Archive for: denali

Denali has always been a wolf with a strong tendency for food possession.  Lately, there seems to be a direct intent to keep Grayson away from food resources.  This may have something to do with Grayson and Denali’s relationship.  Since Grayson’s introduction, Denali has focused on Grayson, usually resulting in chasing Grayson around the enclosure and into the safety of the pond rocks.  For those of us who have been in wolf care for a few years, this is very reminiscent of Maya’s focus on Aidan.   Why focus on Grayson?  Maybe Denali sees more potential for competition from Grayson than Axel.  There is no doubt, Grayson has more intensity than Axel in most of his activities.  This is not just a one-way interaction between Denali and Grayson.  Lately Grayson has displayed some grab-bites that instigates some of Denali’s chases.  Whenever possible, wolf care staff try to provide a distraction to diffuse some intensity between individuals.  But, wolves live in the moment,  What can be intense at one instance can be completely opposite the next.  On May 4th staff noted an observation in the logs: “Grayson went into main den for several hours with Aidan and Denali, when Denali finally came out and laid down elsewhere, Grayson came out of the den and went to go sleep with Denali” 

The biggest challenge we have managing this exhibit in the summer is the stimuli created by summer enrichments.  Wolves in summer tend to be more crepuscular, active at dawn and dusk, which doesn’t align as well with summer viewing.  In an effort to stimulate the wolves during the visitor center viewing hours, we schedule enrichments after each “Ambassador Wolf” program and have a special noon-time enrichment during the heart of summer.  Staff need to be creative as the Center is open seven days a week from May 11 – October 14th.  We also need to cognitive of the food enrichments.  While they are great stimuli, food creates competition and competition creates facial expressions like Denali.  For Denali, he doesn’t need to be near food to possess it.

Denali is about as even-keeled of a wolf one could meet.  He prances and tail wags with his sibling Aidan, even when Aidan’s having a challenge time.  He is a source of comfort to Boltz who seems to be looking for someone else to lead.  He’s a perfect match for Axel’s ride-up, hormonally influenced mounts and can still spring to a quick chase, unfortunately, with Grayson often the recipient of that chase.  Will Denali take leadership, it seems unlikely at this time.  Denali neither strives for leadership, nor responds well when it is forced upon him.  He seems to be best just taking things in stride, especially with a good supply of food available.  Denali continues to be the largest wolf on Exhibit, with the highest weight of 149 pounds in August of 2016, but more aligned with 136 pounds last fall and on an April 2nd weigh in.  With Denali’s long body, our biggest challenge is getting him to fit on the scale.  

Despite some attention from Axel and Grayson, Denali has had an easier winter season with Aidan’s loss of confidence.  In the past, when Aidan wasn’t confident enough to take on some of the testing juveniles, he always had the confidence to assert status over Denali and would redirect on a daily basis.  Since mid-January, Denali no longer has that control and seems to take this freedom to reassert some status over Grayson.  Needless to say, this transition has been hard for Grayson.  Not only did Grayson have the strongest bonds with Aidan, but he also sought comfort in having Aidan control some of the exuberance within the pack.  By the show of Denali’s T-1 tail posture and the excitement of a tail-wagging rally, Denali is the likely instigator of some of that exuberant pack behavior. 

Denali has always been the wolf that has his nose in everything, often in places where it doesn’t belong.  But as the arctic yearlings mature into adulthood, Denali has met his match and is playing back seat to the younger crowd.  This is the view from the 1/2 gate where wolf care staff distribute extra food resources for Grayson and have the ability to film the pack without going into the enclosure.  The food conditioning makes this gate a positive experience, much to the detriment of a clean camera lens. 

Denali seemed to take the events surrounding Aidan’s surgery and recovery separation in stride. The only issue was when Grayson tried to keep Denali from reentering the exhibit. There were threat displays, and a brief mounting by Grayson, but they were distracted by deer legs and chickens. Denali did not focus on Aidan, and did not really interact with him. After a few minutes investigating the food, Denali went to the back of the enclosure. Today he has been calm, and resting on the top of the pump housing while it snows.