Lives with: Mai

The ancestry of Motomo is not 100% certain and there is a strong possibility that he is a cross between North American and European wolves. One of our largest wolves, he has striking markings and although his dark brown European coat has lightened he is still an extremely photogenic wolf.

Motomo is, in human terms, devoted to Mai and they are a very loving pair. He is very protective of her and watches when she goes for scratches at the fence ready to rush forward if he is unhappy with the situation. He does not like Mai going for walks with handlers and howls to her mournfully with his deep howl so that she howls back to reassure him that all is well. When she returns from fence scratches or walks Motomo has to sniff her all over to see who has touched her, where she has been on her walk and if she has rolled in something smelly!

Motomo loves to fence run with the neighbouring Arctic pack males. They are amusing to watch as they play bounce and chase up and down. Mai stood in the way one day and Motomo didn't slow down at all but just jumped right over her as if she was a hurdle in a race. He also likes to roll on smelly enrichment sacks, chase pheasants and pigeons that are silly enough to fly into his enclosure and run full pelt with volunteers' cars that are driving down to the bottom car park in the morning.

Motomo is a fantastic excavator and digs dens deep enough into the side of the mound for him to walk in, turn round, and come back out of. He likes to sit regally on top of the mound watching the world go by. Often he and Mai are seen sitting in the shade together at the top of the enclosure occasionally nuzzling each other. They are a very tactile pair.

Motomo dislikes sudden movements and being away from Mai.

He will eat anything, including Mai’s food, if he can. His food has to be thrown into the enclosure for him and he is brilliant at catching huge chunks of meat and swallowing them straight down.

He can be quite comical when he prances about playing and his devotion to Mai is always evident. A truly amazing wolf.