Tama Zoo is currently home to four male gray wolves (Roy, Cero, Nero, and Loki) and one female (Mero). Roy and Loki are in the large enclosure, while Mero, Cero, and Nero (Nero and Cero alternate daily) are in the small enclosure. The wolves often rest in Common Wolf to-see places such as bushes, so they are rarely seen. Here's an update on how they've been spending their time.

This summer, all of the wolves showed signs of loss of appetite. This had never happened before, even during hot weather, so it might be because this summer was particularly hot, or it could be due to the wolves' age.

Nine years have passed since we moved to the "Asian Plains" exhibit, and the trees in the enclosure have grown large, providing plenty of shade for the wolves. However, the indoor area of the main enclosure is cooler, so we allow them to go in and out of the enclosure during the summer months, giving them the option to choose their living space.

The wolves spent the hottest part of the day indoors, but in the evenings, when it cooled down a bit, they started going outside. Normally, they would come back inside before closing time because they wanted to eat, but they didn't come back due to a lack of appetite, which worried the staff. Loki, in particular, was severely weakened, so we used a spot cooler to keep him warm. As the temperature dropped, all the wolves regained their appetite, and now they are returning indoors regularly again.

Recently, Melo has been exhibiting some unusual behavior regarding returning indoors. After 4 pm, she comes out in front of the glass of the exhibit and looks towards the viewing walkway. It seems she is observing the actions of the staff, as she doesn't change even when visitors are nearby, but she quickly runs away when the staff approaches. While visitors enjoy being able to see the wolf up close, the staff are a little troubled because she won't come back indoors.


"Mero" in front of the glass
Two and a half years have passed since we last reported on the wolves, and naturally, they have grown older, surpassing the age at which their father, Lobo, died (13 years and 9 months). Roy and Cero have also surpassed the age at which their mother, Moro, died (15 years and 3 months).

It seems his hearing is deteriorating; he's becoming slower to react when we call him or make noises in the enclosure. Cero's left eye has a cloudy pupil, and he seems to have difficulty seeing. His leg muscles have atrophied, making him more prone to falling, and he's less agile. We want him to eat not only horse meat and chicken heads, but also organs to supplement his vitamins and minerals, but his teeth are worn down so much that he has difficulty chewing, so we are currently giving him supplements.

It's not due to aging, but Loki's appearance is gradually starting to resemble his father, Lobo. It's often said that humans start to resemble their parents as they get older, and I find it interesting to see that the same thing happens with wolves.


Loki is starting to resemble his father.
As it gets colder, they'll probably spend more time sleeping in the sun. We can't fight aging, but we want to provide them with a comfortable environment so they can live as long as possible.

[Tama Zoo Tama Zoological Park]

◎Related News
・ Common Wolf Moro has died. (August 14, 2013)
・ Current status of Common Wolf (December 13, 2013)
・ Common Wolf "Lobo" has died. (February 23, 2014)
・ The wolves' summer (August 25, 2017)
・ Seven years after moving to the "plains of Asia," the gray wolf's recent Common Wolf (March 20, 2020)

(October 14, 2022)