"Whew! I am glad that's over". We are sure that this is how Keeley would respond if asked, "how did the breeding season go?" Although we did not observe any tying, this years breeding season was, to say the least, very intent. Nira and Ingo were certainly interested in Keeley, although she rebuffed them both - at least while we were watching. At times, Keeley couldn't find a moments peace without her shadow, Nira, hovering two feet away. Research at Wolf Park has shown that there is a period of about one week when the female produces a particular pheromone. Conception has a higher probability of occurring if breeding takes place during this time. The research has also shown that at this time the alpha male will guard and attend the female - preventing any other suitors near her. This is what happened here at Wolf Timbers. Recently we had a gentleman from Florida come up to do a photo shoot with the wolves. Keeley was lying on the ground, catching some sleep while he stood 15 feet away snapping pictures. If any of you have witnessed Keeley's obvious shyness towards visitors, more importantly male visitors, you can understand how happy we were with her relaxed attitude. She will still keep her distance as visitors initially approach, but she will calm down after a few minutes and actually take an interest in what is taking place. She especially enjoys when the director's dog, Shadow, is brought up during programs. Many times Shadow is brought up so the public may see the physical differences between wolves and dogs. Wolf Timbers volunteers also know that this is a good way to bring Keeley closer to the audience if she is having a particularly "shy" day. She never misses an opportunity to catch a glimpse of Shadow. New sponsors may not know, but Keeley seems to have a "crush" on the director's dog. One thing we have noticed about Keeley is how she displays apparent affection and "tweets" at those "close" with her. "Tweeting" is a term our director concocted to describe the sound that Keeley makes when she is greeting someone with whom she seems to have a relaxed and "close" relationship. She does this with humans as well as the other wolves, and Shadow. We urge you, as a sponsor of Keeley, to visit as often as possible so that you may also potentially experience this. Being able to have an up close and personal experience with Keeley is something that few people tend to forget. She is a gentle, lovely wolf who has all the charm of a lady. Saying that, we must also attest to the fact that she has her wild side and is first and always a wolf. Keeley has been in wonderful health over the past year and she is up to date on all her vaccinations. She has maintained her weight and seems to be actively gaining weight over time. Her coat is more dense and luxurious this year than in previous years. The eating order is about the same as she is still able to eat before Ingo as long as Nira is around. This seems to change if Ingo is the only one present, as he tends to take his fill while making Keeley wait. She and Ingo do share a fondness for howling and don't mind sharing it with us. Many starry nights we have been serenaded with the "wolfie" version of row-row-row your boat. Keeley, as well as wolves everywhere is the reason Wolf Timbers exists and we are privileged to be able to care for her. As her sponsor, we encourage you to come and visit her as often as you like. Please feel free to call us to make an appointment or just to see how she is doing. The 2001 season at Wolf Timbers is going to be a great one! There are several new programs in place and also a few howl nights have been added. Hope to see you sometime in 2001!