What are the wolves up to?
Further photos and updates are available on the "UKWCT Friends" Facebook group.
(Please note: the group is not an official UKWCT site; opinions and views posted there may differ from those of the UKWCT.)
Previous updates are available:
2020
June, Mar-May, Feb, Jan
2019
Dec, Nov, Oct, Sep, Aug, Jul, May/Jun, Mar/Apr , Jan/Feb
2018
Nov/Dec 2018 and Sep/Oct 2018
Please note:
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, there will be fewer updates than usual. The wolves are still receiving excellent care from our volunteers, there are just fewer of them on site.
18th July 2020
We all hit the deck running upon arrival at the Trust today. There was lots to do - walks, moving the Arctics, mowing, strimming, lopping, digging all the grass out of the tortoises’ sand pit!
We all split up and got on with our various tasks and the day grew warm.
The Arctics refused to budge out of the holding area next to Torak, despite walking the Beenhams up to them. None of the wolves were interested in each other and so the Beenhams, after having a sniff around, were put back in their holding area as we were going to lay a food trail for them.
After some time, along with a lot of patience and cunning one Arctic at a time was moved. Pukak was first and once into the full enclosure and got his bearings, was straight over to Mai and Motomo to start their favourite pastime – fence running. Next was Sikko and finally Massak. There then ensued a lot of wagging tails and fence running. It was good to see them all enjoying themselves.
All the food was prepared, along with coconuts! We laid the food trail for the Beenhams and enjoyed watching them hunt around, sniffing out all the food pieces strategically placed by us.
Mai came out for a walk and demanded her handlers plucked her now loose fur. Every year she sheds very late into the summer, as did her sister Mosi. On the walk, just like her son Nuka, Mai took an interest in the tractor, rubbing herself along the tyres. During the day, Mai and Motomo were also given a smelly sack that they both enjoyed tearing apart and rolling on.
We topped up the troughs again and noted quite a few wolves were having a dip during the day.
Torak went out for a walk, striding out in his usual aloof manner, enjoying himself. Torak also had a smelly sack that he rolled around on and took it further into his enclosure no doubt to destroy it!
We fed the rest of the wolves. Mai and Motomo and the Beenhams had coconuts today which they devoured despite their full bellies from their earlier meals. The Arctics got ice lollies and crunched their way through the ice to get to the goodies inside.
We went into the Beenhams' enclosure and enjoyed their happy greetings with lots of head rubs and demands for belly rubs and scratches. They seem to have moulted completely now, with just a few guard hairs still coming out.
We put the tortoises inside for the night, where they made a beeline for their new cuttlefish Nikki had brought in for them.
Red faced form the heat, tired but happy we all took our leave having had a very fulfilling and productive day with the wolves. Update and photos by Eve.