Did you catch this recent Instagram post from Animal Park Executive Director Mindy Stinner? With more than 270k likes and counting, it’s clear that she—and our beloved Trekkie Gray Wolf—has struck a chord.
Explaining the “hoarseness” of Trekkie’s howl in the video, Mindy notes that “Trekkie Wolf is almost 15 years old. He is retired from his pack (wolves are not always kind to those who don’t bring strength to the pack) so his humans hang out with him regularly. As wolves age, their vocal cords may gradually grow paralyzed. Even though they go through the motions of howling, they don’t always produce the volume they used to. We often howl along, since his old pack and the nearby coyote only join in sometimes. Getting old is hard, but loving geriatric animals like Trekkie is easy. This is his Sunset Serenade.”
It’s difficult to watch a grandparent, parent, friend, pet, or Park resident (or ourselves!) experience age-related health issues or slow down physically. But old age is not a disease or a diminishment—and elders of any species still have much to teach us. Mindy offers a reminder that the nonprofit Animal Park “provides care for many geriatric animals, including wolves, lions, servals, and bobcats. As part of what we do, we are happy to care for animals that may not be appropriate for other kinds of exhibit. Old, broken, special needs. Still perfect!”
So perhaps their coat may not be as shiny, or their frame as filled-out, their gait as smooth, or their howl as commanding, but animals of a certain age—like Trekkie—still have much to say.
