Written by: Wolf Photography Weekend photographer Charles Kuhlman
Luna was demonstrating the behavior of “living large” while away from the pack. She enjoys being papered with the body work she is receiving – quick to roll on her back so wolf care staff could massage her joints and belly.
We recently completed a variety of medical tests including bloodwork and X-rays on Luna. The good news is her blood panel is within normal range, her vitamin D levels are as high as they have been since we acquired her as a one month old pup and while we see some deterioration from a hip socket that never properly formed as a pup, there is no other degenerative evidence of the spine. This leaves us to assess the comfort of her current condition. To accomplish this, we hired a CST-D to teach the wolf care staff some bodywork techniques that may provide some relief to not only Luna, but all of the wolves in our care. Luna has been very receptive to this soft – touch technique directed at her right leg, hip and tail region. The daily interactions have resulted on some quality interactions between Luna and staff. The next level of assessments will be behavioral, looking at her social interactions with other wolves. We want to do what’s best for Luna, and we know that wolf behavior intensifies as the winter season approaches. These next few months will be very significant.
I would like to thank everyone who has sent emails about Luna and expressed concern for her current situation. Luna has become quite comfortable with both the indoor Wolf Care Center and outdoor Pack Holding Area. We know that some of her defensive behavior stems from her physical challenges and we are currently in the middle of the physical assessment through x-rays and blood work that will provide details on changes since her last full medical exam in August 2013. In two weeks, all wolf care staff will participate in a two-day training focusing on her anatomy and physiology. This training will include body work that may help Luna’s discomfort and behavioral responses, but will also be an important tool for management of all of our wolves, young and old. Luna is very receptive to wolf care staff interactions and has demonstrated some full extensions of both back legs while submissively resting on her back. This posture presents a great opportunity for staff to do a complete massage to make her as comfortable as possible.
Luna’s behavior has been revealing since taking some time out of the Exhibit on the morning of the August 7th pup introduction. We knew the decision we made would have implications, but Luna’s behavior is telling us that a time out from the pack may be what she needed. She is adjusting well to life in the pack holding area and wolf care center and specifically to the additional staff that can now interact with her and the lack of competition during feeding. We recently had a demonstration on “Cold Laser’ technology and its’ benefits to animal care and certainly see some potential for not only Luna, but a variety of wolf management issues. We have scheduled a consultant for a workshop/hand-on training in physical work with Luna for mid-September but again, will also look at work that can be applied to any of the wolves in our care. It’s a special time for wolf care and volunteers to have some quiet time with Luna. It was a rare experience for one-on-one time during her time in the enclosure with greetings often resulting in competition and guarding behavior. We are seeing a new side of Luna that not many people can appreciate. One thing that is important to note, as with any of our ambassador wolves, we assess the physical condition, the individual behavioral displays and the social interactions that help drive management decisions about pack life. This is a practice we have employed for over 25 years; we need to be tuned into the individual and be responsive to changing dynamics that helps guide us in making the best decisions for every ambassador in our care.
For Luna, this pup summer has been a mix of behaviors. In her initial meeting at the fence line, she salivated in response to a likely surge of hormones. She’s shown bouts of dominance that include biting the fence, staring into the auditorium while pups are doing programs, lying for hours on end at the fence and most recently regurgitating a meal of chicken near the pups fence line. All of this stimuli can affect her behaviorally, as well as physically. Given her medical history, she doesn’t need any more physical discomfort. We are in the process of coordinating a workshop to try relieve some of Luna’s tension and hopefully help her relax. In this week’s photo, Luna gives the message to Curator, Lori Schmidt that she has hit the right spot.
Luna’s behavior has been the topic of our webinars, wolf logs and daily wolf checks. We are addressing this from all angles. First and foremost, we are doing medical assessments, meaning that she might have a heightened pain response from being so focused, camping out in the same spot for hours waiting for pups. This could cause more stiffness and she might be more inclined to be assertive due to discomfort or as a defensive response to being weaker. We certainly do see more joint stiffness on hot, humid days. We are also incorporating some massage work to relieve some tense muscles and she has responded well to that. Secondly, we are approaching this as a behavioral response and will be employing distractions in the upcoming weeks to help socialize her to the activity of the pups. Lastly, this might be an environmental response to enclosure design and access points that might trigger some guarding behavior especially when unfamiliar people are around the pups. We know when Luna’s showing more stability because she will be side-by-side with Aidan and all is calm. We also know when she’s not as indicated by this photo.
Luna has certainly taken on an alert posture to the pups, especially since they are now spending a fair amount of time chasing each other around the pack holding area. I have previously mentioned that this focus seems to be more than interest, almost bordering on obsessive. One of the things we work on during socialization of pups is to provide distractions when they become obsessed with movement and noise that might cause some fear avoidance behavior. Luna will need the same work in this circumstance, almost like we are repeating socialization that she missed as a pup. There may be a correlation with Luna’s obsession about pup wresting and interactions and the restrictions she had as a pup, not engaging in any chasing behavior with Boltz and Oscar due to her bone density issues as a pup. We are also doing some massage work to help with some tension and working on some anti-inflammatory treatments since she spends a majority of time camped out in front of the white pines watching for pups.
Luna definitely has the most interest in the pups. The pups are coming in and out of the auditorium 4 times a day for programs and there isn’t a moment when Luna is not at the window or lying in the sand watching. Her focus may not all be maternal, she does have a tendency to guard her food from the pups and even shows some intense pawing when they are near. The good news is that the pups are becoming accustomed to her interactions and are spending more time near her and the interactions are becoming calmer. The not so good news is that there is a drawback in spending a significant amount of time lying in wait for the pups to arrive, joints can get stiff without a consistent amount of activity. Even though people may think cold weather is hard on joints, for Luna the heat, humidity and inactivity for summer is worse. To help ease her discomfort, we started her on an anti-inflammatory medication for the next few weeks.
During the summer of 2016, we didn’t schedule the usual summer Enclosure Enrichment program because we had limited space and staff time to move the wolves off the Exhibit for the daily program. But, with the arrival of the pups, their travels to and from the auditorium for the 4-daily programs, we are providing enough enrichment for the Exhibit Pack and especially Luna. Luna seems to be a bit focused on the pups, with a constant vigil when the pups are in the program, when they are spending time in the yard or when staff are transporting them from the Wolf Care Center to the auditorium. This is more than interest, as with most of Luna’s behavior, it borders on a bit obsessive. Whether it’s stacking up 5 beaver and sleeping on them or dominating the wolf care staff time, Luna tends to display high intensity behaviors. There have been many that ask why are we getting male pups and not a female. Certainly you have heard my response that this is out of concern for Luna’s health, but it is not only Luna’s situation that made us determine this course of action. I had some experiences with two females on Exhibit in 1989 that had some extensive dominance requiring alternate placements for a Raissa at 6- months of age. We also had a similar situation with Maya and Nyssa in 2005. Female to female dominance is well researched and is more challenging in captivity because there is no dispersal option. It’s our job as managers to make the decision on how best to manage a pack cohesively. With our 4-year rotation, Luna will meet a female pup at 8-years of age, pups are typically subordinate and not testing until they are between their first and second year and by that time, Luna will be ready for retirement. That is much better than having her tested and retired at the age of 6. We weighed the adults today and Luna is 98.7 lbs., a similar weight to last year.
Here’s an article written by Pat Goodman from Wolf Park that addresses the female dominance issue:
http://www.indiana.edu/~p1013447/dictionary/wolfaggr.htm
Luna is in the process of shedding her dense winter undercoat. Wolves typically “Blow their Coat” in a short period of time. Within 2 weeks, the process should be finished and Luna will display the sleek and slender body of a wolf in summer pelage. Luna’s been clearly influenced by the pups, and appears to be always aware of their presence. The pups come into the program four times a day and she is regularly sits by the windows during the program.
