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Published Feb 17, 2024 • Last updated 2days ago • 2 minute read
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Ahead of Family Day Monday, the Edmonton Valley Zoo is celebrating the arrival of a pair of female Arctic wolves from France.
The two sisters from different litters, who have yet to be named, arrived on Valentine’s Day after a year-long search by zoo officials for companions for Arctic wolf Tundra, whose partner Shilah died in 2022.
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However, visitors can’t see them yet. The new wolves will spend 30 days in quarantine before being slowly introduced to Tundra. All three will eventually be moved to a brand new 5,000-square-metre Arctic wolf habitat, currently under construction, but expected to open this summer.
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“We were very fortunate to find this pair of wolves and we are thrilled to finally have them here. Finding a companion for Tundra has been a priority for us since the devastating loss of Shilah,” said Laura Castor, animal care team lead at the zoo, in a news release Friday.
“Arctic wolves are pack animals so it was important to find the right fit for Tundra. It has taken a lot of time and effort to get to this point and we couldn’t be happier with this result,” said Castor, adding that quarantine is a necessary step for the animals and staff, and standard practice.
“This allows us to make sure they are healthy and aren’t carrying any illnesses. It also allows the animals some time and privacy to adjust to a new care team and new surroundings.”
Tammy Wiebe, executive director of the Valley Zoo Development Society, said the new habitat aligns with the wolves’ natural instincts and encourages natural behaviours.
The Arctic wolf is a subspecies of the grey wolf and lives in the Arctic regions of North America and Greenland. Although the Arctic wolf rarely faces human threat, its greatest concern is climate change, the zoo said.
“It’s our hope that seeing these beautiful animals in a stunning new environment will inspire people to take action against climate change to help species like this one,” said Wiebe.
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