Never-ending Winter

Ever since January we have seen rather strange fluctuations in temperature. A stereotypical winter in Minnesota, at least up in the northern region, is one which remains in the negative degrees until maybe mid-March. At that point we would begin to see a lot of snow as the temperatures hang in the 30's. Then, as April approaches, temperatures would slowly start to climb until they are decent in May. I remember the temperatures being around the 50's when I started working at the wolf center in 2014. It had even snowed a week before we all arrived! Which our arrival was sometime mid-to-end of May.

However, as mentioned, things have been strange this year. There was a point in January where a good chunk of the snow in the area had melted and we began to see grass again.The photo below was taken at the base of the "earthen" stairs that lead up to the cabin. Meanwhile, in Ohio we had seen temperatures climb to the 60's the day after Christmas. I remember my boyfriend and I were very confused for this was not natural.

 

 Of course the "warmth" did not last long. Shortly after much of the snow melted, temperatures began to fall back down in the colder temps. At first it was the usual "0 - 20" range and then a few weeks later it climbed down to -30. When you account for windchill it was actually -40 or perhaps lower at times. So the arctic blast came back in full force. Therefore it was either too cold to snow, or temperatures would warm up just enough that we got some snowfall before the temperatures plummeted again. For most of January and February we saw temps between -20 and 20 degrees. Hello winter.

Top: Boyfriend's car buried beneath all the snow we got.
Bottom: What the car actually looks like after we uncovered it. Check out the snow all around it.

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Although we grew tired of constantly shoveling, ice picking, and trying to keep a drive way and an ice free walk way... the wolves were having an absolute hay day in the snow. Ready for a hardcore biology lesson?
 

Grayson (back), Axel (front), Denali (top right corner)

Colder temperatures mean more active wolves. This is the time of the year when wolves thrive because their prey is struggling to survive themselves. Let me paint you picture. 60% of a gray wolf's diet, here in Minnesota, is composed of White-tailed Deer, followed by Moose (at 18%), Beaver, Snowshoe Hare, and "other". Other can be dead animals they find on the ground, squirrels and other rodents, birds, possibly livestock, and well anything else they may catch. Note, wolves do not hunt for fun. They hunt what is necessary to feed their pack. Granted, wolves typically run in a pack of 4-6 animals.  A pack is generally two breeding wolves (mother and father) and their pups. A family unit.

Side note: For those of you who may claim "I heard a pack of 15 wolves howl".... it's because wolves do not howl in the same tone every time. They howl at different times and fluctuate their vocals to create a sort of symphony and therefore make their pack sound bigger than what it is. A great way to defend your territory from other wolf packs... anyway. 

Any parent out there who, including themselves, has 4-6 mouths to feed understands it takes quite a lot of food to shop for, prepare, and thus feed your kids. It takes more food to feed a kid who is 50-100 pounds vs a kid who may be 10-30 pounds. If you are a wolf, a tiny snowshoe hare is not going to feed your entire pack similar to how a one cheeseburger is not going to feed your 4-6 member family. Wolves often weigh 60-80 pounds in Minnesota and each can eat up to 20% of their body weight. Therefore, wolves generally hunt those large ungulate species (ungulate means hoofed animal) such as White-tailed Deer and Moose in Minnesota. Musk Oxen in the arctic. Elk and Bison in the Rocky Mountains... and so on. Male white-tailed deer weigh 100 to 300 pounds and female deer weigh 85 to130 pounds. Boom, one deer just fed you and your whole pack.

Grayson (L) and Axel (R) with part of a beaver.

Lets think about white-tailed deer for a moment longer. Even if you know everything there is to know about Whitetails, then see this as a refresher. We talked about what deer weigh but lets think of other things. White-tailed deer often stand 2 to 3 feet tall and have relatively thin legs. As you can see below.

Photo Credit: Emery Way

White-tailed are known as herbivores, which means they eat vegetation. During the spring, summer, and fall months, deer browse on the leaves, needles, buds, and twig ends of trees and shrubs. They may also eat acorns, corn, soybeans, mushrooms, grasses, wild grapes, apples, and assorted shrubs. Which is fine and dandy, when it is warm outside. As we all know, come fall the leaves are starting to die off and less vegetation is available for deer to feed off of. In winter they commonly eat the twig ends (because of the thin line of green growth inside twigs) and bark.

Photo Credit: LassenNPS

Both of which offer some nutrition but not as much as leaves and greens which photosynthesis and have many nutrients readily available. Evergreen trees help deer survive winter thanks to their needles. Evergreen trees also provide insulation because of said needles and they even act as natural fences; blocking out wind and snow and therefore keeping certain areas of ground from accumulating deep levels of snow. With deer, and their tiny thin legs, its not uncommon to see sights like this (left) when snow gets deep . Which in northern Minnesota, you can easily go from 0 to 4+ feet within a day or two. Therefore deer congregate usually at "wintering grounds", or areas where those pine trees create natural fences that therefore let deer walk around without burning too much energy and also provides them with some food to eat to get through the harsh conditions. In the animal kingdom, its all about "how much energy can one save vs spend".

Example of webbing between toes.
Photo Credit: the amazing Kelly Godfrey 💚

If those winter feeding grounds run out of food, and cannot produce more until summer, then deer may start to move about to find more food. Which, if they run into deep snow, you see what happens above. Now here's where wolves come into play. Again, wolves are active during winter. One of the big reasons why is their prey is struggling in deep snow conditions. What makes the wolves special? They have webbing between their toes which gives their feet more surface area. Think of a human for a second. You step out into 4 feet of snow with just your boots and *womph* you just sunk into the snow. Now, you step back inside and put on your snowshoes and can then step back outside. Wah-lah you can walk much easier on top of the snow. Granted you will still sink some. But the reason you can better walk on top of the snow is because you just increased the surface area of you feet, resulting in a better weight distribution while walking. The webbing in wolves toes may be minor but just enough for them to distribute their weight better when walking or running on top of snow. When you compare wolf feet vs deer hooves, the deer will hardcore struggle to run away. Therefore wolves have just enough of an advantage that they can catch and eat deer much easier. Now we finally reached out point as to why wolves are more active in winter: better hunting opportunity!

When summer arrives and snow has thus melted away, and white-tailed deer do not necessarily congregate in one place anymore and both predator and prey are on and equal playing field. Healthy wolves can run up to 38mph and healthy white-tailed deer can run up to 35mph as well. But it is not always about speed. Wolves have their sharp teeth and often other pack members but deer have very sharp hooves and sometimes antlers as well. A wolf pack has to be able to sneak up on a deer. However deer usually stick together as herds and therefore one deer may notice, flag its white tail, and therefore the deer run. If a wolf is close enough to grab the deer then perhaps the deer herd may out run them. Hunting is very hard and dangerous for any wolf or wolf pack. Therefore, again, winter is prime.

But that's not all! Wolves are also more active in winter due to other reasons. Mainly hormones. In summer wolves have "nurturing and care-for hormones" that make them more timid. Plus when you wear a fur coat in summer, you want to be more relaxed anyway. Especially for an animal who doesn't sweat but instead releases heat through panting and between the toes. In winter, however, wolves lose those "nurturing" hormones and therefore its important that "everyone gets along" in a pack. Sometimes 1-2 year old wolves will leave and therefore go off on their own to seek a mate so they may start their own pack. Sometimes 1-2 years old stay and help with future pups. Young wolves may feel a surge of confidence and therefore test their parents, and so it is up to parents to keep them in check. Sometimes pups test each other. Big thing to remember, this is not a "pecking order". There is no "first, second, third" rank but instead they dominate and submit to one another to sort of "get to know" each other. This helps keep balance in the pack and therefore results in a better cohesion between members. After all, if you are in a group working on a project... you want to make sure everyone contributes and also gets along to make the project run smoothly. A pack's project is often hunting and taking care of pups (in other words survival). So they test one another to "get to know" each other and overall function better. Not to mention, February is breeding season where hormones run high. Think of how crazy white-tailed deer get during rut. Only the dominant pair usually breeds, and this pair is typically mom and dad. 

Boltz

"So wait, why are the wolf center's wolves active in winter?"
We do feed our wolves their food, often roadkill white-tailed deer or beaver from fur bearers or Minnesota DNR (they were regarded as nuisance beaver). We also spay and neuter our wolves so they cannot breed.

Denali (L) and Aidan (R)

Despite all this, however, they do still have their hormones and above all else they have their wild instincts and therefore express wild behaviors. Despite being in captivity, they are not domesticated. What makes them different is they are socialized animals and therefore are used to seeing people. Wolves are naturally scared of people. Being in a captive setting they have to be used to people in order to stay comfortable in their environment. This socialization is also what allows wolf care staff to interact with them for the purpose of performing health checks and what not. The wolves still function as a pack. If anything, these wolves are not all related and therefore may have to do more in order to guarantee there is pack cohesion. Aidan is the dominant male, and he often dominates Denali (his brother) and Boltz (not related) in order to ensure he keeps them in check. In particular, Boltz had been testing Aidan's rank this past winter. With the pups around, now 10 months old as of March 2nd, they have a lot of energy which requires Aidan's watchful eyes. He has also dominated them on occasion, mainly Axel, but while they are still pups they often have a bit more freedom. Often dominant male and female will treat the new wolf pups as their own, even if they cannot breed. This is thanks to natural instincts and hormones still present despite spay/neuter. The wolves have also proved they can still hunt for they do sometimes catch ravens, songbirds, squirrels, mice, etc - even though we do not give them live animals. The predatory instincts are all still there as well. So they flow through the motions as they normally would during winter: dominating and submitting, stalking, hunting, etc.

Was that a fun biology lesson?

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Mid-afternoon nap. Axel (L) and Grayson (R)

As winter continues to progress, so do the days at the center. We are only open to the public Friday-Sunday but still remain just as busy on weekdays as well. Weekends are a time for daily programs in the auditorium, as well as answering questions about wolves, whereas weekdays are a time for projects, group visits, and providing programs in our video conference room instead. Whenever we get the chance, we often watch the wolves interact or take their mid-afternoon naps in the warm sun.

What the station looks like. There's two cameras because
we either use "Tandberg" or "Zoom" software.

Remember when I mentioned in the last post we were learning  how to give programs utilizing the videoconferencing software? You could consider us pro's at this point. It's not uncommon to give at least one or two programs a day (typically on the week days) in this room as you see to the right. As mentioned before, this offers the public the option of us connecting via the computer/webcam to provide a live program with props and live footage of the ambassador wolves from your seat. If you need a refresher on what programs are offered via this videoconferencing experience "click here". The TV in the center helps us view what the public sees. In other words they see us in the corner of the screen and then the green background features what we are presenting. There's a four inputs: one for the computer where we feature the program, two for live feeds of the ambassador enclosure, and the fourth input is a doc cam where we can show students a close up on props we have (commonly skulls and paw casts). As I also mentioned before, instructors can order a Wolf Discovery Kit, a kit that is filled with a variety of specimens (ex. wolf pelt, moose jaw), books, DVDs (or VHS if requested), and other activities that provide students and/or groups with hands on learning tools.

During my weekdays I spent some time inventorying all the props in the kits in order to generate a list of what we needed to fix or replace. Since then all props have been both replaced and fixed. I updated all the reference binders in each kit with new and up-to-date information. I also managed to talk to the manager about adding "Wild Wolves We Have Known" to the kits as well (at the cost of nothing).

The educators and other staff had also been writing Facebook posts to send in for the wolf center's facebook page. It is not uncommon for posts to get 100-500 likes. This picture in particular earned me a whooping 814 likes. Now honestly, I am not one to try to get the most likes or ANYTHING like that in nature. I am here to help educate and spread the word on wolves, not to obtain some sort of glory.  Why I even mentioned it in the first place is honestly because I was that surprised that one of my pictures actually gained that much attention. Funny part, all I said was "Caption this. Pictured is Axel looking into the Auditorium windows". I just took the picture right as he was closing his eyes.

Axel

Do you also remember when I mentioned I had the opportunity to continue assisting the education department by creating (or re-creating) programs? Well that is something to which is still going on. Before, I had mentioned that "Wolves of the World" was in draft stage. Since then it has been finalized and merely waits to be tested/presented. Therefore we move on to new materials. I had recently collected reference information for a new program being designed. Of course it is still a secret! The other educator is doing her part as well, she has located references for two new programs we hope to feature this upcoming summer season. I can say, since we already have this program, I was fortunate enough to get to re-work Northwoods Ecology. A program I had gave back in 2014 and thus felt negative feelings about due to how it flowed... or well didn't flow in some cases. I re-worked the program so it has a flow and thus focuses more on "ecology" vs "what can we find in the northwoods". Of course it still features some things you can find but very briefly in comparison to what the program had before. I just sent in the draft as of yesterday for review. Let's hope it is well liked and will be seeing the spotlight relatively soon!

Standing: Axel (L) and Grayson (R)
Lying: Denali (L) and Aidan (R)

Lastly, to follow up with that "Wolf Scholar" project I mentioned in the prior post. I "finished" with 75 pages worth of materials which have now been sent to the Web Specialist and are thus being reviewed. Hopefully the information is accurate and can be implemented relatively soon. I have high hopes that if they process moves faster enough, I can continue this project and thus potentially produce another 70 or so more pages. Although it absorbed a lot of time and energy to find information, especially when you are sorting through overseas information, the project definitely felt worthwhile! In other words I enjoyed the online research.

A new project I had not mentioned before includes creating wolf paw casts from a mold of Denali's foot. More or less, the wolf specialist had a fun time making a plaster cast of Denali's track and then making a mold from that plaster cast in order for us to make casts.... from the mold. If that makes sense. Anyway, we have to make 50 for our Alpha members. What we do is pour the plaster paris into the mold, wait for it to harden enough to remove, sand them after they have dried, and then paint them grayish black so they look like rocks. These are four examples of casts I had sanded and painted. As of right now they are due on April 1st so we have been staying relatively busy busting these out. There are at least 26 casts completely painted and finished and I believe 9 more waiting to be sanded. My numbers may be off as well... but at least I can say we are halfway there. Each cast made thus far is unique to the next. Mainly because I am not the best painter and they all came out as "50 shades of gray" instead of a few shades of similar colored gray. Somehow a few of the casts even have tan in them. Now how you get tan from black and white paint is beyond me. I guess that's one of my "unknown talents".

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Transition from Fall to Winter

As far as "outside of work" adventures go, there has been a bountiful amount which has occurred since January. As I had mentioned before, I began volunteering through the Forest Service to be a "Lynx Tracker". Due to weather conditions and work schedule, I was unfortunately only able to go tracking once. Through that I got the chance to see a new part of Minnesota I had not before. Considering Canada Lynx are endangered I cannot specify where I was but I will say I was only a few miles away from Canada. Which can be honestly anywhere up in these parts.

Mall of America

Also in January, my boyfriend's long time friend came up to visit him and therefore us. My coworker, boyfriend, and self traveled to the Twin Cities in order to pick him up. We stayed in a nice hotel, had a lovely breakfast, and then spent our entire day at the Mall of America. This was the first time my boyfriend, his friend, and myself got the chance to see the mall in all its glory. We went on a weekday and therefore it wasn't too packed. I found a few outfits. My boyfriend surprised me with a "Bananyas" shirt that I sincerely love to death; its a show I watch. My coworker showed me Lush for the first time (which I am not addicted to), Caribou Coffee, Essentia Tea, and we both visited and did a Behind-the-Scenes tour at the Aquarium the mall has in the bottom level. I unfortunately could not take any photos during the tour but I have many memories I hope not to forget. We saw turtles, fish, and sharks galore. Learned about how they feed said animals, what it takes to run the aquarium tanks, and saw the offices and "lab" where they prepare the food. During the visit our guide fed some turtles and fish in one tank. That was where we saw a HUGE gar. It had to be at least 5 feet long and I cannot even guess the weight. While my coworker and I ventured around together, my boyfriend and his friend were elsewhere taking a bunch of photos. Later on we met back up for a quick bite to eat and then headed five hours back to the cabin. The moon was as bright as the sun that night, making visibility easy.

 During his friends stay we made a point to give him a grand tour of the town. We all had dinner at the Grand Ely Lodge with my coworkers, wing night yum, and got to show his friend the local businesses and super markets that were open. He got to see the wolf center and the wolves during a "What's for Dinner" program. It was also my boyfriend's first program; which I was fortunate enough to give that night to them and many other members of the public. I was lucky enough to get a "wolf selfie" thanks to his friend snapping a photo while we all sat and talked in front of some windows (before the program of course).

Myself with Axel and my boyfriend.

 He also got to see the Northern Lights over Burntside lake. They may not have lived up to their full glowing glory, like the first night I saw them, but they were still visible enough to the naked eye. It made me so happy to be able to share the northern experience. I cannot recall if he had seen them before or not but still! Every new opportunity to see the lights is extremely exciting to me. I would love to get a picture of myself with the lights behind me at some point; but dreams are dreams until they're reality.

My boyfriend, the friend, and myself also went to Kawishiwi Falls. It was exciting for me because it is one of my favorite trails and it was going to be the first time both the boyfriend and friend saw the falls. It was truly a beautiful day when we went. The sun was shining bright, the temperature wasn't freezing, and we had some cool experiences. I convinced his friend I was a disney princess because I called in some chickadees using the "pshing" technique. We also got to see a red squirrel up close (within 5 feet) from us as we hiked.

The falls did not have as much water as the photo I had taken for the last blog post, being that they were mostly frozen, but that just made it all the more fun. So far I have had the opportunity to see these falls in spring, summer, fall, and winter! Perhaps one of these days I will post a "transition" photo somewhere on social media to show the difference between the seasons. Give me time.

After the hike we went to Gators: Grilled Cheese Emporium and later back to the cabin. Beyond these adventures, and some trips to the grocery, I cannot recall much else to what we had done. I remember driving his friend to Duluth to catch a bus to the cities, so he may return home, and therefore seeing Lake Surperior's icy shores but that is unfortunately all I remember. We had a ton of fun when his friend was here but afterwards it was back to the daily grind. Which, part of this daily grind included helping our wolf specialist with a group that wanted to go snowshoeing. More or less we, the educators, had to go with them as supervisors since they wanted to hike the nature trail we have here at the wolf center. In order to use the trail, you have to have an educator. So, what did this mean for me? First time snowshoeing!

 I was rather intimidated by the idea of snowshoeing, but once they were strapped on to my tennis shoes I quickly realized it is actually a lot of fun. Part of me wishes I owned my own pair so I can go explore the areas trails and forest service roads that are still snow covered to this day. We did a short hike behind the wolf center with the group and later finished off the work day. So far I have only went snowshoeing twice this year. This occasion, as mentioned, and the second occasion was when I was out doing Goshawk Surveys with the biologist whom I spoke with about Lynx tracking. We went out, used a gamer caller with a Goshawk recording, and listened for any responses to determine nest sites. Unfortunately we did not hear any call back. Which may be good or bad dependent on who you're talking too. The area we surveyed is an area the service hopes to harvest timber from. If a goshawk is heard at any point in the area, then the area cannot be harvested for its timber and must be left alone. Thankfully the awesome timber harvesting crew sticks to protocol and doesn't harvest if there are goshawk nests present. I will also say I enjoy my time spent with the biologist because the more we talked about wildlife and this field, the more I realized there is so much I need to continue to learn. Whether it be about the career path and job hunting or Minnesota's wild lands. This was another reason I enjoyed working on that "Northwoods Ecology" program I mentioned before, but the research reminded me there is so much I still want to learn about the northwoods. A place I have come to love over the last two years. Fortunately, an opportunity has been presented itself to do just that....

I have not really announced this yet, minus a few people, so I guess now is a good time to do it. I had applied for a Biotechnician position with the Forest Service, here in Ely, back in September. In which case this position would be working with the biologist I volunteer through. During the goshawk surveys she had informed me that she requested my application during the process and therefore I am currently unofficially hired. What this means is I am hired only on the condition that they finalize the budget and have enough funding for the position itself. Mind you, this is only a seasonal position but it is certainly what I have been looking for. If there is no proper funding then the position would have to be cancelled. From the sounds of it, this position will go through for sure. How many months it will occur is up in the air. It could be one month, two, or maybe three. Hard to say at this point but I hope to know more soon. I would be conducting goshawk surveys, owl surveys, pollinator surveys, and other field related research. Of course, until something is set in stone I am still applying for and have interviewed for other positions as well. So I still cannot necessarily say my future is 100% set in stone the next few months. The joys of the wildlife field. Always wondering where you will be next.


In February, Ely finally ha another fun event going on in town. The Ely Winter Festival! There was a medallion hidden in town, creating a real life scavenger hunt with daily clues. At first it was anyone's guess where it was, until clues eventually pointed to the water tower in town. I had a gut feeling but did not act quick enough when it came to finding the medallion. However, it was still good fun trying. During the festival ice blocks of various sizes were brought in and sculpted. I had a chance to help with our wolf center block, but unfortunately was sick the day everyone went out to carve. Better luck next time I suppose. The sculptures were beautiful, but I failed to take any pictures! Thankfully someone else took a photo of at least the larger blocks: "click here". During the festival there was also snowshoeing, skiing, an art walk, and a symphony band. More or less the town came back alive despite some cold weather.

 

This is one of the guys we wanted to win.
Sadly he did not win either.

I look pretty scary in the right light.
This is our beloved Wolf Specialist.

My favorite part of the festival, besides the sculptures, was the Nordic Beard Fest. For this, three of my coworkers and a coworkers friend (who was an old intern at the Wolf Center) all went to cheer on said friend during a "public choice" event. More or less men with bears go on stage and whoever gets the most screams/yells wins. The friend unfortunately did not, but it was still a ton of fun! Heidi took a ton of awesome photos and overall we enjoyed some good drinks and laughs. If you search up "Nordic Beard Fest" on facebook or online, you should find the page explaining the event more and thus Heidi's photos too. Heidi is a well known photographer in the area whom takes absolutely amazing photos of wildlife, northern lights, and more. You can find her works at Root River Photography. One day I plan to buy some prints from her!

Anyway, after the event our group head over to Dee's Bar to play pool and giant life size jenga. We came close to the record stack, therefore drawing an audience to watch us, but unfortunately the stack fell before we beat said record.Either way it was a ton of fun! I came SUPER close to beating the wolf specialist at pool but called the wrong pocket when I fired the 8 ball.

As we progressed through February, we yet again saw more fluctuation in temperature from below freezing to freezing point (-20 to 32 degrees F). Of course the occasional warm days meant more snow that we had to shovel. But it also meant more awesome photo opportunities with the wolves. Aidan, as mentioned before, seems to really enjoy the snow for he is often seen lying in it.

Starting sometime this year up until a few weeks ago my coworkers, boyfriend, and self had had a Harry Potter marathon. We got to the 5th movie but stopped halfway through it because of how tired we were that particular night. My coworker had two of her friends visit. Each time this happened we all would get together for a movie or games like Cards Against Humanity. When the boyfriend's friend was here, so was a coworkers, and during that we played Oregon Trail and Betrayal at House on the Hill. Many laughs shared, many memories made, and of course at any point I would do it all over again.

Other events that have happened include Wine, Women, and Wolves weekend. In which case I got to tag along for an Insula dinner with some pretty awesome ladies. I did not get the chance to do anything beyond dinner, but it was still fun talking to everyone while I could.

The 'K' table at Insula during Wine, Women, Wolves.
Everyone here has a K name! No this wasn't planned.

I have also attended the Ely Naturalist Meetings every chance I get. The first one I went to was in December for the biologist's Lynx program. I missed the meeting in January because of having to drive to the Twin Cities to pick up the boyfriend's friend. February's meeting mostly covered winter finches and the Feeder Watch citizen science project. Today's meeting covered projects related to Invasive Species and Water Quality around the arrowhead region. This included possible volunteering experiences in the area.

What I always see during the drive to/from work or town.

I hate ending a blog post on a sour note, but try not to let it get you down. Unfortunately, although I had continued to say "my boyfriend" throughout the post. I will now say that he is no longer in the picture and has thus moved back to Ohio. I had merely said "my boyfriend" earlier in this post, because at the time all those events happened he truly was and it was much easier than repeating "ex" over and over again. Truthfully this is why I would never mention a significant other in the blogs I have written. Last time I was in Minnesota in 2014, I had a significant other then as well but you just never heard about him for this very reason. If a breakup occurs, then I have to explain why all of a sudden I stop mentioning someone. Lesson learned for another day. Although these last three weeks had been hard, the days get easier as they pass. After all, I am still a human and a loss is a loss. I have kept myself busy with work, watching movies, volunteering, hanging out with my coworkers, and doing the only thing I can honestly do for myself right now: try my best to move on. So please do not ask me for details. You do not have to say sorry, there's nothing to be sorry for.
I am fine and continuing to move on with my career.  After all....

Dreams require sacrifice.

Grayson

Enjoy the sound of wolves howling during one of our "What's for Dinner" programs.

Thank you for reading.

Academic Internship: A familiar place, that isn't so familiar?

I made my return to the International Wolf Center back in September of 2016. Since my first trip here in 2014, for the summer internship, Minnesota continued to grow onto me despite living so far away. I still remember how hard it was to leave this beautiful facility and Ely itself. Rejoiced was the best way to describe how I felt upon my return to the center, but little did I know what exactly was lurking in the near future...

Change. A decent amount of it too. Some staff members I came to know were no longer present and therefore there were plenty of new folks to meet. The adjustment to this change was relatively hard at first, seeing as how I would be working with new people I had never seen before, but I have always capable of adjusting to new places. After all, leaving home to go to two different colleges and at least three out of state internships certainly is not a walk in the park! Yet again I was on a life changing journey. In other words, I eventually grew used to the new faces and the loss of the old, but this does not mean that I do not miss those who have left.

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Denali

By the time I arrived, summer was gradually coming to a close. The skies were still bright blue and the temperature was what I considered t-shirt weather (50-60F). My boyfriend, whom I still appreciate for being willing to make the move with me to this "unknown" land, and myself both settled into a nice log cabin in the woods and the next day I was back in the face of the public as an educator. It was fairly easy to remember closing and opening tasks, minus a new television system which took a few days longer to master, and I felt like a newbie all over again. The first few days I sat in on programs to recall information. Of course some areas were updated, seeing as how I was missing for two years from the educator scene, but before I knew it I was back to presenting familiar programs with new faces. When I first arrived we were open daily to the public, as well as Saturday nights for two specialty programs.

Said Daily programs include:
10am: Wolves in our Backyard
11am: Ambassadors to the Wild (once known as Meet the Park for us "oldies")
12am: In Search of Wolves (or Wolf Research)
1am: Ambassadors to the Wild
2pm: Mighty Moose (once known as the Moose in Minnesota)
3pm: Ambassadors to the Wild
4pm: Passport to Wolves

Sat Only:
7pm: What's for Dinner? (feeding)
9pm: Howling Safari (go out and howl to wild wolves) *Sept/October Only*

All of these programs I had given at least once, but the older versions had different names and some out-dated information. By the second week of being here, I was back in the swing of things; answering public questions, responding to emails, answering phone calls, and giving daily and specialty programs. One difference between then (2014) and now, is instead of having 4 other educators alongside you during the summer - the academic year only has 2. Initially a summer intern stayed over, as per usual, to await my arrival but as his contract ended a new one began for him. He filled a new, suddenly created, position as interim program specialist being that we would soon see a new Ely Building Manager enter the scene. As I said, lots of change back then.

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Grayson (L) and Axel (R)

Aside from staff changes, new equipment in the facility, and new programming here and there; a change occurred with the wolves as well! In 2016, Grayson and Axel were added to the Exhibit Pack. Unfortunately I missed my chance to be their pup nanny, despite being invited to return to the center during the summer, but fortunately I still have a chance to watch them grow. Both pups are considered the Arctic subspecies of Gray Wolf, one of the currently (though debated) five subspecies in North America. They were born May 2nd, arrived at the center May 25th, and were later introduced into the enclosure in August. Since then they have certainly became a part of the pack. Aidan is still maintaining his status as pack leader from two years ago with Denali and Boltz still in the enclosure.

However, due to Luna showing food possession tendencies even in the face of the pups, she was moved out of the Exhibit pack and into Retirement. She is currently with Grizzer, who is still alive and well at the ripe age of 12 years old, and both are honestly getting along great. She tends to enjoy body work (similar to a massage) by wolf care staff and therefore has been see as more relaxed as of late. Grizzer now has a companion as well, the two are often viewed lying nearby one another, inviting chase via a play bow, etc. You can actually watch these two (and the exhibit pack) via the wolf's center web camera: http://www.wolf.org/meet-our-wolves/wolfcams/

The pups turned 8 months today (Jan 2nd) and have grown from 5lbs (May) to 70-90lbs (Dec). Two growing boys for sure! Check out the first photo from September in comparison to the photo below (taken in December):

Top (on den): Aidan // Middle: Grayson and Denali // Bottom: Axel and Boltz.

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This brings me to my next point, the seasons! Of course Minnesota sees green summers and snowy winters, so I have been giving it my best shot to take a photo each month and thus show the "transition of seasons". Granted, early winter vs late winter seems to just be "some snow" to "heck of a lot of snow".

September, October, November.

 Check out the building from the main entrance. The first photo was taken in October (afternoon) to represent fall, whereas the second was taken in December (morning) ti represent winter. I did not snap a photo when I initially arrived, so see the "transition" of photos above for an idea of September/late-summer.

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 Aside from all the changes going on at work, let's move on to what exactly I have been up to beyond the usual daily programs. For starters, I got to lead two overnight groups these last few months. It makes me absolutely proud to lead a group who has come to learn and asks intelligent questions; and both definitely fit that description! The first group was  a 4H group whereas the second was Girl Scouts. One group got to go on a night hike, experienced different indoor programs such as Ambassadors to the Wild, and watched a movie. The other group expeienced outdoor interpretive hike at Kawishiwi falls, went on a radiotelemetry trip to track a wild wolf pack, experienced a mini-howling safari, and also experienced indoor programs.

Overall, both groups kept me on my toes and the day flew by fast. The first group, being in October, saw the center in the fall setting where as the second group saw what winter was like. Unfortunately we couldn't go a "snowshoe interpretive hike" as originally planned, not enough snow, but we still went hiking and they learned a lot about reading nature, identifying track and sign 101, and they got to see Kawishiwi falls in all its glory!



Aside from that I had a couple of one day only groups role through too. Typically we greet said groups, show them the facility with a small tour, then lead them to the classroom or auditorium for a program (usually a daily one, but in one case Wolf Folklore was given), and then stick by them until they leave. Sometimes there's two programs but this is rare. Generally it's a program followed by them leaving or they guide themselves through out the facility.



Otherwise, as said, it is usually daily programs. On one particular day, I told a couple the local coffee shops in town to which they later surprised me with a coffee! It just so happened to be my favorite!

The interns and other staff are also now apart of the providing photos and descriptions for a weekly facebook post. To check those out go to facebook and type "International Wolf Center" or click the text in quotes. I linked it for you. Basically we are doing our part to instruct the public about wolf facts or simply show them what is going on at the wolf center itself. Today, for example, its snowing. Since it was my day to send in a photo, I had written about the weather and incorporated a photo of Aidan with snow on him (see below). I mentioned how a wolf's thick undercoat helps keep them warm and cozy despite the precipitation and temperature. Aidan in particular does seem to really like snow based on his actions.

The photo featured for today's post (02 Jan 2017)

Educators are currently in process of learning how to give programs utilizing the videoconferencing software, Zoom Video and Tandburg Systems (mainly the first). There are a few programs offered, click here, and the center hopes to add more in the future. More or less this offers the public the option of us connecting via the computer to provide a live program with props and live footage of the ambassador wolves from your seats.This can be states or countries away, of course, and teachers or group leaders have the option to rent a Wolf Discovery Kit as well for hands on materials and props. I have seen groups use this as a tool to study "adaptations" of wildlife or animals in general, while using wolves as a means of doing so. Kids always seem to love it and I suggest any educator, teacher, or group leader of any sort to host an event for your group.


Speaking of Wolf Discovery Kits, this is a kit that is filled with a variety of specimens (ex. wolf pelt, moose jaw), books, DVDs (or VHS if requested), and other activities that provide students and/or groups with hands on learning tools. Teachers can use them to talk about predator-prey relationships, comparing fact vs fiction about wolves, or to simply learn more in depth details about wolves. Alongside a live videoconferencing program this kit is useful. Why am I bringing this up? At the beginning of the internship, when the center switched to winter hours, I took the time to inventory every kit at the center. This meant determining what materials needed replaced, whether by making or purchase, and what materials were suitable to remain. Overall the kits were very well taken care of and had all their parts; a special thanks to those who rented the kits and kept them in good condition. There are also supplemental kits as well, these too were inventoried and such as well. We are still working on replacing any missing pieces (mainly the manager is) whereas I took the time to replace anything broken that I could (mainly plaster casts).

Crafting red wolf plaster casts for the kits

I have been assisting Wolf Care Staff with crafting Wolf Adoption Kits. These are great for anyone looking to "adopt" one of our wolves! They come with a VERY NICE photo, fur sample (adult wolves only), certificate and thank you letter, and more. Honestly one of the best adoption kits I have ever seen, and I mean that without being biased too. They are well thought out and offer the customer a great reward. Not to mention the money goes straight to wolf care and helps the wolves themselves. We currently have kits for every wolf: Grizzer, Aidan, Denali, Boltz, Luna, Axel, and Grayson. Seeing as how the pups are growing up, we may transition them to adult kits sometime soon. So get a pup kit before they're gone! These can be ordered online so you do not have to be here to purchase the kits. [Wolf Pups Kit, Adult Wolves Kit]

Click the links to find the kits and go to the Wolf Den Store. Of course check out the other cool stuff while you're there. My current wish list includes the wolf adult coloring book and a micro plush blanket. Unfortunately, the red blanket I want may be sold out. 

Boltz

I have had the opportunity to continue assisting the education department by creating (or re-creating) programs. A while back I worked on re-combining Wolves in Our Backyard (once known as Wolves in North America) and Passport to Wolves (once known as Wolves of the World) and presently sit in the draft stage. This program was an attempt to maintain the integrity of both programs while using updated information, photos, etc. There was certain protocol associated with program creation that thankfully one of my classes at my college (Tech Comm) helped me easily use; creating a visually appearing program. On top of this, I also used said skills learned in this class to update various signage around the center. Auditorium program guest tally sheet, What's for Dinner program ad, theater sign telling guests where the auditorium is (more visually appealing), Auditorium program sign featuring daily and specialty programs, and finally winter hours sign. Of course I am always on the hunt to make new signs and programs. We hope to introduce a few programs (its a secret) in the future, some of which I hope to announce when the center makes them official.

As of right now I have been exceedingly busy with what we call the "Wolf Scholar" project. What this entails is looking at our websites and doing our best to update it. Basically I keep a word document which lists the link of the error (or outdated information), list what needs fixed, and do my best to include new links and resources not currently present. At the moment I am about 70 pages deep and still going. I am mainly focusing on "wolves of the world" right now and have thus learned that information about wolves overseas is relatively tricky to find... and that I need to overcome my language barrier tenfold. I have scanned through a lot of scientific articles highlighting species and subspecies information. In other words, lots and lots of DNA papers. Much of which is very debated to this day. Despite the species vs subspecies debate we often experience in this field, Dave Mech explains wolves best by stating a "wolf is a wolf is a wolf" and that the best way to describe them all is "canis lupus soupous". Attempting to tackle this project has made his words VERY clear!

In summary, I have been keeping myself busy these last three and a half months.

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So now that we've got the work aspect out of the way, what else have I been up to in Minnesota? First of all, my boyfriend and I have experienced plenty of restaurants around town. Some new to me but most of them old familiar favorites (everything is new to him). We've come to lover the Mexican restaurant known as 2 Gringos, yes two white guys literally run it. The Grand Ely Lodge has always been a personal favorite of mine, we often only go when we want to have a special date night or when we are meeting up with the other wolf center staff members to have a party. Thrice now we've been out with them; once for wing night, once for a going away party, and the last for a Christmas party. I may be forgetting another occasion with center staff... ? Otherwise, my boyfriend and I enjoyed playing Pokemon Go when it was a lot warmer out. Nowadays, we want to go but the wind and subzero temperatures make staying in the warm cabin more of a temptation than not.

My previous employers from Northwoods Wildlife Center returned to Ely yet again, the second week of myself moving up here, and I was so excited to see them!!! Unfortunately work and other factors prevented us from really getting to spend quality time together, but I am glad I at least got the chance to see them again. At this rate I have seen them once a year since leaving Wisconsin, just like the staff at the Wolf Center actually! I am terrible at keeping in communication most of the time, but I give it my best shot. When they visited we went to Insula to eat, a new for me and great place to eat, and they got to see our cabin. I am still hoping for their return when summer comes around.

The other intern and myself have gotten rather close, so we have been doing our best to find ways to get involved in time or hang out. So far we've been able to go to Virginia, alongside my boyfriend and our other coworker, to watch movies (such as Moana!) and eat pizza. Delicious pizza, some with "hella pineapple" (copyright Saranda 2016). 

One particular occasion where we all "hung out" was during the Ely Tree Lighting event, which happened in early December. There was hot chocolate and cider served following a Christmas Parade. We helped decorate the IWC Bus for the parade but sadly did not get off work in time to join those who rode... Did I mention we got the last of the hot cider? Yum. There was a dance floor, a bonfire, and piratically every member of the community was present. In a town where everyone knows everyone, it was a blast! The tree lighting was pretty neat and the company was great.

I became apart of the "Ely Field Naturalists" group, which led me to become a volunteer for the US Forest Service. The reason behind it, Lynx Tracking! The service is doing their part to research this endangered species and therefore has a volunteer base to track sightings for the sake of determining location and collecting fecal samples. I have not had the chance to go out into the field, as of yet, due to work and weather but am still anticipating at least one trek into the wilderness. I managed to get the other intern involved in this project as well. We sat in on the December naturists meeting where the biologist of the project gave a presentation regarding Canada Lynx. It was very informational, I certainly learned a lot about Lynx (especially compared to Bobcat), and I enjoyed meeting the lead volunteer or the project. Pictures and information will likely not be available for this. I do apologize for the inconvenience.

A typical week for me involves the boyfriend and I going to work at our jobs, doing laundry, getting groceries sometimes, and maybe eating out... maybe. Otherwise we tend to stay indoors and relax as winter continues. Or, as said, we are out and about with friends! Thankfully we did get to go home for a brief period in Christmas. This allowed us to see family, friends, and new babies in both categories! New Years wasn't entirely celebrated, seeing as how the boyfriend is sick, but we did share the midnight kiss and look forward to the year ahead!

As far as this internship goes, contract ends June 1st. So we shall see what happens between now and then!

Stay tuned, I will do my best to keep this blog updated as time goes on!!!

Axel (L) and Grayson (R)

Truth Is...

I have had a terrible time trying to decide what to discuss in my next blog post. I promise I haven't forgotten about the blog one bit but have just been trying to decide what exactly to say. Sometimes I felt like I had too much to say and other times I felt like I did not have enough. So here goes nothing.

There have been a lot of changes occurring over the course of the last few weeks.

First and foremost I would like to dedicate a portion of this post to a fellow wolf we lost on July 2nd. Although I did not know him for very long, Shadow managed to win a spot in my heart just from simply meeting and greeting him. I could tell from various logs, videos, and stories that he truly was a spectacular wolf in regards to behaviors and personality. An outstanding leader! Unfortunately, old age caught up with him and staff had to say goodbye the night of the 2nd. He lived a long life of 14 years, which truly is an old wolf, and during that time I could tell he has touched the heart of many people; staff and guests included. Rest in peace Shadow. I wish I got the chance to know you better but I am more grateful about the fact I was able to both meet you and have the chance to hear about your stories from other staff members. I secretly always wanted to meet Shadow and his brother, Malik, when I first learned about the center as a child so meeting him truly was a blessing.

Shadow - Taken from IWC Facebook

To view Shadow's tribute: Click Here
To view Shadow's Necropsy Report: Click Here

Other changes that have occurred have mostly been internally within myself. Due to the ongoing learning process between reading about wolves, meeting new people, and giving programs... I have began to notice a change in my personality and demeanor. In the past, it was hard to give a presentation in front of twenty or less people without freaking out but now I can confidently say I am capable of presenting programs to strangers all the time; sometimes more than fifty at once! At times it is hard to believe that such a change could ever happen but on the other hand I knew I had this capability the entire time but just needed that extra push to access it. I have befriended many people here, staff and guests included, and that too has effected me in a positive manner. Needless to say I have truly been enjoying my time up here in northern Minnesota. So much enjoyment actually that I kind of don't want to leave! All things must come to an end at some point though and although it will be hard to say goodbye to everyone here at the center in August, I cannot wait to see my family again so I can show them the brighter and better me. In the mean time, I will continue to gain as much experience as possible while I am here and I truly plan on living day by day while enjoying even the smallest moments. Again, so many good memories have been made here.

During the first two weeks of July, everything was pretty much the usual calm. We continued to give a variety of different programs to the public. When not giving programs; the other interns and I would talk to the public about the wolves while answering any questions they may have had. In some cases, for me at least, there would be random conversations about nature, birds, or other off the wall topics typically brought up by the guest. At night interns and a staff member would typically hang out; usually watching moves or Game of Thrones while planning "food nights". At one point another intern made homemade pretzels which were delicious. Other nights an intern would make soup or perhaps pizza was ordered. A few special events I recall was Wolf Watch and Dorothy Night. During Wolf Watch I got the chance to hang out with staff members I may or may not see too often while listening to their stories about the wolves and observing wolf behaviors at the same time. I have been to Wolf Watch before and this was probably the fourth time the Ethogram was covered; but each and every time I attend I usually learn something new or at least have the chance to review old information to keep it fresh in the brain. On Dorothy Night, a staff member, one intern, and I went to the Dorothy Motler museum and got the chance to take their free tour led by a naturalist. Dorothy is otherwise known as the Root beer lady so of course I got the chance to drink more of the awesome beverage! We also managed to run into a group of fellow geocachers and got the chance to chat with them about caching and where the Dorothy Motlar cache was. We let them look for it first before finally giving them a hint since they were in a hurry. It was great meeting more people who cache!

 July 13th - July 18th
 During this week the wolf center teamed up with the Road Scholar program to feature, Road Scholar: Wonder of Wolves. During this program we had a few grandparents with their grand kids learn about wolves. Myself and two other interns conducted various programs and played a few games as well. We were practically with the group from sunrise to sunset on most days. Some of us would wake up as early as 7am to take the group from an Outdoor Learning Center, near Ely, to the Vermillion Community College to eat breakfast. After breakfast we would conduct an event. The first program was by another intern and included Northwoods Ecology; a program that basically covers what you can find in the Northwoods and why. Discusses flora, fauna, and geology of Minnesota. After the program the group went on a hike and met us back at the wolf center. I am honestly not sure what the remainder of the schedule was but I helped conduct three different programs and drove our bus for a good portion of the week.

The first program I gave was Beavers and Wolves. Beaver comprises roughly 16% of the Minnesota Wolf's diet and therefore we discuss adaptions beavers have to survive while dressing a kid up as a beaver. I wish I had pictures of the grandkid we dressed up! They were having such a wonderful time! Once we discussed the pro's and con's of beavers, their physical adaptions, and some information about lodges and dams....I later took the group out of Ely to an abandoned beaver lodge. I was not able to take any pictures because during this time period my phone decided to die and never turn back on. I ended up getting a new phone by the end of the week but of course by then the program was over! I intend on taking pictures of the places we were once we head back out to these areas again.

Another program I gave was Wolf Research. For this program we discuss different methods used to research wolves and follow it up with radiotelemtry exercise. We first teach people how to use the equipment and then head out into the field to actually track live radiocollared wolves. Sadly we did not get a single hit on the collars but we definitely know the wolves were somewhere in the areas we were. Although we did not pick up a signal, the group still had an excellent time! Nothing more pleasing than a groups happiness despite not actually finding a wolf! It happens sometimes, we cannot control where the wolves will be. They were very grateful for us giving it a shot though and learned a lot.

Finally, the best for last, my favorite program. As soon as I heard there was a Wolf Folklore program I jumped on it and claimed it from the other interns since first hearing. I absolutely have LOVED wolf folklore since the beginning of forever. Due to this I was excited about giving this program. I researched various stories and picked three; one good, one nuetral, and one bad. What I mean by good and bad is... we picked a story that gives the wolf a positive image while a bad story depicts the wolf as a foul beast and usually as evil. It gives a negative impression on wolves. My three stories were "Mother Wolf" by Jamal Nasafi, "The One you Feed" by supposedly a Cherokee, and "The Boy who Cried Wolf". Mother Wolf depicted the wolf a hero for saving a village, the Cherokee Tale is neutral, and the Boy who Cried Wolf makes the wolf look evil due to eating livestock and the boy himself. If anyone ever wants a copy of these three stories feel free to ask because I definitely still have them! After choosing these three stories and letting one of the staff members know, he created a fabulous program!!! I gave him the stories and an awesome image I found from the internet of Skoll and Hati (another wolf story from Norse Mythology).

Credit: Akreon and Vesner, Off-White

Akreon and Vesner are wonderful artists. Credit of the image goes to them of course. The group was very impressed with the image and the overall powerpoint itself. I was quite pleased with this and instantly this became my favorite program. I am always willing to give this program at practically any point. Who doesn't love story time? I literally had everyone in the "deer in headlights" look and the tension in the room rose during the Mother Wolf story. It was very intense and I could not help but break and laugh by saying "you guys should see the looks on your faces, its so intense". Instantly they snapped and smiled/laughed but we continued with the story after. It's honestly an awesome feeling to have a powerpoint created around a story you picked. I applaud the staff member too because he did an excellent job creating it. I wish you guys could see it!!! Truly I do!!

Besides giving these three programs, the wolf research one being with other interns, I also helped out with a few other programs. We played a game called Musk Ox Maneuvers, somewhat similar to sharks and minnows. Ask me how to play if you're interested. I also helped another intern run her "story book creation" program where we created books after the Folklore program. This way everyone could create their own stories. We ate lunch and dinner a few times with the group too. They got the chance to see our wolves and the center frequently and on their free day they toured around Ely or canoed. Sometimes we would just hang out with them because honestly they were such a great group. I absolutely miss them all to this day and hope I get the chance to see them again. One family actually visits Hocking Hills in Ohio sometimes so perhaps I will see that group sooner than later! You never know. Again, this week was so wonderful and I miss everyone like crazy. Hopefully I can find the group picture of all of us and update it into here at some point. If anyone wants to ask me more about this week please feel free too. There's more details than what I listed here! Mainly program details.

Top to Bottom: Boltz, Aiden, Denali, and Luna

July 20th and on.
I finally had the opportunity to take care of an overnight group at the center. Basically groups pay to choose special programs usually given after hours, stay overnight in our auditorium, and then are given a continental breakfast the next morning. Of all people, the overnight groups truly get to experience the wolves more than the summer because they usually howl a few times every morning and are fairly active at night.

My first overnight group was a merge between two 4H groups, one from Minnesota and the other from North Carolina. We started off with our "Meet the Pack" program that talks about our Ambassador Wolves and Behaviors, Biology, and Ecology of wolves in the wild. What it takes to survive, average life span, and other facts. After this program was finished we moved into our class room, after a few minute break, and then proceeded to do the "Wolf Research" program again. Rather than go off-site to look for radiocollared wolves, we stayed on-site and learned how to track with a dummy collar. Once they found the collar, thanks again to another intern for helping me out during this program, we went back inside and they left for dinner. An hour and a half later they returned and unpacked the bus since the center was closed at that point. Wolf Folklore (woohoo!) followed the unpacking session and we later moved into the movie theater to watch Radioactive Wolves. A scavenger hunt followed in our Humans and Wolves exhibit and then they had the rest of the night free.

Humans and Wolves Exhibit

The following morning the group was awakened early due to the wolves howling. This gave them the chance to start getting ready for the day and packing up while I went in and prepared their breakfast. We give our groups bagels, cream cheese, cereal, orange juice, milk, and other items. They completely demolished the bagels which impressed me. They were 16-18 year olds too so it made since that most of the bagels were gone! Through out the morning, before opening, they prepared to leave while I chatted here and there with people and opened up different exhibits. Shortly before opening they packed up their bus and then walked over to the wolf statues to take pictures (picture of wolf statues near end of this post). I took various pictures of the group for them, with their cameras of course, and as I handed the electronics back I was actually handed two $10 bills in return. I was completely stunned and unsure of what to say besides thanking them greatly. I never expected tips! I said good bye shortly after and as they pulled away I soon realized I missed another group of wonderful people whom I hope to see again. How can someone not get attached to people who love to learn?

Later I asked what to do with the tip money and was told to keep it by staff. This too made my day.

"Bonding Moment" with Boltz (through the glass)

Road Scholar Day Trip, Oh hey.. I'm on TV!!!
Besides the week long Road Scholar groups, we also have the occasional "day group" who comes in for a program or two and leaves. One night the news came in to interview our curator, Lori, about our wolves. My group, the day trip road scholars, came in later. I gave them a quick tour of the facility and once the interview was finished we moved into the auditorium and began the "Meet the Pack" program. Just before starting the program, a staff member walked in and said that they new wanted to get a few seconds of me speaking as well so that people could get a feel of the groups atmosphere. I was a bit shell shocked but of course said it was absolutely alright. It truly is an honor to be in the same news clip as our curator! I always manage to find 5 seconds of fame in the news some how; whether its an accidental zoom in on my face in a crowd setting or via a facebook post. If you would like to view the news interview of Lori (and my 5 seconds of fame) feel free to: Click Here!

Denali sniffing the air, Luna (left), and Boltz (right). Aiden in background on den.

Special Events: National Eagle Center and Meteorologist
Sometimes the center hosts special events where guests from other facilities and such come in and given programs. During the week of the Blueberry Festival, July 25th-27th, we had two events occur. The National Eagle Center came and gave a program on the natural history of Golden and Bald Eagles. During this program, educator 'Bucky', brought Angel the Bald Eagle whom had an injured wing and could not be released back into the wild. Angel helped teach the crowd about eagles through Bucky feeding here and showing her what its like to glove a bird. He discussed various facts; like an eagles weight, strength, sharp talons, vision, etc. I helped out staff by recording bits and pieces of this program with one of their cameras. We wanted to make sure we got footage in case we created a log of sorts to let the public know of future events. Hopefully the footage I captured was beneficial. Once this program was finished, a staff member took a picture of me with Bucky and Angel. Oddly enough, during this image, we were talking about Northwoods Wildlife Center in Minocqua, Wisconsin. In case you forgot what NWC was...it's where I worked last summer for an internship! Remember the blog? Hope you didn't forget!

The other special event we had was about the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. We usually give a program on the lights daily at the center... but this one was a bit more special due to the fact the program was done by a meteorologist. This fellow had many more slides that were full of various images, facts, graphics, and more about the lights. It was so informative and yet quite fun at the same time. Many things he stood would have been hard to understand had it not been for his excellent description skills. He had props as well. During this program, I video taped it as well as asked by staff. Mainly crowd interaction, a few slides, a few props, him speaking, etc. Again, hopefully the staff liked the footage I had taken. I was not able to get a picture of this program or the meteorologist but I did manage to snap a picture of a double rainbow that occurred shortly after the program was over. I had stuck around to talk to the full time staff (board member and volunteers included) once most of the public left. This was when I found out about the fact I was on TV. I joked about how people always asked me if I was our curator, Lori, or at least related. I truly do get asked this frequently but of course. Shortly after talking with everyone, and helping put stuff away, I just happened to look outside and saw the double rainbow I had mentioned earlier. It was gorgeous! Sadly I could not capture the second rainbow, above this one, because it was faint.

Above the Enclosure.

Blueberry Festival
Of course I cannot forget what I had mentioned earlier; the Blueberry Festival. This occurred July 25-27th. I typically worked at the center most of the day but did manage to spend at least two hours for two of the three days at the festival. We had a booth set up with magazines, brochures, and props. It gave us the chance to talk about the center and it was nice to see a few of those people show up at the center the following days after. Needless to say, the booth worked. At one point we were each given time off to explore the festival and I definitely took advantage of it. I ended up quickly touring every booth one day. I purchased some tasty root beer, creme soda, and sarsaparilla soda. None of it was Dorothy Motlar but still fantastic. I also got a cool looking mug from the experience. The big prize I took home though was what I found while visiting a Wood Carving both. As soon as I saw this work, I actually left and told myself "if it's still there when I come back...I'll buy it". Well it was! And I bought it!

This piece was both carved and burned. I debated between the wolf and a loon image but honestly this piece was by far more rare and the crafter himself said he did not work on such a piece as often  because it can be challenging. I could not say no and took it home. I have many memories from the wolf center but this was one more to add. What a better way to remember the northwoods AND wolf center but purchasing a wolf carving that featured both? I honestly think it will look great in my bedroom once its finished. Oh yeah... I never mentioned this... I am moving back to Northridge from Trotwood. For those living in the area, it's the same house I lived in through out school. Surprise! :)

Bear Head Lake State Park
On July 30th, there was an opportunity for someone to go to Bear Head Lake State Park to give our "Wolf Communication" program at their nature center. I jumped on this as soon as I could but did offer to the others if they wanted to go. No one truly seemed interested, so alas I went! Bear Lake State Park is located about 30-40 minutes from Ely down 169. I brought a computer and everything to set up for the program but silly me forgot an adaptor that hooks the laptop to the projector. Thankfully I knew the program from previously watching other interns and was able to give it for the first time like a pro! I managed to give the program orally with a few sounds blips we had. I offered to show videos on the laptop after the program and gave people the chance to interpret the behaviors. The purpose of this program is to highlight how wolves communicate to one another. There are three ways: Behaviors and Posture, Vocally, and Olfaction (Scents). Thanks to previous opportunities to study wolf behavior, thanks to Wolf Ethology and Wolf Watch (programs dedicated towards studying wolf behavior), I have learned a lot when it comes to noticing wolves interacting. I still have a lot to learn of course and am still in the process of finishing work for the class I took this summer. This experience showed though and everyone had a great time once again. I gave abuot 25-30 minutes of program and it was followed up with 10 minutes of questions and nearly 10 more minutes of people sticking around to observe the videos and talk about the wolf center. Some people were visiting the campground but had never heard of the wolf center before. A few mentioned they planned on taking a trip and I think I did see a couple of people the next day at a few programs of ours! Another great night to add to the book.

Nature Center at Bear Head Lake State Park. Gorgeous facility; very well kept.

Vince Shute's Bear Sanctuary
Sadly, one of our interns was leaving the beginning of August. Due to this we wanted to make sure she and everyone else got the chance to go to Vince Shute's Bear Sanctuary. I had been there before with the Wolf Ethology class but it was truly nice to go with the other interns as well. I drove us there since I had made the drive before. We first stopped at the bear sanctuary and spent a good hour or so observing the wild bears. The bears at the sanctuary were wild bears that had been fed years ago. Due to the feeding, the bears have to continue to be fed. Otherwise they may starve to death in the wild. The bear sanctuary informs others to not feed the bears because of habituation; where animals think people have food and start to rely on mainly humans to feed them rather than hunting for themselves. Like ducks always expecting bread and surrounding your car (this happened to me once, easily 40 ducks).

So many bears!

 The reason the sanctuary continues to feed the bears, despite habituation, is because it's a pre-existing occasion. It's nice to have this sanctuary due to being able to watch the bear behavior. We also got the chance to see three bear cubs as well. I truly wonder if it was was the same three cubs I had seen last time, because they were slightly bigger, but I guess we'll never know.

 Bear Cubs in a Tree

Wolf Speak
 Finally, the most recent change to the program schedule was that we added Wolf Speak. This program features the Wolf Communication program I had previously mentioned except it also includes a howling trip afterwards. We spent thirty minutes on the program before loading up into the Howler, our bus featured in previous blog entries, and then we took off into the wilderness to locate nearby wolf packs. I am truly aware of a few packs around Ely as well as a few dispersers but due to the wolf hunt in Minnesota, I am not allowed to mention them. During the trip though, we stopped at 5 different locations, and howled. I would howl three times and would then wait on a response. Sometimes I would throw in one more extra howl and then eventually everyone would join in in a chorus howl. Two of the locations were a bust, two were a possibility but faint, and the last (or second stop I should say) was the best stop we had all summer long. We had a few howling trips before but this stop took the cake! I howled twice before a lone male, we know because radio-collaring, howled back in response. This howl was so close and so loud that I swear that the wolf was within a mile or less of us. I howled once more in response and waited. Soon enough I heard rustling in the leaves towards us before silence. Someone clapped their hands together due to a mosquito and something took off into the woods away from us. Due to feeling watching, I honestly wonder if perhaps the solo wolf has walked up closer to investigate the random howl and whom it was coming from. It may have been a fox, squirrel, bird, or other animal too... but I have a sneaking suspicious that just maybe it was our close wolf.

At the last of the five spots, I howled a few times but only had silence. The rest of the group then joined me in a chorus howl, where everyone howls together, and we soon heard a familiar northwoods sound that resembles a wolf. A loon of all things! We heard the howl of the loon, which tricked a few people, followed by a few tremolos. Needless to say we got a good laugh out of that time and then afterwards loaded back onto the bus to head back to the center. For it being the first howling trip out of the season; I would say it was a big success! Sometimes you never hear anything but that one male wolf truly made our night!! Again, I managed to make a tip that night as well. Some one, while walking out, motioned to shake my hand and left $10 in place while saying "I believe in college students". Still a bit confused by that statement but very appreciative none the less. Truly I still don't know how to feel about all these tips besides grateful! I guess that's the perk of making people feel welcomed and making sure they have a great time!

Luna

The First Goodbye
 As summer comes to a close, I am afraid that I will be hearing the word "goodbye" quite frequently until I myself leave. We said our first goodbye to one of our fellow interns. She had to leave a bit early due to starting a full time job in Missouri. Of course we all miss her but we are also extremely happy for her! How cool is it to have a full time job already?! She made it safe and sound already to Missouri and her new apartment. As mentioned, we definitely miss you! It's weird not having to say "Im the other Kelcie" since we had the same name (different spelling).

Summer 2014 Interns - Wolf Statues

On a happier note, two of my friends (or old employers I should say) from Wisconsin are coming up tomorrow to visit Jon and I. Both of us worked for them at Northwoods Wildlife Center last summer. I worked in the summer and Jon in the spring, but he was actually one of the interns that helped me train for the job too. We still think it's weird that we both ended up here this summer. I'm stoked and cannot wait to tell you all about our upcoming adventures!

Only two more weeks and a few days left in Minnesota. Plenty of events coming up though so I will stay busy. Sorry again for the delay of this post but hope you enjoyed! The next one will be eventful too! Thank you for reading and feel free to comment below with questions or PG comments :)