This week has yet another challenge for Grizzer. He has to adapt to the change of a fall schedule, which means the wolf curator is not on site every day to keep an eye on activity. Of course, the wolf curator is on call for emergencies, but wolf care must be done earlier in the day and later in the day than the usual schedule. It's not a problem, the wolves still get the quality care that they usually receive. In fact, they probably get more time, with the Center closing at 5 pm instead of 7 pm, there's more time for work at the end of the day. But. it's different, and some wolves don't like change, which basically describes Grizzer. The upcoming September 2nd Wolf Watch will be very telling as to Grizzer's activity. There is still time to register for Wolf Watch; it is a great opportunity to see the pack as a unit, without the stimulus of the human influence.
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Malik has mastered the art of stealing caches. As Shadow regains weight, and is offered food on a daily basis, he doesn't always need it, so he caches. Malik waits until Shadow is about 5 feet away, then digs it up and eats it before Shadow approaches. This has resulted in more weight gain for Malik, which isn't bad as winter approaches. How much weight gain? We don't know, Malik refuses to put all 4 feet on the scale. So far, we have not overcome is cautious behavior towards the scale, but by the looks of his mid-section, he's developed a bit more roundish figure.
What can we say about Maya other than, it must be tough to keep control of things that you can easily walk under. Maya has no problem walking under Denali without even stooping. The constant vocalization must be tiring for her as well as the rest of the pack, but that is a method to assert authority without being physical and that is the reason why vocalization is used. Maya is probably the most complex wolf on site, but we appreciate all that she has taught us about pack dynamics. While filming the Youtube video this week, we observed a parallel gate between Maya and Grizzer, unfortunately, we didn't get it on film, only the ending where Maya licked Grizzer in the face. We think Maya would appreciate some help, it's just not certain who is going to be that male leader.
There has been a bit of activity in the pack that affects Aidan. Grizzer has finally had enough with Denali and proceeded to do a chase throughout the enclosure which lasted several minutes. How does this affect Aidan? Initially, it gets Maya excited, so she redirects to Aidan, then Maya joins the chase, leaving Aidan to hop excitedly at the front of the Exhibit. He knows he could get some dominance if he joins in, so he stays at the bottom of the hill, waiting for the pack mates to run by, so he can join in.
Grizzer had a little exercise this morning. After being the recipient of several ride-up and chin rests from Denali, he began a chase with an intensity that surprised the wolf care staff and even surprised Denali. I don't think anyone thought Grizzer could move that fast. Needless to say, Grizzer didn't catch Denali and after several minutes, he gave up, panting and headed for the pond. Of course, Denali followed him in the pond, but by that time, the chase was out of Grizzer, but the attitude probably remains. Grizzer is tolerant, but he has his limits.
Wolf care staff have commented on how social Maya has been lately, given longer greetings and more intensity than she has in a long time. We also notice that Maya is getting more guarding of wolf care staff and attempts to keep Denali and Aidan away. Maya has also started a behavior of following the scat collectors while they do their job. It's like having a direct supervisor right in the enclosure.
The following log was written by Wolf Watch Observer: Roberta Ryan<br> <br> Grizzer tends to avoid the other wolves when conflict arises, but when he is interacting, it's almost always with Denali. Jaw sparring, chasing and resting near each other are common behaviors for these two. When wrestling turns into a dominance issue, Grizzer chooses to leave rather than follow through with reinforcing his dominance. Grizzer prefers to be elevated, spending a lot of time on the den or greeting rock, as is shown in his picture this week. He often pushes other wolves off of these spaces so he can rest there. Notably, Grizzer was observed sleeping with Aidan for about half an hour, suggesting that there may be more to his relationships than we know so far.<br> <br> Note from the Curator <br><br> As a reminder, the Wolf Watch program will be scheduled the first Thursday of the month until the pack dynamics settles into some defined leadership. For more information, check out the Program tab on the website under Seminars…
Shadow continues to be the focus of our efforts, taking time during each day to hand feed him a few pounds of meat in between the larger feedings. He is a very delicate eater, gently taking food from our hands, while Malik will grab anything and everything offered. We are probably feeding Malik more than he needs, but winter is coming, and his extra reserves will be put to use. Even though Shadow is not as aggressive when feeding, he does remain active and extremely social with the wolf care staff, usually indicating that he's feeling fine. Thanks to our Retired Wolf Supporters, Judy Adler, Sharon Hibbard and Sharon Siebert for the kind donation of resources to purchase beef and chicken. Your recent donations purchased a case of beef and chicken, which is about a 2 week supply. Thanks from the Retired wolves and the staff that care for them.
Shadow joined Malik in a chase around the pond in excitement on one of the cooler fall like days. We're starting to see these excited behaviors more frequently, with Shadow, it's definitely a sign that he's feeling good. Sometimes Malik shows excitement with some anxiety, but Shadow, as a confident animal, usually only responds to the pleasure of a good meal, a cool breeze and the sight of a favorite wolf care staff member. I know I might be missing someone, but I wanted to make sure I acknowledged the donors for the wolf care fund, we just bought 40 lbs of beef and 80 lbs of chicken, which will last about 3 – 4 weeks. Thanks to Bot Poteete… your donation is for a worth cause.
Grizzer revealed an interesting set of behaviors during the Wolf Watch. He clearly has mastered the skill of intimidation without even touching Denali. His main technique is waiting in ambush, hiding behind bushes or rocks, waiting for Denali to wander in range. These sessions lasted several minutes, with him moving about the enclosure, repeating the behavior frequently, causing Denali to have a very restless, active evening. Grizzer has a very intense direct eye stare, and he uses it frequently on Denali. It does appear that Grizzer's focus on Aidan has diminished, and he is far more tolerant of Aidan, allowing Aidan to bed down near him on several occasions. If we had to interpret a dominant male at this time, we would have to conclude that Grizzer is in this role, although we never would have predicted it. Grizzer is much different than Shadow and rather than physically control this pack through hard muzzle bites, he is controlling this pack through body language and intimidating body postures. It is truly amazing to watch, and we plan on running at least one more Wolf Watch on the first Thursday of October to reinforce our current observations. One thing for sure, Grizzer acts differently without wolf care staff in the enclosure and these behavioral watches are key to truly understanding the pack dynamics.
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