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They're growing, they're howling, and the three newest members of the International Wolf Center's ambassador pack are home in Ely.
May 24, 2004
High resolution photo images available! | More About the Pups
Two of the pups, a male and female, were born on May 5, followed by a second female on May 12. The Center's Wolf Care Team, led by Curator Lori Schmidt, began caring for the first two pups on May 17. Ranging from 1.5 to 2.8 pounds, the older two grizzled color pups have each added two pounds in the first five days under round-the-clock care and feeding of attentive wolf handlers. The youngest black female is growing quickly and will soon be a match for her two young packmates.
Wolf pups must mature quickly for survival, and these pups' handlers have noted normal growth in their new charges. One of the pups howled when only eight days old, even before the pups' eyes opened at day ten. On day 13 their canine teeth and incisors began irrupting, and one pup showed signs of dominating a littermate. The next day, their flattened ears began to stand up, and by day 17 they acted startled and tucked their tails when startled by noise.
In addition to physical growth, the pups' social behavior develops as they mature. Initially, they will establish a relationship through the fence with their future packmates, four-year-old arctic wolves, Shadow and Malik. At about three months of age, the youngsters will enter the main enclosure as part of the Center's ambassador Exhibit Pack. Their job -- to help the Center teach the world about wolves.
After wolf pups settle in, visitors to the Center Web site, www.wolf.org, can observe the wolf pups live via a 24-hour web cam with updates on their growth and development. NBC KARE-11 will sponsor the web cam and run a contest to name the pups.
Tentatively, the pups are expected to debut in Ely educational programs on May 30, based on their veterinarian's judgement. Programs will include, "Pup 101", and "Morning With The Pups." Visitors can have their picture taken with a pup as part of a fundraising effort for the Center. Program information is available on the Web site or by calling 1-800-Ely Wolf ext. 25. Pup media sponsors include KARE 11 TV, Minnesota Monthly magazine, Sexton Printing and advertising firm Campbell Mithun features Ely's new pups in an ad at the Minneapolis-St Paul airport.
More than 100 "wolf nannies" representing 23 states and three countries have been selected to help care for the pups from among applications that poured in from all over the U.S and the world. The nannies and the Center's wolf care team will feed, burp, clean, comfort and socialize the pups. When they are strong enough, the pups will be introduced to the public in daily programs at the Center.
"While the wolf is steeped in myth and is such a reclusive predator, ambassador wolves help the Center forge a connection between people and the animal," said Walter Medwid, Center executive director. "These wolves open the door to understanding, debunk myths and offer visitors a chance to witness an elusive predator they would not likely see in the wild."
Schmidt, teamed with internationally renowned wolf expert Dr. David Mech, Ely veterinarian Chip Hansen and others to plan the pups' arrival and care. Pups are vulnerable to adverse temperatures and disease, need to be fed every few hours and need to bond with their caretakers, and eventually with their pack.
The team will simulate wolf den conditions with 24-hour daily care for the first three weeks. The pup nursery will be a quiet place with low light and soft bedding so the pups can cuddle, climb, and become familiar with their new human caregivers. Since the pups will always live in captivity, they will be socialized to human contact so that they are at ease with visitors and veterinary care. The socialization process differs from domestication; although the pups will be bottle-fed and even burped after feedings, they will never be pets.
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTER- The International Wolf Center, founded in 1985, is known worldwide as the nation's premier source for wolf education. The mission of the Center is to advance the survival of wolf populations by teaching about the wolf's life, its relationship to wild lands and the human role in its future. The Center educates through its Web site, www.wolf.org, its ambassador wolves, museum exhibits, on-site adventure and outreach programs. Its flagship educational facility in Ely, MN, is home for the new pups. The Center's administrative and outreach offices are in French Regional Park in Plymouth.
Education facility: 1396 Highway 169, Ely, MN 55731, 1-218-365-4695
Administrative and Outreach Office: French Regional Park, 12615 County Road 9, #200, Plymouth, MN 55441 763-560-7374.
Contact:
Mary Ortiz - mortiz@wolf.org
(763) 560-7374, Ext. 225
Carissa Knaack - comasst@wolf.org
(763) 560-7374, Ext. 226
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