When you watch the Arctic Wolves, you can’t help but remark how much they look like loveable dogs that might lay over your feet and beg treats. They whimper, bark, whine, they pant with that happy-looking expression that looks like they might not be adverse to a human hand scritching their head.
But then one of them raises a sleepy head from a long nap to begin an eerie howl, inviting the rest of the pack to join in for a haunting chorus.
Or one steps out of line and the alpha reminds the others who is boss and you see an expression such as that seen below and any urge to be able to rub a fuzzy ear vanishes as quickly as those teeth appear and we are reminded that these are wild creatures.
Photography notes: as always, when shooting white on white, pay close attention to your histograms. Don’t know what that means? Open up your camera’s manual or Google and become friends with it. A lot of white or dark in a scene will trick your camera’s meter and it’s up to you, the photographer, to realize that and adapt. In the shots here, nothing has been blown out, though I am still pondering re-editing to bring out more detail in the white parts.
As well, I usually try to situate myself to avoid things that take us out of being the “in the wilderness.” On this day, though, the wolves weren’t that active and I just happened to catch the guy in the top image coming, so shot as I didn’t have much time to get into a better position. Drats on the visible fence, though I love the wolf’s expression. A further note on the visible fence: normally two by fours don’t hold up enclosures. Apparently a fellow ploughing the zoo wasn’t paying attention and banged into the wolf enclosure. The zoo was hours late opening while they fixed the fence to make sure wolves and zoo visitors alike were safe.