Shadow has a tough time with the recent warm spell. When temperatures reach the upper 80's, he seems to really feel the effects. We have removed a significant amount of hair from his undercoat in the last two days and this will help. We cleaned the pond and refilled it with fresh water, we run the sprinkler hose multiple times a day and try to keep things quiet so they will rest in the shade. Our latest efforts also include the use of some cedar oils to help reduce the bugs around the enclosure. I wrote about some testing behavior from Malik after Shadow showed some intimidation with a fly ointment application, but Shadow is able to stand his ground and has not lost status. We are changing their fly treatment protocol to avoid this issue in the future.
Shadow has been staying in the back of the enclosure most of the day and is often panting. He doesn't handle the heat well, and has a much thicker coat than Malik. He is the first priority in brushing to help reduce the amount of hair. Staff have been hosing down the front of the Exhibit and spraying cold water in their drinking bowls. We will also be making meat flavored ice cubes to encourage them to swim in the pond and to help cool them down.
This is a continuation of Malik's logs. So, after we cleaned the Den, Shadow began posturing over Malik. Initially, Malik was showing some status and averted Shadow's Stand Tall posture. Then, Malik seemed to gain a bit more confidence and he tries a direct stare to Shadow, causing Shadow to avert his gaze. It worked for that moment, but later surveillance video showed them in some social Invite Chase behavior. These wolves sure do demonstrate a lot of ethogram terms.
Shadow has been very social lately, even to the individuals that he normally keeps on the other side of the fence (some wolf care staff get a growl from Shadow when they give meds). We've also observed a lot of whirl behaviors, where he gets excited, spins around and runs the other way. This is a good sign for a wolf that will be 12 years old in May.
Shadow continues to be very excited greeting staff, and overall has a calm and social response to the pack. This tells us that while staff have a hard time watching the tension between Maya and Aidan, Shadow's not showing any tension with the pack, meaning that it's not that serious. Shadow does show a response when the tension in the pack is a problem. So, as usual, we need to take the cue from the dominant pack leader and remain calm and take this opportunity to learn about wolf behavior. Shadow did a lone howl in response to what sounded like a wild pack, but the rest of the group didn't join in. The pack knows the difference between a rally howl, and a defensive howl.
Shadow continues to be in an extremely social mood, with both staff and wolves. Aidan seeks him out for reassurance, and was observed with both paws on Shadow's face. Shadow shows him boundaries, but is very tolerant of all of the pack members. He shows no signs of decline that were evident with the 1993 litter at this age. Shadow and Malik turn 9 1/2 years old on Wednesday, and you would never know by looking at him.
Shadow has been showing some increased dominance and growling behavior, even towards staff. This is common for this time of the year, but not so common for a wolf this age. Shadow and Malik were 9 1/2 years old on November 11th, and Shadow shows no sign of weakness. When Lucas, the former dominant male, was this age, he was often backing down and avoiding confrontations with the arctics. Of course, the difference is, Shadow and Malik didn't have the intense ritualized dominance that Aidan and sometimes Denali face from Maya. The yearlings were shown their place in the pack throughout their maturity, and that will inevitably help Shadow hold his position longer.
Shadow has been in a good mood with the wolves, but the onset of winter has created a bit of testing of staff. Shadow is a complex individual that has many qualities of leadership. He does seem to have something special with Denali, and shows very little dominance over Denali, and very little tolerance if Grizzer dominantes Denali or if staff show any boundaries to Denali. This is difficult to comprehend, as Shadow is tested by Denali as often as Grizzer is, but at this time, Shadow doesn't seem to take Denali's behavior as a threat. Time will tell how this relationship changes, but at this time, the pack is very calm, and Shadow is a great guardian of the pack.
Karen Pajari spent 3 days observing the pack after Malik’s retirement and provided the following observations. With Malik’s retirement, we anticipated a different response from each wolf based on their relationship with Malik. Shadow is his littermate, and we anticipated behavioral changes. Shadow lead several howls in the days following Malik’s retirement with frequent visits along the pack holding area fence line. Two days post retirement, Shadow spent most of his time up in the woods, but that may have been more associated with a deer torso than the retirement. By Friday, he was actively moving about the wolf yard, scent marking with RLU'S, resting on his side or in a sphinx posture just inside the tree line, easily visible and able to see the yard. He remains very social to all pack members as this week’s Youtube will demonstrate. This month’s Podcast will review the USDA incident report concerning the aggressive incident that prompted Malik’s retirement and the subsequent management challenges.
Shadow's been very social with the group, and was observed in an invite chase behavior, where he encouraged Grizzer and Denali to chase him around the enclosure. This is a sign of a confident animal, and it is great to see him so relaxed. Aidan looks to Shadow for reassurance, and with Shadow calm, the pack dynamics seems to be calmer.
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