Wolf and human

Research Blog, 03.06.2009, Helene Möslinger

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My time here at Wolf Park is nearly over. I am sad to leave this place where you can see and learn a lot but on the other hand I am also excited to see the new place of the Wolf Science Center in Ernstbrunn and of course the wolves at home.

The experiments I almost finished so far but unfortunately some of the wolves developed a side preference. Others on the other side performed pretty well.

These wolves at Wolf Park are well socialized which means that they were hand raised as we raise our wolves from a very early age on. This enables us to work closely with the wolves without any stress for them. The wolves enjoy being petted and it is no problem for the staff members to handle them. They can touch them everywhere; can give them their medical treatment they need without any stress for the wolves. It allows watching the wolves from very close. But still you have to be careful. The wolves are and will always be wolves. The staff members here at Wolf Park always went in with at least one back up person. Furthermore they never force their animals to do something. If the wolves have enough of being stroked the wolves walk away or if they get something they should not get, for example the treat bag, the staff never just take it away from the wolf they will try to get the wolfs attention on another thing before they take the object away. Sometimes they trade the wolf an object for another.
The last few weeks Tristan, the high ranking male wolf in the main pack, started to test people. He decided to grab the ankles of some of the staff members.

Last time Dana could nearly not enter the enclosure. When Dana went into the enclosure she was nearly dragged away as soon as she stepped inside the gate, similar happend with John. Therefore Pat helped Dana work with Tristan on their relationship. The first time they did it Pat had to protect Dana from Tristan because he was really focused on her. Dana tried to distract him by offering him an insect cream which he does not like to smell. Later on they will work on it by rewarding Tristan for a nice behaviour or not trying to get treats by threatening her. Or one of the staff members will offer him a pig ear so that he has to chew on it before he swallows it and Dana will enter the enclosure then.

In the meanwhile Dana does not enter the enclosure with food anymore and can not be backup for another person if Tristan is in the enclosure. It would just be too risky.

I enjoyed my time here very much and it was nice to see how nicely humans and wolves can work together for such a long time already ( >30 years) and how important it is to respect the animals and their feelings.