#summer – Wolf Haven International

Mehina & Klondike enjoying their summer treat

by Brennan Stoelb, Animal Care Specialist

We have had some warm days already this year with more to follow, no doubt. I remember the sound of an ice cream truck during the hot summer days, sending me on a risky adventure through the couch cushions for any loose change that my parents unknowingly donated to the cause.

Summer is a good time at Wolf Haven. On hot days, it’s not uncommon to see the

Freezing Tuna Popsicles

wolves lounging in the shade or to notice maybe just an ear flicker in the tall grass. They like to take it easy. We are always trying to keep their senses and minds interested with items that they don’t get on a regular basis. One such item is tuna popsicles. While we don’t have the catchy music of an ice cream truck, we’d like to think the popsicles are greeted with as much enthusiasm.

You may be thinking, “Where I can buy a tuna popsicle?” Good question, and to the best of my knowledge you can’t. We purchase disposable cups, enough for all the animals here, and we buy some tuna. We put a generous amount of tuna in the cup and fill the rest with water. We then put the cups in the freezer. Presto! Tuna popsicles.

Now we don’t limit the wolves’ culinary pallets to just tuna. We like to mix things up for the wolves. As part of our Sustainable Selections program, we sometimes get things like shrimp from the food vendor. We put the shrimp in and then add some minced garlic for extra tastiness.

Check out the VIDEO of EVE enjoying her popsicle!

Klondike delights in the scent of generations of wolves who have left calling cards of fur on the fence

By Brennan Stoelb, Animal Care Specialist

Springtime is here. I know this not only because the trees are in bloom, but also because my house is covered with a thin layer of dog fur. As a matter of fact, after I typed that last sentence, I proceeded to pet my husky Winnie who was wet from the rain and my hand is now covered in a layer of fur.

If you have been to the sanctuary in the winter months you could be fooled into thinking that wolves weigh 150 pounds or more, based purely on their perceived girth. The reality is that wolves are so well insulated that their bulkiness in winter is just fur! A wolf’s coat is comprised of two different types of fur; a soft undercoat and coarser outer coat with longer guard hairs. The longest fur is on the back by the shoulders, often referred to as a “cape.”

Bart with full winter coat

Summer Bart looks pounds lighter

Wolves also have more fur in their ears than dogs to help protect the inner ear from the elements. When wolves are in extreme cold temperatures, say -30 degrees, their undercoat keeps them warm and you will often find them curled up in a ball with their noses tucked under their tails, like this husky.

So with their size in winter attributed to their fur, we can assume that the rest of the year they appear smaller.This true, but not for the reasons you may think. It makes sense to have more fur when it’s cold and less when it’s hot, but temperature isn’t the reason for the fur loss. Wolves, like all mammals, are photoperiodic- meaning that their endocrine cycles are regulated by the amount of daylight hours. In the spring as daylight hours increase, melatonin mediated changes cause prolactin levels to rise in both male and female wolves.

Prolactin is a hormone that triggers maternal and paternal behavior in wolves, among other species, such as denning, lactation, and shedding. The peak levels of prolactin coincide with the onset of summer and decrease throughout the rest of the year.Right now, the wolves are starting to look a little ragged, with clumps of fur hanging off of them.

Fence growing fur?

You may even see a fence line or two that looks like it’s growing some fur. If you come and visit us this summer, just don’t be surprised if the wolves look smaller than the last time you were in the winter and be thankful that the hair isn’t on your furniture!

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Tuna Popsicle

Fur