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International Wolf Center Experiences a Death in the Pack -- , 05/22/2008
ELY, MN MacKenzie, a 15-year old wolf at the International Wolf Center appears to have died in her sleep on Wednesday afternoon, May 21, 2008. Wolves in the wild may live 8 to 10 years. Captive wolves sometimes live as long as 14 to 16 years.
MacKenzie, a Great Plains subspecies of the gray wolf, was born April 28, 1993. A black color phase wolf, MacKenzie was the dominant female in the Exhibit Pack since she was a pup and continued when moved to retirement in 2002.
“We are saddened by MacKenzie’s death, but it is very likely she died in her sleep. When a wolf is 15, the possibility of a mortality is a daily management issue,” said Wolf Curator Lori Schmidt. “MacKenzie has been with us since she was 10 days old and helped teach about her wild counterparts to over 650,000 people at the Center and a countless number on the Web. She lived a long life and was very important to our staff, board, volunteers, members and others across the world.”
Wolf Care staff were in the enclosure all morning conducting daily facility duties and raking straw. When staff returned to the enclosure at 4 pm to deliver antibiotics to another wolf they discovered MacKenzie lying prone in a sleeping posture. A necropsy was performed at the Ely Vet Clinic and results will be available within 10 days. Initial results indicate that a tumor was present in the lungs, but no definitive cause of death is known at this time.
MacKenzie will be cremated and her ashes spread at a location in the Ely area to be determined by Center staff members.
Donations will be accepted into the Wolf Care Fund in her name and will to be used for current and future wolf care needs. They may be given in-person, mailed to 1396 Highway 169, Ely, MN 55731 or entered online at www.wolf.org.
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 wildlands, 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. Details online at www.wolf.org.
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