Wolf (Canis lupus)

[Tshokwane]

Credits to Deby Dixon.

Have you seen my elk?


Black Beauty in Lamar Valley

The cow elk is seriously injured and she spent most of the day in the Lamar River. Then she did something that I did not immediately understand. I know that an elk's will to survive is strong but did not realize just how clever they can be. BTW, watching this elk or any other animal suffer is very hard. Not my thing. Didn't like watching 949 suffer and linger and don't like watching an injured elk either. I don't discriminate in this. Well, with wildlife anyway.  

The cow elk finally got out of the river after hours of waiting for her to do this. But, she didn't stay out long, just a few minutes. Then she got back into the water and slowly made her way down the middle of the river, disappearing around the bend and into some trees where she hid out for the rest of the day.

No one knew where the wolf was but I finally got my scope out late this afternoon and it fell right on a black head with perky ears. There she was! I was going to get warm because I had been sitting in the snow most of the day but got back out and ready.

The wolf began looking for the elk and at one point came my way and looked at me as if she was either thinking I was her elk, or wondering if I was hiding it from her. Pure speculation - that is just what it felt like. Some might have thought she was going to cross the road but probably not as she never did despite plenty of chances. The wolf searched up and down the river and finally went to the spot where the elk had stood on the shore. Then I realized that the elk was fooling the wolf by putting her fresh scent on the river bank. By going down the middle of the river, the scent disappeared. By the time I left tonight, 13.5 hours after arriving, the wolf was going in the wrong direction, disappearing with the sun.

I do think this is a Mollies wolf - she looks just like some of them. I had another black Mollies wolf ready to edit and came upon it and thought it was the same animal. It wasn't though. She is beautiful - so very large with white speckled on her face and a large white band across her chest. Her coat is healthy. Hope we get to see a lot more of this one but she is in dangerous territory with those Junction and Lamar girls around - they won't be sharing with her.

*This image is copyright of its original author

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