Luna – Relaxation

I do apologize for the delay in the logs… there only seems to be so many hours in a day.  We have certainly been filling up each day with pup acquisition details and as you now know, pup socialization details.  We brought the pups to the fence line to meet the adult wolves earlier this evening and Luna had a significant hormonal response most notable was her non-stop drooling when the pups were presented. A benefit of working with neonate pups is the importance of socialization with the wolf care staff that are the caretakers for the wolves entire life, the other benefit is stimulus in prolactin hormone with the adult wolves.  The younger the pups when the adults meet them, the more intense the prolactin response.  Usually, the wolves remain in a state of heightened cohesiveness and calm, relaxed behaviors.  We hope this pup introduction will help Luna be a bit more socially engaged in all pack activities.

Luna- Finding Treats

As the spring weather melts snow, the melt water congregates in the pond and will usually result in a light skim of ice on a cold April morning.  On this morning, Luna is investigating the many pieces of bone and hide that are uncovered with a spring melt.   We see a similar interest in Northern Minnesota roads and the congregation of scavengers cleaning up the winter deer-kills.  It’s not unusual to see wild wolves along the road risking the traffic noise in exchange for a free meal.  This winter we didn’t have a significant snow depth that would have made deer vulnerable to wolf predation, meaning that wolves are hungry coming into the pup whelping season.  

Luna – Possession Rights

Many wolf logs have focused on the admirable traits of Luna, the dominant female of the Center’s Exhibit Pack.  She has persevered through some significant issues and despite her smaller size, has no problem interacting (and sometimes terrifying) the larger male pack mates.  One of Luna’s most common behaviors is her tenacious possession of food resources.  But, it’s important to discuss this behavior in the context of pack life (not just Luna’s attitude).  As a pack animal, wolves feed in social groups and there appears to be a few social rules that make life more compatible.  One of these rules relates to food possession.  In order to get a good meal, lower ranking wolves may pull and tug off pieces of meat from a carcass (tug-of war another candid social behavior) and if they have possession, can guard it from the most dominant pack member.  Of course, they have to be confident enough to possess it, but as long as they stand over it or in Luna’s case, use the possession as a pillow, the other pack members back off.  

Luna – Always on the Move

When we met Luna and began to discover her medical needs, we weren’t certain of her future as a pack member and her ability to keep up with 130 lb. packmates.  Thanks to the care of our Vet Care team, the many donations of hip and joint supplements through our Amazon Wish List and the tenacity of this particular wolf, Luna is an active pack member.  She once again has managed a winter, admittedly a mild one, but she had a few -25 below challenges and she did well.  As she approaches her 4th year of age, we see no indication of her slowing down or starting to act like a mature adult.  Of course, two young pups might give her the stimuli to show a more mature, reserved side. 

Luna – Easy to Spot in the White Snow

 A wolf’s guard hairs may range in color from white to black and there seems to be some patterns based on geographic location.  Luna’s dark coloration is easy to spot in a snowy landscape, but arctic wolves with their light colored guard hairs certainly blend in with their environment. As part of the Center’s wolf management plan, we are scheduled to introduce pups into the Exhibit Pack this summer. Our tentative plans include the addition of arctic subspecies to allow visitors and web viewers the opportunity to see the physical adaptions characteristic of wolves from a variety of geographic regions.

Luna – Waves of Activity

Luna has shown us time and again that she is the instigator of many interactions in the pack. But she has her calm moments as well. Today she greeted staff in a much more mild manner, though excitable, she was more gentle than usual, which was refreshing to staff members. The new hay beds will be added in quantity after we get our next batch of snow, forecasted for the next few days, which Luna is often quick to utilize. For now, she often uses the dens to rest in a warm place, though can often be found using an old tree for a pillow.

Luna – Sharp Contrasts

Autumn provides excellent photographic opportunities with the multitude of colors we see in our landscape as the trees ready for winter. Luna shows this very nicely in this week’s photo. When visiting the International Wolf Center, visitors often get many opportunities to photograph our wolves through our observation windows. Luna seems to be enjoying the weather, but we are mindful of her hip, and have added plenty of straw to the exhibit pack’s enclosure. Should she feel discomfort due to the dampness of the recent days, she can retreat to the den, and a soft, warm straw bed.

Luna’s Feeling Good

Luna definitely gives visitors a glimpse of the social side of wolf behavior.  In this week’s photo, she springs up from a play bow inviting any and all wolves to chase her.  These interactions are becoming more frequent as the weather turns cooler.  Luna is also displaying the classic “Canine Grin” on her face.  Wolves are very expressive and interactions can start from a mere glance between individuals.  Observing wolves requires a keen sense of awareness, noting the subtle responses that may stimulate behavior.

Luna – Confidence

When looking at this photo, some may not notice the subtle points that tell the story about the Exhibit Pack’s dynamics.  It appears that two wolves are resting in the front of the wolf exhibit.  But if you look closely, you will see one wolf is more confident than the other.  The key is to identify body postures and slight signs of anxiety.  The most common body posture we track is the position of the ears.  I know I have said this many times before, but “Ears Pricked Forward” is a sign of confidence.  Luna displays this posture while Denali has a more timid, “Ears Pricked and Turned Sideways” posture.   It also appears that Denali has a slightly higher respiration rate, with his mouth partially open, likely panting.  It could be the heat causing him to pant, but it might also be the fact that Luna is behind him.  Often lower ranking wolves are cautious about having a higher ranking wolf behind them.  When we teach people to interpret behavior, it’s these subtle nuances that are critical to becoming a keen observer of wolf behavior.

Luna – The observational wolf

The following is written by Night at the Museum – Wolf Watch participants Noelle and Kara Holter

Luna appeared to be running the show. She is clever, cunning, and very aware of the situation at hand. When one of the other wolves had a bone she wanted, she would pretend not to notice, then when they weren’t paying attention, she would quickly steal it and run off. Her patience usually paid off! Later, Boltz nervously retrieved the bone Luna had cached and took off up the hill when she was distracted.