Lakota's foot seems to be better after the short treatment of Rimdayl. A vet visit is scheduled for next week; this may have been a response from over activity or from the intense cold. Wolf care staff has been adding extra straw bales to the enclosure to reduce cold exposure to compacted snow in the enclosure. The vet and the curator will determine the next course of action.
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Nancy Jo Tubbs fed the wolves tonight. Larger carcass went to the retired pack, smaller carcass to the arctics. Shadow hesitated by the outer gate of the holding pen; he seems to have been negatively conditioned to the gate. Staff are reminded to be very careful when holding wolves off; it is important that the wolves feel comfortable in the pack holding area. Exhibit maintenance needs require the wolves to be off exhibit, and we want them to be comfortable when being held off.
Good interactions with all wolves. In the corner of retirement enclosure, the ground wire facing the main exhibit was significantly dug up and chewed. All wolves were checked for possible teeth/gum injuries, the only thing noticed was the tip of MacKenzie’s nose looked red and irritated. The ground wire damage could have been a result of a wolf (probably MacKenzie) caching food in frozen ground or maybe an attempt to get to the arctic wolves. This area will be monitored daily and repaired when the ground thaws.
Pups enjoy their first moose leg. Malik and Shadow were both seen tearing and scraping at the leg, just as adults would.
Lucas spent today's check investigating the smells of the new straw beds. He even spent a bit of time chewing the straw before he settled in for his morning nap.
1-23-01 "Mackenzie aggressive dominance toward both pups, because they tried to greet the handlers first. Lucas aggressive dominance toward both pups over small chunk of Beaver remaining from 1-20-00 feeding."
CVC to all. Lucas exhibited aggressive dominance toward Shadow, very intent on following Shadow and keeping him submissive. Malik went right into the holding pen, but when he heard the door sliding shut he turned around and wanted out. Staff let him go in and out several times until he relaxed.
MALIK Weight: 23.5 lbs. Length: 41" Canines: 1/2" SHADOW Weight: 23.5 lbs. Length: 41" Canines: 1/2" Malik seems a bit uncoordinated and continues to work on his mobility and balancing skills. Shadow barked at Malik for the first time. Both pups are showing increased dominance towards each other at various stages. Malik and Shadow have individually gained eight pounds since the first of July. The wolf pups enjoy slices of frozen beaver tail and deer legs as a summertime treat.
MALIK: Weight: 25.5 lbs. Length: 45.0" Canines: 1/2" SHADOW: Weight: 26.0 lbs. Length: 45.6" Canines: 1/2" Observations noted -Shadow is showing more fear towards loud noises (LS) -Lucas and Mackenzie played near pup pen and both pups retreated with a tucked tail -Both pups are still enjoying the use of a moose leg during auditorium presentations -Malik continues to exhibit caching behaviors, burying bones and other foods underneath the soil for later use -Noted increased dexterity and coordination in both pups -Noticed Shadow performing a full head shake with a deer hide in his mouth -The pups seem much more aggressive with each other when food is involved -Both pups now have 28 teeth One morning I noticed Lakota standing beside the pups, seperated by a fence, whining for thirty minutes straight
" The pups are coming into the auditorium four times daily for Meet the Pack Presentations. The Nannies are the motivational force behind the puppies scheduled appearance at the programs, and they are finding this task to be harder than it looks. The challenge to socializing the pups is the creativity necessary to keep their lives in captivity and more specifically, their program routines, as stimulating as possible. The pups are extremely intelligent and curious. When they get bored, they get restless want to move on to something new, they don't care if they still have 10 minutes left to an educational program or a scheduled appearance. During the first week of pup programs, the Nannies have tried the following items to positively condition the puppies to the routine and to keep them stimulated throughout their busy schedule: Venison Steak/Pronghorn Steak Hamburger Deer Hide (which provided their first scats with deer hair) A Kong (chew-toy) filled with meat Cow Hooves Bird feathers Ice cubes in the water Birch Logs A tray of dirt More Birch Logs Balsam Boughs Rawhide chews Pigs ears Pine Cones A piece of deer hide on a leash (to lead the puppies back to the pen) A Moose leg Of all the items listed, the most stimulating to the pups would have to be the Moose leg, unfortunately, too much of a good thing may be trouble. The pups exhibit guarding behavior of the moose leg and don't want to leave the building without it, but at this time, they can't quite lift it. This week, we plan on using a deer leg to give the puppies a chance to carry their rewards back to their enclosure with them."
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