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Newest Ambassador Wolf Pups Join
Exhibit Pack.
To read the physical and behavioral observations of the wolves, click on a wolf image below.
To support the wolf pups, Exhibit Pack and all the work that the
International Wolf Center does to advance the survival wolves,
Become a Member Today!
Description
The Exhibit Pack is the reference for the wolves in the main enclosure. The individuals of this pack may vary as wolves age and new wolf pups are socialized. During the early summer of 2004, the Exhibit Pack consisted of Shadow and Malik, two arctic subspecies born in May of 2000.
On August 9th, 2004, Grizzer, Maya and Nyssa entered the Exhibit Pack, to bring the total number of wolves in this pack up to 5. This pack created many opportunities to learn about the dynamics of a wolf social hierarchy.
On May 11th, the Wolf Care Staff found Nyssa with serious injuries during their regularly scheduled morning wolf check, and rushed her to the Vet Clinic, where the medical exams determined her injuries too severe to repair. She was humanely euthanized, with Wolf Care Staff at her side. The Exhibit Pack numbered 4 wolves, Shadow, Malik, Grizzer and Maya until August 2008, when Aidan and Denali joined the pack.
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Description
The Retired Pack has been in existence since 2002, when the 1993 litter was systematically tested for weakness by the arctics, Shadow and Malik. This is a natural process that occurs in the wild as well as in captivity. In the wild, wolves have the freedom to leave their pack or disperse. In captivity, managers have to make that decision for the wolves. In August of 2002, MacKenzie and Lakota were dispersed to retirement and Lucas followed in September of 2002.
Lucas was euthanized on July 11, 2006, when it was determined that his health was declining despite medical treatment and it was apparent from his condition that the end was near.
On May 21, 2008, MacKenzie may have had a pulmonary embolism, that caused her death quickly while she slept. The necropsy investigation revealed a large lung tumor with several blood clots, although she showed no indication of illness from this cancer. The wolf care staff found her in the same sleeping position, with very little disturbance to the surrounding vegetation. This seems to indicate that she died with little struggle.
For those of you who would like to honor MacKenzie, please consider
a gift to the Wolf Care Fund in her memory. This
fund goes directly to the continued care of current and future wolf pack mates.
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Description
The Gone But Not Forgotten wolves are those wolves that were International Wolf Center ambassador wolves but have since passed away. This section serves as a reminder of all the great educational opportunities these wolves provided during their lives and the lesson's we learn. The instincts that make a wolf successful in the wild, such as strong social bonding with pack members, maintenance of defined rank order and ability to distinguish vulnerability in prey animals as well as fellow pack mates, makes a wolf a challenge in a captive environment.
The challenge is indeed great but we are up to it and more committed than ever to provide the best possible care of our wolves.
For those of you who would like to honor our "Gone But Not Forgotten" ambassador wolves, please consider a gift to the Wolf Care Fund in their memory. This fund goes directly to the continued care of current and future wolf pack mates.
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