lucas howled from the greeting rock and Lakota howled next to the rock.
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Sorry for the lapse in logs, I was at 2 professional conferences in the last two weeks; Wolf Care staff took great care of the wolves in my absence. MacKenzie remains very alert and healthy this winter. She is very tuned in to the actions of the main exhibit and has her own special bed adjacent to the fence closest to the main exhibit. Her health continues to be good, and her eye condition has had a bit of a coloration change, but no real indication that it's causing her any discomfort. A vet check was postponed recently due to a medical situation for the vet, but will be rescheduled soon.
Donna Prichard (wolf nanny) writes: The pups continue to grow and exhibit more and more wolf behaviors. Their bodies are also beginning to take on the shape of adults. Shadow continues to show some sign of fear when large groups of people come too close, so I step in to calm him down. On the other hand, Malik is more bold and does not seem to show any fear of people. Malik and Shadow have been displaying caching behaviors and aggressions over food. This week, Shadow began shaking food items, such as an adult wolf would with a hare, for example. Both pups have definitely displayed unique individual characteristics which define them. Being a nanny has been a wonderful, enlightening learning experience. I hope to return to the wolf center often to see Malik and Shadow in their roles of ambassador wolves.
All's well in retirement, not much to report. New straw, warm weather and sunny days makes for a good day when you're nearing 13… Lakota still likes a good chase around the enclosure and uses the log bench to climb on the den box.
Maya can best be described as alert and always investigating. I know we've said it before, but she has a predatory instinct that is easily stimulated. Whether it's stalking Grizzer, ravens or snowflakes, she's very efficient in a stalk, lunge, chase behavioral sequence.
Nyssa is doing well. She's still the master of the carcass and can intimidate just about any wolf with a direct gaze, barred teeth and a bit of a lunge. In this week's photo, Grizzer is showing submissive posture and doesn't want to get in Nyssa's way, even though he has about 25 lbs on her.
MALIK: Weight: 28.0 lbs. Length: 47.0" Canines: 1/2" SHADOW: Weight: 29.0 lbs. Length: 47.6" Canines: 1/2" (an adult canine is emerging within Shadow's mouth) Observations noted this week: -Shadow's permanent upper left canine broke through early this week -Both pups eyes are now changing from blue to yellow -The pups have been weaned. Formula is no longer added to their food -Malik chewed on fallen hail during a recent thunderstorm -Malik continues to submit to us when greeting -Both pups have been easily excited over a deer leg within the auditorium enclosure -Shadow received a small scratch on his nose from Malik; the scab is healing well
MacKenzie has been doing well, as you can see from the video, there is no expense spared when it comes to thick, straw beds that keep the wolves warm. You will see in this week’s video, that MacKenzie is enjoying a beaver carcass. We increase the feeding of beaver during the cold weather since it has a high fat content. MacKenzie had another great visit, fully submitting on her back to Laurie Feela. There were no signs of pain or discomfort. During this cold spell, both Mac and Lakota are getting warmed meat and chicken on a nearly daily basis, which helps their older metabolism.
As you can see by the various videos this week, the winter dominance is heightened. Grizzer continues to test and circle the arctics, but has been focusing on Shadow more than Malik. This creates a lot of anxiety in Shadow and a lot of vocalizations. One thing staff has noticed is that Grizzer doesn’t seem to know what to do if he wins a dominance dispute. He tests, but doesn’t challenge. He’s more likely to go off with Maya and wrestle after testing Shadow than continue with more dominance posturing.
Wolves tend to be creatures of habit and MacKenzie certainly demonstrates that. When new straw is placed in the retired pack, staff must make sure MacKenzie gets her bed in the corner of the enclosure. As the dominant member of the retired pack, she watches the actions of the exhibit pack and positions herself adjacent to the enclosure with her back to the wall, very aware of all activities around the enclosure. In this week’s video, you will see dominant posturing toward Lakota who takes a turn in MacKenzie’s bed.
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