Packing on the Pounds

Ready for the current weights!

Moose=128 pounds

Ella=94 pounds

Orion=111 pounds

Mozart=99.5 pounds

Sirius=106 pounds

Their winter coats continue to grow and that makes them appear even larger!

Earlier this week a small wound was noticed on Mozart's ear. We're pretty sure Moose was the cause. These two have been noticed in some dominance discussions lately. As the pack structure continues to form (and hopefully solidify within the coming months) some members may become insecure or unsure of where they belong, I think this is the case with Mozart. Most of the time dominance spats are filled with jaw sparring, and usually there are no injuries, but these animals do have strong jaws and sharp teeth, so a few small wounds are bound to happen. As with Mozart, the injury was treated and will be observed to make sure there is no infection. Since our wolves are socialized, we were able to treat his ear without the need of capture nets or sedatives. He received some treats while we worked on his ear so everything was a very positive experience. And, since these animals are keen on anything different with a pack member, we needed to treat everyone! All the others received treats and good ear cleaning as well!

Tricky Treats

Last weekend the zoo held "Night Eyes", our annual trick-or-treat event. The wolves received whole pumpkins! They quickly figured out how to break them and get to the pumpkin goodness inside. Along with their pumpkins they did receive their normal meals plus some deer legs to chew on. Due to the weather this month, the wolves have been fairly soggy, but they don't seem to mind and can often be found in chase bouts. They all have been doing some obvious tail positioning...still trying to figure out where they all stand within the pack. This winter should continue to bring some very interesting behavior and hopefully by this spring the pack should have a more solidified order.

Wolf Awareness-Communication

Wolves communicate with each other in a variety of ways. Facial expressions and tail position are key non-verbal ways to convey pack status and mood. Wolves also scent mark, primarily used to indicate territory boundaries. Audible forms of communication include whines/whimpers, growls, barks, and howls. Howling is a form on long distance communication and as a way to unite the pack. Their does not have to be a full moon for wolves to howl...they can and will howl at anytime during the day or night!

Wolf Awareness-Pups

Wolf pups weigh about 1 pound at birth and are blind and nearly deaf. They use their nose to identify mom and siblings. They remain in and around the den site until they are apporoximately 10 weeks old and by 32 weeks of age they are travelling with the rest of the pack. Wolves mature quickly, as they need to be ready to travel and to endure winter before they are a year old. At the end of their first year they will weigh between 60 and 100 pounds (depending on subspecies and gender). At two years of age, a wolf is fully mature!

Wolf Awareness

Wolves are predators and need to eat other animals in order to survive. They hunt deer, moose, bison, elk, caribou, musk ox, and smaller mammals if necessary. Their prey is built to defend itself with powerful legs, sharp hooves, and deadly antlers or horns. Because prey can be difficult to catch, wolves hunt in packs. Wolves still have a difficult time, capturing and killing only about 5-10% of what they actively hunt, resulting in a meal once a week or maybe even once every other week. Typically, wolves pursue prey that is old, weak, young, or injured.

Wolf Awareness Week

It is wolf awareness week! Each day this week an interesting fact about wolves or information on their status in the wild will be posted.

Currently, 5 subspecies (types) of gray wolf (Canis lupus) are recognized in the United States

Canis lupus arctos-the arctic wolf

Canis lupus baileyi-the Mexican wolf

Canis lupus lycaon-the eastern timber wolf

Canis lupus nubilus-the great plains wolf

Canis lupus occidentalis-the Rocky Mountain or MacKenzie Valley wolf

Rainy Days

The past few weeks have been very wet and cool...have even seen a few days with some flurries. The pack seems to enjoy the autumn weather, even the rain. Tension between Mozart and Sirius has diminished somewhat and the hope is that they will come to terms with their differences and ranking before winter, as hormone levels tend to increase at this time of the year.