shadow – Jan 4, 2010 12:00 AM

The weather here has turned cold, with morning temperatures for the last several days ranging from -25 to -30 below zero. Wolf care staff have increased the amount of straw in the enclosure to give the wolves more insulation. Wolves in the wild bed in the snow for insulation, but in captivity, the snow is compacted, leaving it ice cold. In the Youtube video this week, I posted some footage from January 2009 in comparison with January 2010 pack dynamics. The most notable difference is how calm Shadow is compared to a year ago. There was so much tension between Grizzer and Malik that Shadow spent a lot of time dominating Grizzer. Now, Shadow spends time rolling in the snow, courting Maya, playing with Aidan and watching Denali and Grizzer wrestle, with very little interference. I would guess Grizzer likes this better as well.