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I wish I could add a day to my life expectancy for every time I hear someone say 'time goes so quickly nowadays!'
We all have different markers in our lives, children growing up, weekly commitments, monthly payments or even seasonal events like the arrival of swallows or their departure which indicate the passage of time and a reminder that we are getting older.
One such prompt here is Madadh, now 11 years old and for the last nine, almost to the day, started a phantom pregnancy in the first week of April.
Around the beginning of each December I notice small evidence of behaviour changes in Kgosi, he is not quite so friendly towards me and greetings become a little stiff around the edges. As we progress into the next two months, grumbling occurs as I enter his and Madadh’s enclosure. He becomes a little more standoffish and his body language is telling me not to outstay my welcome.
In contrast Madadh starts 'flirting' with me and gives the impression of 'falling in love'. She tries to elicit play by splay pawing and bowing, becomes easier to turn over and she flosses her tail about in an artful or ‘tartful’ expression. By the end of April there are signs of her undercarriage expanding and the first week in May brings attention to an apparent milk laden wolf who shortly afterwards disappears for hours at a time to engage in the activity that her wild counterpart would be doing, that is deciding upon the location of a den and digging it out. This year was no exception, the den however, was considerably deeper than usual (some 3 metres in length). Maybe weather conditions or discovered dampness had prompted this difference or perhaps something to do with new health and safety regulations covering the construction of wolf dens, I'm sure there are some. Nevertheless, her absence from the main part of the enclosure was noticed and following a brief search which left only my ankles protruding from the den entrance I discovered her ensconced in her temporary accommodation and seemingly pleased to see me.
By early June all is well, relationships are back on an even keel and a slimmer and well moulted Madadh has emerged and Kgosi has returned to being his normal 'affable' self. As I write, the comment 'time passes so quickly' seems very appropriate.
Tony, Wolf Centre Director
Past Notes From Tony - February 2010
Past Notes From Tony - September 2009
Photography by Chris Cray
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