June 5, 2000 Both of the pups tipped the scales at over 6 pounds at the vet on June 5. The blue-collared wolf pup is 6.4 pounds and the red one is catching up at 6.1 pounds. The two pups spent part of the morning outside discovering that insects are fun to chase and pounce. This is typical of what wild pups would be doing outside their den while the adults are hunting or sleeping near the den. The red-collared pup growled at the blue one when he tried to take away his bug catch. The pouncing is a method they will use to catch rodents which are a minor part of their diet, but the behavior can be quite comical. Both of their tails are raised quite high when they are playing with each other. Tail raising is important body language for wolves as it indicates who is the alpha or leader. The pups are trying to assert leadership among themselves. They are quite alert and are increasing their whines to go outside.
Shadow was guarding a beaver at the top of the hill. He came down for a brief greeting, then chased up the hill after a raven landed near his beaver.
Drained pond today, temperatures dropping down to upper teens. Added several straw bales to main enclosure and retirement enclosure. Lucas seems to be slowing down with the colder evenings. Staff will continue to observe his overall physical condition to ensure that he has adequate bedding.
June 8, 2000 The wolf pups made the most significant weight gain to date. On June 8, the blue collared pup weighed 6.14 pounds and the red collared pup tipped the scales at 6.11 pounds. They gained 11 ounces in three days! They will be slowly introduced to puppy chow the next couple days in addition to the 27 ounces of daily formula for each pup. With the onset of warmer weather, the pups have begun to dig up the soft dirt outside to reach cooler soil to escape the heat. Their puppy coat is thick everywhere except on their belly so they lie on their stomachs completely stretched out. Wolves will dig large holes in the warmer months not only for relief from the heat but also the bugs. The pups also discovered water which was used for playing and not drinking.
Nancy Gibson writes: The wolf pups made their final trip to the vet on June 27 in the Twin Cities in preparation for their journey to the International Wolf Center on June 29. The pups are seven weeks old and Shadow weighs 14.2 pounds. Malik weighs weighs an even 14 pounds. They received their first distemper vaccination in combination with parvovirus, coronavirus, adenovirus and parainfluenza. This is the same protocol for domestic dogs. They were wormed and given tablets for heartworm. They were listed in excellent health and the staff at Oak Knoll Animal Hospital is to be commended for their excellent help and guidance. Health care will be transferred to the local vets in Ely, Minnesota. The pups are spending most of their time outside except during the night. They experienced their first major rainstorm by sleeping through most of it by a large tree. Their guard hairs are an effective raincoat. A small pool of water has attracted much of the pup's attention. They use it to cool their feet then splash the rest of the water underneath their body. The pups will quietly meet the adults at the International Wolf Center is a series of controlled sessions with a fence separating them. All wolves produce a nuturing hormone called prolactin in the spring and summer to stimulate all members of the pack to help rear the pups. We expect the adults and the pups to be excited to see each other.
Nancy Gibson writes: Both wolf puppies started on some solid food on Friday. They are eating a combination of ground venison and puppy chow three times a day in addition to their formula five times a day. They literally "wolfed" down their first solid food and were begging for more. The blue collared wolf is starting to show less interest in the bottle and more in the solid food. They are five weeks old on June 12 and steadily gaining weight. The red collared wolf weighs 8.6 pounds and the blue one is 8.75 pounds. Their legs are beginning to grow as are their feet and nose. Each day they are getting faster as they romp outside. Their long-distance eyesight has improved significantly as they are able to detect shapes and movement 40-50 feet away. Their close vision is still not accurate as they rely on their sense of smell. They are wanting to be outside more each day so they will be out of the cage for longer periods of time exercising and exploring.
Shadow has been amazing since the introduction of the pups. He has shown strong care giving behavior toward the pups, as well as strong disciplinary behavior. If Grizzer is giving anyone grief, Shadow is quick to come over and put a stop to it. I wonder if he reads the logs about my constant comments on Grizzer's potential size? Another amazing thing about Shadow is his willingness to work with new staff. We've taken this opportunity of increased prolactin from this summer to introduce a few more people to wolf care. A new information specialist Jesse Edberg will be starting later this week. Jesse was an intern two winters ago, and the wolves know her well between the fences.
Shadow has become hesistant about wolf care staff since there's been a strong effort to treat his ears. He is even hesitant to take a meatball, that is until Nyssa tried to grab it. Shadow is again scratching at his ears and rubbing them against the fence. It doesn't seem to bother his activity, but the wolf care team will discuss another course of treatment. Nyssa initiated a chase from the other wolves, running in front of Shadow with a piece of deer hide. The chase around the pond led the pack to get excited. Shadow and Malik both did a Raised Leg Urination (RLU) then Shadow returned to the spot to RLU'd where Malik had just marked. Shadow appears to be holding his tail much higher than Malik in most interactions.
The following was written by Susan Myers, a participant in the Workin' for Wolves weekend – October 2004. Being the Alpha male, Shadow seemed to have a rather stressful weekend with all of the activity of the work projects and the volunteers milling about. Between the dump truck arriving twice to unload rocks and the backhoe intruding upon their enclosure and moving things about as well as volunteers walking around the enclosure while he was locked up, he seemed to be at his wit's end. He bark-howled several times indicating a defensive behavior protecting his pack. Also, his ears continue to bother him. He was resistive to staff administering medication, even when Spirit, a volunteer dog was used as a diversion. Shadow most definitely let his feelings be known.
Stumps and logs were hauled into the pack holding area in preparation for the pups arrival. When Shadow and Malik were placed in holding, they proceeded to scent mark on all stumps and logs. They showed no anxiety toward the holding pen as they did in previous holdings.
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.