Sorry for the break between log postings, I should be back on a regular schedule now. In the last few postings we've been referencing some cold weather limping on Luna. After consultation with the University of Minnesota, we decided to get an x-ray on Luna. The logs today will feature the reactions of each individual wolf. Denali was the least interested in Luna's absence except when it came to Luna getting a deer leg prior to her release. When she was brought back into the pen, Denali was a bit forceful in investigating the variety of smells on Luna which caused Luna to be a bit intimidated, but once that was over, there seemed to be no other issues.
Denali has been on the receiving end of some Luna dominance. Luna has no problem grabbing Denali by the scruff of the neck and hanging on. Of course, this is usually accompanied by Aidan who is posturing over Denali and giving Luna confidence. There seems to be some intolerance of Denali's behavior when he takes food from the pups. Normal protocol is to keep Denali in holding while the pups are getting fed and we are grateful that he is willing to hang out with no issues.
Denali really enjoys a chase around the enclosure, and since Aidan is more reserved, he picks Grizzer as him running mate. This usually gets the pack excited, but most of the time, Shadow just watches. If Grizzer shows too much dominance over Denali, Shadow dominates Grizzer, leaving Denali free reign to do whatever he wants. Denali may have reached adult size, but he still has moments of juvenile behavior.
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. By watching Denali, one would never know it was cold. He is as active on these cold mornings than any other time. He continues to be a bundle of energy, always needing to be involved with activities in the enclosure.
Denali has been unusually calm, with a reduced amount of the carefree wrestling that he usually displays. Maybe he's growing up, or maybe he had a slow week. We are very pleased with his staff interaction, rarely causing any issues, and if he does, they are easily put to an end. He also understands the necessary postures when dealing with Shadow, as the photo for the week clearly demonstrates.
This is just a reminder that the wolf logs are now posted on Friday rather than Monday due to a change in the Curator's teaching schedule. The last posting was Friday, January 29th, but on February 1st, the January postings are automatically moved to the archive section, which is why the main log screen has appeared empty since the 1st of February. To see archive data, just click the month/year that you would like to review and you can see the log postings. Denali has been observed in far more active tests of Maya, and earlier this week, Maya had some frustration with Denali, who continually for-leg stabbed her while she was waiting for her meds. Of course, the more Maya chased and lunged at Denali, the more eager he was to stab her. What we had originally attributed to youthful exuberance may turn out to be Denali's personality trait… He seems to enjoy the testing portion of life.
Sorry for the delay in the logs, the spring semester started at Vermilion on Monday, and the Curator has a full teaching schedule on Monday and Tuesday mornings. The Priority for time at the Center was placed on the wolves, leaving other duties to wait until Friday. We will transition the logs to be posted on Friday's throughout the spring semester. Denali shows no signs of maturing beyond his exuberant desire to wrestle with Grizzer. His chasing, and wrestling sessions are daily and show no signs of aggression, just pure fun. He is still submissive to Shadow, but with so much high energy time, I think Shadow gets tired trying to monitor the activity. Denali has also increased time with Aidan, but he is still a bit more energy than Aidan needs. If the excitement level is too high, then Aidan gets focus from Maya.
Denali isn't gaining any status in the male rank order, but he has certainly honed his skills in Maya confrontation. His body posture is one of high tail, hackles and stiff leg movements showing Maya that he is nearly a foot taller than her. Of course, that may stop less determined wolves than Maya, she is small, but very tenacious. Overall, the male rank order is one of chases, wrestling and the occasional Shadow pinning either Denali or Grizzer to the ground.
Behavioral notes over the weekend: <br> Red Paw is very calm in programs and is tolerant of any movement or noise. He has increased his meat intact considerably, and enjoys the elk meatballs given during the programs. Air conditioning in the lab is a bonus for the pups and they enjoy both inside and outside time.
Denali received a big surprise this morning, Grizzer had enough of his testing behavior and began chasing Denali around the pond, this continued for several minutes, with the Denali showing very submissive ear and tail. Of course, Denali returned to his testing later in the day, but he was intimidated by Grizzer's intensity.
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