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Helping Save Mexican wolves (#9) – fence fighting between free-ranging & captive wolves

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Nearly exterminated in the wild during by the 1930s, the Mexican wolf remains one of the most endangered mammals in North America. In May, Wolf Haven’s Director of Animal Care Wendy Spencer assisted in the care & observation of two wolves scheduled for future release. This is Part 9 of an ongoing series of blog posts about her experience in Arizona.

As I headed to the blind the next morning, a herd of elk cut me off as they made their way across the road. They were huge and beautiful and a picture of sheer grace as they trotted by, except for the baby who was still a bit wobbly.

As I crested the ridge, I could hear loud whimpering and whining coming from the pen, amplified by the surrounding hillsides. I was still too far off to see the pen but the sounds continued as I approached. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a group of mule deer slinking past me. Their eyes were as big as saucers and even an uneducated observer like me could tell they were concerned about something. I continued to make my way down to the blind and as the pen came into view I could see movement along the perimeter in front of me.

It turned out to be an elk darting back and forth along the fence line and M1051 and F1126 were frantically running alongside him. Seconds later I caught a glimpse of something behind the elk but I was still far away and the lighting was poor but the animal looked decidedly canine. I couldn’t believe my eyes! The elk suddenly turned away from the pen and began running up the hill just to the left of the blind and by that time I had made it to the blind and I could make out the distinct coat color and pattern of a Mexican gray wolf as he gave chase to the elk. They both disappeared from view but I could hear them crashing through the woods.

Meanwhile, the wolves in the pen were coming unhinged. They were whimpering and whining and alarm bark/howling- a clear sign that they were agitated and in distress. Even with the naked eye I could see their hackles standing on end from head to tail, with tails held straight up in the air. They quickly bolted to the opposite side of the fence as a wolf came running to the fence and they began fence fighting with each other but this did not look like the same wolf that I watched run after the elk. All of a sudden, the elk came tearing towards the pen again, with the wolf still in tow! The elk found himself caught in between the two free ranging wolves and repeatedly darted back and forth. However, at one point the two wolves took time away from the elk to fence fight with the pair. The fighting became so intense that it was in that moment that the young spike saw his opportunity to get away and I watched as he bolted up the far hill and eventually out of sight.

I could not believe what I was seeing! The wolves would periodically take a break from fighting and essential go off to their own corners which allowed me to get good visuals through the scope. I could clearly see a radio collar on one of the free ranging wolves, who presumably was M1107. Even though I didn’t pick up his signal at all during the night, he was the only wolf that had been known to visit the pen site. Also, he was one of just a handful of wolves equipped with a GPS collar and through the scope I could see the telltale antenna. The other wolf looked and behaved like a juvenile- most likely a yearling. She was much darker in color and her markings were more muted than the other wolves.  And although there was no clear indication as to whether she was indeed a female, she just “looked” female to me.

Up until this point, everyone on the IFT thought that M1107 was traveling alone but somewhere on his travels, he managed to pick up this little female- perhaps a yearling from the Maverick pack….. (to be continued)

Helping Save Mexican Wolves (#6) – disappointment

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Nearly exterminated in the wild during by the 1930s, the Mexican wolf remains one of the most endangered mammals in North America. In May, Wolf Haven’s Director of Animal Care Wendy Spencer assisted in the care & observation of two wolves scheduled for future release. This is Part 6 of an ongoing series of blog posts about her experience in Arizona.

One of the two collared wolves intended for release into the wild.

One of the two collared wolves intended for release into the wild.

A few hours later Quinn from the IFT (Interagency Field Team) showed up at camp and he and I drove down to the pen to feed and water the wolves. As we approached the pen, we noticed the wolves were running hard and because it was already in the 70’s,it was important to do what we needed to as expediently as possible and then get out. The pen is situated in the center of a basin, will hillside surrounding all but the northern side. The pen itself looked very similar to the set-up we have at home. It was approximately 1/3 of an acre in size and is comprised of  9 gauge, 8 ft high vertical fencing with an overhang as well as a 3 ft ground skirt hog -ringed to the bottom of the vertical at a 90 degree angle.  It took the field team about 2 weeks to construct the pen- a very ambitious endeavor in the middle of nowhere! There was little “furniture” inside the pen aside from a wooden den box but there were several down trees and stumps that the wolves had dug day beds next to.

Eight foot high vertical fencing with overhang & ground skirt.

Eight foot high vertical fencing with overhang & ground skirt.

We quickly fed out 2 back elk legs and changed their water troughs before exiting the pen. Once again, the field team needed a fresh eye to look at the female to try and determine whether or not she was nursing, and a quick glance was all I needed. As much as I had hoped otherwise, I felt very confident that there were no pups- it was much easier to see in person that her abdomen was tucked up which was inconsistent with nursing. It takes 10-14 days for the female’s milk to dry up, so if she did whelp or abort or reabsorb, it had been at least that long.

Print left by one of penned Mexican gray wolves.

Print left by one of penned Mexican gray wolves.

This was not the news that the IFT was hoping to hear. The release date had already been pushed back once due to the prospect of pups, but if there were indeed no pups, what would that now mean for release? I was told that most likely the date would be pushed back up- perhaps after the holiday weekend. No doubt an IFT conference call was in order….. (to be continued)

Helping Save Mexican Gray Wolves (#5) – beautiful & pure howls
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Nearly exterminated in the wild during by the 1930s, the Mexican wolf remains one of the most endangered mammals in North America. In May, Wolf Haven’s Director of Animal Care Wendy Spencer assisted in the care & observation of two wolves scheduled for future release. This is Part 5 of an ongoing series of blog posts about her experience in Arizona.

One of two Mexican wolves in pen.

One of two Mexican wolves in pen.

The following morning I headed out in the dark and made my way to the blind. Twenty minutes would pass before I saw any movement from the wolves so perhaps they had decided to sleep in that morning. If they detected my presence, they gave no indication, as they did not even glance in my direction the entire time I was there- a marked difference from the day before. They went about their morning routine of stretching, marking, eating off a carcass and chasing ravens- pretty uneventful but amazing nonetheless. One of things I was asked to do was to try and determine whether or not the female had pups. There was some indication that the female had whelped approximately 10 days earlier but after reading the log book entries detailing her behavior and then seeing her through the scope, she did not look or behave as if she was nursing pups. She was out the remainder of the time that I was at the blind and rather than having a “bagged up” appearance that would be consistent with nursing, her abdomen appeared tucked up.

Arizona skyline

Arizona skyline

As I watched F1126, all of a sudden in the distance, a low, melodious howl broke my focus and I listened as it drifted through the basin. I could see the pair so I knew it was not coming from them and it was decidedly wolf, so it must have been M1107. The pair did not respond but rather just stood on high alert, ears pricked forward in the direction of the howls. The serenade continued and after a few seconds, I thought I heard a second voice join the chorus but there had been no reports of other wolves in the area, so I assumed it was just an echo. Listening to the howls, I was moved beyond words- It was so beautiful and pure.  After working with these animals in captivity for 15 years, to finally see and hear them on the landscape filled my heart and soul with overwhelming emotion. The howling continued off and on for the next 40 minutes and then there was silence.

When my 2 hours were up, I returned to camp and delivered the disappointing news about pups. The sun was now up and everything was awash in the color of the early morning sun. The customary spring winds had not yet kicked up so it was very silent (save for the birds). I knew elk were in the area because I had come to learn that their hooves make a very distinct sound when they hit the downed, dried aspen trees that clutter the forest floor.

Den site - possibly badger

Den site – possibly badger

Because the sun was in my eyes, it was hard to make out the orange and pink surveyors tape that marked the trail that led to and from the blind so I ended up veering slightly off the path. As I looked around for the footpath, a muffled, rustling sound caught my attention. I looked down and suddenly realized that I was about 2 feet away from a den entrance- badger most likely given the size – and not wanting to disturb the family further, I quickly hurried away. Further down the path I came across another den site, this one larger so most likely coyote. This was a fertile hillside…….. (to be continued)

Helping Save Mexican Gray Wolves (#4) – beauty from devastation

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Nearly exterminated in the wild during by the 1930s, the Mexican wolf remains one of the most endangered mammals in North America. In May, Wolf Haven’s Director of Animal Care Wendy Spencer assisted in the care & observation of two wolves scheduled for future release. This is Part 4 of an ongoing series of blog posts about her experience in Arizona.

Charred aspens can be seen amidst the new aspen growth in meadow.

Charred aspens can be seen amidst the new aspen growth in meadow.

By the time Allison left, it was about 3:00 in the afternoon so after Erin and I got settled in the trailer and figured out who was sleeping where, I grabbed my journal and decided to go for a walk. The pen was in a southerly direction from camp so I decided to head north to see what I would find. I didn’t have to go far- only about a ¼ mile before I came to an open meadow on the northwest aspect of the ridge where our camp was located. There I sat in the afternoon sun, captivated by the beauty that surrounded me. Evidence of the fire was all around me but even in the midst of so much devastation there was such beauty and life. The tall, charred aspen were a stark contrast against the pristine blue sky and brilliant green of the young aspen regrowth as it danced in the afternoon wind. Ravens and songbirds soared over head and everywhere I looked, grasshoppers flitted about, the din of their collective chirping rivaling the sound of the aspen leaves rustling in the wind.

Mule deer

Mule deer

A few hundred feet away there was a group of mule deer grazing – we regarded one another briefly, and after giving me a dismissive glance, they went out their business. For hours I sat, Thoreau’s words “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately “repeatedly running through my mind. I felt grateful, blessed, alive.  Once the afternoon sun began to sink below the far off ridge line, I decided to head back.

Wendy Spencer uses telemetry equipment to locate sign of collared wild Mexican wolves.

Wendy Spencer uses telemetry equipment to locate sign of collared wild Mexican wolves.

Sunset is early in the Apache- 7:30, so after a light dinner, it was time to turn in since we both had to be up early – 3:30am. Erin was going to spend a day in the field with the IFT and I needed to get to the blind at first light (4:45am). Throughout the night we took turns getting our telemetry readings- not only were we monitoring the pair, but there was also another wolf hanging around, M1107, the former alpha male of the now defunct Rim pack. His mate had been removed from the wild the previous year so now he just wandered his former range and the nearby Fort Apache Indian Reservation (FAIR), presumably in search of a new mate. We picked up his faint signal to the north of the pen during the night so we knew he was still in the area.

Helping Save Mexican Gray Wolves (#1)

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These Mexican gray wolf brothers reside at Wolf Haven International – they aren’t the two scheduled for release (M1051 and F1126).

These Mexican gray wolf brothers reside at Wolf Haven International – they aren’t the two scheduled for release (M1051 and F1126).

Plans are being made for the first release IN FIVE YEARS of Mexican gray wolves into the wild! Nearly exterminated in the wild during by the 1930s, the Mexican wolf remains one of the most endangered mammals in North America. In May, Wolf Haven’s Director of Animal Care, Wendy Spencer assisted in the care & observation of two wolves scheduled for future release.She will write about her experience in a series of blog posts.

It has been almost 5 years since the Interagency Field Team (IFT) has done an initial release of Mexican gray wolves into the American southwest-  a benchmark that has been considered long overdue by most accounts. Recently, however, the politics and policies that have long stymied any new releases into the primary recovery zone of Arizona were tenuously and temporarily set aside in favor of science in order to give the free ranging Mexican gray wolf population a much need genetic boost.

On April 25th, 2013, M1051 and F1126 were transported from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service’s Sevilleta Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico to a chain- link release pen in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, just outside of Alpine, Arizona.

Unbeknownst to the pair, they bear a heavy burden- how well they fare in the wild will no doubt have strong implications for future releases, so it is critical to the program that everything goes well, not only  the acclimation process, but the subsequent release as well. In order for those things to happen, it is equally critical that the IFT set the pair up for success and give them a fighting chance once they are released.

However, the pair has a tough road ahead for the life of a free ranging Mexican gray wolf is not an easy one. Unquestionably, the biggest challenge they face is their ability to stay clear of humans (and their guns)-it is no secret that the local residents are not overly receptive to the idea of having wolves back on the landscape and over the years, they have made their malcontent abundantly clear by illegally shooting and killing at least 46 of them.  And while the habitat is ideal and well saturated with a robust prey base, the primary recovery area itself is relatively small which limits the number of wolves it can support. And as if those impediments weren’t enough, throw in disease and wildfires and speeding vehicles, as well as cows, and it becomes obvious that the odds are disproportionately stacked against them.

So… how exactly does the IFT go about setting up the pair for a successful release? Recently I was given the rare opportunity to not only get a behind the scenes look, but to also participate briefly in the process and it was an experience that I will remember for the rest of my life…………………..

Big day in the sanctuary

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Guy and Anna

Guy and Anna

Big day in the sanctuary for some of our residents–

Guy and Anna were moved to a large off-visit enclosure up on the hill away from the public visit route. If they choose, they can still catch a glimpse of visitors as they make their way along the public visit route, but given that both Guy and Anna are very shy, no doubt they will enjoy the increased privacy. Moving them meant that their original enclosure would now be vacant, and since that enclosure has an above ground tunnel that connects to Juno and Shadow’s enclosure, we were able to open the gates to the tunnel so Juno and Shadow could have an extra enclosure to romp in. Both pairs were so excited with their new digs- all kinds of new things to investigate and mark and roll on! Lots of excited whining, smelling and big, toothy smiles as well. I’d say they are pretty pleased with the new real estate!

Juno cautiously sniffs her new digs.

Juno cautiously sniffs her new digs.

brotherly love

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Siblings Myta and Chai

Siblings Myta and Chai

Chai, one of our female San Bernardino wolves, was transported to the vet on Tuesday for surgery. Chai, who will be 10 this month, has remained intact since her arrival in 2000. She is housed with her brother, Myta Jr., who is altered, so there was no risk of pups. However, the last couple of years, she has been having very severe false pregnancies, with symptoms persisting into August. We decided to do a complete spay so that she would not have to endure another season.

While Chai was at the vet, Myta received a portion of his regular meal, since Tuesday is a normal feeding day for the wolves. When Chai returned, she was not ready to go out so she spent some time recovering in her crate until she had burned through the anesthetic drugs.

By around six that evening she was ready to go; we transported her into her enclosure and opened the gate of the crate and backed off, allowing her to come out on her own time.

Myta Jr. just watched her from a distance, slowly walking back and forth, whining. As soon as Chai exited her crate, he took off running. We thought maybe he was going to run over and greet her but instead he ran to his meat pile. “oh… how sweet,” we thought. “he’s going to offer her a piece of his meat.” but instead he proceeded to scarf it down as fast as he could.

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Posturing

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Mexican wolf brothers M1066 (left) and M1135 (right)

Mexican wolf brothers M1066 (left) and M1135 (right)

Today while doing the walk through I observed some posturing between our 3 sibling male Mexican gray wolves. The brothers, who are housed together, were born here at Wolf Haven (2 were born in 2007 and the other in 2008) . While the boys lived with their parents and female siblings for several years, they have been living alone as bachelors since 2010.

Fortunately they had the benefit of being parent reared and as such, learned appropriate behavior. We would often observe (via remote camera) the parents chastising the pups when they got out of line and because they were a multigenerational group, they had lots of siblings (8) to not only play with, but to practice ritualized fighting with as well, subsequently developing good social skills.

Even though the parents are the ones in charge, there is a linear hierarchy that exists within the group that is not only age graded, but sex graded as well- meaning that the males and females work out their own chain of command and rarely do dominance disputes cross gender lines. Very early on the 3 boys established a hierarchy among themselves and it has remained pretty stable up until recently. Even when they moved into their own enclosure, away from their sire, the male who had been in charge (M1066) retained the dominant role. However, the youngest of the 3, M1135 has started to test the waters this season and it appears that there may be a shift in dynamics.  This is not uncommon, particularly in a disrupted pack. For although the alpha pair’s (or parents’) leadership will stay stable, the rest of the group’s dynamics are in flux. Things like dispersal, injury, or attrition can lead to an opportunity for a lower ranking animal to move up in status. In the case of captive wolves, something as seemingly benign as a move from one enclosure to another can prompt a shift.

So far, our 3 bachelors have lived a pretty peaceful coexistence. During breeding season we saw them periodically get a little testy with one another but usually it presented in raised tails and/or hackles. There were never any actual physical confrontations (that we observed). Same sex groupings, particularly males, seem to get along pretty well together – of course, all bets would be off if we were to introduce a female into the fray- and our boys are no exception.

Breeding season has come and gone, so naturally we would expect to see less posturing. However, today as I rounded the corner to their enclosure, I observed M1135 facing off with M1066-his tail and hackles were raised, his face was set in an agonistic pucker as he emitted a low growl. M1066 had his head turned away in avoidance, which is a submissive behavior, but  the rest of his body language sent a different message. His tail and hackles were also raised and his body was rigid, indicating that he wasn’t quite ready to submit. However, his brother body slammed him and M1066 tucked his tail and turned away, redirecting towards the other brother, M1067, who is the lowest ranking of the 3.

There is never a dull moment when you work with animals (especially wolves) and it will be interesting to see how this all plays out. Stay tuned….

bucket and tub day

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Wendy looks at Bart and Jinkies with their splash tub.

Wendy looks on as Jinkies plays in her splash tub.

Yesterday was bucket and tub day. While the wolves’ water buckets are emptied and refilled with clean water at least daily, on an as-needed basis (usually once a week) we pull every water bucket and 50 gallon splash tub out of each enclosure and giving them a thorough cleaning before replacing and refilling. Because we operate on a well and water pressure is already pretty low, it doesn’t help the process when you are trying to fill tubs and as fast as you fill, the wolves are standing in them splashing the water out. It took 4 attempts to get Jinkies’ tub filled because as soon as I would get any measurable amount of water in her tub, she would jump in and splash it all back out. At one point she even laid down in the tub while I was filling it. I think she takes a certain delight in vexing me but she was having fun so I would have stayed all day if necessary 🙂  Wendy