Luna – Not Sharing Space

This weeks log written by Kim Wheeler, Executive Director, Red Wolf Coalition, Inc.  During my visit to the Center, I had the chance to spend some time with Luna.  Luna was very social with wolf care staff this week and continues to enjoy the body work that helps her to feel good.  If you watch the web cams, you have the opportunity to see Luna and Grizzer in some bouts of play.  I had the chance to witness her good mood when she decided to play and throw her meds in the air before eating them.  Luna still has some food possession issues and can often be seen lounging on a deer leg.  Wolf care staff has seen an increase in the number of play bouts between Luna and Grizzer.  Luna and Grizzer have 3 dens to use in retirement.  The other night I witnessed Grizzer on top of the east den and Luna inside.  Not sure if who picked the sleeping arrangements, but it is good to see them sharing space. 

Aidan – No Step Lost

Despite having two pups testing their boundaries here and there, an excitable larger brother, and an ever aware up and coming 4-year-old, Aidan has not wavered in his dominance. He is quick to calm the pack down should things become too excitable and lead to redirection, and he is quick to remind pack mates (including pups) of their boundaries. Aidan is a confident pack leader however, and has often been seen playing with the pups, and rolling around in the snow with pack mates. Though he is approaching 9 years of age, Aidan has shown no signs of losing his dominance.

Photo by Heidi Pinkerton

Luna – T1 Tail

Luna demonstrates a T1 tail position (Tail high, above the back) in this week’s photo. A T1 tail position often reflects high energy, or confidence. In this case Luna is chasing Grizzer away from some of her deer leg possessions. Prior to our physical work with Luna, we had noticed that her tail had been more commonly ‘locked’ in a lower position, making her tail position less flexible. As staff continue her physical work, her tail appears to have become more flexible and capable. Whether the massage work we’ve done is the cause of this change is hard to say, but we do know that Luna still seeks out this treatment from wolf care staff on a regular basis.

Boltz – Aware of opportunities

While we have not seen an intense testing of his position by Boltz, we have been aware of his eye for opportunities. Boltz has been seen posturing towards Aidan on several occasions, most often it seems when energy is high and Aidan is otherwise occupied. Some small rituals of dominance from Aidan have been enough to keep Boltz from truly pushing his boundaries. Aidan, despite being four years older than Boltz, does not seem to have missed a step.

Photo by Kelly Godfrey

Grizzer – Ever Patient

Grizzer continues to show a great tolerance for Luna’s intense food possessive behaviors. This week she had managed to acquire and possess both her own and Grizzer’s weekend meals. Staff remain ever aware of food consumption in the pack and in retirement, and feed accordingly. Grizzer received extra chicken and Bison for having little time on his deer meal. We continue to see play behavior between Luna and Grizzer as well. Their relationship does appear to be getting stronger, becoming more of a social relationship rather than a mere cohabitation. 

Photo by Kelly Godfrey

Grayson – New Environmental Stimulus

As seen in this week’s photo, humans were not the only ones to take notice that we had quite an ice and snow load on our roof. Last week we pulled the wolves off of the exhibit to remove snow and ice from our roofline. If unchecked, the weight of the snow and ice could damage the building adjacent to the wolf enclosure. The project lasted a few hours, and caused Grayson a little bit of anxiety. However the task was necessary to ensure the safety of our ambassadors, and Grayson quickly conquered this stimulus for another. With all of the excess snow on our roof, we had it piled in the middle of the enclosure (away from the roof line) for the wolves to climb and investigate. Both Grayson and his brother Axel spent a great deal of time chasing and claiming the ‘mountain’ of snow.

Photo by Kelly Godfrey

Denali – Giving Chase

Denali has been quick to jump into the play and social behavior with Axel and Grayson. Denali’s version of pup-play however tends to be on a larger scale. Weighing around 140lbs+, chasing the pups at full speed and initiating play with them can cause some intimidation from Axel and Grayson. Aidan has been quick to intervene when needed. If Denali’s energy gets too high, Aidan is often quick to enter and calm things down, whether that be done by rolling Denali over, or simply giving a few warning vocalizations.

Photo by Kelly Godfrey

Axel – Obnoxiously Submissive

As a growing pup, soon to be a yearling, Axel has of course tested his boundaries here and there. One behavior we have noticed more of in recent weeks has been obnoxious submission. This behavior, while seemingly in a subordinate posture, tends to get in the face of a more dominant animal, often resulting in more domination. In this week’s photo you can see some of the result of this behavior. Axel often becomes excitable and initiates a chase, chases in which Denali is more than willing to give. 

Photo by Kelly Godfrey

Grizzer- On the MOve

If you watch the Retired Pack webcam, you may notice Grizzer is on the move far more than Luna.  Grizzer has always had the tendency to be far more responsive to activities around the wolf yard. He doesn’t react well to unfamiliar people, equipment such as snowblowers and anything with some height (ladders, roof rakes or blowing and drifting snow off the adjacent buildings).  With the multiple days of snowfall, he’s had a lot to keep him up and active.  For a wolf nearing 13 years of age, being active is a good thing.  The webcam is focused on the Pack Holding Area that shows Luna’s new den and has the closest access to the wolf yard, but there are many days when Grizzer is sprawled out off camera on the East Side den. 

Luna- Social Dynamics

Staff are working with Luna to improve her social skills, but the reality is that Grizzer is the best companion to help Luna develop a better social relationship with fellow pack mates.  Grizzer is tolerant, yet will not back down when confronted.   Food possession can still be confrontational, but we have made significant strides and can now feed Grizzer in the presence of Luna.   Early in the introduction phase, we needed to separate the two, ensuring that Grizzer could eat in peace.  Now, we don’t separate, although we always have 2 staff feeding at the same time to avoid competition.  We have noticed an increase in social behavior between Luna and Grizzer, especially on the security cameras.  We can tell when Luna is in the mood to interact, she starts by tossing items in the air, then does a scrape across the ground, lowering her front legs into a playbow before springing away and inviting Grizzer to chase.  If you recall, Grizzer is known for displaying chase behavior, even when he lived alone, so having someone to chase or to be chased is stimulating.  It’s also great exercise for Luna who needs to stay on the slim side to avoid stress on her hip joint.