Three wolf puppies are the newest ambassador wolves at the International Wolf Center in Ely. Nancy is one of the Center's wolf handlers and is spending many hours each week helping to socialize and bond with the youngsters. The pups are viewable on the Center's web site at www.wolf.org and at daily programs at the Ely facility.
Nubee gets extra coaxing to eat more so that she can catch up to Groan and Grizz, her half-sibs, who are a week older. Although Nubee's coat is black, she is a gray wolf too. Her nickname comes from "newborn," since we received her when she was less than a week old.
Groan, with the red collar, is slightly smaller than her brother Grizz. Groan was nicknamed for her many vocalizations, and Grizz got his name from the dark hairs in this coat that make him look a little like a grizzly bear.
Young pups can not self-regulate body temperature, and so snuggle together for warmth. Nubee is like a heat-seeking missile, always clambering on top of her older brother and sister.
In one of their first adventures outside, Grizz sniffed an old skull left behind by the Arctic wolves. The pups will join the Arctics in August in the Center's main exhibit enclosure.
Nubee is adventurous, and for her size, quite bold.
Grizz stalked his sister in the new spring green foliage, stopped to chew a stick, and then curled up with Nubee for a nap.