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Mamma Grey Wolf with two Pups
Mamma Grey Wolf with two Pups
basssman7


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: National Geographic II (Advanced Editing VII)
Camera: Nikon D300s
Lens: Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II
Location: Haliburton Ontario
Date: Jun 26, 2011
Aperture: f 2.8
ISO: 400
Shutter: 1/1000 sec
Galleries: Nature, Animals
Date Uploaded: Jun 30, 2011

 These two pups are about 8 weeks old. They are actually trying to nuzzle her cheeks to try and get food that the mother will regurgitate for them. At this point they are almost weaned, so they are more interested in a meal of meat then of milk.

This was taken at the Haliburton Forest Wolf Center. Essentially it is on the edge of Algonquin Park and they have their own pack of what is now 8 Grey Wolves. The alpha female gave birth to 4 pups this spring. Two male and two female. (there are one of each in the photo) The pack had dwindled down to 4 after 3 years of not having pups and the loss of 3 wolves due to natural wolf causes. The former alpha female died during pup-birth and the pups were lost as well. The former alpha male finally got so old (11!) that he was taken down and killed. One of the other females was killed by the now alpha female during a challenge for that honour.

They are in a 15 acre enclosure. If they really wanted to they could get out because they could jump the fences in the winter time.

They work hard to keep the wolves wild. They feed them irregularly like they would in the wild. They usually get fed once every 7 to 10 days. They are fed mostly beaver (local trappers take the pelt and donate the rest of the beaver, guts and all) or white tail deer or moose which is usually road kill. These are given to them whole, just like in the wild so they eat the skin, fur, bones, everything.

Statistics
Place: 47 out of 117
Avg (all users): 5.9697
Avg (commenters): 7.3333
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Views since voting: 2968
Views during voting: 273
Votes: 132
Comments: 4
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AuthorThread
 Comments Made During the Challenge
Nikon D600
Nikon MF Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5 AI
 07/05/2011 04:43:52 PM
wow. wow. the little blue eyes are just adorable. great capture!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D800
Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 EX APO IF HSM for Nikon
 07/05/2011 05:55:43 AM
Lovely family interaction shot. All the heads and eyes are visible. Good focus. I'd frame it a tad to the right behind mom's tail with space to the left. The colour seems lacking red/yellow but this is not in itself a bad thing. The light, location, the brush all affect this. Perhaps we are too sensitised to eye candy and pushed saturations at DPC. If you could, shoot lower, at the subjects height, it makes a world of difference to the feel, drawing the viewer into the animals POV. Publishable? Yes.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D750
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED
 07/02/2011 12:15:33 AM
Fabulous. I adore wolves.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/01/2011 04:39:32 PM
Wow, nice!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
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