Maya is still spending more time alone, exploring the exhibit than the face-off behavior of the males. She doesn’t appear timid, just not interested in the male dominance hierarchy. The addition of the pups next spring will likely see the most dramatic effect on Maya. One interesting note this week, after feeding 2 beaver and a deer leg that went to Grizzer, Malik and Maya, the staff wanted to make sure that Shadow received his fair share. So, Grizzer and Malik were locked into holding, and a fresh deer leg was placed under the fence. Shadow took off with it, but willingly gave Maya the leg when she approached. She does seem to have a way of getting whatever she wants from Shadow.
As Grizzer starts testing for status, it’s interesting to watch Maya’s response. Maya tends to still associate with Shadow, even though Grizzer is testing Shadow. She’s very watchful of activity and rarely gets involved unless Grizzer is the focus. She continues to be a bit timid around wolf care staff, but seems to be focused on the small birds in the enclosure.
Written by Workin' For Wolves program participants Darin Groenveld and Theresa Williams: This weekend for the Workin' For Wolves program, the participants lined the pond with more rocks. Maya was very hesitant about going into the holding pen for Saturday night's feeding and for the enclosure work projects. After the new rocks were in and new logs were added, Maya checked it all out and scent marked many times. She was very playful this weekend with Grizzer. For the feeding Saturday night, they were fed a moose carcass with chicken.
Maya didn't come into holding to meet the pups, her anxiety over the gates was stronger than her will to interact with the pups. She whined at the gate, came part way into the enclosure, but we didn't want to close the door on her, adding to the negative conditioning she currently faces. It is critical that all interactions with wolves and facilities remains positive, wolves association with negative events and people are well-documented. Once the pups were out, she continued to whine submissively at them and followed them throughout the enclosure, but Shadow is clearly the dominant wolf that seeks out the pups and is protecting them.
Maya had a slow start as a maternal role model for the pups, but the Behavioral Team did see some improvements throughout the week. She is more inclined to roll over for the pups and has reduced her obsession with food, that may have been a response to a surge in hormones from the introduction. We also did recall, that Maya was the only female in a litter of all males, and there has been some research about lone females in a litter displaying more masculine behaviors. She also didn't have a maternal presence in the pack when she was introduced. Shadow had the great care giving behavior of MacKenzie, and even though the arctics later challenged MacKenzie, his first year in the Exhibit involved a strong social bond from MacKenzie.
If Grizzer has been the biggest surprise and misinterpretation of behavior, then Maya comes in as close second. The amount of whining she did towards the pups pre-introduction, seemed to indicate that she really wanted to possess them, but instead, she competes with them for food and on the deer hide. She is quick to dominate and while she’s been better in recent days, she does not roll over with the pups like Grizzer does. Certainly, time will improve the social relationships, but all we can say now is the pups are lucky to have two social males in their pack, Shadow and Grizzer.
Maya continues to be on the search for food, and this has allowed her to overcome her fear of the holding pen. After the pups are fed, she quickly enters the holding pen and searches for the pups caches. She has been whining towards Lakota in the same way she whines towards the pups. We are uncertain what it means, but Lakota comes to her at the fence. Maya and Lakota did have a scuffle through the fence over a chicken thigh. Lakota had the thigh in the pack holding area and brought it to the gate. Maya tried to reach through the fence and get it, but Lakota is still great at dominanting over food. Lakota did an intensive lip curl, growling and lunging towards Maya, then took the chicken and ran.
Written by Planning for Pups participants Alastair Small and Gery Egan: Having shed out her winter coat, Maya is coping well with the recent heat. She has been cooling off in the pond, and still enjoys floating ice treats given the the pack for enclosure enrichment. She has also displayed her predatory behavior recently, stalking a seagull and a red squirrel on seperate occasions. This week's photo of Maya shows her displaying her predatory behavior, with her head low and her feet being carefully placed. Maya has also been attempting to diminish dominance conflicts between Shadow and Grizzer, often showing appeasement towards Shadow. Being in an enclosure with all males, Maya appears to want some female contact. She sometimes hangs around at the area of the enclosure nearest to the retired wolves, Mackenzie and Lakota, and sometimes whines. If a female pup is introduced next year, it should help fill this void for Maya
Maya didn't come into holding to meet the pups, her anxiety over the gates was stronger than her will to interact with the pups. She whined at the gate, came part way into the enclosure, but we didn't want to close the door on her, adding to the negative conditioning she currently faces. It is critical that all interactions with wolves and facilities remains positive, wolves association with negative events and people are well-documented. Once the pups were out, she continued to whine submissively at them and followed them throughout the enclosure, but Shadow is clearly the dominant wolf that seeks out the pups and is protecting them.
Maya has also increased her social play activity with the pups, and while food possession is still an issue with her, she does allow the pups to take food from her. She never did get to the point where the pups are free to climb on her, that is more representative of Shadow and Grizzer’s behavior toward the pups. But, if we were concerned that the pups would start to climb social rank too soon, Maya has calmed our concerns. These pups will know discipline from Maya and understand their position in the pack.
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