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On April 19-21, <strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong> celebrated its 30th Anniversary with a weekend<br />
of exciting and well-attended festivities. Friday was unseasonably hot — into<br />
the 80s — and visitors and wolves alike baked in the sun, slathered on<br />
sunscreen and grumbled about the weather. They shouldn’t have; as if in<br />
response, the rest of the weekend was cold and wet.<br />
Opening ceremonies on Friday included the dedication of the new bridge,<br />
which was located, negotiated for and<br />
wrangled into place by managing director<br />
Amanda Shaad and funded by board<br />
members Gladys and Al Wright. (It has<br />
been named the Erich Klinghammer<br />
Memorial Bridge) The bridge was put in<br />
place on March 3rd, and both it and the new<br />
Loop Trail which goes over it were<br />
completed just in time for the weekend. (We<br />
are now busily putting bison fence in so the<br />
bison may once again use that field, and<br />
visitors can have a closer look at them.)<br />
Just after the bridge dedication, Dr.<br />
Klinghammer received the prestigious<br />
Quarterly Newsletter of the<br />
North American Wildlife <strong>Park</strong> Foundation Vol. 29 No. 2 - Summer 2002<br />
Celebrating 30 Howling Good Years<br />
Flutist Topwaya plays for Seneca.<br />
Sagamore of the Wabash award (see page 3). Shortly thereafter the audience<br />
was invited to participate in the first official crossing of the bridge, to see the<br />
back half of East Lake “up close and personal”. With Dr. Klinghammer in the<br />
lead, they stampeded over the structure and only a few stopped to see if they<br />
could get the bridge to bounce up and down (they couldn’t).<br />
The foxes goggled at the masses of people surging past them from an<br />
unfamiliar direction. Kiri and Socrates wagged and preened and waved and<br />
grumbled at each other for a better view of their audience. Later in the<br />
evening a visiting flutist, Topwaya, played Native American-inspired flute<br />
music, inspiring several chorus howls and beautiful and haunting wolf/flute<br />
duets. (He played a solo for Seneca, who tried to eat the flute.)<br />
The lecture tent was packed all day Saturday — first Nina Fascione of<br />
Defenders of Wildlife, then Dogs author Ray Coppinger, and then noted red<br />
wolf expert John Weller presented a series of fascinating talks. Those<br />
<strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong> is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of wolves<br />
in captivity and in the wild through behavioral research and education.<br />
humans brave enough to venture outside were the first to complete real fullcircle<br />
tours of the <strong>Park</strong>, and could get a close look at the visiting Arctic wolves,<br />
Chance and Jacona, returning courtesy of O.J. Volkman and <strong>Wolf</strong>wood Ranch<br />
in Minnesota. Visitors also got to enjoy the new shade cloth over the<br />
bleachers — less as a sunscreen than as a mild water repellent, but they still<br />
seemed to enjoy it.<br />
The auction, headed again by Dr.<br />
Samuel Conway, was a great success. Dr.<br />
Conway auctioned off Yellowstone wolf<br />
scat, bedspreads, button covers, coasters,<br />
beer steins and even his own tie, netting<br />
three thousand dollars for the <strong>Park</strong>. (Many<br />
thank-yous are due to Dr. Conway for his<br />
excellent performance at the auction, and<br />
also to our members who donated so many<br />
wonderful items.)<br />
Saturday ended in a banquet at the<br />
Trails, at which Doug Smith of the<br />
Photo by Monty Sloan<br />
By Jessica Willard<br />
Yellowstone wolf project (a former <strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong><br />
puppy mother!) delivered an excellent talk to<br />
the accompaniment of good food.<br />
On Sunday, Guenther Bloch (husband of Karin Bloch, our primary puppy<br />
mother, and a noted wolf researcher), Beth Duman, and Dr. Klinghammer<br />
rounded out the speeches. The lucky people who won “animal time” in the<br />
auction got to visit with the main pack, wolves at East Lake, and the Arctic<br />
wolves, and participate in Foxes With Boxes, a vulpine feast encased in<br />
cardboard for their excavating pleasure.<br />
The Sunday wolf-bison demonstration was made quite exciting by the birth<br />
of new bison calves earlier in the week. Fortunately, every bison calf is<br />
protected by at least 800 pounds of bison mama. The mama bison protected<br />
their babies very well from Tristan, and the demos were exciting but ultimately<br />
uneventful.<br />
Next year’s smaller (but still fun!) Members’ Weekend event will be held<br />
April 11-13. Mark your calendars!<br />
Interns, volunteers and staff celebrate the completion of the bridge. Photo by Monty Sloan Chance (l) and Jacona, visiting from OJ Volkman’s <strong>Wolf</strong>wood Ranch. Photo by Monty Sloan
CHECK OUT OUR WEB SITE AT http://www.wolfpark.org<br />
2<br />
On April 19-21 we celebrated <strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong>’s 30 th anniversary. Where<br />
did all the years go? It was not too long ago – in my mind – that Koko and<br />
Cassie came to us from the Brookfield Zoological <strong>Park</strong> west of Chicago.<br />
They were donated to us by Dr. George Rabb, then the director of research,<br />
and now director of the zoo. It was gratifying to have him present during part<br />
of our anniversary celebrations. We have come a long way from that first<br />
small enclosure next to my house to the way the park appears now to our<br />
visitors. We have a Seminar/Education Building, and due to the generosity of<br />
board member Gladys Wright and her husband Al we have an Observation<br />
Building and a new Visitors’ Center. We have new bleachers that can seat<br />
400 people, and we have a large parking lot that can accommodate 200-300<br />
cars. Even the road has been improved somewhat. We have completed the<br />
Loop Trail, which enables visitors to begin at the bleachers, and walk around<br />
the main pack enclosure and East Lake in a complete circle rather than<br />
doubling back. The bridge was also donated by Gladys and Al Wright, as<br />
was the new road leading from it to the Education Building.<br />
The presentation of my appointment as Sagamore of the Wabash by State<br />
Representative Sheila Klinker on behalf of Governor O’Bannon took place on<br />
the new bridge. While I was given this honor, I see it as a sign of<br />
appreciation for all of us at <strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong>. While I had the original idea about<br />
starting wolf research on our farm, which is now owned by <strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong>, the<br />
park would not exist were it not for the dedicated efforts of everyone<br />
associated with it. I want to thank especially my former wife Suzanne, for all<br />
her dedication taking care of legal matters, keeping the books and handling<br />
the finances.<br />
Throughout the three days of our celebration many people came to visit.<br />
Friends from the Society of the Protection of Wolves in Germany, my<br />
daughter Kirsten, board member Phil DePoy and my friend Nicola<br />
Rubenstein all came. My cousin Pliny and his wife Joan came from Florida.<br />
My friend and colleague Ray Coppinger and his wife Lorna came from<br />
Massachusetts, and Nina Fascione, of Defenders of Wildlife, came from<br />
Washington, DC. Gordon Burghardt, a fellow graduate with me at the<br />
University of Chicago, came to the banquet. Several people who could not<br />
come sent letters which were read aloud. Douglas Smith, who started his<br />
wolf career at <strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong> more than 20 years ago as a puppy mother, gave<br />
the keynote address about his work in Yellowstone National <strong>Park</strong> where he is<br />
now in charge of the wolf reintroduction project.<br />
The food at the banquet, held at The Trails nearby, was excellent. Before<br />
the dinner, our board gave me an award consisting of a wolf bust created by<br />
our own resident artist Gale Motter. Amanda, our managing director,<br />
presented me with a Festschrift (a book of letters many people who had been<br />
associated with me and <strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong> in previous years had written about their<br />
memories), which I really appreciated. I thought our anniversary was a great<br />
success.<br />
I want to thank every one of our staff, interns and volunteers who made<br />
this possible. Amanda Shaad was the originator and driving force behind this<br />
event. (The bouquet of flowers I gave you, Amanda, is merely a small token<br />
of appreciation for all you have done to make this celebration a howling<br />
success.) I apologize to anyone whom I might have failed to mention. Thank<br />
you all for coming, and many thanks to all of<br />
you, our members, who have helped make 30<br />
years of wolves possible.<br />
WOLF PARK Battle Ground, IN 47920<br />
(765) 567-2265 FAX: (765) 567-4299<br />
<strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong> News Summer 2002<br />
Membership benefits include:<br />
• Free admission to the <strong>Park</strong><br />
• <strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong> News<br />
• 10% off books from the Gift Shop<br />
• Invitation to Members Only Events<br />
• Visitation Privileges With A <strong>Wolf</strong>*<br />
*Adopt-A-<strong>Wolf</strong> Sponsorship Only<br />
Weather Permitting<br />
!"<br />
Closed Mondays<br />
Open Tuesday to Sunday<br />
1:00 to 5:00 p.m.<br />
Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.<br />
for Howl Night<br />
# $% &' !"<br />
<strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong> is open every Saturday<br />
at 7:30 p.m. for Howl Night only<br />
(' &)*+<br />
Listen to the intriguing sounds of our<br />
wolves as they communicate through<br />
their howls. After the lecture, join in<br />
a chorus howl of your own.<br />
, '- & # + +&<br />
See wolves and bison interact as<br />
wolves test bison for signs of<br />
weakness. Our healthy bison have<br />
nothing to fear from the wolves.<br />
Sunday Only: Lecture 1:00 p.m.<br />
followed by demonstration.<br />
. & &<br />
— Members Always Free —<br />
Tuesday - Saturday & Howl Night:<br />
Children 1 to 5 years - FREE<br />
Children 6 to 13 years - $3.00<br />
14 years and older - $5.00<br />
Sunday:<br />
Children 1 to 5 years - FREE<br />
Children 6 to 13 years - $3.00<br />
14 years and older - $6.00<br />
Groups of more than 20 people are admitted at<br />
$4.00 each Tues. - Sat. & Howl Nights. On Sun.,<br />
groups of more than 20 are $5.00 per person.<br />
The Institute of Ethology<br />
supports research and education:<br />
• <strong>Wolf</strong> Behavior Seminars<br />
• Internships and Practica<br />
• Year-round research opportunities
$<br />
#<br />
<strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong> celebrated its 30th anniversary this April — 30 years with<br />
wolves and 30 years with <strong>Park</strong> founder Dr. Erich Klinghammer. As<br />
part of the festivities Dr. Klinghammer was presented with a Sagamore<br />
of the Wabash award, honoring his years of contribution to the<br />
state of Indiana via the institution of <strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong>. The Sagamore is<br />
loosely based on a Native American tradition of the chief appointing a<br />
council of wise elders to advise him. The award is given out by the<br />
governor of Indiana (currently<br />
Frank O’Bannon) to honor<br />
those who have significantly<br />
contributed to the well-being of<br />
the state in some way, and<br />
demonstrated leadership, loyalty,<br />
and inspiration.<br />
Dr. Klinghammer was also<br />
honored by longtime friends<br />
and <strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong> staff members,<br />
who collected writings and photos<br />
of old times with Erich together<br />
in a festschrift, a book of<br />
memories.<br />
Here’s to 30 more years!<br />
Erich and his Sagamore. Photo by Jessica Willard<br />
Visit our kids’ web site at:<br />
WOLF! Magazine<br />
emphasizes accurate, objective and<br />
timely reporting of news about wolves. It<br />
is the best overview of wolf news<br />
available in one publication. The most<br />
wolf information you can physically fit in<br />
one publication, plus black and white<br />
photos by Monty Sloan. Published three<br />
times per year.<br />
Subscription rates:<br />
• U.S. $22.50/year, $40.00/two years; add $5.00 per year<br />
surcharge for first class mail. Payment by Mastercard, Visa or<br />
check, made out to WOLF! and drawn on a U.S. bank only.<br />
• Canada & Mexico $29.00/year. All other countries $37.50/year<br />
Sample Copy for new readers only: U.S. $3.95, others $5.95<br />
Apollo stretches out and surveys his domain.<br />
Photo by Monty Sloan<br />
Can’t make it out to the <strong>Park</strong> to<br />
peruse our gorgeously-appointed<br />
new Gift Shop? Weep no more!<br />
<strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong>’s Gift Shop now has an<br />
online component, so you can shop<br />
in the privacy of your home. Visit us at www.wolfparkstore.<br />
com! You can even buy memberships, subscribe to WOLF!<br />
Magazine, and sign up for seminars online!<br />
Behavior seminars consist of lectures, slide, video and film<br />
presentations, observations and hands-on experience with wolves, as well as<br />
the opportunity to see the <strong>Wolf</strong>-Bison demonstration up close. The seminars<br />
are based on the behavioral research carried out at <strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong> since 1972.<br />
Enrollment is limited to 25 per seminar. 5-day seminars require $100 nonrefundable<br />
deposit to hold a spot; 6-day seminars require $200 nonrefundable<br />
deposit. Money cannot be applied to future seminars.<br />
Photography seminars consist of a talk on photographing wolves, and<br />
3 hours of supervised outdoor photography with photographer Monty Sloan.<br />
Participants will photograph <strong>Park</strong> wolves from inside the enclosure. The<br />
wolves are in semi-natural habitat for fantastic photo opportunities.<br />
Enrollment limited to 7 persons. Non-refundable full payment of $150 is<br />
required to hold a spot. In the event of cancellation, money may be applied to<br />
future seminars.<br />
All participants wishing to interact with the wolves must be at least 18 years old and<br />
able-bodied enough to withstand enthusiastic greeting from a 100-pound wolf.<br />
Restrictions will apply.<br />
2002 Seminar Dates<br />
One-Day Photography Seminars $150 each<br />
October 14, 21, 28; November 4, 25<br />
5-Day <strong>Wolf</strong> Behavior Seminars $475 each<br />
August 11-15; October 6-10<br />
6-Day <strong>Wolf</strong> and Dog Behavior Seminar<br />
With Terry Ryan and Dr. Ray Coppinger<br />
June 16-21 $720<br />
Accommodations are extra.<br />
Seminars fill up, so reserve your spot now!<br />
! " "<br />
The Ethogram, our “wolf-to-English dictionary”,<br />
has been totally revamped! With additional<br />
behaviors, updated definitions, a new<br />
introduction and appendices, PLUS black and<br />
white photographs by Monty Sloan illustrating<br />
many of the listed behaviors, the new version<br />
of the Ethogram is an absolute must-have.<br />
Pick up your copy in the gift shop during our 30th anniversary<br />
celebration, visit our online Gift Shop at www.wolfparkstore.com, or<br />
phone (765) 567-2265 between 9-5 Mon-Fri and purchase with a Visa<br />
or MasterCard! Only $15.00 each plus 1.50 S&H.<br />
Monty Sloan’s photography is available online at<br />
<strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong> News Summer 2002 3<br />
E-mail us at w olfpark@w olfpark.org
4<br />
% & ! "<br />
<strong>Spring</strong> came again, and with it promises of new dens and invisible puppies.<br />
This spring Devon and Ember created a new earthworks on the site of last<br />
year’s new den — right under the 200-pound slate slabs put in place to prevent<br />
such an occurrence. They nestled in among the rocks underneath the slabs<br />
and looked smug. Andrew came along, lifted the slabs, put down a layer of<br />
hardware cloth, and replaced the dirt and the slabs. The foxes returned and<br />
dug futilely under the now-reinforced slabs. We humans said “Neener neener”.<br />
“Phantom puppies” sometimes occur in female animals who do not have<br />
puppies yet are being signaled, by photoperiod, temperature, and other stimuli,<br />
that they should have puppies. Devon and Ember had phantom puppies last<br />
year and are repeating that experience this year, with Ember trying to carry<br />
Devon around by the scruff of the neck, and poor Corey walking around trying to<br />
figure out which vixen to provision.<br />
Corey began shedding early this year, his winter coat falling out in huge<br />
fuzzy clumps. He was very naked by the time Basil started losing the<br />
occasional bit of soft white fluff. As of this writing, neither of the girls has begun<br />
to shed. They are hanging out in the shade, waiting for their coats to get thin so<br />
they will be cool again. Since the back den has flooded, Ember is hiding out in<br />
the Fox Fallout Shelter, occasionally emerging to beg food from Corey and try to<br />
mother Devon, who tries to mother Ember in return.<br />
Devon’s Weird Leg Owies (which appear to be hot spots of some sort) have<br />
returned this year in the form of one Leg Owie which was quickly squelched by<br />
the prompt action of Andrew, who administered bubble-gum flavored Clavomox<br />
(in peanut butter!) as well as a steroid shot. (Devon was the only fox who did<br />
not like the bubble gum taste. Ember, Basil and even Corey nearly attacked<br />
Andrew trying to get some of the tasty “treat”.)<br />
Basil was very interested in the installation of the bridge, which went on right<br />
next to the fox enclosure. Baz is proud to be the first fox — or any other <strong>Park</strong><br />
animal — to have crossed the bridge (on leash and under supervision). He<br />
hopped onto it and crossed fearlessly, dragging his handler behind him.<br />
Devon also went on a<br />
walk this spring, her first in<br />
several months. She ran<br />
around loudly professing<br />
that she’d rather be back in<br />
the enclosure, so vigorously<br />
that we took her home.<br />
(Fox walks are supposed to<br />
be treats for foxes, not<br />
punishments.) We are<br />
working on ways to make<br />
walks more pleasant for<br />
her, so that she can enjoy<br />
Ember (left) and Devon argue over<br />
possession of a bunny.<br />
Photo by Monty Sloan<br />
going out and being allowed<br />
to explore.<br />
With apologies to Michael Strong, and his poem about<br />
Hiawatha’s Mittens, we present a short excerpt from The<br />
Feeding of Marion:<br />
(<br />
She, to get at the meat side, inside,<br />
had to turn the skin side outside,<br />
Had to turn the fur side inside,<br />
Peeling the hide back from the outside,<br />
Till the outside all was inside<br />
In a sort of furry tube.<br />
Pat’s Poetry Corner is neither permanent nor light-fast and will not mark on<br />
concrete, foam or organic matter. It has no known effect on hedgehogs.<br />
Please contact your local Poetry Control Center if Pat’s Poetry Corner<br />
begins to steam, smoke or emit hallucinogens.<br />
<strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong> News Summer 2002<br />
' ! "<br />
DENEB still has a little fat around her ribs — yay, Deneb! Our little “aerobics<br />
instructor” has started keeping on a little weight, which is good for the oldest wolf<br />
at the <strong>Park</strong>. (Don’t tell her, though — she feels she must maintain her girlish<br />
figure and will continue her weight-loss-through-fence-fighting program with<br />
more vigor.) Deneb has started asking for tummy-rubs during cleanup, and<br />
enjoys having staff member Gale Motter “somersault” her head over heels<br />
before administering a (purely medicinal!) all-over body rub.<br />
URSA and Andrew continue to make friends via the bliss-inducing influence of<br />
Andrew’s fingers, which we may have to bottle and sell. She, too, enters spring<br />
in good weight and health. She has manifested one unusual phenomenon,<br />
though — her howl seems to have gone on vacation. During <strong>Park</strong>-wide chorus<br />
howls she gamely tilts her head back and opens her mouth, emitting a soft<br />
breathy noise with no tone. (It’s not a health problem...many old dogs “lose their<br />
voice” with age too.) Fortunately we love her anyway.<br />
On Members’ Weekend we moved ORCA to a larger enclosure to see how he’d<br />
do. He was across the corridor from Chance and Jacona, O. J. Volkman’s arctic<br />
wolves, who were making a guest appearance. After a day, Orca clearly wanted<br />
out of his enclosure so Monty shifted him to a holding pen. Next morning Orca<br />
had let himself out of the holding pen and had had a “hose party.” Pieces of<br />
hose, converted into short “party favors”, lay strewn about. (At some point in the<br />
glees and frivolities a segment must have been moved within reach of Apollo,<br />
Karin and Alyeska. We found it in their enclosure where they had converted it to<br />
many “favors.”) Orca was returned without incident, and gates were reinforced.<br />
The Pillow Pack continues to be a model of peace, tranquility, and splash-tanktipping.<br />
ALYESKA has decided to surprise us all and not only approach, but<br />
actually schmooze with, several of his own sponsors during and around<br />
Members’ Weekend. APOLLO was locked up for that, due to his propensity for<br />
patting people very hard on the head and growling at them. He and KARIN form<br />
quite the happy couple, with lots of parallel-walking and wagging, and lots of<br />
amicable grumbly noises and squeaks. Both have been quite tolerant of Al.<br />
KIRI and SOCRATES enjoyed watching the bridge being put in place. Even the<br />
bison came and watched. Both brothers seem so fascinated by large machinery<br />
that we have joked for years that they would like to learn to drive and then<br />
“borrow” our neighbor’s backhoe for cross country exploration. In addition to<br />
machinery, they enjoyed watching the bison. When one of the cement trucks<br />
got mired and spun its wheels in attempts at extrication, Pseudospike the bison<br />
(who has spikes (horns) but is not the original Spike) started shaking his head<br />
and threatening the equipment. Possibly the mud thrown by the spinning tires<br />
was enough like the dirt tossed by bison bulls as part of their threat displays to<br />
make our top bull think he was being challenged.<br />
CHANI and SIERRA test the waters each cleanup day by wandering a little<br />
closer to the intruding humans, but for now are content to schmooze mostly with<br />
familiar staff members. They gracefully turned 13 this spring. They have gotten<br />
out on several walks and continue to behave adorably, resembling elderly, giggly<br />
aunties, having a great time “out on the town”. They remain each other’s oldest<br />
and dearest friends, and continue to find time to flirt with neighbors Kiri and<br />
Socrates (who would be much too rough on the little girlies for us to ever<br />
consider putting them together).<br />
WILD BILL has continued to look lithe and handsome and not at all like an end<br />
table. We hope to keep his weight low to keep stress off his aging joints. (Bill is<br />
the oldest canine at the <strong>Park</strong> now<br />
at fifteen years of age.) He joins in<br />
like a trouper on Howl Nights and is<br />
still most willing to “run his siren”<br />
and let others know he is still top<br />
‘yote. He remains genial with<br />
visitors but is still a curious and<br />
investigative ‘yote. He has<br />
expressed occasional interest in<br />
“collectibles”, such as shoestrings<br />
and dangly bits of clothing. (And,<br />
like all our animals, he still wants to<br />
own his very own 35 mm camera.)<br />
Kiri glances over his shoulder. Photo by Monty Sloan
1 0<br />
Every year, some extremely nice people descend on <strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong>, offering that<br />
most valuable of resources — their time. Volunteers visit for as little as a few<br />
hours a week to every day; practicums spend a month; and interns, the <strong>Park</strong>’s<br />
most important resource, generously donate three months of their time. In return,<br />
the <strong>Park</strong> provides them all with an unparalleled opportunity for both research<br />
and fun, as they interact with the <strong>Park</strong> wolves, give tours, do landscaping<br />
and repair, exhaust the <strong>Park</strong> library and talk with the staff.<br />
, . 0 . " 1 0<br />
Eric Berthoud, a practicum from<br />
Switzerland, is attending College of<br />
the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine,<br />
majoring in Human Ecology, and has<br />
volunteered at various wildlife parks.<br />
His sister, Daisy Berthoud, was a<br />
practicum at <strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong> nine years<br />
ago.<br />
Marc Folker, an intern from Illinois,<br />
spent two weeks at Busch Gardens<br />
career camp in ‘99 and is at <strong>Wolf</strong><br />
<strong>Park</strong> further exploring career options<br />
working with animals. He enjoys<br />
music, and owns two rats and two<br />
dogs. Marc holds the <strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong> Interns Dan Spight and Photo by Monty Sloan<br />
deer-dismembering record time at six Kfir Mendel dig post holes.<br />
minutes, 34 seconds (as of this writing).<br />
Megan Frazer, intern, is in the pre-vet program at Clemson University in South<br />
Carolina. She has four dogs and three cats at home; a horse and fish are with<br />
her at school in SC. She enjoys the performing arts and is also part of<br />
Clemson University’s Rugby Little Sisters Club.<br />
Cynthia Little, intern, is in the pre-vet program at the University of Vermont.<br />
She owns a dog and a gecko, and enjoys playing the guitar (or trying to!). She<br />
is active in environmental politics and animal rights, and has lost count of the<br />
number of letter’s she’s sent to politicians stating her views.<br />
Celina McFadden, intern, is currently attending Paul Smith’s College in New<br />
York, majoring in Fish & Wildlife. She grew up on a farm in Pennsylvania and<br />
has been owned by many pets, including horses, dogs, cats, a ferret, a black<br />
snake, guinea pigs, and many rabbits. She enjoys photography, canoeing,<br />
camping and horseback riding.<br />
Joe Seibert, practicum at large, made another appearance in April and, as<br />
always, left the <strong>Park</strong> a better place, helping (among other things) with our 30th<br />
Anniversary celebration and taking many hours of video.<br />
Robyn Shope, another Illinois intern, is attending Monmouth College and<br />
majoring in Biology. She volunteers at the Glen Oak Zoo, where she has<br />
cleaned exhibits, prepared diets, and organized the sea lion show. She has<br />
worked with camels, llamas,<br />
sea lions, and zebras, so the<br />
staff at <strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong> should not<br />
seem too unusual.<br />
Practicum Joe Seibert with Chetan. Photo by Jessica Willard<br />
Kaye Wise, from Kansas, did<br />
a practicum at <strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong> as<br />
a birthday present to herself.<br />
She has been on the<br />
Speaker’s Bureau at the<br />
International <strong>Wolf</strong> Center for<br />
the past several years and<br />
also volunteers at a nature<br />
center in Kansas City,<br />
Missouri, where she handles<br />
opossums and snakes.<br />
- . - + / 0<br />
)*+, )<br />
The persons named below have been kind enough to donate something to<br />
WOLF PARK — be it time, computer parts, wolf treats, or, yes, money. We<br />
thank them for their efforts and appreciate all that they have given us.<br />
Nutramax<br />
Marge & Tom Boccio<br />
Brett Bogan<br />
Cindy Broenner<br />
Sharon Butt<br />
Malinda Carlson<br />
Lisa Cavanaugh<br />
Dr. Sam Conway<br />
Catherine Cross<br />
Jack Cross<br />
Susie Davis<br />
Barbara Degroodt<br />
Vesta Demester<br />
Harriet Doolittle<br />
Julie Dyar<br />
Barbara Fisher<br />
Ed Franklin<br />
Susan Freel<br />
Anita Freeman<br />
Mike & Elaine Gawlik<br />
Christina Gillespie<br />
Don Gomes<br />
Ronald Hallam<br />
Melinda Hewlett<br />
Judith Hybl<br />
Trish Jenkins<br />
Chris Johnson<br />
Pliny & Joan Keep<br />
Carrie Kelley<br />
George & Lesya Kercheval<br />
Tristan, aeronautically attired<br />
in goggles.<br />
Brooms, rakes (metal or<br />
plastic)<br />
55 gal heavy duty garbage<br />
bags<br />
Copier paper<br />
Glass cleaner, toilet paper,<br />
paper towels, dish soap<br />
Photo by Monty Sloan<br />
Michael Kreiman<br />
Roger & Kerri Mahrling<br />
Ken McCort<br />
Nadia Mead<br />
L David Mech<br />
Doris Mettier<br />
James Misenheimer<br />
Jo Ann Mullen<br />
Robert Murphy<br />
George Nemeyer<br />
Matt Palguta<br />
Cliffe Pickering<br />
Richard & Wendy Pini<br />
Nick Prentoff<br />
Amanda Russell<br />
Carol Sabo<br />
Madeleine Savary<br />
Diane & Bill Schorr<br />
Joe Seibert<br />
Alexandra Sheldon<br />
Joan Silaco<br />
Teri Sloss<br />
Doug Smith<br />
Tipmont REMC<br />
Jim Turgeon<br />
Peggy Weinberg<br />
David Wilson<br />
Gladys Wright<br />
Glenn Zabec<br />
THANK YOU to all those wonderful<br />
people who contributed art and/or<br />
collectibles to this year’s auction! We<br />
deeply appreciate your support.<br />
Thanks also to Dr. Sam Conway, who<br />
donated his services as a highly<br />
entertaining auctioneer again this<br />
year, and even auctioned off his own<br />
tie!<br />
Thanks to Michael’s Crafts, who<br />
donated free scrap foam core board<br />
for Gale Motter’s endless educational<br />
projects.<br />
Thanks also to Paul Hebert — his web site, www.bayareadog.com, allows people<br />
placing orders to donate 10% of their purchase to <strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong>! Tristan is seen above<br />
modeling some fashionable “Doggles” dog goggles, available from Bay Area Dog.<br />
If you have some old equipment you aren’t using, consider<br />
donating it to a good cause! Any item you can donate will be<br />
greatly appreciated. For more information, please contact us<br />
at (765) - 567 - 2265.<br />
Stamps — 34 cents and 21<br />
cents<br />
Please DO NOT SEND WOLF<br />
TREATS right now! … Our<br />
wolves are becoming very<br />
round through your<br />
generosity! :)<br />
<strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong> News Summer 2002 5
6<br />
# , 52<br />
Erin, born in 1998, is beta female in <strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong>’s main<br />
pack. Erin is a strikingly marked gray female with a<br />
beautiful musical howl. She loves meeting new people.<br />
Other wolves in the main pack: Seneca, Tristan and Chetan (grey<br />
males), Miska (black male), and Marion (grey female).<br />
Support <strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong>’s mission and activities and get the opportunity to<br />
greet the hand-raised wolves by becoming a wolf sponsor. A privilege of<br />
this program is the chance to meet a wolf first hand. The personal bond<br />
between a real live wolf and her/his sponsors forms a bridge of concern<br />
for wolves in the wild, for which our wolves are ambassadors. On behalf<br />
of the wolves in the wild and in captivity, we appreciate your continued<br />
support through our various levels of membership, including the Adopt-<br />
A-<strong>Wolf</strong> program.<br />
* ' *& &' ' "<br />
& )' /01%!! 2 &' /3!%!!<br />
/1!%!!<br />
. + , '- / 31%!!<br />
Single membership includes free admission for one to the <strong>Park</strong> for one<br />
year, a 10% discount on books in the gift shop, invitations to membersonly<br />
events, and our quarterly newsletter <strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong> News.<br />
Family memberships include all of the above plus free admission for<br />
up to 8 family members per visit for the year of membership.<br />
Group memberships include free admission to the <strong>Park</strong> for up to 12<br />
members of a group on any one visit. (These can be different members<br />
on each trip!) Includes one copy of newsletter and materials (to share),<br />
and 10% discount on books in the gift shop.<br />
Adopt-A-<strong>Wolf</strong> includes family membership, plus a personalized<br />
Leader of the Pack Certificate with a photo of “your” wolf and signed by<br />
the director. You will have visiting privileges and contact with your wolf<br />
during your sponsorship in most circumstances. If your wolf is<br />
aggressive or shy, or for some reason we do not believe a visit would be a<br />
positive experience for you or your wolf, another will stand as proxy.<br />
You must be 18 or older to meet a wolf. You will receive a life history of<br />
your wolf, quarterly updates and photos. After the spring shedding<br />
season you will receive a sample of wool from your wolf.<br />
Only the Adopt-A-<strong>Wolf</strong> program includes the opportunity to meet a wolf.<br />
Name: ______________________________________________<br />
Address: ____________________________________________<br />
City: ________________________________________________<br />
State: _________ Zip: _____________ Phone: ____________<br />
My check for $_____________________ is enclosed or<br />
Please make checks payable to: NAWPF or WOLF PARK<br />
You may charge my: MASTERCARD VISA CARD<br />
Account # ______________________ Expiration Date __________<br />
Sign here: _________________________________________________<br />
Your signature is required for MC and VISA charges.<br />
- $* . + , '- *& 4 ' -&'' & ' ("<br />
I plan to contribute my Adopt-A-<strong>Wolf</strong> gift in:<br />
' )&-+ - / 31%!! 3 & + '' + - / %01<br />
Quarterly payments are also accepted via automatic withdrawal on Mastercard or Visa<br />
I would like to adopt _______________________________________<br />
If you have no preference, a wolf will be selected for you.<br />
55 # # 2 6 # # 7 5 %<br />
WOLF PARK, Battle Ground IN 47920 (765) 567-2265<br />
<strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong> News Summer 2002<br />
- ! " by Pat Goodmann<br />
After the breeding season was over we human observers were tired of<br />
seeing aggression between the wolves and looked forward to the postbreeding<br />
season change in hormonal profiles. One of the early indicators<br />
was the increase in tolerance or active friendliness between wolves like<br />
Seneca and Tristan, who usually have a pretty good relationship outside the<br />
breeding season, but occasionally tangle in January and February. On the<br />
morning of March 21 st, Seneca and Tris held a “play bout” lasting about<br />
eleven minutes. They wrestled a lot, including Seneca sitting or lying on<br />
Tristan, holding him down and giving him moderately gentle pinches.<br />
(Moderately gentle as evidenced by the absence of yelping from Tristan.) Nor<br />
was Tristan idle while he was being used as furniture and pinched — he<br />
squirmed, kicked and attempted, though not very hard, to roll free, all without<br />
arousing Seneca’s ire.<br />
Miska stood beside them without joining in and Chetan, again the lowest<br />
ranking male, hung around about a hundred feet away, too inhibited to come<br />
close. A little later, after Miska lay down to rest, Chetan approached Tristan<br />
and Seneca, who were still wrestling. He watched without joining in while<br />
Tristan and Seneca broke apart and Tristan rolled from side to side waving<br />
his jaws. Then the two wrestled again, and again Seneca pinned and<br />
pinched Tris but without causing him obvious discomfort. Tris got up and they<br />
walked side by side jostling each other. Seneca then performed the wolf<br />
equivalent of “stage business” with an object and when Tristan came back,<br />
Chetan showed that he was not too squelched to “help” Seneca grab Tris by<br />
his scruff. This time they didn’t pin Tris, they just held on. Chetan was able<br />
to leave without harassment and even when Marion wandered over the<br />
interaction stayed relaxed and friendly.<br />
Marion herself was cause for some concern as she was still aggressive to<br />
Erin, although the intensity waned and she did not spend as much time<br />
“micromanaging” Erin. After Maya’s death (see box at right), Erin spent a lot<br />
of time on the peninsula and I heard her howling repeatedly. While we cannot<br />
ask Erin what she feels now that Maya is no longer there, I think she misses<br />
Maya in some sense. The two sisters were in each other’s metaphorical<br />
pockets so much of the time. They probably had more access and friendly<br />
social interactions with each other than with any other single wolf in the pack.<br />
While they were not always friendly to each other, they usually got along well,<br />
and even licked each other’s wounds. I have been watching to see if Erin<br />
seeks out the males more now that Maya is dead, and if she can moderate<br />
her behavior so that they are more likely to tolerate her approaching and<br />
greeting them. So far I have seen single instances in which she did seem be<br />
inhibiting her usual excited exuberance to the point that the males tolerated<br />
her better, but it is too soon to tell if this is a real trend or just an brief<br />
clustering of events.<br />
Last year Marion was nicer to both Maya and Erin in April and May and<br />
then started tolerating them less and less. While we were able to shape her<br />
behavior to the point that she will sit-stay at the fence, nose poked through<br />
the mesh, waiting for the tangible reward of a food treat even if Erin is there,<br />
she is not noticeably more tolerant of Erin in wolf to wolf social situations. I<br />
have seen and taped a few instances of Marion, Tristan and Erin “playing<br />
Tristan actively submits to Seneca..<br />
Photo by Monty Sloan
Pat, Andrew, Gale and Jessica practice “shovel diplomacy” with Marion. Photo by Monty Sloan<br />
nicely” together. In the longest of these bouts, Marion’s hackles stay down<br />
admirably. I think that one reason Marion and Erin got along so well on that<br />
occasion was because the two girls did very little to each other. Mostly they<br />
did things to Tristan: roll on him, sit on him (he is big enough for both of them<br />
to sit on him at once) and tweak him, then let him up, pin him, and do it all<br />
over again. They could both be doing things to him at the same time without<br />
showing hostility to each other. I have also seen Erin pick up objects, such as<br />
a bone or piece of hide, and offer them to other wolves. She will sometimes<br />
shake or wave them in front of a threatening Marion as if trying to induce a<br />
mood shift and get Marion to “play” instead of threaten.<br />
As the trees and bushes slowly leaf out in this long, cold spring, Erin has<br />
been scanning the enclosure anxiously. It is no longer a simple thing for<br />
Marion to sit on the dam, or on the line of pines on the east side of the<br />
enclosure, and see everything Erin does, but neither is it easy for Erin to tell<br />
where Marion is and whether she is watching. When we are in the enclosure<br />
we will watch for Marion and give Erin a chance to do things like ask for whole<br />
body massages, chase bubbles, and have treats. If Marion is coming we<br />
woof to warn Erin or call Marion’s name (which Erin associates with Marion)<br />
in an attempt to lure her to us instead of letting her focus on Erin. We do the<br />
same sort of thing for Miska and Chetan when we are in the enclosure. This<br />
has to be done carefully because human intervention like this can backfire<br />
(from a human point of view). The wolves we are trying to protect may try to<br />
use us as “back up” while they assert themselves at a wolf who has been<br />
intimidating them. This can backfire on the wolf badly when the humans<br />
leave.<br />
“Tong diplomacy” has been superceded by the Shovel Twirling and<br />
Marching Society. Thanks to a couple of days when Marion was a) very very<br />
hungry and b) we could not find any fresh scats, she decided that biting into<br />
poop and trying to shove it aside to loot and pillage the wheelbarrow was a<br />
viable option. So we obtained shovels (large, imposing objects) and, without<br />
paying Marion particular attention except to briefly greet her in friendly tones,<br />
we worked on twirling the shovels in synchrony while marching beside, in<br />
front of, and behind the wheelbarrow. The presence of these strange objects<br />
was enough to make Marion think twice. Marion backed off and walked<br />
parallel to us at a distance. She lay down and submitted. She got the deer.<br />
To date we have been able to fade the cue, by making the twirling less<br />
spectacular and dropping some of the other Synchronized Shovel Movements<br />
from our repertoire, but it looks as if we will continue to report from time to<br />
time on the progress in teaching Marion that all things are not necessarily<br />
hers.<br />
Members’ Weekend (see the cover story) was quite an event for the<br />
wolves as well as the humans. After watching the construction of the bridge<br />
supports, and being fascinated by watching the bridge moved into place, they<br />
had to get used to seeing people cross the bridge. Erin found the first<br />
sizeable group to cross the bridge to be rather alarming and she swam over<br />
to the western front. Over at East Lake, Chani and Sierra, and Orca, who<br />
were most alarmed at the big crowd crossing the bridge after the ribbon<br />
cutting ceremony, no longer act fearful. Socrates and Kiri, who often occupy<br />
one of the back enclosures along the loop trail, seem to find the increased<br />
opportunities for human watching mildly entertaining. We usually call the trail<br />
the Loop Trail because it now makes a loop but we also call it the Loup Trail<br />
because it allows better viewing of the loups.<br />
-<br />
- 2. 34456- 7. 8998<br />
Maya died suddenly and wholly unexpectedly around the middle of the<br />
day on March 6 th. At mid morning that day Monty Sloan and Gale Motter<br />
were in with the pack doing a program. Marion, for some reason, decided<br />
not to come over so Maya got lots of cuddles and tummy rubs. Neither<br />
Gale nor Monty noticed anything amiss — she appeared completely normal.<br />
At about 1:00 pm, Peggy Marsico went up to the observation deck<br />
and looked out the window at the wolves. Maya was lying on her side<br />
with her tongue hanging out, unresponsive as Erin stood beside her and<br />
tugged on the side of her neck. Erin appeared to be trying to get a response<br />
from Maya. Peggy hurried for help but Maya was already gone.<br />
She had no external wounds but it did<br />
appear that she had bitten her tongue<br />
hard enough to make it bleed. Amanda<br />
and Monty and Peggy all thought it<br />
looked as if Maya had a sudden seizure.<br />
Though Erin grabbed at Maya’s tail when<br />
Monty picked up her body, it was not<br />
done in an aggressive way — it is com-<br />
mon for a wolf picked up by Monty to<br />
have its tail tweaked in a playful way by<br />
other wolves present, and that was what Erin appeared to be doing.<br />
Marion was also present and Amanda commented on her complete lack<br />
of aggression, saying that Marion seemed confused.<br />
Maya’s body was taken to the Animal Disease and Diagnostic Laboratory<br />
at Purdue for a postmortem. To date we have received word back<br />
that she was not suffering from any of the usual canine viruses. We are<br />
still awaiting the outcome of some other tests. Our vet, Dr. Dave, and I<br />
strongly suspect that Maya suffered a severe neurological incident. Recalling<br />
the intense seizures she suffered when she was five to seven<br />
months old, I believe we were lucky to have her for as long as we did.<br />
Maya was a very special little wolf, overcoming many obstacles in the<br />
course of her short life. I will always treasure memories of her buoyant,<br />
joyous personality. She was a social, friendly and beautiful wolf who was<br />
always ready to interact, both with humans and with other wolves, and<br />
always had a smile handy. She loved to bounce. Her “boing” and her<br />
“ottering” play run made it into the <strong>Wolf</strong> Ethogram, and her hobby of<br />
“dancing with humans” has forever earned her a place in staff slang.<br />
Despite her setbacks as a pup, Maya was able to remain in the pack,<br />
interacted with other wolves and mated each year after she became<br />
sexually mature. She was feeling well and showed reasonably good to<br />
effervescently goofy good spirits in her last winter, despite Marion.<br />
Maya was one of those individuals whose talent seems to lie in being<br />
able to enjoy what they have to the fullest, without pining over what they<br />
do not have. She made a great deal of her short life in spite of the restrictions<br />
imposed by Marion. By the accounts of Gale and Monty, Maya had<br />
a very nice last morning. I am going to concentrate on that rather than<br />
dwelling on futile “if onlys.”<br />
Maya.<br />
Maya with Erin.<br />
Photo by Monty Sloan<br />
Photo by Monty Sloan<br />
<strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong> News Summer 2002 7
A Non-profit<br />
; :<br />
:<br />
/ :<br />
What big teeth you have!<br />
What is this wolf doing?<br />
This young male wolf is<br />
not howling (wolves<br />
rarely open their mouths<br />
very wide to howl). He is<br />
displaying his impressive<br />
teeth (and a very long<br />
tongue) in a goofylooking<br />
yawn.<br />
Wolves may yawn to<br />
“defuse” aggressive<br />
interactions — it is a<br />
calming gesture — or<br />
simply because they are<br />
tired (of being<br />
photographed?).<br />
Check out more wolf facts<br />
at www.wolfpark.org!<br />
WOLF PARK NEWS is published by the North American Wildlife <strong>Park</strong> Foundation, Inc. © 2001, all rights reserved. All correspondence should be<br />
addressed to : WOLF PARK NEWS, WOLF PARK, Battle Ground, IN 47920. (765) 567-2265 Website: www.wolfpark.org<br />
The opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of NAWPF, but are those of the individual authors.<br />
Printed on recycled paper.<br />
WOLF PARK / NAWPF<br />
Battle Ground, IN 47920 USA<br />
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED<br />
DATED MATERIAL<br />
,<br />
:<br />
<strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong> is a unique research<br />
and education facility located just<br />
outside Battle Ground, Indiana.<br />
Its hand-raised wolves, foxes<br />
and coyote and its herd of more<br />
than a dozen American bison<br />
give visitors opportunities<br />
available nowhere else:<br />
WATCH THE HUNT<br />
View effective antipredator<br />
behavior by bison in the wolfbison<br />
demonstration each<br />
Sunday at 1:00 pm, May-<br />
November.<br />
HOWL WITH THE PACK<br />
Hear wolves howl from less than<br />
10 feet away during Howl Nights,<br />
Friday May-November, Saturday<br />
year-round, at 7:30 pm.<br />
MEET A WOLF<br />
Meet a wolf, fox or coyote faceto-face<br />
via our Adopt-A-<strong>Wolf</strong><br />
program. (See page 7 for more<br />
details!)<br />
<strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong> also features guided tours, educational<br />
programs, talks on behavior and communication,<br />
"fox talks", WOLF! Magazine, wolf behavior<br />
seminars, videos, slideshows, kids' activities and<br />
volunteer programs, a gift shop, and much more.<br />
Check out our web site, www.wolfpark.org, for<br />
more information!<br />
Join the pack -- become a member of <strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong><br />
and get up close and personal with one of the<br />
world’s most misunderstood predators!<br />
Directions to <strong>Wolf</strong> <strong>Park</strong>:<br />
To reach WOLF PARK from Interstate 65, take the exit for Indiana State Road<br />
43 North (Brookston, West Lafayette Exit # 178). Go north on 43 a mile to<br />
State Road 225. Turn right (east) and go about 2 miles directly into Battle<br />
Ground. Drive straight through town, cross the railroad tracks and stay to the<br />
left. Drive one long block to Jefferson St. and turn left. Follow Jefferson St.<br />
about 1 1/2 miles until you come to a large sign on your right for WOLF PARK.<br />
We are just 1/4 mile up the gravel drive.<br />
A protective mama bison stands by one of this spring’s<br />
four new calves. She’ll have no trouble defending her<br />
offspring in our wolf/bison demonstrations.<br />
Editor in Chief: Erich Klinghammer, Ph.D., Director Editor: Jessica Willard Photographer: Monty Sloan<br />
NAWPF is a 501 (c)3 Non-Profit Organization.<br />
MOVING? Please tell us your new address!<br />
NON-PROFIT ORG.<br />
U.S. POSTAGE PAID<br />
Battle Ground, IN 47920<br />
PERMIT #007