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Three Original Yellowstone Wolves Survive, page 4

A Visit to the International Wolf Center, page 8

Will Chronic Wasting Disease Affect Wolves? page 11

A PUBL ICAT ION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTERSPR ING 2003

A PUBL ICAT ION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTERSPR ING 2003

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Adventure vacations

The International Wolf Center’s acclaimed curriculum

Gray Wolves, Gray Matter: Exploring the Social, Biological,

Cultural and Economic Issues of Wolf Survival received first place in the

National Association for Interpretation’s 2002 Media Awards contest,

which recognizes creativity and excellence in the field of interpretation.

The teacher’s activity guide for the curriculum was listed in the category of

“Interpretive Program Curriculum.”

Thank you on behalf of wolves around the world.

CONGRATULATIONS TO C E N T E R E D U C AT I O N A L S TA F F !

Cutline to come

THE ALPHALEGACY PROGRAMrecognizes the generosity and foresight of individualswho have included theInternational Wolf Center intheir wills or other estate plans.

To learn more about making a giftthrough this program, please contact Walter Medwid, Executive Director, International Wolf Center, 3300 Bass Lake Rd., #202Minneapolis, MN 55429

763-560-7374wmedwid@wolf .org

Your gift for wolves can

last beyond a lifetime.

Your gift for wolves can

last beyond a lifetime.P h o t o b y L y n n a n d D o n n a R o g e r s

2 As a Matter of Fact

3 From the Executive Director

13 International Wolf CenterNotes From Home

15 Tracking the Pack

17 Wolves of the World

23 News and Notes

24 Personal Encounter

26 Wild Kids

28 A Look Beyond

Features

THE QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTER VOLUME 13, NO. 1 SPRING 2003

On The Cover

Departments

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Malik is an ambassador arcticwolf at the International WolfCenter. See Tracking the Pack on page 15 to read more aboutthe ambassador wolves. Photo by Bruce Johnson.

4The SurvivorsJust 3 of the original 31 wolves released in YellowstoneNational Park in 1995–96 are known to survive. Who arethese three survivors? Their histories provide a glimpse ofthe complex dynamics of the Yellowstone wolf population.

N o r m a n A . B i s h o p a n d D o u g l a s W . S m i t h

8Let’s Visit the International Wolf CenterEach year people from all over the world visitthe International Wolf Center’s headquarters in Ely, Minnesota. Find out what you canexpect if you make your own visit to theworld’s foremost wolf educational facility.

S t e v e G r o o m s11The Effect of Chronic WastingDisease on WolvesChronic Wasting Disease, a nervous system disorder affectingwolf prey such as elk, mule and white-tailed deer, is currentlymaking headlines. Will it affect wolves?

N a n c y G i b s o n

Wolf 101

While former University of Montana professor Dr. Bob Ream was delivering

an impromptu lecture in the field—actually a magnificent overlook

near the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone National Park — a white-tailed deer

rushed through the snowy field in front of our “lecture hall.” The reason for its rushing

became clear as a wolf soon materialized, fixing a laser-lock focus on the fleeing deer.

Our class immediately and without official notice took a recess as we all scrambled

around a hillside to see if we could get a glimpse of the unfolding drama. But the drama

we planned to witness failed to happen when a few vehicles and hikers

appeared behind the hill, causing the wolf to give up the chase.

While that lecture by Center board member Bob Ream will always be

memorable because of the chase, it is equally memorable because of what

Bob had to say and show to participants in this Center-sponsored field

trip to Yellowstone. He shared pictures of the Lamar Valley from a

hundred years ago along with contemporary ones. What stood out in the

contemporary photos were the recovering willows along the stream

banks. Bob explained that with the wolf’s return to the valley, elk no

longer have free rein along the stream banks and prefer more protected

areas to graze, thus giving the vegetation a chance to recover from heavy browsing.

Never had I realized that the wolf’s return would affect vegetation in such a pronounced

way. And not only would wolves affect the vegetation, but they would also affect those

plant and animal species that used the specialized habitat provided by the recovering

vegetation. The chain of biological interactions was a delight to contemplate.

Adding to this particular revelation for me was witnessing other direct benefits of

the wolf’s return to Yellowstone. We saw bald and golden eagles feeding on the

carcasses of wolf-killed elk, along with magpies and ravens. Coyotes also took advan-

tage of the carcasses, risking a surprise attack by wolves. And it has been reported that

grizzly bears may now be seen in any month of the year as they are drawn from hiber-

nation to feed on the wolf-killed elk. Undoubtedly hundreds of other species from

mammals to insects have benefited directly or indirectly.

As so many natural systems decline around the globe, it is some comfort to know

that in places where the wolf exists, those natural systems benefit from the myriad

impacts when a wolf kills its prey. ■

From the Executive DirectorINTERNATIONAL

WOLF CENTER

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Nancy jo TubbsChair

Dr. L. David MechVice Chair

Dr. Rolf O. PetersonSecretary

Paul B. AndersonTreasurer

Dr. Larry D. Anderson

Thomas T. Dwight

Nancy Gibson

Hélène Grimaud

Cornelia Hutt

Dr. Robert Laud

Mike Phillips

Dr. Robert Ream

Deborah Reynolds

Paul Schurke

Teri Williams

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Walter M. Medwid

MISSION

The International WolfCenter advances the survival

of wolf populations byteaching about wolves, their

relationship to wild lands andthe human role in their future.

Educational services and informational resources

are available at:

1396 Highway 169Ely, MN 55731-8129, USA

1-800-ELY-WOLF1-218-365-4695

e-mail address:[email protected]

Web site: http://www.wolf.org

Publications DirectorMary OrtizMagazine CoordinatorCarissa L.W. KnaackConsulting EditorMary KeirsteadTechnical Editor L. David MechGraphic DesignerTricia Hull

International Wolf (1089-683X) ispublished quarterly and copyrighted,2002, by the International Wolf Center,3300 Bass Lake Rd, Minneapolis, MN55429, USA. e-mail: [email protected] rights reserved.

Publications agreement no. 1536338

Membership in the International WolfCenter includes a subscription toInternational Wolf magazine, free admissionto the Center, and discounts on programsand merchandise. • Lone Wolf member-ships are U.S. $30 • Wolf Pack $50 • Wolf Associate $100 • Wolf Sponsor $500 • Alpha Wolf $1000. Canada and othercountries, add U.S. $15 per year for airmail postage, $7 for surface postage.Contact the International Wolf Center,1396 Highway 169, Ely, MN 55731-8129,USA; e-mail: [email protected]; phone: 1-800-ELY-WOLF

International Wolf is a forum for airingfacts, ideas and attitudes about wolf-related issues. Articles and materialsprinted in International Wolf do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of theInternational Wolf Center or its board of directors.

International Wolf welcomes submissionsof personal adventures with wolves andwolf photographs (especially black andwhite). Prior to submission of other types of manuscripts, address queries to Mary Ortiz, publications director.

International Wolf is printed entirely with soy ink on recycled and recyclablepaper (text pages contain 20% post-consumer waste, cover paper contains 10% post-consumer waste). We encourageyou to recycle this magazine.

PHOTOS: Unless otherwise noted, orobvious from the caption or article text,photos are of captive wolves.

2 S p r i n g 2 0 0 3 w w w . w o l f . o r g I n t e r n a t i o n a l W o l f S p r i n g 2 0 0 3 3

Walter Medwid

What is the largest preyconsistently eaten by wolvesin North America that is not an ungulate (a hoofedmammal such as a deer,moose, caribou, etc.)?

New Question

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What year were wolves first reintroduced into Idaho?1995. The reintroduction of wolves into Idaho received less publicity than the Yellowstone wolf reintroduction, but it occurred the same year.Four wolves were released in Idaho’s Frank Church — River of No ReturnWilderness on January 14, 1995. Eleven more wolves were released in Idaho on January 20, 1995. ■

I n t e r n a t i o n a l W o l f S p r i n g 2 0 0 3 5

the Yellowstone wolf population. Black male wolf 2, born in 1994,

was captured with five other wolvesfrom the Petite Lake pack nearHinton, Alberta, 550 miles north ofYellowstone, in January 1995 andreleased in March 1995 from theCrystal Creek acclimation pen on thenorthern Yellowstone elk winterrange. That fall, he was radio-locatednear gray female wolf 7, also born in1994, captured from the McLeodpack and released from the RoseCreek pen several miles up the valleyfrom the Crystal Creek pen. Wolf 7

had dispersed immediately on releasefrom the pen and was living alone onthe Blacktail Deer Plateau.

By spring 1996, it was clear thatwolves 2 and 7 had paired, becomingthe alphas of the first naturallyformed pack in Yellowstone in 60years. They were named the Leopoldpack, in honor of Aldo Leopold, whohad urged restoration of wolves toYellowstone in 1944. The pack hasbeen one of the most stable andproductive packs in the park. Wolves2 and 7 produced 3 pups in 1996, 5in 1997, 5 in 1998, 1 in 1999, 10 in2000, 4 in 2001, and 8 in 2002. Wolf7 was killed in 2002 by other wolves,but her pups survived.

Wolves 2 and 7 had remainedmated for eight years and survived byavoiding vehicles on park roads,staying within the park boundary andaway from armed wolf haters, nottaking livestock (in which case they

4 S p r i n g 2 0 0 3 w w w . w o l f . o r g

As everyone knows, wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park in 1995–96.

Fourteen wolves were captured inAlberta in January 1995 and releasedin March 1995. Seventeen wolveswere captured in British Columbiaand released in April 1996. Fromthese 31 wolves, the number in thegreater Yellowstone area has grown to a projected population of 260wolves by the end of 2002.

Just 3 of the original 31 wolves are known to survive: male 2 (radiocollar number), female 41, and

female 42. Their cohorts died from a variety of causes: 1 perished fromburns when she fell into a hot spring,5 are known to have been killed byother wolves, 2 were killed acciden-tally by vehicles, 7 were killed ille-gally, 5 were killed because oflivestock depredations, 3 died ofunknown causes, 2 succumbed tonatural causes, and 1 each was killedby a moose, an elk and an avalanche.

Who are these three survivors?How have they managed to stayalive? Their histories provide aglimpse of the complex dynamics of

TheSurvivors

could have been killed), and until2002, avoiding conflicts with otherwolf packs. The pack’s territory, at 41square miles, is the smallest of thepark’s packs. Even so, wolves fromthe Nez Perce pack have invaded theircore territory twice in the past year,and Tower pack wolves were also seenin Leopold territory. The Geode Creekpack, a spin-off from the Druid Peakpack, was most likely responsible forthe death of alpha female 7.

After female 7’s death, male 2maintained his alpha status butapparently did not choose a newmate. In mid-December 2002,however, male 2 appeared to havebeen deposed and was seen apartfrom the Leopold pack with fourother pack members, perhapssearching for a new mate. An adultfemale from the Geode Creek packhas been seen with them several timesand could be male 2’s new mate.

b y N O R M A N A . B I S H O P a n dD O U G L A S W . S M I T H

Male 21 and female 42 are the alphas of theDruid Peak pack.

Six wolves, including male wolf 2, were released in March 1995 from the Crystal Creek acclimationpen on the northern Yellowstone elk winter range.

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TheSurvivors


Druid Peak females (40, 42,103, 105 and 106) came intoestrus and were seen copulatingwith alpha male 21. Female 42denned four miles west of 40’sden and was joined by herniece, 103, and her daughter,105. Female 106 denned threemiles east of 40’s den.

On the evening of May 7,2000, 40 was seen attacking hersister, 42, and 105; then they allheaded toward 42’s den. Thefollowing morning, 40 wasfound mortally wounded, probablyby 42, 103 and 105. After 40’s death,alpha male 21 tended her pups andthen went to the den of 42, whocarried her pups to 40’s den. Female106 then moved her pups to 40’s den,resulting in 21 pups grouped there,and a pack of 27 wolves. The packgrew to 37 in 2001 when 11 pupsjoined the 26 surviving Druids.

By late 2001, the huge pack hadsplit into four subgroups; wolvesfrom the Druid Peak pack linked upwith wolves from other packs to form three new packs. Female 42continues to be the alpha of theDruid Peak pack and seems to rulethe pack in a more benign mannerthan did her sister, 40.

Because of the location of theirden, just a few hundred yards fromthe Mammoth to Cooke City road,the Druid Peak pack is arguably theworld’s most observed wild wolfpack. As of June 2002, about 100,000

visitors to the park had seen theDruid Peak wolves.

But their location also places thewolves in jeopardy when they try tocross the road. One Druid Peak year-ling male was killed by a vehicle on adark night in 2000. Near the den in2001, wolves were seen trying to crossthe road 689 times; they got across 473times and failed 216 times. Parkemployees asked drivers to pause orslow to allow them to cross. To reducethe hazard, the Wolf Project, funded by Twin Spruce Foundation,Defenders of Wildlife, and the WolfEducation and Research Centerthrough the Yellowstone ParkFoundation, hired two people to directtraffic, monitor wolf activity, andeducate people about park wildlife.These efforts may decrease one of themany hazards for wolf 42 and give visi-tors a chance to see one of the lastthree original Yellowstone wolves. ■


The other two survivors of thereintroduction are females 41 and 42.These sisters were captured inJanuary 1996 east of Williston Lake,British Columbia, an area chosenbecause its terrain and prey base aresimilar to Yellowstone’s. They wereheld in the Rose Creek pen with

another sister, 40; their mother, 39;and alpha male 38 from the Prophetpack. All five were released from thepen in late April 1996 and becamethe Druid Peak pack.

For a time, female wolves 41 and42 bided their time as subordinates,first to their mother, 39 (who lost her

alpha status when shedispersed in late 1996 andreturned in 1997 to bedriven out by 40 and 42),and then to their sister, 40,who ruled the pack with aferocious temperament. Their“stepfather,” alpha male 38,sired pups in 1997 with both41 and 42, who apparentlyshared a den, from which 5pups survived.

Female wolf 41 dispersedfrom the Druid Peak pack in

1997, paired with a Rose Creek male,and founded the Sunlight Basin pack.Although the pack lives close to live-stock, it has killed relatively few. In1999, female 41 bore 7 pups; in 2000,4 pups; in 2001, 5 to 7 pups; and in2002, 6 pups. Now completely gray,she has maintained her alpha status.

In late November 1997, on a tripeast of the park, Druid Peak alphamale 38 and male 31 were illegallyshot. Shortly thereafter, black male21 joined the Druid Peak pack tobecome its alpha male. In 1998, alphafemale 40 had 2 pups, but only 1survived. In 1999, only 2 of 6 pupsborn survived.

In 2000 alpha female 40 waskilled, most likely by three of thepack’s other four adult females (see“The Death of a Queen,” InternationalWolf, Winter 2000). That year all five

M O N T A N A

W Y O M I N G

I D A H O

YellowstoneNationalPark

Leopold Pack

Druid Peak PackSunlight Basin Pack

The authors thank Deb Guernsey and RickMcIntyre of the Yellowstone Wolf Project forenriching this story with accurate data and inten-sive observations.

Norman A. Bishop is the InternationalWolf Center field representative for thegreater Yellowstone region.

Douglas W. Smith is project leader forthe Yellowstone Gray Wolf RestorationProject in Yellowstone National Park.His many publications include TheWolves of Yellowstone, co-authored withMichael K. Phillips, a chronology of thefirst two years of the wolf restorationeffort in Yellowstone National Park.

Ralph Maughan, a political scienceprofessor at Idaho State University,Pocatello, and astute wolf historian,has tabulated the status of the wolvestranslocated to Yellowstone in 1995and 1996 as of August 2002. See hisWeb site http://www.forwolves.org/ralph/wpages/1995wolftable.htm andhttp://www.forwolves.org/ralph/wpages1996wolftable.htm.

Because of the location of their den, just a few hundred yards from the Mammoth to Cooke City road, the Druid Peak pack

is arguably the world’s most observed wild wolf pack.

The Leopold pack, founded by male 2 and female 7, has been one of the most stable and productive packs inYellowstone.

Map: Wolves 2, 41and 42 are membersof the Leopold,Sunlight Basin andDruid Peak packs,respectively.

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Right: Female 42, the alpha female of

the Druid Peak pack,is one of the three

surviving wolves of theoriginal 31 released in

Yellowstone NationalPark in 1995– 96.

I n t e r n a t i o n a l W o l f S p r i n g 2 0 0 3 98 S p r i n g 2 0 0 3 w w w . w o l f . o r g

blazing gold of aspens and birches wasstarkly contrasted by the pure white ofan early snowfall.

The Center is located just east ofthe town of Ely. The building’s trian-gular windows resemble the eyes andears of wolves. The facility, beautifulwithout being lavish, blends tradi-tional north woods elements withmodern touches. The award-winningbuilding seems to surge athleticallylike a wolf from the entrance up aramp toward the 1.5-acre enclosurethat is home to the Center’s residentwolf pack. But the first wolves youare likely to see are bronze. Justoutside the building is a handsomesculpture by Denver artist RikSargent, which features five wolves indramatic full flight.

Each year the Center hosts about50,000 visitors. They come from all

states and from lands such as Japan,Russia and the Scandinavian coun-tries. The average visitor stay is aremarkable two hours. In otherwords, the Center is not a touristdiversion like an “alligator park”where road-weary travelers shuffleby, mindlessly licking ice creamcones. Some visitors stay in Elyseveral days or a week to take advan-tage of the programs and recreationalopportunities available at the Centerand around Ely. Increasingly, visitorscome to Ely specifically to enjoy theCenter and to participate in itsadventure vacations (see sidebar).

Let’s walk through the Center.Passing through the main entrance,we turn up the big ramp. Just to ourleft lies a hall housing the famousWolves and Humans exhibit createdin 1985 by the Science Museum of

Minnesota. More than 2.5 millionpeople have been enthralled by thisexhibit as it was featured in museumsaround the United States andCanada. Dramatic animal mountsdepict key wolf activities. Otherdisplays tell the anguished story ofhumans’ persecution of wolvesthroughout history, while interactivehowling exhibits and computergames allow the visitor to participatein the learning experience.

Up the ramp a few feet farther isthe theater. Here visitors can enjoysome of the finest films ever producedabout wolves, about their restorationto Yellowstone National Park andabout the Center’s resident pack. Thetheater is a welcome place to relaxwhile learning more about wolves.

A splendid recent attraction isLittle Wolf, an interactive exhibitwhose activities take children througha day in the life of a wolf. Kids cancrawl through the recesses of a wolfden and play games that teach lessonsabout wolf behavior. Thanks to LittleWolf, kids play happily while theirparents absorb adult-oriented infor-mational programs.

Any fan of wolves will surely enjoy a trip to the headquarters of the International Wolf Center in Ely, Minnesota. There is no such thing as a “typical” visit, as each season has its own

special delights and educational opportunities. This article can onlysuggest some of what you can expect if you make your own visit to the world’s foremost wolf educational facility.

Most visits begin with a drive through the Superior NationalForest. This is the only habitat in the lower 48 states continuouslyoccupied by wolves throughout recorded history, the place whereseveral pioneers in wolf research did much of their work. Each yeara few lucky visitors spot wild wolves on their drive to the Center.

At any season of the year, the beauty of the drive through thisforest can be reason enough to make the trip. Visitors typically comein on Highway 1, a lyrically curving blacktop that glides past tumblingstreams and rock-bound lakes. On my trip in mid-October, the

LET’S VISIT THE INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTERb y S T E V E G R O O M S

Little Wolf is an interactiveexhibit whose activities takechildren through a day in thelife of a wolf.

Two members of the Center’s resident packresting in the wolf enclosure

In the Wolves and Humans exhibit animalmounts depict key wolf activities.

Visitors to the Center commonly sit by thewindows and simply watch the resident wolvesfor an hour or two.

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Many visitors come specifi-cally to study the Center’s wolfpack. There are currently fivewolves in residence, althoughthree (MacKenzie, Lucas andLakota) have recently been“retired” from ambassadorialduties. The retirement of theseolder gray wolves was hastenedby the treatment they werereceiving from Malik andShadow, two young arctic wolves

added to the pack in 2000. That leavesonly Malik and Shadow on display.

Although they live in captivity,these are wolves. Anyone watchingthem carefully will see ways in whichthey differ from dogs. Because they arewolves, not domesticated pets, theirinteractions with each other have adynamism that is unique to wolves.Visitors commonly sit by the windowsand simply watch the resident wolvesfor an hour or two.

On the way out of the Center,many visitors pause at the Wolf Den. This unique gift store sellshundreds of high-quality items such as CDs, posters, books, stuffedwolves and apparel chosen toenhance the Center’s mission.

Early in its life, the Center oftenserved casual visitors who dropped byto see what it was about. Now, aftersome 10 years of teaching peopleabout wolves, the Center is becominga destination in its own right, still withthe mission of helping people under-stand the world’s most misunderstoodand fascinating large predator.

Steve Grooms has been writing aboutwolf management since 1976. He is the author of the book The Return ofthe Wolf, and serves on InternationalWolf magazine’s advisory committee.


Wolves surviveby killing old,young, weak

and sick animals. Sicknesscomes in varied forms towolf prey such as elk, muleand white-tailed deer, butone currently making head-lines is the nervous systemdisorder Chronic WastingDisease (CWD). Will itaffect wolves? The simpleanswer is, perhaps posi-

tively, because wolves may prove tobe an asset in preventing the spreadof the disease simply by being preda-tors gifted with noticing any signs ofvulnerability.

Research has not documented anytransfer of this disease from deer towolves. “All evidence suggests thatCWD has a species barrier,” states Dr. Glenn DelGiudice, ResearchBiologist and Deer Project Leader forthe Forest Zone for the MinnesotaDepartment of Natural Resources

The Effect of Chronic Wasting Disease

on Wolves

conduct their activities behind themassive plate-glass wall separatingthe auditorium from the wolf enclosure. On my last visit, educationaldirector Jen Westlund discussed themerits of a wolf-skin coat while theCenter’s wolves strolled behind heron the other side of the glass,modeling the real thing.

The popular presentation “What’sFor Dinner” is the highlight of eachSaturday. After a staff member discusseshow wolves hunt and eat, wolf curatorLori Schmidt delivers a road-killed deer carcass to the resident pack. Packinteractions at feeding time are fascinating and unpredictable.

Many of those programs arepresented in the auditorium. Stadiumseating gives a good view of theeducational specialists as they presenttalks such as “Wolf 101” and “Conflictsto Coexistence.” These friendly wolf educators cheerfully answerquestions of all sorts. For the casualvisitor, this is the main educationalopportunity at the Center. Some visi-tors are surprised to find that thewolf educators are there to educatethe public about wolves, not topromote wolves.

As visitors absorb the presenta-tions, the Center’s ambassador wolves

If You GoThe logical starting point for a visit is the Center Web site: www.wolf.org. Clickon the “Visit” link. Continually updatedinformation there will tell you how to visitthe Center and what to expect at differenttimes of year. You’ll find information on group arrangements, too.

Although you can easily spend just an hour or two at the Center, serious visits last longer and require findingaccommodations in Ely. A link to thechamber of commerce is on the Center’ssite under “Travel Information” but can be accessed directly at www.ely.org.


Adventure VacationsVisitors are increasingly drawn to the Center’sadventure vacations. These special programscombine adventure, learning and sometimesexercise. One of the most popular adventuresis traveling country roads at night with aguide to howl to wild wolves, often getting a thrilling reply from them. Other adventurevacations teach visitors how wolf biologistsstudy wolves. Winter mushing expeditionsoffer exciting family dogsledding fun. The Center’s Web site (www.wolf.org) hasdetails on the timing, arrangements and cost of these unique vacations.

One of the Center’s arctic wolvesdrinking from the enclosure’s pond

CWD occurs in North Americandeer and Rocky Mountain Elk.

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Because wolves consume every tidbit of their prey, from eyeballs to the brain, the potential for transmission of CWD clearly exists but is unlikely. Research has not documented any transfer of CWD from ungulates to wolves.


INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTER

Notes From Home

The normal proteins areoverridden by misshapenbrain-wasting agentsuntil the brain deterio-rates into a spongelikeform. Only death iscertain. The disease cango undetected formonths or even years,especially in elk, beforethe lethal symptomsarise. Some evidencesuggests that infectedanimals may transmit thedisease just by contact,but most experts think

body fluids are involved. Food andwater may be contaminated withinfectious urine, feces and saliva.

No evidence exists that CWD caninfect humans. Nevertheless, alertshave been issued to deer huntersabout handling meat from elk anddeer: wear rubber gloves, minimizehandling of the brain and spinaltissue, and don’t eat the brain, spinalcord, eyes, spleen, tonsils and lymphnodes. Great advice for humans, butfor wolves these cautionary warningsdon’t work, nor should they.

Imagine relying on these stealthypredators known for maintaining theintricate balance of predator and preyby using a combination of eyesightand smell to prevent the spread ofthis hideous disease. While scientistsare laboring hard to find clues, anattentive watchdog is in the field. ■

Nancy Gibson is a co-founder of the International Wolf Center andcurrently sits on the board of directors.She wrote her first book, Wolves, in 1996 and describes her favoritepastime as watching wolves in action.

(MDNR). Because wolvesconsume every tidbit oftheir prey, from eyeballs to the brain, the potentialfor transmission clearlyexists but is unlikely.Studies in Colorado are testing that theory.DelGiudice is extendinghis research to includeCWD testing of wolf-killed deer by extractingany remaining brain andneck. Dead wolves will be similarly tested.

A droopy head, stum-bling feet and body tremors in deer orelk are like an “On Sale” sign at aconvenience store to a pack ofwolves. Culling the weaker animalsleaves the stronger prey to survive.DelGiudice calls the symptomaticanimals “wasters,” and if wolves killthem, “it shortens the infection timeand prevents spreading the disease.”

Most sources concur that CWDwas first recognized as a syndrome in 1967 in a captive mule deer herdin Colorado. Eleven years later it was recognized as a transmissiblespongiform encephalopathy (TSE)disease. According to the ChronicWasting Disease Alliance, “computermodelings suggest the disease mayhave been present in free-ranging populations of mule deer since the 1920s.” For all of the publicity,the disease is still classified as rare in occurrence and range.

Nonetheless, the number of casesof CWD is on the increase perhapsbecause of vigilant detection or actual transmission in captive and wild populations. Wyoming, SouthDakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma,

New Mexico, Montana, Wisconsin,Minnesota, Saskatchewan and Albertahave reported the disease either atgame farms or in the wild. Accordingto a new MDNR document, “CWDnaturally occurs in North Americandeer and Rocky Mountain Elk,” whileit has not been detected in moose orcaribou yet. Wildlife and game enthusiasts are nervous because CWDis somewhat similar to two domesticlivestock diseases: scrapie, which has plagued domestic sheep and goats around the world for the past250 years; and mad cow disease,discovered in 1986 but as yet confinedto Europe.

More questions exist than thereare answers. Health experts areparticularly puzzled by the mode oftransmission of this fatal diseasebetween deer. It is caused by anabnormal protein called a “prion”that enters the digestive tract andthen slowly tunnels through lymphnodes and into the brain, destroyingall healthy cells in its path. Unlikeother infectious disease organisms,prions lack DNA or genetic material. Alpha Weekend participants (left to right): in back, Andrea Lorek Strauss, John Virr, Henry Crosby, Bruce Weeks,

and George Knotek; in front, Joey Haswell, Neil Hutt, Jan Makowski, and Pam Dolajeck

A droopy head, stumbling feet and body tremors in deer or elk arelike an “On Sale” sign at a convenience store to a pack of wolves.Culling the weaker animals leaves the stronger prey to survive.

In September, AlphaLegacy and Wolf Sponsor

members of the InternationalWolf Center gathered at theEly interpretative center fora weekend of wildernessand wildlife. The annualAlpha Weekend bringstogether from around thecountry the pack of mem-bers, staff, board membersand wolves that make upthe core of the Center.

This year’s programincluded presentations onwolf care and the status ofthe Center’s resident wolfpack, and a viewing of avideo anthology about thepack. Participants focusedtheir attention on theCenter’s new travelingexhibit, while the evercurious arctic wolves,Shadow and Malik, testedthe auditorium’s windowsto get a closer look at thehuman pack inside.

Other highlights were ahistorical tour of BurntsideLake, an interpretive hike toan abandoned wolf den, anda visit to famous wildernesswriter Sigurd Olson’s“Listening Point” withChuck Wick. The weekendwas topped off with aguided howling trip led byJim Schwartz, during whicha wild wolf pup showed up. Just add moose, loons,wild black bears at bearbiologist Lynn Rogers’swoodland retreat and

Hanging with the Pack: Alpha Weekend 2002

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migrating raptors overhead,and you can appreciatewhat a special weekend thiswas. But the real highlightwas the chance to hang withthe Center’s pack, wolf andhuman alike.

Ellen Dietz,Bloomington, Illinois

MORE NOTES FROM HOME ON NEXT PAGE

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MacKenzie (at left in top photo and foreground above) andLakota in the retirement enclosure

Those of you followingthe International Wolf

Center’s ambassador packvia the Web site (www.wolf.org) are aware of therecent changes in thedynamics of the pack. Forthose of you who wait forthe magazine to get yournews, well, here’s the scoop.

Since the year 2000, theambassador pack has under-gone some changes. Thearctic pups we acquired wereborn that year and maturedinto strong, healthy adultswhile the 1993 litter ofMacKenzie, Lucas and

Lakota began to show signsof age. During August 2002,it was apparent that theyounger pack mates werefrequently testing Lakotaand MacKenzie. Rather thanrisk a life-threatening injury,the Center’s wolf manage-ment team decided to retirethem to a separate enclosure.

The dynamics of theambassador pack are similarto what goes on in the wild.Wolves in the wild rarelylive past 8 or 9 years of age,and thus the older members(born in 1993) of ourambassador pack are at theage when wolves naturallybegin to slow down. As thearctic wolves matured, theydid what any young wolfmight do: they looked forweakness in their packmembers and tested them.

The survival of wolvesdepends on the strength ofthe pack. Testing is abehavior that has developedover generation after gener-ation of natural selection.

But whereas olderanimals in the wild may go off on their own andspend their last months in a struggle to survive,managers of captive wolvescan retire animals to acomfortable enclosure.Although the pack members’behavior determined thatLakota and MacKenzieshould be removed, theiraging physical conditionwould have eventually led to this decision.

These wolves haveserved the Center well aseducational ambassadors,and we value what theyhave done for us. Now it istime for the Center toreturn the favor in theirgolden years. We want theirfinal years to be moresedentary, without the stressof maintaining rank orderwith younger wolves. Olderwolves also need moremedical care than youngerpack members, which canbest be provided in asmaller enclosure. A specialthanks goes to all who madethe retirement enclosurepossible, especially Johnand Donna Virr. A completelist of donors can be foundon page 16 of this issue. ■

Tracking the Pack

The Golden Yearsb y L o r i S c h m i d t , W o l f C u r a t o r ,I n t e r n a t i o n a l W o l f C e n t e r

Lucas AlsoRemoved from theAmbassador Pack

On November 9, 2002, theCenter staff noticed that the arcticwolves, Malik and Shadow, were

harassing Lucas, the last of the older wolves left on display.

Two shallow puncture woundswere observed on Lucas’s

hindquarters. Also, Lucas hadbeen showing his age in his

limited ability to climb rocks inthe enclosure. Considering

Lucas’s vulnerability if he were toremain in the pack, the Center’sveterinarian, Dr. Chip Hanson,

and Lori Schmidt, Wolf Curator,decided to move him into the

retirement enclosure. The transition went smoothly. At firstLucas showed anxiety and wasaggressive toward MacKenziebut then settled down and ate a beaver carcass. Lucas was later observed sleeping close

to Lakota. So far, life in retirement is good for all.


Wi t h m u c h s a d n e s s t h eInternational Wolf Center notes

the passing of Wallace C. (“Wally”)Dayton, one of its prime benefactors.Winner of numerous conservationawards, Dayton was long a friend of thewolf, wildlife and wild lands and achampion of the environment. He setthe pace for many conservation projects,lending them his wisdom and financialsupport. Some of the other importantenvironmental organizations he helpedgovern and support are The NatureConservancy, the North American WildlifeFoundation, the Greater YellowstoneCoalition and the Wilderness Society.

An avid outdoorsman, conserva-tionist and philanthropist, Dayton initi-ated the private fund-raising drive witha generous donation to launch theCenter in the early nineties. His support neverwaned. Many programs benefited from his family’scontribution. He liked to provide a key financialmatch to stimulate new avenues of support.Through his long chairmanship of the SpecialProjects Foundation of the Big Game Club,Dayton also helped finance numerous graduatestudents in their research on a variety of species,including several studies of wolves and their prey.

Dayton and his wife, Mary Lee, own a summerhome in the Ely area and enjoyed visiting theCenter. In summer 2000, they greatly appreciated avisit from the Center’s two arctic wolf pups, cour-tesy of their foster mother and Center boardmember Nancy Gibson. Mary Lee continues herhusband’s legacy with support of many of hisfavorite causes, including a recent gift to the Center.

The Center and its board members along withmany other outdoor organizations will longremember Dayton and his critical role in fosteringtheir missions.

She has helped create questionsand form answers for televisionshows like “Who Wants to Be aMillionaire” and “The WeakestLink,” and has provided thou-sands of individuals from avariety of government agencies,including officials at thePentagon, with wolf informa-tion. Additionally, she hashelped wildlife professionals incountries such as Germany andKosovo gain access to materialsand information that will assist them with wolf-relatedissues. While Harper receivescontacts through a variety ofavenues, clearly the Web site is helping the Center educatepeople worldwide. ■

RememberingWallace C. Dayton

Mary Lee and Wally Dayton enjoy a visit from Malik, a member of theInternational Wolf Center’s resident pack.

Wolves and the Web

The International WolfC e n t e r ’s We b s i t e

(www.wolf.org) is a wonderfuleducational tool. Through thehundreds of pages on the Website, the Center educates thou-sands of people each day and canreach people in countries whomother educational efforts cannot.

The Web site has alsobrought the Center into contactwith a wide range of interestingcorporations, organizations,agencies and individuals. In thetwo years that InformationSpecialist Liz Harper hasworked for the Center, she hashad many unique experiences.

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16 S p r i n g 2 0 0 3 w w w . w o l f . o r g I n t e r n a t i o n a l W o l f S p r i n g 2 0 0 3 17

to developing countries. Theexploding world population createsenormous pressures on naturalresources, food sources and habitat.Unless nations rushing towardmodernization can replace consump-tion with sustainable development,progress in solving ecological prob-lems in the West will make littledifference.

That is the bad news. The goodnews is that a balance betweeneconomic growth and preservation isnow being sought in some countriesthat have long neglected the conser-vation of natural resources. China isone such nation. The Yunnan GreatRivers Project, for instance, isendeavoring to create national parksand protected wilderness areas in aremote southwestern province. Andin the Badain Jaran, China’s secondlargest desert, wolves are back, alongwith other animals that had all butvanished mainly because of unregu-lated hunting.

While herdsmen in this westernregion of the Mongolia AutonomousRegion report recent significantlosses of sheep, lambs and camels towolf predation, they can no longerlegally kill wolves that menace theirlivestock. The Chinese governmenthas enacted laws to ban hunting;thus, the number of wolves isincreasing. Also, the herdsmen areencouraged to improve grazingmethods and to increase their vigi-lance over herds.

The return of the wolf to theBadain Jaran is accompanied by thereemergence of a variety of plants andanimals, including smaller predatorsand rodents. China’s Academy of

W O LV E S I N C H I N A

Environmentalism at the Farthest Frontiersb y N e i l H u t t

Why do you have a placelike Yellowstone? Why do youhave a place like Jade DragonSnow Mountain? Why have a

national park? The Chinese maycome up with different answers,

but those are the questions.— Edward M. Norton,

Director, Yunnan Great Rivers Project

A Targeted Thank You

A rousing howl to the TargetCorporation for its donation,which madeour exciting2002 WolfDen giftcatalog

possible. This generous contribu-tion brought products, educa-tional information and programsto people around the world. And many thanks to you, our members and friends, for supporting our educationalefforts through your purchases by mail, phone and Web site.Each dollar makes a difference!

International WolfLive on the Web throughVolunteer Efforts

For the past fewyears, the quiet,dedicated efforts of MikeO’Connell(Indiana) andJanice Hood(Florida) have

brought this maga-zine to life on www.wolf.orgevery three months. Mike formatsall copy and images for thecyber world, and Janice proofsevery word before the copy goesonline. Their work shows acaring commitment to wolves andthe Center. Our volunteer effortsacross the nation are making adifference! If you have profes-sional services to donate, pleasee-mail [email protected].

INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTER

Contributors

Thank You!

Major DonorsMichael Brandt & Jacqueline RoehlJoan CunninghamWallace & Mary Lee DaytonTom DwightMark EisnerJo HaswellCharles HeckLonnie, Teresa & Janessa HilkemeierDr. Kimberly LoomisJan & Pete MakowskiDave MechStephen MonroeSarah MorrisTerri & John NiehoffJames OberholtzerRolf & Candy PetersonDennis SutliffTarget CorporationTed TurnerJohn & Donna Virr

Matching GiftsSue Blomquist & Xcel Energy FoundationFrancis Cone & ING FoundationRichard Kandiko & Kimberly Clark FoundationKevin Oliver & United Way of Orange CountyHillary Siemsen & Verizon FoundationFranklin Smith & ThriventFinancial for LutheransDouglas Yee & Washington Mutual

HonoraryIn Honor of Karen Kegler:Cathryn Johnson

RoyaltiesMBNA AmericaDave Mech/McGraw-Hill Co.Rykodisc Inc.Voyager Press, Inc.

In-Kind DonationsMatt & Lori Jo BerganMichael MartensDave MechKevin PorroRelizonStan Ross

MemorialIn Memory of Judy Crane:Dick & Deb Thiel

In Memory of Ruth Gould:Eliot & Naomi Haycock

In Memory of Leonard Kmak:Patricia Kmak

In Memory of Lowell Janke:Pan-O-Gold Baking Co.

In Memory of Tom Ludwig:Rick & Chris Ahl-Ludwig

In Memory of Richard Markheim:Hillary Siemsen

In Memory of Mazy:Nancy & David Fry

In Memory of Dr. Blasco Torricelli:Maria Torricelli

In Memory of Mark Wozniak:Janet, Cortney & Cory Ratliff

Wolf Care FundMarilyn CapouchSandy CatalanoBarbara ChanceAnn ColeMary CollinsHenry Crosby Jr.Joan Cunningham, Ph.D.Brian & Ellen DietzNancy EstradaJohn EwingVivian FisherE. FordhamJeanne GehrmanLeland & Debra GreenleyHolley HallMarlene HansonJoey HaswellTeresa, Lonnie & Janessa HilkemeierSusan HoltKathleen KilpatrickBill & Ann KorosGina Lawrence-SokolLinda LeeKimberly LoomisJanice & Peter MakowskiPaul & Catha MurphyJeanie NeidichDody NesbitAnn OkoBarbara RoquemoreKathleen RyanCheryl SchaeferJohn SkibaGeorge SullivanMary ThompsonTrinity High SchoolJohn & Donna VirrJuanita & Roy Walls

Major attitudinal changestoward the environmenthave taken place in the past

50 years, particularly in the industri-alized West. A large segment of thepublic has confronted the reality thatthe world’s resources are finite.Nature, once considered an adversaryneeding strong discipline, is viewedin a different light, and the exploita-tion of wilderness has been modifiedby public support for preserving wildlands. After centuries of persecutionfueled by virulent hatred, wolves arenow afforded varying degrees ofprotection, and the great predatorsare rebounding in some areas of theirformer range.

The big question is whether thisenvironmental ethic can be extended

N O R T H K O R E A

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Agricultural Sciences reports thatshrubs and grasses such as licoriceand ephedras, plants that encouragerainfall, are reappearing. This controlof “desertification” could benefitcities like Beijing, which are oftenenveloped by sandstorms originatingin Inner Mongolia.

This is encouraging news. Perhapsthe environmental pessimists arewrong in their predictions thatpreserving biodiversity and wildlands is impossible because too manypeople are exploiting too manyresources. Recovery of the BadainJaran demonstrates that at least someof what was lost or nearly ruined canbe restored. Laws enacted to haltenvironmental degradation are thefirst step. The next challenge is tobuild public support.

The author acknowledges the followingsources of information:

John Pomfret, “An American Gamble ona Chinese Shangri-La,” Washington Post,Sunday, August 6, 2000.

Xinhua New Agency, “Wolves ProwlChina’s Second Largest Desert,” October16, 2002; http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2002-10/16/content_598843.htm.


outraged. The death of the Pipestempups all but obscured the good newsthat two captured pups from anotherpack were released after genetic testsconcluded they were bona fideMexican wolves.

Complaints about Mexicanwolves killing livestock show nosigns of waning despite $15,000 incompensation paid for 27 domesticanimals killed or injured by wolves.The program continues to draw firefrom ranchers and rural people,including the Apaches on the SanCarlos Reservation who want fivepups and two adults removed fromtribal lands. In addition, the ArizonaGame and Fish Commission isdemanding that the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service make substantialchanges in the Mexican wolf reintro-duction program to address theircomplaints about such issues asdepredations, the capturing ofhybrids and the alleged lack ofcommunication by the service tostakeholders in eastern Arizona andwestern New Mexico.

Nevertheless, Mexican WolfRecovery Coordinator Brian Kellyremains determinedly optimistic.“Most of the groups are coming tothe table and trying to find ways towork this out. If they’re doing that,there’s hope.”

The author acknowledges the followingsources of information:

Mexican Wolf News Powered by the California Wolf Center: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0909wolves-ON.html.

Associated Press article, Arizona Republic,March 28, 2002; www.azcentral.com.

Pauline Arrillaga, “Untamed Recovery,”Arizona Daily Sun, September 20, 2002;http://www.azdailysun.com/non_sec/nav_includes/story.cfm?storyID=49073.

Neil Hutt is an educator andInternational Wolf Center board memberwho lives in Purcellville, Virginia.

“

Wolves Return toWrangel Island“The Story Has Begun”

b y N e i l H u t t

Now I got them! We got themon the island!” With thesejubilant words, Russian biolo-

gist and researcher Nikita Ovsyanikovannounced his stunning discovery onSeptember 26, 2002. While travelinginland on Wrangel Island, the remotenature preserve off the coast of Siberia,Ovsyanikov found “solid confirma-tion” of a pack of seven wolves,including three pups.

Wolves have not lived on WrangelIsland since 1983 when the Russiangovernment eliminated a pack ofeight animals in order to protect

musk-oxen and reindeer. Ovsyanikovhoped wolves would disperse fromSiberia and make their way across the100 miles of frozen sea to this “arcticEden.” If they did not, reintroductionwould be necessary, althoughOvsyanikov conceded that such aneffort would doubtless be prohibi-tively expensive.

Says Ovsyanikov, “Now the storyhas begun—a story of wolves colo-nizing the island where two speciesof ungulates lived for decadeswithout a large predator. For the firsttime in the history of Wrangel Island,wolves will be allowed to settle anddevelop their own life history in thisunique ecosystem.”

Visit the International WolfCenter’s Web site (www.wolf.org) toread Ovsyanikov’s letter describinghis discovery.

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W O LV E S I N T H E U N I T E D S TAT E S

Mexican Wolves:Rough Road toRecoveryb y N e i l H u t t

The wolves are doing very well.— Brian Kelly, U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, Mexican Wolf Recovery Coordinator

They’re nothing more than a painand a drain on taxpayers.

— Erik Ness, spokesman for the NewMexico Farm and Livestock Bureau

For the third consecutive year,Mexican wolves have repro-duced in the wild in New

Mexico and Arizona. This is goodnews for conservationists and badnews for some ranchers. “It’s veryencouraging,” said Craig Miller ofDefenders of Wildlife. “The mostvaluable asset in any captive reintro-duction program is the survival ofwild-born pups.” Erik Ness of theNew Mexico Farm and LivestockBureau disagreed. “In our opinion,having more wolves out there is not a

success,” he said. Since the first 11 Mexican wolves

were released in March 1998, therecovery program has suffered aseries of setbacks. Raised in captivity,the wolves had to learn to survive inthe wild. Of the 74 wolves releasedsince the program began, 26 havedied. Some have been shot or hit bycars, and others have been recapturedafter attacking livestock anddomestic animals or because theystrayed from the recovery area.

But there is reason for being opti-mistic that the recovery goal—a self-sustaining population of 100 by2006—can be attained. Twenty-oneradio-collared wolves in eight packsnow range the recovery area, butmanagers believe the numbers arehigher. Seven, and possibly all eight,of the packs are believed to have hadpups in spring 2002, and the numbersurviving is not known.

Controversy erupted recentlywhen seven pups in the Pipestempack were euthanized after wildlifeofficials determined they werehybrids. U.S. Fish and WildlifeService officials insist the euthaniza-tion of the pups was justifiable andnecessary. Wolf fans, however, were


West Gate


Two recent reports on wolf-human interactions concludethat attacks by healthy wild

wolves do occur but are rare andunusual events despite growingnumbers of wolves worldwide. Both reports also state that there has not been a person killed bywolves in North America during the20th century.

The Fear of Wolves: A Review of WolfAttacks on Humans, edited by JohnLinnell, documents worldwide wolfattacks during the past 400 years. Theauthors reviewed records of wolf-human encounters from a variety ofsources and concluded that histori-cally attacks on humans were veryrare, and attacks in the 20th centurywere even rarer. The report also docu-ments four factors that are associated

If nonlethal means cannot reduceconflicts, the conservationists pointout that hunting may have thefollowing benefits:1. Allows long-standing traditions

to continue; 2. Helps hunters regard wolves as

game or sources of income, notas competitors, thus increasingrespect for wolves;

3. Increases a sense of empower-ment among locals;

4. Keeps wolf populations andpredation at tolerable levels;

5. Makes wolves wary of people,thereby reducing conflicts;

6. Generates revenue in rural areas;7. Increases long-term acceptance

by slowing the recovery rate ofwolves; and

8. Reduces poaching because localshave a stake in management.

The European conservationistsconclude by saying that if social andecological factors dictate thathunting should be used in someareas, it must be done under thefollowing conditions: 1. Hunting is part of a compre-

hensive plan written in consultation with locals andwildlife interest groups andacceptable to a majority.

2. The wolf population is stable and can sustain hunting.

3. The social organization of wolves and how removal of individuals will affect it is taken into account.

4. Monitoring prevents the population from dropping below a set minimum.

5. Age, sex, condition, weight,reproductive organs, geneticsamples and so on are monitoredand reported annually.

6. Hunters are trained, and killing is done humanely and does notviolate international, national or regional laws.

7. Closed seasons and quotas areimposed, taking into accounthunter kills, predator control and road kills. Wounded andunrecovered animals are considered killed.

(This position statement wasprepared by the Large CarnivoreInitiative for Europe core group anddoes not necessarily reflect the viewsof all LCIE member organizations orindividuals.)

Jay Hutchinson is a writer and editor,retired from the U.S. Forest Service’sNorth Central Forest ExperimentStation, in St. Paul, Minnesota.Between travels, he enjoys writingabout various natural history subjects,including wolves.

W O LV E S I N E U R O P E

Europeans StateTheir Position on Hunting toManage Wolvesb y J a y H u t c h i n s o n

Hunting, if used properly, canbe a practical, low-cost toolto help humans coexist with

wolves and other large carnivores inEurope. This is the position of a coregroup of European conservationistswho support the Action Plan for theconservation of wolves, brown bears,wolverines and two species of lynxstill found in parts of Europe (seeInternational Wolf, Winter 2002).

The conservationists point outthat while areas of Europe offerpotential for some of these animals toexpand their present ranges, no largewilderness areas remain in Europe.So large carnivores can conflict withlivestock raising, compete withhunters for deer and other wildungulates, and raise people’s fears ofbeing attacked.

Conservation, they say, impliessaving the species, not every individual, and hunting for trophies,for recreation or simply for controlhas long been a tradition in parts of Europe. Whether to use hunting or nonlethal means to controlconflicts should be decided locally,depending on public opinion andecological factors.

Most of the unprovoked attacks by healthy wild wolves were caused by wolves that became fearlessof humans due to habituation.

with wolf attacks. These are rabies (amajority of attacks involved rabidwolves), habituation (many attacksinvolved wolves that had lost theirfear of humans), provocation (wolveswere provoked into attack whenhumans cornered or trapped them orentered their den), and highly modi-fied environments (many attacksoccurred in areas where humans havegreatly altered the environment). Thereport also notes that a decrease in theincidence of rabies worldwide has ledto a decrease in the number of rabidwolf attacks.

A Case History of Wolf-HumanEncounters in Alaska and Canada, byMark McNay, documents 80 cases of wolf-human interactions (aggres-sive and nonaggressive) that haveoccurred in the past 60 years: 36 in

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Are Wolves Dangerous to Humans?L i z H a r p e r , I n f o r m a t i o n S p e c i a l i s t , I n t e r n a t i o n a l W o l f C e n t e r


WOLVES IN OREGON wouldbe supported by about 70

percent of Oregon citizens accordingto a 1999 poll recently published.Wolves are making their way intoOregon from Idaho, but so far nobreeding packs have been foundthere.

WO LV E S A N D M O B I L E

PHONES may not seem to gotogether, but according to a storyfrom Greece, such a phone helpedsave a shepherd from a wolf pack. Noone knows if the story is true, but the BBC reported that a shepherdtreed by a wolf pack used his phoneto summon help.

AWOLF IN UTAH was caughtby a coyote trapper and trans-

ported by the U.S. Fish and WildlifeService back into Wyoming fromwhence it came. The black male wolfwas radio-collared in YellowstoneNational Park, captured southeast ofLogan, Utah, and released with a newradio collar in the Tetons.

WO L F S H O O T I N G S areincreasing as wolves them-

selves increase. One wolf may havebeen shot recently in Idaho, and twoin Michigan. Rewards are offered byauthorities for information on theseillegal acts.

WOLF BOOKS. Two new onesare Beyond Wolves: The Politics

of Wolf Recovery and Management, by M. A. Nie, University ofMinnesota Press, to be released inApril 2003; and Wolf Mountains: A History of Wolves along the GreatDivide,” by K. R. Jones, Calgary Press,recently released.

ALONE WOLF from Finlandprobably greatly increased

survival chances for Scandinavia’ssmall wolf population (about 100wolves), according to scientists.Genetic research on the populationshowed that outbreeding by theimmigrant apparently fostered a surgein reproduction in the early 1990s.

AWOLF SYMPOSIUM will beheld in Canmore, Alberta,

Canada, September 25–28, 2003. Seewww.graywolf.ca/worldwolfcongress.

WOLVES IN THE NORTH-

EAST? According to an unconfirmed report, a pack of wolvesmay be living in Quebec within 20miles of the United States, south ofthe St. Lawrence River. One animalwas caught by a coyote trapper, and its carcass is being examined toconfirm whether it is a wolf. If so, its pack mates are within easydispersal distance to the northeasternUnited States. ■


Alaska, 41 inCanada and 3 inMinnesota. Of the80 cases described,none was fatal, andonly 25 involvedunprovoked aggres-sion by healthywolves (of these 25 cases, only 13involved injury tohumans). The other55 cases consistedof interactions wherewolves acted in self-defense (14), wereknown or suspected

to have rabies (12) or showedinterest but no aggression (29).

The findings of these reports showthe importance of keeping wolfattacks in perspective. Currently,there are an estimated 10,000 to

Many of the wolf attacks documented in thepast 400 years occurred in areas wherehumans have greatly altered the environment.

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20,000 wolves in Europe, 60,000 inthe former Soviet Union, and 60,000in North America. From the smallnumber of documented attacks, itcan be concluded that the vastmajority of wolves do not pose anythreat to human safety. A person hasa greater chance of being killed by adog, lightning, a bee sting or a carcollision with a deer than beinginjured by a wolf. Most of the unpro-voked attacks by healthy wild wolvesthat have occurred were caused bywolves that became fearless ofhumans due to habituation.Nonetheless, like bears and cougars,wolves are instinctive predators thatshould be respected and kept wild. ■

Both reports are available in PDF format from theInternational Wolf Center’s Web site atwww.wolf.org. For information on avoiding conflictswith wolves, see the Wolves and Humans series,also available in PDF format on the Web site.

Grand Ely Lodge

Wolf Congressad


What is it that makes some peopleyearn for an experience like I had, tobe in the presence of a wild animalthat chooses to stay rather than fleein fear? Could it be that we humansfeel a great longing to be accepted aspart of, rather than separate from,their mysterious world?

I do know that this wonderfulwolf spent 23 minutes with me, and Ishall never forget the total peace and

harmony I felt when sharing thistime with her. ■

Joan Ouellette is an animal painterand videographer who lives in MontSt. Hilaire, Quebec, Canada, withtwo dogs, four cats and a successionof backyard deer and raccoons.

before journeying south. While tryingto sleep in the back of the pickupSaturday night, I fended off the atten-tions of the inquisitive little deer micethat conducted relay races up anddown my body. Needless to say, mywake-up time Sunday morning wasearly, and by five a.m. I had shared mybreakfast with the mice and was onmy way, driving in a heavy fog to thenorthern end of the park.

As I was slowly feeling my wayalong in the fog, two wolvessuddenly loped from the forest ontothe road in front of the truck. Islammed on the brakes, pulled over,

and stepped out quietly with myvideo camera in hand. One of thewolves was having none of this, butthe other decided to stop and have alook at this curious creatureattempting a soft howl. She bark-howled at me a few times beforedeciding to catch up with the otherwolf. But she stayed on the road, andI was able to follow her slowly in thetruck. She didn’t seem to mind, andtwice she stopped and turned aroundto look. Both times I got out andalternately filmed and howled, tryingto keep the moment alive.

Finally I sat on the ground toassure her I was no threat and filmedfrom there. We then began to howl toeach other in earnest. She stood therefor two or three minutes as wehowled back and forth. When finallyshe started to leave, she stoppedsuddenly, turned around, and withone last look at me trotted off into thefog with a final howl, as if to say,

“Well, are you coming or not,because I really have to go.” Thebeauty of those moments I spentcommunicating with this wolf arebeyond description.

the wolf howling is heard by campersand where I had seen a lot of wolfprints and fresh scat.

I spent Saturday filming beaverlaying in their winter pantry andcongregations of loons giving finalfishing lessons to their offspring

On a Friday in late September2001 I took off in my pickuptruck for Mont Tremblant

Provincial Park in the LaurentianMountains, about 100 miles north ofMontreal in Quebec, Canada. I try tospend as much time as I can in this1,500-square-kilometer (580-square-mile) forested park with over 400lakes and 6 rivers. This weekend Iplanned to watch and film the park’sdiverse wildlife while appreciatingthe tranquility and beauty of the area.

The lakes are full ofbeaver and are also wheresome of the biggest moosehang out. On a previousvisit I was successful incalling down a huge fellowwith the biggest rack I have everseen outside of Denali National Parkin Alaska. From six to eight packs ofgray wolves also inhabit the park. Iwas especially determined to get inone last visit to the northern sectorbefore the park authorities closed itfor the winter. That is where most of

A Conversation with a WolfT e x t a n d i l l u s t r a t i o n s b y J o a n O u e l l e t t e

Travel the protected waters ofSE Alaska’s inside passage.This remote area of mountainous islands, old growth timber and tidal estuaries is home of theAlexander Archipelago Wolf.

6 day, 5 night trips, meals,lodging, daily shore excursionsinto the best wolf habitat.

FOR A BROCHURE CONTACT:

Riptide OutfittersP.O. Box 19210

Thorne Bay, Alaska 99919

www.hyakalaskacharters.com907-828-3353

Wolf Watch Aboard the

MV HYAKLarry Allmanad

But you don’t have to waituntil you get a job to helpwolves. There are things you can do every day that will make life better forwolves everywhere! Here are a few suggestions to getyou started:• Become a member of anorganization that supportswolf survival. (For infor-

mation on becoming a member of theInternational Wolf Center, see ourWeb site at www.wolf.org.)• Learn as much as you can aboutwolves. Share what you know bygiving a talk at a school, library orother venue in your area.


You can get ready now for yourfuture career by working hard atschool and by getting experience as avolunteer or an intern. Contact a zoo,animal park, nature center, park,veterinary clinic or research projectnear you to ask how you can help.

PERSON: Lori Schmidt

JOB TITLE AND DESCRIPT ION:Captive Wolf Curator. Tasks includecaring for a captive pack of wolves,supervising helpers, acquiring andstoring food, maintaining fencing andwater supply, keeping thoroughrecords, and planning, adapting andenforcing protocols for interacting withthe wolves.

TRAINING REQUIRED: Minimumtwo-year associate’s degree in a naturalresource/animal-related major plusseveral years of supervised experience.


Working for WolvesDear Mike,

There are lots of differentcareers that can make a differ-ence for wolves. Some jobs

include tracking and studyingwolves, some include settingpolicy and enforcing laws aboutwolves, others involve educatingthe public about wolves. There’sno end to the possibilities!

Here’s a sample list of jobtitles that could involve wolves:

Captive wolf curatorDepredation investigatorDevelopment directorEndangered species coordinator Environmental educatorEthologistFarmer

Field researcherFund-raiserFur bearer specialistLaboratory technician LobbyistLegislator Museum curatorNaturalistNovelistPark rangerPhotographerPolicy analystPolitical activist ProfessorProgram administrator Public informationspecialist

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Taxidermist TeacherTechnical writerTrapperVeterinary technicianVolunteerWildlife biologist Wildlife technician Wildlife veterinarian

No matter what subjects you aregood at in school, there may be a jobyou can do that involves wolves.

You might notice, though, that veryfew jobs are focused exclusively onwolves. Most people who deal withwolves must have a wide variety ofknowledge and skills. For example,political activists must know a lotabout wolves and the policies thataffect them, but they also must know how government works and beable to work within that system.Photographers must be intimatelyfamiliar with wolf behavior in order tofind wolves and anticipate their move-ments, and they must also know howto work complex camera equipment.Even the technicians who trackwolves in the wild have to know aboutmore than just wolves. They have tooperate—and sometimes even fix—the different kinds of tracking devices.

Even jobs that deal mostly withanimals rarely deal only with wolves.Most wildlife careers include workingwith many different kinds of animals.

No matter what type of job youhope to have someday, you will needto know at least something from eachof the subjects you have in school.Scientists need to be good at readingand writing just as novelists need tounderstand science.

• Think globally, act locally. Getinvolved in local environmentalprojects. Everything in nature isconnected, so every improvement tothe environment ultimately helpswolves. Reduce, reuse, recycle—inthat order. The less we humans usethe earth’s resources, the less pressurewe put on the wild species trying tosurvive on those same resources.• Help preserve wild lands in wolfrange, or support organizations that do.• Organize a fund-raiser and donatethe proceeds to an organization thatsupports wolf survival.

Watch the “Wild Kids” section in future issues of International Wolfmagazine for features on people who do some kind of “Wolf Work.”Hopefully that will help you makechoices for your future. ■

Good luck!Sincerely,International Wolf Center

Some veterinarians specialize inthe care of wild animals.

Field researchers track and studywolves in the wild.

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Lori Schmidt, Wolf Curator, caresfor the International Wolf Center’sresident wolves.

SKILLS NEEDED TO DO THE JOB:Willingness to work long hoursoutdoors in all kinds of weather, keenobservation skills to notice nuances inanimal behavior, attention to detail forcomplete record keeping, veterinarytraining, problem solving, criticalthinking, facility maintenance, andadherence to procedures.

ADVICE TO KIDS: Learn the day-to-dayresponsibilities of caring for anotherliving thing, such as a pet. Practicetaking full responsibility for all of yourpet’s needs, even when you don’t feellike it or are gone for a time.

WOLFWORK


usual travel route, but when it turnedout to be a kayaker’s face, both partiesquickly retreated, the kayaker endingup at the bottom of his sleeping bag.

Throughout history and in manyparts of the world today, wolves’ fear of humans has resulted from persecution — shooting, trapping andpoisoning. While maintenance of fearis highly desirable, violence towardwolves is not a goal of any park orreserve. Aversive conditioning, such aselectric shocks or rubber bullets, is apossibility, though not an ethical oraesthetically pleasing one. Wolves onIsle Royale have remained fearful ofpeople, even after fifty years of totalprotection. What can be done to main-tain mutual respect between wolvesand people to minimize the risk ofwolf-inflicted injury? Here are recom-mended measures at Isle Royale:

Park managers should continue to limit visitor access to areasfrequented by wolves throughexisting nighttime closures in parts ofthe island. No new restrictions are

necessary as the status quo, in placefor more than 20 years, appears toprovide wolves with enough space toavoid people.

Visitors must pack out trash anddispose of fish entrails appropriatelyso that wolves do not associatepeople with food.

Upon seeing a wolf, visitorsshould resist the temptation to getcloser and should do nothing toentice the wolf to approach.

Photographers wanting wolfpictures should visit places wherelong-distance photography is possible(Yellowstone), or where wolves live incaptivity (International Wolf Center,Ely, Minnesota). The dense forestcover at Isle Royale limits opportuni-ties for long-distance wildlife viewing.

If there is an increase in wolf-human encounters, the wolves willlikely suffer more than the people. Allwolves in North America that haverecently injured humans have beenkilled. Wolves do not need humanfriendship; they need wild lands. ■

Rolf O. Peterson is a professor of wildlifeecology at Michigan TechnologicalUniversity and serves on the board ofdirectors of the International Wolf Center.He has been involved in wolf research onIsle Royale since 1970 and has directedlong-term studies of wolf-moose ecologyin this island national park since 1975.

Why Can’t We Just Be Friends?b y R o l f P e t e r s o n

A version of this article originally appeared in theIsle Royale 2001-2002 annual report.

It was once common for wolfadvocates to claim that wildwolves pose no threat to humans.

In the past decade, however, wolveshave injured people in several placesacross North America, includingAlgonquin Provincial Park (Ontario),coastal British Columbia, southernAlaska and Ellesmere Island.

Although the factors leading toattacks are not fully understood, itseems certain that wolves are likely toharm humans when the two specieshave lost their fear of each other. InDenali National Park, wolves haverepeatedly stolen and damaged arti-cles from camps while people werepresent, and in Algonquin, childrenhave been seriously injured by“tame” wolves investigating camp-grounds. People in sleeping bags onthe ground, not in tents, may beparticularly vulnerable to curiouswolves that aren’t overtly afraid ofhumans. At Isle Royale, wolf sight-ings by visitors have increased morethan threefold over the past fourdecades, and an article published in2001 in a regional outdoor magazinedescribed an Isle Royale kayakersustaining minor injuries from a wolfbite while camping at a nondesig-nated area along the shoreline. Acurious wolf evidently found some-thing worth investigating along a

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hAlthough the factors leading to attacks are notfully understood, it seems certain that wolves

are likely to harm humans when the twospecies have lost their fear of each other.

paid - international wolf center · what year were wolves first reintroduced into idaho? 1995. the...

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