Summer Fun for the Wolves at Wolf Howl Animal Preserve – by Maria Ferguson

It’s starting to heat up good at the Preserve.  We’ve had many days of heat advisories already.  I’m keeping the Wolves cool by bringing them ice buckets at mid-day and putting out their soaking tubs when it’s really bad.  They love ice and the tubs really refresh them, enough to make them run around.  They are active in the early morning hours, rest in the shade throughout most of the day and are up and about again around 6:00pm, sometimes earlier depending on the temperature.

Niko Akni has been feeling his oats and really starting to growl at his Sister’s and Mom.  I haven’t heard him growl at Waya and never at his Dad, who he adores.  His growl is as big as his body.  I notice that his Sister’s are starting to back off, even Woha.  His Mother just sucker punches him from time to time by riding him from behind while he’s eating.  Not a very pretty site to see.

Woha has dug herself a little den that she spends the hot afternoons in.  She loves the ice bucket and her and Niko have actually worked out sharing theirs.  I notice that she’s been a bit more subdued this past month, which is a good thing.  She can really rile the pack up with her antics.

Nita has been so funny with the soaking tubs.  She loves them and is actually fighting to keep her position in one of them.  After a dip and massive amounts of splashing, she jumps out and runs around like a crazy Wolf, even on 98-degree days.  Her Sister’s get so mad.

Wa-ta-chee hates the heat and keeps to himself pretty much of the day.  At dinnertime, he is up and ready to eat, though.  He likes to get a good belly rub from me when he’s through.

Waya hates the flying insects and prefers to spend his daytime in the underground den, though I must admit he’s been allowing Nita to use it quite a bit lately.  He doesn’t like my summer moccasins much at all and also doesn’t care for Capri length pants.  He avoids me or approaches cautiously when I have either on.  Sometimes I wonder if he’s a Wolf or a fashion critic.

Ohoyo is a sweetie with me, not with the pack but extremely affectionate with me.  Every where I walk she lays in front of me soliciting belly rubs.  She now loves to be kissed and even lets me put my arms around her (after almost 3 years).  Her daughter Woha, has the same impish nature that Ohoyo did as a yearling pup.  They get along like oil and water.

Chito, my sweet, Chito.  I adore this Wolf.  She is big and beautiful.  She is the most sensitive Wolf in the pack, extremely devoted and the ultimate Wolf.  She doesn’t realize her strength sometimes and I have to watch that she doesn’t knock me over in greetings.  Her claws are very sharp and she has nailed me a few times on my arm.  Her and Nita are often seen together.  Recently I have noticed that she is disciplining Nita, who often needs it.  I just love to sit back and watch her inquisitive nature and admire her great beauty.  She likes when I sit on the ground around the top of the den and visit with them.  She’ll sit close and put her big ole paws all over me trying to solicit rubs.  She gets so excited when I rub her belly.  Her long legs are peddling and she whacks me with her huge paws.  The whole time she will be wiggling around on her back and whining.

The Wolves had received some gifts and I decided to try out an outdoor bed with the encouragement of my friend and supporter, Chris Kirby.  Well, let me tell you something, it didn’t go exactly as planned.  Thankfully, I just bought one as a test to see how they did with it.  Here are the results, click here for the video.

I’ve started a section in our Wolf Pictures Gallery for each Wolf in the Pack.  I will be adding to the galleries until they fill up.

Wa-ta-chee
Ohoyo
Waya
Niko Akni
Woha
Chito
Nita