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May 11, 2005
Ely, MN Nyssa, a year-old female wolf at the International Wolf Center, was euthanized Wednesday, May 11, 2005, after other members of the pack mortally injured her.
Nyssa and another female wolf, Maya, were spayed on May 6 while the Center's Exhibit Pack members underwent complete medical exams supervised by Ely veterinarians. Nyssa weighed in at 95 pounds and Maya at 80 pounds. The surgeries were routine, and the post-operative recovery period went well, according to Chip Hanson, DVM, the Center's official veterinarian.
Nyssa and Maya were kept separate from the pack at first, and were watched by the wolf curator and a team of observers for 56 hours following the surgery. Maya is recovering normally and will get her stitches out on Friday.
Nyssa was last observed, healthy and active several times on Tuesday. On Wednesday morning, five days after the surgery, Nyssa was found with severe injuries by wolf care staff. She was taken to the Ely Veterinary Clinic where it was determined that she would not recover.
Nyssa, Maya and Grizzer were the three pups introduced to the Center's Exhibit Pack of two adult arctic wolves in 2004. Nyssa was the youngest and smallest of the pups, distinctive because of her black coat and feisty personality.
"Her death is a great loss to us at the Center, to all of our visitors in Ely and to the Web who got to know Nyssa as an ambassador for wolves in the wild," said Executive Director Walter Medwid.
"We will miss Nyssa terribly," said Wolf Curator Lori Schmidt. "The Center will conduct a thorough review of the incident to see if we can learn from Nyssa's circumstances. We'll also keep a close eye on the dynamics of the pack in case other intense aggression occurs."
A memorial fund is established in Nyssa's name. If you would like to make a donation go to www.wolf.org. All donations will go to toward the continued care of our ambassador wolves.
The killing of a pack member by others is not uncommon. While wolves form pack bonds, they also exert dominance over one another and seek to move up in rank. Any weakness in a pack member may trigger aggressive behavior by the other wolves.
"Our resident pack illustrates the intricate social dynamics of wolves, and we have just seen the end result of inherent competitiveness in a pack struggle," said Schmidt.
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTER - The International Wolf Center's mission is to advance the survival of wolf populations around the world by teaching about wolves, their relationship to wild lands, and the human role in their future. The world famous education center in Ely, Minnesota features daily presentations and field trips, an award winning museum exhibit and a pack of ambassador wolves living in their wooded territory.
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:
Jim Williams - 218-365-4695 X23
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