Maya, the most predatory in behavior, has been checking out the frog population that has settled into the pond. Maya is most quick to respond to movement, and with the recent 2-week spell of rain, amphibians have been very active. We are happy to report that we think we have solved the pond pump access issue, finally finding a method to keep Maya from the filter system. Of course, now that I am writing this, there's a good possibility that she'll figure something out. One thing people learn about wolves, both wild and captive, never say never. The minute we say wolves will never do something, there's new research data or a new study that finds out that they have. A recent example of that relates to fish consumption in British Columbia. Wolves in Minnesota are not known to consume fish, so the standard answer is that no, wolves don't eat fish. But, a recent study near Vancouver Island showed a very adaptive group of wolves that were consuming fish as a significant part of their diet.
Maya didn’t need to be sedated for the veterinary exam, as she wasn’t likely to challenge the arctics for status like Grizzer would. She received her vaccination, and will get her ears cleaned on the next wolf check. In this week’s video, you will see how inquisitive Maya can be. After the staff installed the water pump and grate in the pond, Maya was very intent on digging the grate out to get to the pump. This is why we either use concrete or large rocks to protect the wolves from the hazards in the enclosure.
Maya has the most interesting facial expressions of any of the pack. She's constantly looking, listening and waiting to hear the next bird, rodent, or activity of a fellow pack member. In this week's photo, she just finished eating a piece of deer meat, and turns to watch a junco take off from the rock.
Maya’s a frequent swimmer in the Exhibit, most likely driven by the strong predatory behavior she displays. Any movement will stimulate Maya to investigate, and she puts all her effort into checking things out. She has been even known to dunk her head under water in search for a frog or minnows that might live at the bottom of the pond.
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.
Maya is clearly a dominant force when it comes to pack interactions. Usually, it's just with Grizzer, but in this week's observations, Grizzer initiated a playbow to Shadow encouraging interaction. Maya responded by taking an active role in the dominance. Of course, we have similar outcomes where Maya is on the bottom of a Grizzer dominance bout, but we rarely see Shadow assist Grizzer, he continues to be a back up for Maya and now, Maya is a back up for Shadow.
Maya has been the most active during the recent warm spell. While Grizzer and the arctics are bedded down, Maya continues to stalk ravens, and the daily emerging flies in the exhibit. Last week, observers spotted an immature bald eagle perched in the large white pine tree in front of the exhibit, and 5 turkey vultures circling overhead during the feeding. So far, these large predators/scavengers haven't landed in the enclosure. We're not sure about Maya's response to these larger birds.
Again, we apologize for the delay in wolf logs, our intent is to post once a week, but wolf care is always the priority over every other job. These past few weeks, the facility and grounds area of wolf care has needed our attention. This season is best known as the ice season, when daytime temperatures create melting, but nighttime temperatures revert back to freezing. Conditions are slippery and hazardous, not only for the staff, but the wolves as well. Thanks to the kind donation of straw from Theresa Williams, the enclosures are getting a fresh layer of straw to increase traction. This is most problematic for the retired wolves, as any slip on the ice can affect older, more brittle bones and joints. The wolves are doing well, and are spending a significant amount of time sleeping in the sun. Lakota seems to have been up to a few other things, as she has a new canine bite on the nose. Staff seem to think the bite was from MacKenzie, but based on our interactions with Lakota, she pushes the limit with both Lucas and MacKenzie.
Vet check with Dr Jeremy Smith: her respiration is good and her heart rate is at 190 beats/minute. She was highly active during the exam. Results of the vet's analysis of stools showed they were completely clean.
Groan aggressively bit sister twice, but did not cause injury to her. Groan licked Grizz's hind leg and received a soft bite and then she licked him some more.
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