Shadow is having a good winter, physically, he feels well even though he and Malik just turned 8 1/2 years old on the 8th of November. Maya is taking care of the discipline for the pups and Grizzer is their source of entertainment. He just needs to sit back and relax. We will continue to maintain a restricted access policy to the wolf yard to keep Shadow from being vulnerable by the influence of strangers in the wolf yard.
All wolves received good attention today, Shadow allowed staff to brush him without any problems (he usually doesn't like being brushed like the adults), he also allowed full manipulation of his ears, but it was cool enough that the wolves didn't need ointment. Vitamins to all wolves
Shadow, Grizzer and Maya were all at the gate when I moved them toward the Retired Enclosure, and Shadow actively dominated the pups, especially Aidan who was actively seeking acceptance. This is reassuring to the pups that the dominant male shows them that they are accepted in the pack, and what their role is. Once the pups felt assured that they were still pack members (mainly Aidan), Shadow spent time investigating the Retired Enclosure. When moving the pack back into the Exhibit, Shadow didn’t want to leave. This bodes well for his inevitable retirement, to know that he is so comfortable, although as you watch the video, this wolf is still confident. One other indication that the pups were well accepted was Shadow’s calm demeanor as he watched from on top of the den guarding his deer leg. He has the look of all being well in his pack, despite Maya’s short outbursts of dominance.
In the last few weeks, when time is short, I result to filming at night. Shadow has really enjoyed these nighttime filming sessions and is very animated. He investigates the camera, then jumps and runs short chase scenes around the den. Malik is far more reserved, but his curiosity is stimulated as well. As spring approaches, we look forward to longer days, and warmer days. It is predicted to be -20 below again tonight.
Shadow has been howling a low throaty howl to Aidan, sometimes joined by Denali. Grizzer and Malik don't join in. It is different than any other howl heard in the pack and it clearly means something to the wolves, unfortunately, we can only observe and interpret our observations. Other than the howling, Shadow is very socially interactive and showing no other behavioral traits in response to the pack dynamics change. He does watch Grizzer when Grizzer approaches the gate that faces retirement, but shows no dominance towards Grizzer. Grizzer is very submissive, pawing at the snow at the edge of the gate, which peaks Shadow's interest, but doesn't stimulate any other behavioral response.
Shadow continues to be the wolf that keeps this pack together. He has a unique interaction with each member, but the most common interactions are between Shadow and Maya and Shadow and Aidan. It is a great time to watch Shadow as he establishes the pups role in the pack and oversees the project work within the enclosure. The video clips posted with the wolf logs are very short, if you would like to see several minutes of the pack activitiy, we are now posting weekly videos on Youtube. To locate these videos, search for the International Wolf Center.
Shadow and Maya still maintain a strong bond with pair bonding behavior, head and chin rests and general close contact. This is encouraging since Maya became a bit more reserved after the pup introduction, she seems to be relaxing with Shadow and returning to her normal behavior. Shadow is very watchful of the pups during their feeding time, he accompanies them into the pack holding area, and stays with them until after they return to the Exhibit.
In the form of a true leader, Shadow reminded the pups of their status at the reitroduction session. He exhibited a controlled, but firm muzzle bite and the pups responded with submissive postures and rollovers. In the main exhibit, Aidan followed Shadow and was very in tune with his behavior. Separation of pups seems to work well, but the rank order is so tight, that separation of adults can result in a wolf perceiving that the other wolf dispersed, making it difficult to separate adults for any length of time.
Shadow has been initiating some lone howls toward the back of the pen, usually this indicates wild wolf presence in the area. The pack obviously knows the difference between a rally howl where they all join in and a defensive howl, where only Shadow howls. The pups continue to show great respect to Shadow and he is teaching them their role in the pack. The pack has been letting the pups have their time on the weekly carcasses, which usually results in Shadow getting less food. Mid-week, we attempt to give him a 4 or 5 lb chunk of meat, but he usually ends up having to race away from the pups and eat on the run. When he does settle down, he defends food well from them, and while Aidan may try to paw him in the face, the pups both willingly roll over for him.
Shadow still holds a strong dominant position in this pack. The work we are doing on the Retired Enclosure is partly to enhance the remaining time Lakota has with us, but also to prepare for the inevitable retirement of Shadow, but at this point, that doesn’t seem likely. The most impressive social relationship in this whole group appears to be Shadow and Aidan. It is apparent in his facial postures that Shadow is tolerant of the pups, and especially Aidan. He uses controlled muzzle bites when dealing with them and is always quick to stop when the pups submit. It doesn’t seem possible that someone will take his status, but he is 8 years old, going on 9. This is old for a wolf in the wild, and about the time that captive wolves start to show their age. This is why any wolf over 6 is on a glucosamine supplement, anything we can do to maintain joint health will increase the lifespan of a wolf on exhibit.
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.