Shadow seems to really enjoy the pups. He frequently chases around with them and has definitely shown more behavioral diversity since the pups were introduced. He is also being more assertive with Malik. He's been a bit off because of a reoccurring yeast infection in his ears, but a Vet Exam scheduled for this Thursday should help that condition. He is still the most intense wolf on the exhibit.
Shadow has been notably more playful than in previous weeks. His greetings with staff have been longer and more frequent and he was observed throwing a deer head up in the air and chasing the pups from his prize. In this week's photo, you see Maya food begging to Shadow with Shadow replying with a classic food defense face.
Of all the wolves impacted by the pup introduction, it would have to be said that Shadow shows the most change in behavior. Normally timid towards strangers and classified as low ranking to Malik last year, Shadow has taken on a new tolerance for wolf care staff in training and has been observed in high tail quite frequently. The latest observation of him putting Malik down during a program may be an indication of our winter to come. Information Specialist Jess Edberg wrote: After my 4pm program I noticed some interesting behavior: We observed what looked to have started out as playing between Malik and Shadow. They were wrestling and standing up against each other while biting. I looked away for half a minute and when I looked back, Shadow had Malik on the ground on his back, the pups where milling around them. When Malik got up, he was in a very defensive stance with his tail wrapped under him, body hunched, hackles up, head down, ears back and teeth bared. Shadow continued to nip at him and the pups got involved as well – kind of mobbing but the pups weren't as persistent as Shadow. After about a minute, Malik took off and Shadow began chasing him (the pups followed but, distracted themselves with each other). This lasted approximately 1-2 minutes. Then the situation seemed to diffuse.
Shadow is doing extremely well after his ivermectin treatment during the exam and his follow up treatment for mites. His ears are perked up again and he has been very approachable by staff. During the worst of his condition, he began to avoid all staff and stayed to the back of the enclosure, even avoiding interaction with the other wolves and responding in an aggressive manner when the pups approached. It's great to see him back with the pack, feeling comfortable with the staff and looking less irritated.
On Thursday, November 11th, the Center Staff conducted a chemical immobilization on the three males of the exhibit pack. It was decided that Malik would receive a complete exam on his knee including x-rays, Shadow would get his ears cleaned and get a diagnosis of his problems. The vet exam revealed a problem with ear mites. Shadow's ears were cleaned and treatment was started for the Mite problem. Since the exam, Shadow has been holding up his ears in a more erect posture and has been much more social with the staff. He appears to be in less discomfort than in previous weeks. Mites in wolves are not very common, and this condition may have been something that he contracted from the pups (Grizzer and Malik tested positive for mites too, but weren't as bothered as Shadow), so all wolves in the pack are being treated.
As I said in Malik's log, Shadow and Malik were scheduled for a rabies vaccination, but wolves don't always follow schedules. Shadow noticed the syringe within minutes and while he was excited to greet, he stayed far enough out of range that a safe injection couldn't be delivered. We will try again later. This is an important reminder that the young pups need to be exposed to all aspects of wolf care and that patience is a virtue. We didn't need to have the vaccine done at that exact moment, so there was no need to stress him out by restraining him. Perseverance and finding the ideal moment are the skills of a wolf care staff.
Sorry for not posting wolf logs last week. I took the weekend off for a fishing trip with my grandson. I am also preparing for the Working for Wolves program this weekend, we will be making Grizzer a pond and getting some gate systems set up. I won’t have time to process video for Youtube until Sunday night, so thanks for understanding.
Shadow was very stimulated by the presence of the pups and did a full investigation when staff entered his enclosure. He showed great tolerance of the pond crew, and once he had his wood chips, settled down on the den to watch the activity. We are featuring a great photo of Shadow with a darker muzzle. His name Shadow was submitted in a name the pup contest, and ironically his muzzle is darker than Malik appearing to have shadows.
Shadow has displayed some unusual behaviors over the last several days. When I went in to feed on Saturday night, he did some unusual mouth displays. They weren't aggressive like a threat display, more like a gag reflex. I checked his mouth for any obstructions and he seemed fine. On Sunday morning, after I spent time with the pups, he sniffed my clothing and did the same behavior. He seemed very subdued as well. When the 2004 litter first met Shadow and Malik, Shadow regurgitated with the stimulus of the pups. It appears that the smell of pups on my close may be stimulating the same response, but without the pups present, it may not be a full regurgitation.
I hope you all had a great holiday season. The wolves weathered the holiday well considering the December 26th – 9 am wolf check was -34 degrees below zero. On New Year's day, nearly 10 inches of snow fell creating a great diversion for the wolves (the pups love fresh snow) and many hours of work for the curator. Enjoy the winter photos…
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