This time, we'll introduce "Sui," who arrived at Tama Zoo from Switzerland on March 1st.

Wolves are very wary, sensitive, and intelligent animals. For example, if they encounter an unpleasant experience and develop distrust of a place or people, their subsequent care and management become difficult. Therefore, we have made efforts to gradually acclimate them to their environment and the people in charge.

First and foremost, we prioritized providing sufficient food and rest to help the animal recover from its long journey from Switzerland. Initially, it was wary of the food placed on the floor and ate cautiously, but it gradually began to eat the meat that the handler offered with tongs.

Initially, Sui would growl and become wary when she saw the handler, and would hide under the stairs indoors to rest, showing signs of restlessness. However, after about a week, she was seen resting in front of the handler and on the straw. During quarantine, she lived only indoors, but since Sui was not used to indoor life, she began exhibiting behaviors such as chewing on the iron bars and banging on the door. Therefore, we tried to alleviate these behaviors by giving her cow bones and other treats.


Feeding from tongs
On March 13th, after successfully completing quarantine, the animal was released into the enclosure for the first time. Initially, it was wary of the unfamiliar environment and the presence of visitors, often hiding in the bushes. After a few days, hair loss was observed from its abdomen to its lower back. This was thought to be due to the stress of adapting to the new environment it had once again faced.

Now, when he spots animal keeper, he comes over and begs to play, and when he gets even more excited, he can be seen running around. Also, on April 1st, a month after arriving at the zoo, we heard him howl for the first time. It was a very heartwarming moment, as it showed that he recognized his current environment as his territory. His hair loss has also improved, new fur has started to grow, and he is gradually getting used to his new environment.


Sui's howl
From now on, Japan will experience hot and humid summers, which are different from the climate in Switzerland. We will continue to adapt them to the environment gradually.

[Tama Zoo] [Sugita, Breeding & Exhibiting Section 1, South Park

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​Common Wolf visited the zoo from Switzerland (March 02, 2024).

(April 26, 2024)