Welcome Nira sponsors! We hope you have all indulged in a long, enjoyable summer and are looking forward to a blustery, exciting fall! We would like to apologize for the slight delay in getting the Fall updates to you. Needless to say, the past few months have been extraordinary. Wolf Timbers has enjoyed a productive open season this year, welcoming guests from far and wide. Being open every Sunday from May through October kept the wolves social calendars very busy. The company of Wolf Timbers visitors graced even the really “yucky” weather days. As the days get shorter and the nights cooler, Wolf Timbers is preparing to button down for the winter. We will still be having our Howl Night on November 16th, and be on the lookout for our second annual Winter Wolf Celebration in the New Year. Nira is eager to have the warm summer winds traded for some of a cooler range. Fall is his favorite time of year, next to winter, with the cooler temperatures and breeding season right around the corner. His winter fur is starting to fill in, giving him a “well fed” wolf look. We won’t tell him he looks plump, that would hurt his feelings. The different shades of color displayed in his coat are especially noticeable this time of year. Black, white and a tinge of silver blend together to complete his fall to winter ensemble. This shade variance makes him an attractive photo subject, if he would only cooperate. Nira will not sit or “strike a pose” for the camera if he catches you trying to take a photo of him. He will either walk away from you or trot towards you—making any photo difficult to obtain. Therefore, one must be a bit sneaky if you are trying to film Nira. Sometimes the volunteers are used to attract Nira`s attention—thereby allowing a photo of him to be obtained. Nira is currently up to date on all his vaccinations and seems to be in excellent health. He maintains a weight around 110 pounds and keeps trim by pacing the perimeter of the enclosure and keeping Keeley and Ingo in line. He still maintains his Alpha status over Ingo although it is the collective opinion of the volunteers that Nira has two main reasons to live—eating and belly rubs. This breeding season will be an interesting one at Wolf Timbers. Ingo has reached his sexual maturity and may just give Nira a little competition this year. Wolf Timbers tried something a little different this year by hosting “Howl Nights”. Wolves are nocturnal creatures and like to do their activities in the evening hours. Howl nights give our visitors the chance to see the wolves at their best time. One would think that with a title such as “Howl Night”, it would include howling. The wolves saw this a different way. No measure of volunteer or visitor howling could get Nira, Keeley and Ingo to perform a full tilt howl. There was many a whine, whimper and a few squeaks, but nothing that would have done them justice. Nira seems to enjoy being a ham, but that leans more to soliciting belly rubs then howling. Keeley and Ingo will often look to Nira to start the howl so they can join him in a sing along. Even though Wolf Timbers is closed to the public for the regular open season, the volunteers continue to come out on a weekly basis to work with the wolves and help maintain Wolf Timbers. I guess you could say that wintertime is Nira’s vacation. He will eat, sleep and probably reign as Alpha of the Wolf Timbers pack over the winter. Wolf Timbers hopes all of you were able to visit Nira this season. We would like to thank you, as Nira’s sponsor, for helping make the 2001 open season such a success!