All relaxed and fine. Ointment on all, Malik and Shadow received extra quiet time in the holding pens. Brushing and greetings from staff were well received today.
Shadow and Malik observed scratching ground after urinating and defecating. This was the first time this marking behavior was observed.
Meds to all, Shadow continues to hesitate when going into the pack holding area, but comes as soon as the vitamin/meatball bowl appears. This is important for the wolves to willingly go into a smaller holding pen for veterinary treatment and facilities maintenance. Sometime during the past winter, Shadow may have had a negative experience with the enclosure, causing this hesitation. When working with wolves, staff must always be mindful of negative conditioning.
Staff brought two of the new pups to the fence to meet Shadow and Malik; Shadow and Malik were very interested in the pups, whining and showing very submissive behaviors. After a few minutes with the pups, Shadow regurgitated a small amount of food; later in the pack holding area, both Malik and Shadow began expanding a dug hole that had been previously dug in the pack holding area.
Meds to all, all look very good. During the day, staff noticed Malik and Shadow becoming very vocal when the retired pack became active (noticed the increased activity of the retired wolves on an internal monitor – with no human presence near the fence) All wolves howled around four or five times, no further digging in the retirement enclosure.
Curator's note: Often Vermilion Community College volunteers assist the wolf care staff with day-to-day duties. During the Saturday feeding programs, students help open remote gates and hold off wolves so wolf care staff can wheel in food without the wolves in the pen. For whatever reason, wolves pick and choose which students they accept outside the enclosure. They can even change their minds, once students spend some time in the program. This appears to have happened to Shadow. Student Omar Spandel has been a regular volunteer for the center helping with a variety of projects including interpretive programs in the exhibit, helping with roadkill, checking the perimeter fence for trees over the fence or snow damage and operating remote gates to move wolves between holding pens. Today, Omar posted the following log: "Today, Shadow seemed very apprehensive with me. I approached the fence this afternoon and he growled a bit. I walked the perimeter fence; all was fine until the end of the trail where the fence gets close to the trail. He growled quite intensely, and seemed pretty agitated, so I backed off and kept walking down the trail. During the feeding program, Wolf care staff member, Nancy Jo Tubbs approached the wolves first. Shadow stayed back and just stared at me. He cruised the fence once and then just watched me, so I didn't approach. I don't know what's up or what I did to bother him. We decided it was best for Nancy Jo to do the gates."
Nancy Jo Tubbs fed the wolves tonight. Larger carcass went to the retired pack, smaller carcass to the arctics. Shadow hesitated by the outer gate of the holding pen; he seems to have been negatively conditioned to the gate. Staff are reminded to be very careful when holding wolves off; it is important that the wolves feel comfortable in the pack holding area. Exhibit maintenance needs require the wolves to be off exhibit, and we want them to be comfortable when being held off.
Pups enjoy their first moose leg. Malik and Shadow were both seen tearing and scraping at the leg, just as adults would.
CVC to all. Lucas exhibited aggressive dominance toward Shadow, very intent on following Shadow and keeping him submissive. Malik went right into the holding pen, but when he heard the door sliding shut he turned around and wanted out. Staff let him go in and out several times until he relaxed.
MALIK Weight: 23.5 lbs. Length: 41" Canines: 1/2" SHADOW Weight: 23.5 lbs. Length: 41" Canines: 1/2" Malik seems a bit uncoordinated and continues to work on his mobility and balancing skills. Shadow barked at Malik for the first time. Both pups are showing increased dominance towards each other at various stages. Malik and Shadow have individually gained eight pounds since the first of July. The wolf pups enjoy slices of frozen beaver tail and deer legs as a summertime treat.
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.