As you may have noticed, the retired webcam has now been placed on our site with the 2 new cameras on the Exhibit Pack. Unfortunately, when the retired camera was switched to our site on Friday, the image at Elyminnesota.com froze on two of our wolf care staff grooming and treating Lakota's growth. So, over the weekend, this was the image portrayed on Elyminnesota.com, camera 3. Even though people saw that image all weekend long, the staff didn't spend the weekend with Lakota. The image was a still image recorded on Friday morning and was stalled on that site. The Retired camera on www.wolf.org is working well and posting new images. It is the wolf care staff's first daily task to brush Lakota out to remove excess hair and to clean the growth and apply antibiotics and sun protection to the growth. This week's image will show a clear view of this growth, as said in previous logs, the vet has determined it to be benign, and we will be removing it after the weather cools, Lakota sheds the thick layer of hair and the fly season is decreased. All of those environmental factors must be considered before surgery is done. This growth doesn't appear to affect Lakota in any physical or behavioral way. She has good mobility, she has a great appetite and she is very willing to allow us to inspect it daily.
In last week's logs, we noted the growth on Lakota's face that started increasing in size. Staff have been cleaning it with peroxide, treating with topical antibiotics and zinc oxide for sun protection. We are happy to report that the growth has been decreasing, and it seems less infected than last week. Lakota is using her front dewclaw to scratch it and had opened the lump causing some draining. During this morning's check, the wound is much dryer and seems to be improving. The video this week shows Lakota in the den box watching the activity in the wolf yard.
Lakota continues to show no sign of adverse effects from the benign growth on her face. As you can see from this week’s short video clip, she still has the stamina to run laps around the den box. One other noteworthy event this week, after wolf care staff cleaned and filled the water tank in the retired pack, Lakota carefully climbed down the rocks and stood in the cool clean water for several minutes. While she frequently used the tank early in retirement, we haven’t been observing this behavior in over a year. It must have been the sparkling clean water that was too inviting to miss.
Written by Planning for Pups participants Deb Lewis and Betty Magnuson: At 14, Lakota is still exhibiting good mobility. Her posture is relaxed and she is still capable of stealing a beaver carcass from Mackenzie. The benign growth on her face does not affect her in any way. Lakota is still shedding. Wolf Care Staff have been grooming her with the new Furminator brush donated by Lori Rhodes. The weekend fresh sawdust was added to the den boxes. The staff wets down the sawdust as well as the surrounding vegetation to help keep the area cool during unusually hot temperatures.
Last week, Lakota chased (unsuccesfully) a squirrel that was drinking from the pond, and was seen by many visitors laying on top of her den box (web cam and direct camera inside the Center). She also tried several play bows with Mackenzie, with no result in stimulating a chase. During these hot summer days, she tries to cool off by going inside her dug den, or as you see in this week's photo, removing the soil to reach the damp cool soil.
When there's a bit of dominance in the pack, Lakota as the lowest ranking wolf, seems to know when to stay out of the way. In the wild, some of these lowest ranking or omega wolves, will even be observed on the fringe of the pack activity, picking up scraps from leftover kills made by the pack. In captivity, the social interaction is usually much more compatible, probably due to the lack of food stress with a regular meal. In this week's logs, check on MacKenzie and Lucas's interactions to see why Lakota shows a submissive ear posture.
This log written by Working for Wolves Participant: Pamela Dolajeck Despite the rainy cold, windy weather Lakota was in good spirits despite all the activity going on around her. While the work on the retired enclosure was in progress, the retired wolves were put in a seperate area, but inspected everything that had been done upon return. Lakota was very curious and didn't miss anything, from the new chips in the den boxes to the re-arrangement of the rocks by the entrance gate. She then stretched out on some soft sand in the sun and took a well deserved rest that every 13 year old wolf needs.
In the interest of saving time, all wolf logs will be the same today. Most of the wolf care staff time is spent attempting to keep the wolves cool during an unusually warm stretch of weather. The temperatures over the Memorial Day weekend soared to 90 degrees with high humidity. This is problematic weather for wolves that have not completed shedding, and who's primary method of cooling is through panting. Wolves pant to evaporate heat from their system, when the humidity is high, little evaporation occurs. This is why wolves in the wild are commonly termed nocturnal animals, meaning they are active mainly at night. Here at the Center, sprinkler hoses were installed to keep the temperatures cooler. In the retired enclosure, modifcations to the hose installation were made, when MacKenzie became anxious about the hose over her head. Her vision is declining, and the hose over her head must have been too much. The hose was re-installed to follow the north fence line, which will also spread a nice layer of water over the newly planted vines. To add another summer task, biting flies hatched over the weekend, requiring the first application of fly ointment. All wolves were treated, except of course, Shadow, who heads for the hills when fly ointment appears. The arctics were started on a dose of brewer's yeast with garlic in hopes of providing some natural repellent. This gift of garlic as well as a long list of other treats and equipment was generously donated by Miss Susan Sweeney's Biology I class – period 2+3; from Pennsylvania…
Lakota is peacefully resting in the den box. She still maintains a full coat of hair and has just begun the shedding process. For a 13-year old, her coat is very soft and glossy.
The Retired Pack was fed about 20 Cornish game hens and a large turkey that was donated to the Center. Lakota, guarded the hens from the staff as well as MacKenzie, but MacKenzie made off with the Turkey and wouldn’t let Lakota near it. In this week’s video, you will see Lakota carrying around surplus food to cache for later.
The International Wolf Center advances the survival of wolf populations by teaching about wolves, their relationship to wildlands and the human role in their future.