The End of an Era - International Wolf Center Retired Pack

Lakota was born on April 24, 1993, at Bear Country, USA, near Rapid City, South Dakota. She represented the great plains subspecies of the gray wolf (Canis lupus nubilus), as an ambassador wolf for the International Wolf Center in Ely, Minnesota. She was euthanized on November 11, 2008 due to a declining metabolic system.




Lakota outlived all of her littermates and during her last six months of life, she had a unique management situation as a lone pack member. Wolf care staff developed new management strategies to ensure that Lakotas physical and behavioral needs were met. These strategies included: access to the wolf yard and lab, specialized diets, staff visitations and enclosure improvements.




The access to the wolf lab was most significant as she became acclimated to the indoor kennel, which would later prove important for veterinary care. But, having a wolf in the lab did have its management issues; she became quite fond of taking items from the lab and running back into the Retired enclosure. Her list of larceny items included: pillows, backpacks, water bottles, bags of dog toys, sweatshirts, pizzas, block of cheese, compass, stuffed moose and a bag of grass seed, just to name a few.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• wolf
• wolves
• wildlife
• wolfs
• International Wolf Center
• Exhibit Pack
• Retired Lakota Gray Wolf
• Minnesota
• Ely Minnesota
• captive wolf
• Captive wolves

[JezMeHere]

Dear Wolf Staff

I was so saddened to hear of Lakota's passing. She was such a great girl. I love all the wolves at the center but there was something about Lakota that drew me to her. She was certainly blessed to have had a great 15 1/2 yrs. Her mission now continues elsewhere.

It's always heart-breaking to lose a loved one. Peace be with you all. Thank you for sharing her with the world.

We love you Lakota!! Thanks for the memories. FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS ~ Run free eternally girl! xoxo

[KLMCMAWW]

I may have never known Lakota, but for some reason she will always hold a special place in my heart. For 15 1/2 hrs she gave us the privilege of being in her world, teaching us her ways. The ways of the Omega. Thank goodness she had a great staff that cared for her so deeply. They made her last remaining months enjoyable and when it was time to go, she was able to go gently into that great deep sleep. She may be gone but her spirit lives on. In what she taught us. God Bless you Lakota.

Dona

[flightfootwarriorlol]

I am about to cry. This was the saddest video I have ever seen!

R.I.P. Lakota. You will be a loved Omega, forever.

[Emabellify]

Aww Sad Music

[TheLadyWolf11]

I adopted Lakota when she was young. I watched her on line almost every day. I watched her grow into a great and beautiful wolf. I Loved her like she was mine. My birthday is November 11th and in 2008 I went on line a couple of days after my birthday and found out that she had been put down. I was devastated. It hit me hard, like she lived with me. My very first tattoo is of her with her name, photo, dates and R.I.P. I love this video in her memory. Thank you for all the memories. :}

[XXXXDARKWOLFXXXXX]

R.I.P LAKOTA

You will always be in our memories

[kai3421]

Rest In Peace Lakota

You were such a majestic wolf and you did'nt deserve to be taken yet but I hope you're joyfully with the wolves who died