Shadow – Always on Alert

Of all the wolves I have met in my time as the Wolf Curator, I can honestly say Shadow is the most complex, the most social, the most alert and both he and Malik are the most agile retirees the Center has ever managed.  As we approach the spring, we will be celebrating the birth of each wolf and giving us time to pause at the events that have occurred in each wolves life.  Shadow will require a long pause, he has been instrumental in the formation of the multi-aged Exhibit Pack and continues to be a presence for every wolf on site.

Malik – Look for the Cowlick

People always ask how we can tell the difference between Malik and Shadow. Here are some definitive clues to help in the ID of these two brothers.  Side by side, Malik has a much slimmer face, a more almond shaped eyes and a raise of hair called a cowlick between his nose.  If you are watching the webcam, the wolf stealing the hat is another clue.  More importantly, the location of the wolves on the webcam is also a hint.  If one wolf is alone inside the den and the other is on top, it is usually Malik inside the den.  Shadow has been more dominant since they were pups and is most often found at the higher vantage point.

Luna – A Roll in the Snow

If there’s one behavior that has become somewhat synonymous with Luna it would have to be the scent roll.  Whether it’s fresh snow or some of her special diet “Catfish and Beans” kibble or the stomach of a recently thawed beaver, Luna will roll.   The only issue is when she’s in a subordinate posture, Boltz finally has an opportunity to assert some status over a pupmate who has been dominant his whole life.  Of course, this doesn’t last long, as soon as Luna is up, the game changes.

Grizzer – A Prized Possession

This week’s photo shows Grizzer carrying a deer head.  What’s so unusual about that, nothing, but it offers us a chance to reflect to one of our “Gone, but Not Forgotten Packmates”.   Carrying possessions is the most effective method to get food away from a killsite, which is always a gathering place for scavengers.  So, it’s not unusual for wolves to carry food, cache it and come back to it later. What does seem to occur in captivity is the tendency for wolves to carry food and travel within in feet of another wolf, before going off to chew on the possession.  Lucas, the dominant male from the 1993 litter, used to carry the deer head, drop it in front of his packmates, growl in defense, pick it up and trot off.  If the packmates wouldn’t follow him, he would continually bring the head back to them until he got a response.  Grizzer lives alone, so his deer head possession was brought to the wolf care staff, needless to say, we didn’t follow.

Denali – Active Submission

This week’s photo is the perfect visual for the term “Submission- Ac”.  This phrase was originally coined by Wolf Park in the development of their Ethogram.  Simply put, “In active submission, the subdominant wolf crouches, whines, paws and licks at the muzzle of the dominant wolf; the tail may wag weakly while tuck, often in a T4 position (tail tucked between the legs).  Denali is in a classic Active Submission pose.

 

 

Boltz – Learning to Follow the Leader of the Pack

Boltz’s status as they youngest male in the rank order is typically on the bottom of the rank order.  Boltz is experiencing the difference with a pup mate that so quickly elevated to a dominant pack member.  For most pups, they can wrestle and show dominance, and it is often ignored by the older animals because it’s just pups, juveniles or young adults.  But for Boltz, wrestling with Luna has a different meaning since, as the only female, is the dominant female by default.  If Boltz and Luna would have joined a pack with an adult dominant pair, they probably would have had the same number of wrestling matches, but they wouldn’t have drawn much attention from a functioning dominant pair.  Now, when Luna asserts some status, the rest of the pack is bound to be engaged.  The good thing for Boltz is that he seems to have learned to stick close to Aidan.  If Denali and Luna are too intense, it isn’t long for Aidan to intervene.  Maybe the next pack leader is learning some tips.  Aidan will be six years old in April, most pack leaders start the decline by 9 or 10, one thing is for certain, each individual has their own personality and the dynamics of the pack is always a factor.

Aidan – Interpreting the Many Expressions

Aidan is extremely expressive in his facial postures.  Of course, we always warn observers to avoid anthropomorphism, a long word for the tendency to apply human emotions to animal behavior, but as the winter rages on in Northern Minnesota, it’s hard not to interpret the frustration felt by staff (in our interpretation) expressed by Aidan.  Well, at least that’s how we are all feeling.. enough already.  We also need to remind ourselves that March is traditionally the snowiest month in the winter.  But, on a brighter note, it appears our drought will be over if this ever melts.

Shadow – The Age of Concern

As many of you may observe on the webcams, Shadow has the most intense greeting of all the wolves on site, and at 14 years of age, he is my greatest concern.  No doubt, being a pack leader for 8 years can have an influence on how a wolf ages.  It’s been our experience in captivity that we start to see health declines by this age.  We call it the age of concern, at 14 years old, many a systemic issue can occur.  We are thankful that we have a surveillance system that allows us to observe and record the wolves in retirement, but we know despite good genetics (mom lived to be 21).. we need to cherish every day we spend with the retirees.

Malik – If it Happened Once…

I did receive an email about Malik taking my hat during a wolf check.  My hat is wool and there is no harm to Malik in taking it and the only harm I face is a sub-zero day.  Malik has always been an opportunistic wolf, even during the days of his life as the omega of the Exhibit Pack,  It’s great to see he’s still got what it takes at the age of 14.  I also know that if it happened once, it will happen again, so spring better come soon or I won’t have a hat left.

Luna – An Example of Resilence

Luna is a great example of resilience. Despite all the issues she had as a pup, she is active, agile and tolerant of the sub-zero winter we’re experiencing.  Her resilience doesn’t end with the cold nights and a leg issue, she shows resilience in her ability to control wolves 30 – 40 pounds larger with a a direct eye stare, a lunge and a growl.  Yet, when the mood is right, she’s tail wagging and greeting with the pack.