Grizzer has so many places now in which to hang out and enjoy the fall days, we never know where in the retirement enclosure he will be. He sure does seem to spend a great deal of time on top of the retirement dens. When it rains he will often be in one of the dens. On windy days he likes to look up. He is always alert and aware of what’s going on in the wolf yard.
Denali and Boltz will likely be deciding in the next year their place in the rank order. One of them must be ahead of the other. As time goes by Aidan will help decide how this rank will be.
With Luna and Boltz maturing and coming into their third year this is the most challenging. As year three is approaching they are maturing into adult wolves and will be gaining more confidence as time goes on.
Denali will have to work hard to get the second place over Boltz. They will figure it out.
We continue to work on bonding with Boltz. I wonder what it would be like to see his world through his eyes.
During wolf care we have been holding Denali and Boltz in a separate pen so they can have some one on one with staff persons whom have a good relationship with them both.
Aidan and Luna are getting some attention at the same time with other staff.
It appears to be good for all. When Denali and Boltz go back into the main enclosure after these interactions all the wolves seem less anxious and very calm.
Aidan seems to love the crisp fall air and has been having some very good visits with wolf care staff.
During wolf care we have been holding Denali and Boltz in a separate pen so they can have some one on one with staff persons whom have a good relationship with them both.
This has given Aidan quality time with staff and fewer distractions. It also has caused Luna to become more responsive to Aidans status when it is just the two of them. She submits without anxious behavior.
It appears to be good for all. When Denali and Boltz go back into the main enclosure after these interactions all the wolves seem less anxious and very calm.
Luna’s new doo is due to the burrs she has collected in her fur. They are mainly around her head and neck area.
During the summer many invasive species of plants begin to grow in the enclosure. They are brought in by bird droppings, straw and equipment that is brought into the enclosure for a project.
Because of this we are very selective in the straw we purchase and limit the number of projects in the enclosure. Every year we cut and clear the invasive plants, but inevitably new ones are brought in each year.
At this time it seems that Luna has the most burrs in her fur compared to the rest of the pack. She must like the places where the burrs are. They collect in her neck area where her fur is thick and course.
During our most recent ‘What’s for Dinner?’ program, Alpha members and wolf care staff witnessed as Luna successfully guarded a deer carcass from the rest of the pack for an entire night. Program participants watched some feeding behavior from the pack before Luna took possession of it, and proceeded to sleep on it for the night. Wolf care staff were eventually able to distract her in the morning in order to allow the rest of the pack to eat their fill.
In recent years Grizzer has been less tolerant of new people in the yard. During our board meeting this last weekend, a small meeting was held in the wolf yard in an attempt to help Grizzer in this anxiety. The meeting worked well, and Grizzer even sat in on a portion of it. The enclosure set-up he has now is perfect for his comfort however, as he now has the ability to retreat to the retirement enclosure (often referred to as the ‘east side’ enclosure) if he feels too stressed with the activity in the wolf yard.
Whenever these bouts of dominance occur in the male hierarchy at the International Wolf Center Aidan will often redirect to his brother Denali, who is quick to roll and submit to the dominant male. During our most recent ‘What’s for Dinner?’ program, Denali was seen giving a lip curl to Boltz while defending a carcass. Any wolf who possesses a carcass has the right to defend it, though Denali rarely follows through with the threat display. Boltz and Denali sharing a meal is not an uncommon sight.
I’ve mentioned Boltz’ testing behaviors a lot in the past few logs, but it’s important to note that he’s currently maintaining his rank as the bottom ranking male. He actively submits when the other wolves get too tense. We’ve noticed a trend however, when Luna gets into any sort of scuffle with Aidan, Boltz appears to get confident and tries to test him. It’s important for us to remember what triggers these bouts of testing, as wolf care staff can at times influence pack dynamics when we’re doing daily physical checks.
We’ve recently added some antacids to Aidan’s medication list, and for now it appears to be helping significantly with his discomfort. Alpha members witnessed a great number of playbows and chases initiated by Aidan. He’s been very social and engaged with the rest of the pack and their dynamics. Boltz continues to test now and then, and as I’ve said in previous logs, it’s a behavior we’ll likely see intensify through the winter. Young wolves in wintertime can always be stressful for the dominant animals.
