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PROGRAMS
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Wolves Online
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Ambassador Wolves
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November - 2009 |
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Grizzer, a Great Plains subspecies of the gray wolf, was born on May 5, 2004. He is a littermate to Maya and has matured into a strong and big (95+ lb)... adult male. Fortunately, he has a relatively calm personality, and even though he has started to test the dominant male Shadow, he is easily distracted by food treats or a dominance chase with his littermate, Maya. For each wolf, you will see a weekly photo, notes on behavior or physical health and a video clip. Please note, due to the large file size of the video clips, they will only be archived for 30 days.
Photo by Center Staff
Watch extended wolf video on the International Wolf Center's YouTube Channel.
Enjoy a close-up of wolf behavior on our four Wolf Watch Cams.
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11/16/2009
Lori Schmidt - The hazard tree that tipped over and lodged into another tree was removed by chainsaw last week. The wolves were placed into the retired area with the exception of Malik, and were very stimulated by the fresh sawdust and the branch pattern. Grizzer seems most interested in the residual stump, and attempts to climb on it. This will be a good winter stimulus, as snow will likely accumulate on the remaining branches, giving the appearance of a snow cave.
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| Grizzer paying respect to Shadow |
| Photo: Center Staff |
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11/9/2009
Lori Schmidt - Grizzer had an interesting observation from a web viewer last week. I received an email from someone that they observed on the webcam that Grizzer had a raven land on his back. Grizzer looked up at it, but didn't do anything to chase it. My response to the email, Grizzer's tabletop back makes a perfect landing strip. Ravens do increase in population around the enclosure during winter, attempting to scavenge on remaining carcasses. There presence is good stimulation for the wolves, and while wolves in the wild rarely kill ravens, captive wolves have caught a raven or two.
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| Grizzer intimidating Malik with eye contact and body posture |
| Photo: Center Staff |
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11/2/2009
Lori Schmidt - Grizzer is getting a bit wider than usual. Every winter, he grows a thick coat that makes him look like a table top, but this winter, with the added mid-week feeding as a distraction from the construction, and as a necessity to keep Denali occupied, Grizzer's increased access to food is adding a bit to his size. By spring, he will likely lose this weight, but it is something that we are concerned about. Until the construction is complete, we will continue to feed on Wednesday's.
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| Not Grizzer's best side |
| Photo: Center Staff |
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