As you may already know, the pups arrived on site at 2 am on Saturday morning, May 10th. When the temperatures warmed a bit, wolf care staff, assisted by VCC student, Kristen Flowers took the pups outside to meet the adults. Shadow was very excited to see the pups, and while no wolf regurgitated for the pups, Shadow can be observed licking with increased salivation, generally an indication of some stimuli. Shadow and Maya were sleeping near the wolf lab last evening.
Happy President’s Day, Due to the Holiday, all of the logs will be the same posting today: The Nanny selection process has been completed and award letters were mailed on the 15th of February. We are still in the selection process for the Behavioral Observation program, and have extended the deadline until April 15th. We intend to have the Behavioral Observation award letters for those current applicants sent by February 22nd. Please be patient, as this is a very important task. We want to make sure we have a good fit for each crew to have the most positive experience for the pups. One other comment relates to a new face you may be seeing on the Exhibit Pack webcam. After 6 months of training, work with the Retired Pack and an opportunity to gain Shadow’s trust, Don Gossett and Sharee Johnson have been successfully integrated in the Exhibit Pack as a Level I wolf care staff. Shadow was a bit hesitant at first, but has been very responsive to the newest staff members. Being a Level I handler means that they must always be accompanied by a Level III for safety, with a Level 2 for backup. So, when new staff are in the enclosure, you are likely to see 3 or 4 staff. We want to make sure that all staff that will be handling pups are perceived as part of the program by Shadow and Maya. If a staff person is not trusted by Shadow, and they are observed handling the pups, it can create an aggressive situation. This is why we are so stringent on the Nanny program, it is critical to the social dynamics of the wolf yard that all people interacting with the pups respect the adult wolves, especially Shadow. Remember, this pup introduction’s purpose is to maintain a socially cohesive pack.
Shadow is doing well, and as a continuation of Maya's text, he has been very social with Maya. He is acting very confident, tolerant of Grizzer and calm in his position. This might have something to do with the added restrictions in the wolf yard this winter, with no Behind the Scenes programs unless it is a special circumstance. Regardless, this is a good scenario for the pack. I also wanted to note, these ritualized dominance displays between the male rank order are very critical to maintaining and establishing position. They are generally short-lived and actually result in more significant fights. Shadow rarely shows physical dominance over Malik such as pinning or wrestling, likely because Malik is very anxious. But, Grizzer and Shadow are often observed in this social behavior.
Shadow has gained weight, but we must qualify, the measurement taken today was post deer feeding. Shadow and Malik shared a deer torso and 2 front legs last night. Today's wolf check revealed very little left from a 50 lb feeding. So, theoretically, Shadow may have 8 – 12 lbs of meat in his system. But, considering he was 71 lbs at his last weight 2 weeks ago, and is now 16 lbs heavier, he did gain something, probably around 5 lbs. We know by interacting with him that his body feels less bony. We will continue to feed Shadow as much as he wishes. If anyone's interested in buying Shadow dinner, you can make a donation to the wolf care fund, and please make a note that it's earmarked for Shadow.
This week has been extremely warm for Ely, Minnesota standards with temperatures nearing 90 degrees and humidity exceeding 80%. It has been extremely hard on the wolves, and wolf care staff are doing what they can to make them comfortable. Wolves have are covered in hair and don't have sweat glands at the surface of their skin, resulting in a cooling mechanism of panting to evaporate heat and moisture off the surface of their tongue. This isn't a very efficient method in high humidity. Each wolf has distinct tolerances of heat, and has their own method for cooling. <br>Shadow has been digging, trying to create an underground area near the pond and on the back side of the smaller den. He's also been caching a significant amount of the food we've given, which tells us that we have probably satiated him. We are hoping for a weight in the next week, but based on a physical observations and how he feels, we think he gained a fair amount of weight since retirement. Thanks again to the individuals that supported Shadow financially through this transition, we think he's back on track and his photo this week shows an alert, healthy individual who happens to still have dirt on his nose from a cache. On August 1st, Shadow was weighed after a large feeding, resulting in a probability of higher weight than actual. Today, we believe we have a more realistic weight of 85.4 lbs. This is a good weight gain since July, and after the weighing, he ate 2 more pounds of chicken, with 10 more thawing in the sink for tonight.
Shadow has been a real treat to work with since retirement. His greetings are like no other wolf on site, and his relaxation as he transitions into the retirement life is very apparent. In an effort to increase his weight, we are now feeding Shadow at least 5 lbs of meat on a daily basis in addition to the twice a week larger feedings of deer or beaver. Shadow readily eats, so the issue of his weight loss is probably more due to stress and competition from his time in the Exhibit Pack. Shadow does initiate howls to the main pack, but overall, spends his time resting. It is interesting to note that Shadow hasn't bark howled since he's been retired. Bark howling is a warning communication generally directed towards strangers in the wolf yard and a responsibility of the pack leader to place himself between the strangers and his pack. Shadow certainly doesn't appear to show any of the behaviors of guarding the pack, I guess that's why they call it retirement.
Shadow continues to be the focus of our efforts, taking time during each day to hand feed him a few pounds of meat in between the larger feedings. He is a very delicate eater, gently taking food from our hands, while Malik will grab anything and everything offered. We are probably feeding Malik more than he needs, but winter is coming, and his extra reserves will be put to use. Even though Shadow is not as aggressive when feeding, he does remain active and extremely social with the wolf care staff, usually indicating that he's feeling fine. Thanks to our Retired Wolf Supporters, Judy Adler, Sharon Hibbard and Sharon Siebert for the kind donation of resources to purchase beef and chicken. Your recent donations purchased a case of beef and chicken, which is about a 2 week supply. Thanks from the Retired wolves and the staff that care for them.
Shadow joined Malik in a chase around the pond in excitement on one of the cooler fall like days. We're starting to see these excited behaviors more frequently, with Shadow, it's definitely a sign that he's feeling good. Sometimes Malik shows excitement with some anxiety, but Shadow, as a confident animal, usually only responds to the pleasure of a good meal, a cool breeze and the sight of a favorite wolf care staff member. I know I might be missing someone, but I wanted to make sure I acknowledged the donors for the wolf care fund, we just bought 40 lbs of beef and 80 lbs of chicken, which will last about 3 – 4 weeks. Thanks to Bot Poteete… your donation is for a worth cause.
Thanks to Marcia Mummau and Joanna Georing for your contributions to Shadow's dinner fund. He has been offered food every day, but he is a bit selective of what and when he wants to eat. Chicken and beef are usually a hit. We still have them on the larger feeding of deer or beaver during the week, and it appears that Shadow has regained some confidence to get his fair share from Malik, which is why he's been caching. We'll continue to feed Shadow whenever he wants to eat, as winter is right around the corner.
Shadow still seems to be tractable to certain people, and intimidating towards others. Some staff enjoy a greeting like no other, while others approach the fence to give the morning vitamins, and Shadow tries to engage in direct eye contact, growling while getting his morning meds. This is probably going to be the behavior of Shadow until he's too old to growl, he always had a way of proving his point that he was a dominant wolf, even from the time he was a pup.
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