Flowers are blooming, the trees are green, and school is letting out –  all great signs pointing to the arrival of a new season! Although the official start to summer relies upon a date on the calendar, wolves rely on subtle cues from Mother Nature to begin preparations for the summer months.  Ambassador wolves Atka, Alawa, and Zephyr know the season is changing so they’re busy shedding their winter coats.

For weeks now their insulating undercoats have been falling from their bodies like sheets of soft wool to allow them to live comfortably during the  dog days of summer.  What triggers the shedding process? This time of year both male an female wolves have rising levels of a hormone called prolactin. Prolactin levels increase with the onset of long days and during the short days of winter the hormone levels decrease. It is believed that prolactin has many key roles.

Los altos niveles de la hormona contribuyen a lo siguiente:

1) Desarrollo de la glándula mamaria para futuras madres lobo
2) Mantenimiento de la lactancia: ayuda a la producción de leche en las madres lobo
3) Promoción del comportamiento de los padres tanto en machos como en hembras y, por lo tanto, mejora la supervivencia de las crías.
4) ¡Desprendimiento de la capa inferior!

 Por lo tanto, los días más largos alteran la composición química de los lobos y ayudan a garantizar que pasen los meses de primavera y verano cómodamente con sus manadas felices y saludables.