This week, all the wolves will have the same log text, although the photos will be different. We conducted an enclosure enrichment project, where a variety of unusual food scraps such as hamburger patties, frozen meat balls, fish and a few other food items were scattered throughout the enclosure. The wolves had a variety of responses to the items. Grizzer ran around and ate everything he could find, Maya scent marked, Shadow scent rolled, Malik investigated every spot with a high tail and excitability, Lucas food guarded, MacKenzie actually caught a burger in midair, and Lakota cached what she could take from Lucas. This type of stimulus creates high activity, a chance to use their sense of smell, and overall curiosity. Today was an overcast, cooler day, perfect for this type of high end stimulus.
Today is a special wolf log reporting the results of the arctics veterinary check. As you've read in previous logs, the arctics have had trouble with ear mites. As the summer season approaches, we wanted to make sure they were healthy and ready for a summer of viewing. Wolf care staff joined veterinarian Dr. Chip Hanson for an immobilization of the arctics to get a scope of their ears and do some intensive cleaning. Grizzer and Maya weren't immobilized, since they are very tolerant of ear cleaning (thanks to the Nannies…) We are happy to report no signs of mite, just some slight debris and a possible response to allergeries. Their ears were cleaned, the drugs were reversed and they successfully rejoined the pack. Care was given to ensure no loss to Shadow's status by placing him in the main enclosure first while Malik, Grizzer and Maya waited in holding. Grizzer spent most of the exam whining outside of the holding pen waiting for the arctics to return. Maya whined a bit, but was distracted by a variety of things to chase in the enclosure. All went well, and as a precaution to not single out the arctics, Maya and Grizzer had their ears cleaned and smelled of the same medication. I'm posting several pictures of the reunion back into the pack.
In this week’s video, Malik is observed doing raised leg urination. It is a bit unusual that a lower ranking male does an RLU, since this is usually just a behavior of the dominant male in a pack. But, remember the history of our pack. The retired wolves were moved out of the Exhibit Pack in 2002, leaving Shadow and Malik as the only pack members until the 2004 litter was introduced. With no real pack, there was not a very clear distinction between pack roles. Malik began using an RLU posture, without much reaction from Shadow, now that there is a pack role, both adult males are using RLU, and now Grizzer has started the same pattern. There are several differences between life in the wild and life in captivity. Even though marking is part of the behavior of a wolf, it’s not as critical as the message that is conveyed when marking one’s territory in the wild.
Malik is quick to show a threat display of growls and barred teeth when Grizzer gets excited, especially if Grizzer is in a higher vantage point, such as on the rock. In this week’s video, you see Grizzer searching for a food treat, while Malik is watchful of his behavior. While these threat displays are vocal, it doesn’t necessarily mean Malik is testing Grizzer, only telling Grizzer that he’s aware of his presence, so “Don’t try anything
Malik had a good veterinary exam today. He was much slower to come out of the sedation than Grizzer, so he spent a bit more time in the main enclosure before Grizzer joined the pack. The temperatures were very warm today, so after the exam, the pack slept for the day, staying very calm. Staff will be monitoring the pack throughout the evening to ensure that the wolves are getting along well.
With the Memorial Day holiday, all wolf logs will contain the same text content with different video and images. The most notable event this past week involved a bit of tension between Grizzer and Malik that escalated into a short, but noisy dominance display involving the entire Exhibit Pack. Staff had noticed during the "Workin for Wolves" weekend that Grizzer was stalking Malik, but Grizzer is a bit shy around strangers, so he didn't have too much action in front of the working group. As time went by, this tension was noticeably increasing, and on Thursday morning's wolf check, Grizzer became agitated with Malik and in an instant, forced Malik onto the ground. The entire pack was involved, with varying degrees of intensity, note Maya's hesitant stance. This was Grizzer's way of reasserting that he is now the #2 male on the Exhibit, taking over Malik's role this winter. This interaction is shown in Malik's video. In Grizzer's video, you will see another wolf communication to assert dominance, in a more passive manner. Grizzer is following Malik, causing Malik to be intimidated. When the male rank order has some strife, Maya gets a bit anxious. In her video clip, you will see her seek reassurance from Shadow, and toward the end of her clip, she actually climbs on the rocks to the wolf care staff to get out of the dominance mix. Shadow is watchful of the rank order issues between the #2 and #3 males, as Grizzer may try to increase rank farther by taking him on for the dominant role. But, in Shadow's clip, you do see Shadow with Maya doing a ride-up on him and Grizzer showing submissive ears. The Retired Pack is continuing to do well, as the weather warms, staff are making an extra effort to remove the excess undercoat of hair to help cool them. Lakota enjoys a brushing, Mac is not as enthusiastic. MacKenzie cools herself by finding a shady area in the enclosure or by panting.
Malik's behavior has not altered throughout the winter. He presents himself with high tail and growling toward Grizzer and Maya, but when Shadow approaches, he runs for the back of the enclosure with his hackles up and a look of panic. Yet, when the opportunity arises, he repeats the behavior, in attempts to gain some status. We have observed more grabbing from behind behavior from Malik, especially when Shadow is busy with Grizzer. This is something important to document, specifically, if Shadow is distracted by some event that gives Malik the advantage.
Intern, Mary Murphy, noted in the wolf logs that Malik may have been kept from the deer carcass by Shadow and Grizzer. This is important information to observe and pass on to the wolf care staff. In response, a second deer carcass was fed on Sunday night, with plenty available for all wolves. Malik had a full stomach on Monday's check, and was very social toward the wolf care handlers.
I received an email recently asking if Malik was a loner because of Shadow's dominance over Malik and Grizzer's association with Shadow. Malik is an interesting individual, and even though he's been given a rank order in the first time in his life, he still gets in the mix of activity. Some days, he and Shadow are lying together in the same straw bed, other days, Malik is weary of Shadow's presence and prances around the enclosure with a high tail and a full compliment of hackles (showing intimidation). Wolf communication can be very subtle sometimes, much is said by the look in the eye and the placement of a tail.
Malik displayed what appears to be classic wolf behavior. When a higher ranking wolf is weak, take advantage of it. On Saturday, there appears to have been some unauthorized people behind the enclosure (see Shadow's logs) and with Shadow's natural personality to be leary of strangers, his intimidation seemed to be an opening for Malik. On Saturday evening's feeding, Malik dominanted the carcass, driving Shadow away from the food and giving Grizzer grief until Grizzer rolled over. In Sunday's log book, Intern Mary Murphy wrote; Malik is acting very confident while Shadow is strangely passivc. Shadow didn't come down for meds for a long time, and then let the others push him out of the way. He was not being assertive at all, with lowered head and half lowered tail. A few minutes later, he let Grizzer push him away from the water bucket. While it's not our habit to intervene on the pack dynamics, the staff will be paying attention to Shadow as the dominant male and will work to regain his confidence.
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.