Wolf Has a Blast Playing Ball with an Orange

Beyond their importance as a critical keystone species, wolves can be pretty cute too! As highly social animals that live in well-organized family units called packs, wolves will often engage in social play to strengthen family bonds and assess social status within the pack. When seeking to play, wolves will dance and bow playfully. Playtime can also include a game of chase, jaw sparring, varied vocalizations, and natural toys! Sometimes wolves, including Nikai featured in the video, will play just to have fun! Nikai is a captive-born gray wolf at the Wolf Conservation Center (WCC), a 501c3 non-profit organization, in South Salem, NY. He is one of the three ’ambassador wolves’ at the WCC that help teach the public about wolves and their vital role in the environment. If you want to watch Zephyr, Alawa, and Nikai or the WCC’s critically endangered Mexican gray wolves or red wolves in live time, visit our live wolf webcams at If you see something cool, let us know! For more information about wolves and the WCC’s participation in wolf recovery, please visit our website at and follow us on Facebook () and twitter (), and Instagram ()