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.

Des niveaux élevés de l'hormone contribuent à ce qui suit :

1) Développement de la glande mammaire pour les futures mamans loups
2) Maintien de la lactation - aide à la production de lait chez les mères loups
3) Promotion du comportement parental chez les mâles et les femelles et améliore ainsi la survie des petits
4) Chute du sous-poil !

 Ainsi, des jours plus longs modifient la composition chimique des loups et contribuent à garantir qu'ils passent les mois de printemps et d'été dans le confort de leurs meutes heureuses et saines.