Denali National Park introduces adorable new sled dogs, live Puppy Cam

New York Post

2 days ago

Sled dog puppies at Denali National Park and Preserve can now be watched through their live Puppy Cam, National Park Service (NPS) officials announced on Thursday.
Raised at Denali Sled Dog Kennels, this year's litter includes five Alaskan husky puppies that were born less than a month ago on May 3.
Two of the pups are females named Squall and Storm, while the other three are males named Graupel, Dew and Fog.
They were recently spotted via their Puppy Cam during their feeding time on Saturday.
Park officials said the pups' weather-themed names come from the diverse and dramatic ways water affects the weather.
As sled dog pups in every litter are named after a theme, the NPS noted that the names for this year's 'Weather Litter' are in honor of a 100-year partnership between the National Weather Service (NWS) and the Kennels, in which mushing rangers of Denali collected and shared weather data with the weather agency.
Why Denali National Park has sled dogs
The Denali Sled Dog Kennels is one of the oldest sled dog kennels in the U.S., the only sled dog kennel in the NPS for more than a century and the only dog sled kennel within the federal government, according to park officials.
'This special group of dogs is tasked with preserving unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations,' the NPS said on their website.
It noted that the sled dogs perform necessary wintertime duties throughout Denali, such as giving park rangers the most effective means of patrolling the Alaskan wilderness during the long winters.
National Park Service (NPS) officials announced that sled dog puppies at Denali National Park can now be observed through the live Puppy Cam.
NPS
How sled dogs are selected for breeding
To provide the best sled dogs for these duties, the NPS said the Kennels look for certain qualities as they create each year's litters.
For example, some physical characteristics include long legs to help the pups move through the snow, compact paws to help prevent ice from building up between their toes and robust coats and tails to keep them warm.
Ideal characteristics also include personality traits, such as tenacity, love for pulling and working as part of a team and social skills that allow them to thrive when given attention by thousands of people who visit the kennels every summer.
The raised dog kennels feature five Alaskan husky puppies that were born less than a month ago.
NPS
The pups of the Weather Litter seem destined to have such ideal characteristics for being sled dogs, given their lineage.
Their mother, Merlyn, exhibited such traits.
Part of a litter named after 9/11 Search and Rescue dogs, Merlyn has a sweet disposition and shows strong leadership with her team, the NPS said.
They also added that she is most likely to smile with teeth.
Officials said their father, Drumlin, came from a well-respected kennel in Lake Minchumina, which lies north of Denali National Park.
How to watch the sled dog puppies
The pups can be watched every day through their live Puppy Cam.
Of note is their feeding times, which are displayed in their kennel at 11:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. Alaska Standard Time.
Park officials said the Puppy Cam is made possible through their partnership with Alaska Geographic.
For those who might want to care for their own sled dog, retired sled dogs from the Kennel can be adopted.