Ely, Minn., June 6, 2016 - It's official. The International Wolf Center's newest ambassador wolves-rare arctic wolf pups-have arrived from Canada. After months of preparation, the airplane carrying the pups touched down in Ely, Minnesota where U.S. Customs and Fish and Wildlife Service officials cleared the

Axel (temporary nickname)
most unique passengers they've ever encountered to enter the country.

The pups travelled well, accompanied by specialists who monitored their health the entire trip. After permits were reviewed and the two male pups passed their medical examination, they made the final leg of their journey to the Center's new Wolf Care facility in Ely.

The moment that Center personnel received them the pups began an intense socialization process to ensure their long-term health and safety. Staff and trained volunteers will work with the pups around the clock to prepare them for joining the Exhibit Pack in early August. The wolves are socialized by handlers at the Center so that they are comfortable exhibiting natural wolf behaviors while being viewed by visitors.

Grayback (temporary nickname)

"Adding arctic pups from the remote regions of Canada allows us to teach people about another subspecies of wolves-one that people would never see in the wild." said Lori Schmidt, wolf curator. She added, "Visitors will see the pups growing very quickly-nearly a pound per day."

Arctic wolves live north of the Arctic Circle and survive some of the most extreme conditions on earth. Although these rare pups are dark in color and awkward now, their transition to pure white adults will happen quickly over the summer months. As the new pups grow each week, visitors at the Center will observe them developing survival skills and instincts that prepare them for being top predators.

See the pups live at the Wolf Pups! programs presented four times per day in the auditorium at the interpretive center in Ely.