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eD Letter SL

WINTER 2014 Featuring:

A Howling Year in Review (pg 8) • The Future of the Lobo (pg 12)

Summer Celebration (pg 30) • Sawtooth Legacy Films (pg 32) • Ask the Biologist

(pg 34) • Wolf Behavior 101 (pg 38) • And much more...

SL - winter 2014

1 Letter from the President3 what is werC Howling About?4 Meet the team 8 A Howling Year in review11 Funding Discussion12 the Future of the Lobo21 Another Year at wolf Camp26 Like us on Facebook 27 intern experience 2014 29 Adoptions 30 Summer Celebration32 Sawtooth Legacy Films34 Ask the Biologist38 wolf Behavior 10142 Dates to remember44 Area Attractions45 Fun Facts about winchester, iD.

Winter 2014Table of Contents

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Board of DirectorsSharon Lander, treasurerDanielle Hawthorne, SecretaryJamie Burch, Board MemberDennis Olson, Board Member

WERC StaffChris Anderson, Staff & Board PresidentJeremy Heft, Sanctuary Manager/BiologistJessica Collins, Assistant to the BiologistLori Prichard, Gift Services /reservationsSteve Urke, Program and LogisticsAlan Lacy, Mexican Gray wolf education

the Sawtooth Legacy is a publication of the wolf education & research Center (werC). the purpose of the magazine is to provide interesting and engaging information to children and adults about the gray wolf species that promotes a broader understanding of wolves, wolf recovery, their place in healthy ecosystems, and the state and federal policies that impact their survival.  

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Dear Friends, it’s always exciting at wolf Camp. Our activities are so diverse, it can be a challenge. However, it’s never a challenge to be proud of our staff who reach out to visitors and new werC fans -- all while caring for the Owyhee Pack. in 2014 our

summer operations met a recent record of 3,500 people. Venues at local and regional state parks also contribute to the steady flow of guests eager to see a wolf. Our modest team operated with record-high motivation to help people comprehend complex issues and discover their possible roles in the solutions. this summer’s interns were especially motivated and we continue to learn about making the most impact with our Intern Experience program. Over the past few years, it has been exciting to work to attract a core team that can help me address the coming needs of this community. while some of us represent the

veteran perspective, the newcomers have brought a fresh enthusiasm and new eyes to this project. i’ll introduce you to some of these folks a little later in this publication. in this issue, you’ll be re-introduced to Jeremy Heft, our seasoned Biologist and Site Manager. You’ll meet Jessica Collins, an assistant to the biologist and “jill” of all trades. Her help has far exceeded the call of the wild. You’ll also be introduced to Lori Prichard who, as the person in charge of Gift Services and reservations, has made herself indispensable by helping our organization express our gratitude to each of you. Lori is the one who makes sure you receive some of the fun items we promote. As of this week, you’ll have an opportunity to meet Steve Urke, an avid canine lover who will put his logistics and inventory management systems skills to work and help us create a viable revenue stream through merchandise sales. each of these people brings an important perspective and talent to this program. with each passing season, we

It’s never a challenge to be proud of our

staff...

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SL President’s Letter

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learn more about helping the public understand complex issues and why we should all be invested in the outcomes. But, we also learn more about the importance of our own survival during a time of tough competition for resources. while we focus on the practical function of caring for the Owyhee Pack and the facility management, i clearly realize that a future in advocacy for top predators requires that we address some of the changing media and trends that exists today.

the most obvious accomplishment over the past year was the completion of Sawtooth Legacy Films’ first installment of The Great Wolf Divide: A Predator’s Dilemma. it was my goal to pay tribute to the Sawtooth Pack: Wolves of the Nez Perce and their dedicated supporters, many of whom have supported this outreach since the very beginning. One supporter has not missed a monthly $10 installment in 18 years. remarkable! i hope you “old-timers” feel the love and appreciation we hoped to convey in the video. if you haven’t already watched it, please do so soon. it’s earning us new friends. Beyond paying respect to the elder eight and the pups, we wanted to explore the divided attitudes toward this species throughout the west and around the world. As we continue to speak with people around the globe, we find many cultures have faced this same dilemma. while

the video states it is a predator’s dilemma, it is clearly a human dilemma. For this reason, our team agreed that bringing back Sawtooth Legacy Quarterly (SLQ) was necessary, as a valuable tool of education and understanding. i’m especially inspired by this publication as it profiles the breadth of our work. this particular issue shows you our growth as an organization -- growth i’ve been blessed to achieve with our team’s hard work and your continued confidence. i’m so proud of this team’s dedication and sacrifice. You all inspire me to work harder for my team, our animals, and each and every one of you who support us. thank you for making our “werC” possible.

warm regards,Chris Anderson, President

Connect with us at Facebook.com/wolfCenter, Facebook.com/SawtoothLegacy, Facebook.com/OwyheePack,or personally at Linkedin.com/in/ccanderson.

See more on Page 26

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Many of them, such as the creation of Sawtooth Legacy Films, the bring-back of this Quarterly, and our ongoing social media success (310,000 followers at last count) are the most obvious. But some

less obvious and possibly more profound howls include the following:

n Adoption of the film, Gray Area:

Wolves of the Southwest

n Southwest Gray wolf recovery

Outreach and education

n Upcoming events in regional

cities premiering The Great Wolf

Divide

n increased interest and

developments of the Cascades

Apex Predator Center

n Adoption of a merchandise

development plan and

management

n return of the RadioWild

Blogtalkradio program on

thanksgiving Day and the

first Monday of each month

thereafter

It’s an exciting time to be a Wolf Camp Supporter!

What will you choose to engage in this year?

What is WERC Howling About?

n 2015 Summer Celebration featuring documentary presently in development titled “The Great Predator Debate”n An ever-expanding website featuring videos and educational materialn Wild Artists Guild core leadership team emerging and planning February 2015 Kick-off Gala with premier of the Great wolf Divide

n exciting new adoption choices with the ability to sponsor schools and individualsn Planning for the ABCs: Advocate Boot Camps

SL

We at the Wolf Education & Research Center, are howling about some very exciting developments!

Order your 2015-16 calendar by visiting

wolfcenter.org today!

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SL Meet the team

Chris Anderson

Meet the Team 2015werC is excited to introduce you to our team of long-time staff members, dedicated advocates, and selfless volunteers. Get to know these key players of the organization through these brief bios. Join us in recognizing these few key individuals for their long-term efforts that make our organization work.

My name is Chris Anderson. Beginning in 2006, i served as Consultant to the werC Board of Directors and executive Director. i began running the organization as President in 2011. Previous to 2005, besides my children taking me to a washington wolf sanctuary for Father’s Day, i had no previous exposure or thoughts about wolves. Like many people, i found them to be mysterious and beautiful, but i had many subtle and conflicting thoughts concerning them. i saw them as dangerous and to be feared by humans and their tasty prey. Dialoguing about wolves and top predators consumes me and has to be one of the most satisfying activities i engage in. if i weren’t educating the public about wolves, i probably would be spending a lot of time at the wSU raptor Club learning about the rehabilitation of raptors. Birds of prey fascinate me for many of the same reasons that wolves do. if i could communicate one message to our supporters, it would be this reality: the world is watching and depending on us to get these issues and attitudes right. the precedent we set impacts many cultures who respect, study and mimic our actions. Our vigilance and resolve must be steady and, while respectful to other opinions (or more commonly--no opinions) we must be free of judgement and be inspiring so that we ignite the passion in others for the benefit of all creatures without a voice, both human and otherwise.

Chris AndersonWERC President

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Meet the team SL

Jessica Collins

Jeremy Heft

i am the Biologist and wolf Camp Director for the wolf education and research Center. i have been with werC for the past 17 years, beginning my tenure as an intern in 1997. i later assumed full management responsibilities of the Sawtooth Pack in 1998. i have lived in wolf Camp during this entire tenure in a rustic cabin without electricity or plumbing in order to be near the captive packs for constant monitoring of their health and security. i received a Bachelor of Science Degree in environmental Biology from Kutztown State University, in my home state of Pennsylvania. My fascination with wolves began as a teenager, and i have been studying all aspects of wolves since. i am particularly interested in the complex social structure of wolf packs. in addition to wolves, i enjoy studying large predators and their interactions with humans. Being a former marine biologist, i am very much a beach bum at heart. the most rewarding aspect of working for werC is the relationship i maintained with the individuals of the Sawtooth Pack. each wolf was unique, and the feeling of being accepted into each of their lives as their “alpha-human” has been a spiritual experience.

i am the Assistant Biologist at werC. i originally started at werC in 2005 as an intern. After my internship i went back to Arkansas tech University and graduated with a Bachelors in Fisheries and wildlife Biology. i returned to volunteer in March of 2012 then returned for good in December of 2012. For as long as i can remember, i have wanted to work with wolves. when i was little and teachers would ask what i wanted to be when i grew up i always said i wanted to play with wolves. the most rewarding aspect of my job is daily interactions with the wolves and seeing how they interact with each other. Also, i enjoy talking to people about wolves and being able to see the change in people when they look at wolves in a new light. if i wasn’t able to work with wolves then i would enjoy working with other large carnivores. i like to study the social interactions of large

Jeremy HeftBiologist/Sanctuary Manager

Jessica CollinsAssistant Biologist

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SL Meet the team

Lori Pritchard

Alan Lacy

carnivores, both con-specific and between carnivores and their prey animals. For those that support everyone and the animals here at werC i would like to say thank you. without your support i wouldn’t have a chance to do something that i love and have always wanted to do with my life.

My name is Lori Prichard and i’ve been fortunate enough to be friends with werC for more than three years. My passion for wolves began when our family visited a Southern California wolf sanctuary over 15 years ago. My children’s (and my husband’s) deep fascination and admiration was contagious and we have been avid wolf enthusiasts ever since. From a young age, i have been a wild animal lover but wolves have found a special place in my heart. i’ve been blessed with many rewarding experiences over the years, i will never get tired of hearing back from supporters who have had the opportunity to visit wolf Camp. their experiences are all unique and with excitement in their voices, they tell how they locked eyes with Kuckuc, or how they could hear them howling driving up to Camp. i am so grateful for the generous supporters and hope each and every one could make a trip to wolf Camp. the Owyhee Pack is waiting for you!

Hello, i’m Alan Lacy. Over the past 3 years i have been making a film on the Mexican gray wolf and have joined forces with the wolf education and research Center this summer. i have had a passion for wildlife as long as i can remember, and have been fascinated with large predators in particular. i’ve been a volunteer at a wildlife rehabilitation center in Arizona and have worked closely with bears, mountain lions, and, most importantly, wolves. i believe in the importance of educating people on the facts about wolves and other large predators. this is what

Jessica Collins, cont.

Lori PritchardGift Services/Reservations

Alan LacyMexican Gray Wolf Education

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Meet the team SL

Steve Urke

i find the most rewarding in working towards the goals and mission of werC. i find it extremely rewarding when the work you have done inspires someone else to take action and get involved. i have learned a lot about wolves, however, i’ve learned more about how you can make a difference by putting words into action and believing in yourself. For anyone who supports our mission, i want to thank you, but i also want to challenge you. i want to challenge you to consider making a difference towards a better future. not just for wolves, but for all species: us included. no matter how small or large the impact is, it is important! inspire someone else to get involved in some capacity! what greater legacy could you ask for?

My name is Steve Urke and i am a friend of werC through my long-term friendship with President Chris Anderson. He has persuaded me to ‘walk my talk’ in supporting wolf conservation, and i have gladly joined the effort in a consultative role. My passion for wolves truly started with a tremble (bordering on fear) when, as a small child, i would ask my mother to play our copy of tchaikovsky’s ‘Peter and the wolf’ LP record on our rCA phonograph. Usually this was late at night when i couldn’t sleep, so listening to this work in the dark while being rocked in her lap, was the only place i could feel safe enough to listen. if you’ve ever heard it, then you know that the composer did a brilliant job of matching the sound of an orchestral instrument to each animal character in the story. if she would’ve let me, i would replay it again and again until finally i would wear out, be put back to bed, and dream that i was Peter and reenact the whole story, dramatic soundtrack included! Since that time my initial fear of wolves has matured into a healthy respect, which i hope will continue to deepen in my new role. i am anticipating meeting our wolves at werC and getting to meet the Owyhee Pack in person!

Steve UrkeProgram and Logistics

300k + Followers300k + Followers

See more on Page 26

A Howling Year in review

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It’s been an exciting and instructive year to look back on, here at the wolf edu-cation & research Center. Had anyone told me we’d release foxes into the twenty-acre enclosure in the fall of 2014, i’d have chuck-led. Of course, i’d have chuckled with the possibilities. really? Let’s do it! And many visitors excitedly looked through binocu-lars to see our new residents. that’s how the year went, though. it was full of interesting new projects unfold-ing alongside our longer-term and regular activities. Here’s a summary of some of werC’s activities. i’ll also share new areas of opportunity that we are experiencing and considering. earlier in the fall, the wolf education & research Center’s team gathered to iden-tify and state a clear mission and vision for the wolf education & research Center. Already, crafting these couple paragraphs has steered the team with more clarity in our day-to-day activities. A good mission statement will be-come a filter of our priorities. werC’s mission is to provide the high-est quality captive animal care and educa-tion possible and to inspire greater public tolerance and stewardship toward apex

predators. we engage the public to sup-port sustainable relationships with nature to become a social norm. Our vision is a growing community which works toward a more sustainable relationship with nature. this is achieved through captive animal care, regional inter-pretive programs, and ongoing develop-ment of contemporary media. we partner with diverse cultures and traditions to build a united and stronger future for all species. it is interesting how someone recently described the wolf Center to me, following a conversation about other similar sanc-tuaries. He described several other orga-nizations as insular. their activities were

WhatCA lookin’ at?

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A Howling Year in review SL

focused on bringing people to them. werC, similarly, does that, but with an added ob-jective of directing others toward other groups at the same time. And he’s right. we work hard to suggest that our friends for wolves visit any sanctuary to deepen their understanding of why top predators are critical to protect. it’s truly about creating community and, sometimes, that happens to the benefit of our peers. when we began 2014, we did so with one full-time staff member assisted by another. Jeremy Heft has taken respon-sibility for caring for 300 acres since 1998. while one would assume that his work got lighter with the emptying of the enclo-sure that was home to the Sawtooth Pack: wolves of the nez Perce, it just doesn’t work that way. thankfully, Jeremy has some backup in Jessica Collins who helps with the enclosure walks, fallen tree main-tenance, driveways that need graveling, fence lines that need mending, and a yurt that needs a decking and a roof. there is constant repair work to the Visitor’s Center -- too much to describe briefly. Jeremy and Jessica do all this -- in addition to caring for

the Owyhee Pack with the dedication of a parent. A good parent, that is. together Jeremy and Jessica keep the property buttoned up and their work is the core of our purpose. with the help of our summer interns, a smattering of volunteers and one multi-tasking assistant, Jeremy, as our staff biologist and sanctuary man-ager, is one of the most respected in the business. Additionally, Jeremy’s continued, excellent care for our wolves, the Owyhee Pack, has earned him admiration from sup-porters and respect from his peers in biolo-gy and beyond. the four remaining wolves thrive under his high standards of care. Our onsite summer visitation and trav-eling outreach level was as high as it’s been in recent years, reaching more than 3,400 guests. Partnerships with regional parks and educational facilities proved again that

our work in idaho is far from over. interestingly enough, this was one of Jeremy’s commentaries in the docu-mentary The Great Wolf Divide. it’s true. Our work, while an uphill climb, is far from over and not with-out momentum. Consider

this: we accomplish this terrific result in the heart of hostile and anti-wolf territory. while we have many friends locally, it’s safe to assume that largely, idahoans are not excited about our presence. this is part of what makes our accomplishment so pro-found. we rang in 2014 by planning for two major projects, followed by the re-intro-duction of a third. early on, werC leader-ship adopted a project titled Sawtooth Legacy Films, an enterprise to build in-terest on the subject of wolves and other predators while revealing some of the chal-lenges that the public perceives. My initial

A good mission statement will

become a filter of our priorities.

Visitors learn about wolves under the attentive

eye of Jeremy (Upper left). Providing accurate

information to a curious public is a large part of

our mission.

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SL A Howling Year in review

interest was to pay homage to the Saw-tooth Pack: wolves of the nez Perce and their faithful supporters, many of whom have migrated their support over to the Owyhee Pack with much enthusiasm. the outcome of that video has been remarkably positive and the public re-sponse has affirmed our follow-up efforts (described later in this quarterly). it is clear that Sawtooth Legacy Films is exciting our base. it’s fascinating and encouraging to witness the level of interest from the film and production community, best depicted by the addition of Alan Lacy to our team. Alan’s work with the Last Pack, in the form of his important film Gray Area, has been a great adoption by werC. His contributions to our audience are very significant. it should be noted that, with Alan’s help, werC is bringing back our Blog-talkradio show titled radiowild, a 30-min-ute monthly discussion about conservation and enterprise. Our leadership does not think that those two pursuits are mutually

exclusive. we will be engaging with guests ranging from our own team members to leaders in industry who practice predator-friendly production to public figures who can share their experiences with our public. we introduced radiowild on thanksgiving Day 2014 and the first Monday of Decem-ber, but you can catch it via our website. Look for the radiowild icon to find past episodes. it’s a great way to introduce oth-ers to your passion for our work. Another developing project includes exploring the feasibility of an Apex Preda-tor Park that focuses on four iconic species. the concept includes providing regional transitional rehabilitation and residency to animals who require care or observation, including animal husbandry for endan-gered or threatened species. every region-al rehabilitation center is overwhelmed by the sheer volume of opportunity from a caring public. Our short list includes raptors, cats, bears, and wolves from the Pacific north-west whose presence often creates polar-izing debates among their human neigh-bors. the objective of this exploration is to determine if we can secure property, build a world class exhibit, add other at-tractions and revenues from art exhibits, merchandise sales, an event venue, and

Below is a projection of werC’s fundraising and sales goals. we receive about 92% of our funding from private donations, matching gifts, and bequests. Our objective is to increase the sales of DVDS, t-shirts and other merchandise. to that end, we have enlisted the part-time help of an inventory specialist. 2014 brought a net addition of 314 donors (about a 10% increase). new merchandising efforts will help us capitalize our steadily-expanding donor base.

PROJECTED 2015 BUDGET: $164,600 Payroll ........................................... $108,000 intern experience ..........................$4,800 insurances .........................................$7,800 wolf Care Plan .............................. $12,000 internet, Phones, & Utilities .......$6,000 new Media & Outreach (SLQ, Mailings, DVD).........................$22,000 Graphic Design & Layout ............$4,000

REVENUE STREAMS IN 2015 TO RAISE $164,600 Subscriptions, Merchandise & Promotions ..........................$24,300 Donations & wolf Adoptions .................$140,300

FUNDING DISCUSSION

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A Howling Year in review SL

even a retreat center for travelers while continuing our legacy of captive and tran-sitional animal care. All this in the context of exposing a curious public to these iconic species while revealing our earliest human history of hunting, where we emulated our competition to modern hunting, where we often eliminate our competition. Our hope is that this park will locate within 45 minutes of a major northwest city, such as Portland, Oregon, and in a center of tourism where sales and memberships will lighten the burden of a generous dona-tion effort. the timeline for this project is essentially the life of the Owyhee Pack. As they leave their home in death, we hope to emerge on the other side with a solid plan for a more impactful future. Finally, among the projects werC is re-storing to our lineup, there is the Sawtooth Legacy Quarterly. Stretched resources re-quired the suspension of it a couple years ago. After three years of leveraging social

media, gaining anchor supporters who fund about 15% of our budget, introduc-ing better communications, and even sus-pending my own position and working as a volunteer to keep the werC legacy alive, i’m excited to say that the efforts worked. the fact you’re holding this important pro-duction in your hand is a testament of your faithfulness and our team’s vigilance and determination. i’m very proud of this issue and, in it, you’ll meet our growing team. Going forward, our team will con-tinue to work hard to motivate the public through any means possible. whether it is through documentaries, magazines, so-cial media, or our favorite --- getting face to face with an actual wolf, we are excited about the future of werC. we are commit-ted, as your ambassadors to our shared mission, to providing the highest quality captive animal care and education possible and inspiring greater public tolerance and stewardship toward apex predators.

As the Mexican wolf continues towards its recovery, its future remains in the balance between man and nature. At the end of 2013, eighty-three wild-born Mexican wolves roamed the Blue range wolf recovery Area (BrwrA) of Arizona and new Mexico. the BrwrA is an area nearly twice the size of Yellowstone national Park, comprising roughly 4.4 million acres of forest, grasslands, and meadows. the wolves share this landscape with a variety of human activities such as hunting, camping, ranching, farming, and hiking, as nearly all of this area is on public land. Currently wolves are restricted to remain inside the boundaries of the BrwrA, which means as the number of wolves increases, so do the number of human and wolf conflicts. recent proposals by the US Fish and wildlife Service may offer a temporary reprieve from the current situation however.

Article - Future of the Lobo

by Alan P. LacySW Wolf Recovery

Outreach

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SL eD Letter

The Future

wolves require a significant amount of space in order to survive and thrive in the wild. they can travel great distances in a day, sometimes up to 30 miles. they are continually patrolling their territories, which can be anywhere from 50 square miles to several hundred square miles in size, depending on prey availability. in the BrwrA, there are currently eighteen packs of Mexican wolves, and five single wolves dispersed throughout the recovery area. As their numbers continue to increase, more and more wolves will cross the boundaries and leave the recovery area to establish new territories. However, due to the current rules in place, any wolf that leaves the recovery area must be captured and either returned back inside the BrwrA, or placed into captivity. this has become one of the biggest challenges for wildlife managers in dealing with the

Research has produced some surprising and

relevant information about the role of

wolves throughout the West and its

ecosystems.

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eD Letter SL

of the Lobo

wild population of Mexican wolves. Anytime biologists need to capture a wolf there are inherent risks that must be taken into account, such as terrain, accessibility, how to capture the animal, and the health and safety of the animal itself. with the population of wolves expanding, this means biologists are faced with a growing problem of keeping the wolves inside the boundaries of the BrwrA. every day, members of the interagency Field team for the US Fish and wildlife Service monitor the movements of each pack on the ground. they use both GPS and radio telemetry to determine the exact locations of the wolves they have set out to locate. Additionally, every week a biologists flies over the entire recovery area, acquiring the signals from all the active radio collars within the population of wolves. these techniques help them track the daily movements of each pack. the hope is that the wolves will remain inside the BrwrA, thus preventing any risks associated with capturing. this close monitoring is also helpful in protecting livestock from potential predation by wolves. the recovery area, in essence, has become

too small for the number of wolves currently within its boundaries. this has also created additional worries for biologists, as it means that wolves are more likely to encounter human activities. wolves are a top predator, which means they can and do take livestock as prey on occasion. this has ranchers concerned and worried that as the number of wolves increase inside the recovery area, so will their

losses. For some ranchers the loss of just a few head of cattle can be devastating to them financially, therefore it is important that they implement pro-active techniques to help ward off any potential predation events. these tools, such as range riders, fladry, turbo fladry, radio Activated Guard boxes, pasture rotations, and

carcass removals can significantly help reduce or even eliminate depredations by wolves. the BrwrA is different than other regions where wolves have been reintroduced to the wild. Mexican wolves are not protected by the boundaries of the recovery area like wolves are in Yellowstone national Park. wildlife receive a much higher level of protection in the national Park system, as hunting and cattle grazing are not permitted. the BrwrA,

“Wolves require a significant amount of space in order to

survive and thrive...”

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SL the Future of the Lobo

Far Left: Range riders help protect

herds of cattle while they graze.

Middle Left: Radio Activated Guard

Boxes, a.k.a. RAG Boxes, make loud

sounds and flash lights to scare

trespassing predators.

Left: Dogs can deter wolves by simply

being present amoung livestock.

however, consists of national Forest Service Lands comprising of both the Apache and Gila national Forests. For Mexican wolves this means that cattle are permitted to graze on these lands, and hunting is allowed for various species (Mexican wolves are excluded, still protected by the eSA). Because national Parks are protected this way, they become a safe haven for many wildlife species. For wolves, Yellowstone has become a source population, a ground zero of wolf recovery in the rocky Mountain ecoregion. in Arizona and new Mexico, elk and deer compete with cattle for forage, and wolves often get caught in the middle of the conflict between protecting cattle or protecting an endangered species. Mexican wolves are considered an experimental nonessential population. this means that even though they are listed under the endangered Species Act (eSA) and are protected, they do not have full protection under the eSA. this was set up in order to accommodate local businesses and residents who oppose wolf reintroduction by allowing a little more flexibility when managing this species. the experimental designation under the eSA is often referred to as 10j rules. the US Fish and wildlife Service’s website describes the experimental population status as such:(See Sidebar A)

“An experimental population is a geographically described group of reintroduced plants or animals that is isolated from other existing populations of the species. Members of the experimental population are considered to be threatened under the ESA, and thus can have special regulations written for them under section 4(d). In addition, if the experimental population is determined to be “nonessential” to the survival of the species, for some activities the experimental population is treated like a species that is proposed for listing as threatened or endangered. In other words, the nonessential experimental population is not given the full protections of the ESA.”

Sidebar A

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the Future of the Lobo SL

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SL the Future of the Lobo

ArizonaNew

Mexico

Texas

Mexico

Flagstaff

Phoenix

Silver City

Las Cruces

El Paso

Gallup

Albuquerque40

10

10

10

25

19

40 40

93

26 70

146

60/89

81

285

285

54506

Revised MWEPA Boundary

Zone 1 Zone 2

Zone 3Fort Apache Indian Reservation 10050250

MilesScale

Proposed Increased Range to the MWEPA Boundary

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the Future of the Lobo SL

ArizonaNew

Mexico

Texas

Mexico

Flagstaff

Phoenix

Silver City

Las Cruces

El Paso

Gallup

Albuquerque40

10

10

10

25

19

40 40

93

26 70

146

60/89

81

285

285

54506

Revised MWEPA Boundary

Zone 1 Zone 2

Zone 3Fort Apache Indian Reservation 10050250

MilesScale

the 10j rule for the Mexican wolf reintroduction Program has recently received a lot of attention from both sides of the wolf issue. this is mainly in part to the proposed revisions to the 10j rule itself by the US Fish and wildlife Service (USFwS). two of the most prominent changes include increasing the boundary of the recovery area itself to encompass a much larger area. this new boundary would run from the i-40 along northern Arizona and northern new Mexico all the way to the Mexican border, giving Mexican wolves more freedom to disperse to more suitable habitat. this new area would be called the Mexican wolf experimental Population Area (MwePA), and the Blue range wolf recovery Area (BrwrA) would no longer be used. the other important component is the designation of three separate zones within this new boundary that establish how Mexican wolves will be managed. Zone 1 would allow for initial releases or translocations of wolves to take place throughout all of the Apache-Sitgreaves, and Gila national Forests, and sections of the tonto and Cibola national Forest. Zone 2 would be an area where Mexican wolves can naturally disperse or be translocated, and encompasses suitable habitat across Central Arizona and Central

new Mexico. Zone 3 would be managed slightly differently, only allowing wolves to disperse naturally into these areas, and managed more heavily considering it is less suitable habitat. One new area of the proposed revision, is the addition of a permitting process in which the appropriate designated department can issue a permit to a domestic

animal owner to legally take a wolf or wolves based upon the specifications of the permit on any non-federal lands. in other words, officials may determine that a wolf needs to be removed and can issue a permit to an owner of domestic livestock for a specific period of days to legally hunt and take a Mexican wolf in reaction to a depredation event if the wolves are not on federal lands. it also allows for wildlife managers to lethally remove wolves if ungulate populations begin to decline below ideal numbers in attempts to boost the ungulate populations. Mexican wolf advocates strongly support the extension of the boundaries, allowing for a greater area for wolves to recover, while ranchers and other locals strongly oppose this new proposed rule change to the 10j rule. Advocates wish however, that Mexican wolves could be allowed to recover without the definition of specific boundaries. ranchers and locals are supportive of the new measures which allow for the lethal take of wolves that become a problem, however wolf advocates oppose these new changes strongly, believing it could result in another downturn in the overall population of Mexican wolves. Some even fear it could prove fatal to the overall survival of the Mexican wolf itself.

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SL the Future of the Lobo

Biologists from the Arizona

Game and Fish Department

release a young Mexican Wolf

back in to its natural habitat.

Another key element to this new proposal is the listing of the Mexican wolf under the endangered Species Act itself. the US Fish and wildlife Service has proposed to de-list all wolves in the US from the endangered Species Act, except for the population of Mexican wolves in the Southwest. they would re-list Mexican wolves as endangered under the 10j rule as an experimental, nonessential population. it’s important to note that Mexican wolves have been operating off of a 1982 recovery plan, and the old 10j rule from

1998 since their reintroduction into the wild. these measures only intended to prevent the Mexican wolf from going extinct rather than defining steps towards full recovery. Several hearings have taken place during 2013 and again in 2014. these hearings allowed for both sides of the issue to voice their concerns about the proposed rule changes to the 10j rule. At some of the hearings, emotions ran high on both sides. wolves are a highly polarizing species, often evoking

strong feelings out of both parties. these hearings listened to the concerns expressed by both parties, along with the thousands upon thousands of public comments on the proposed rule changes posted online. the US Fish and wildlife Service is expected to make a ruling on this later in 2015. the future of the Mexican wolf remains in the balance of human hands. As their numbers continue to increase, and they push into new expanded territory, we must also expand our minds to learning how to live with

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the Future of the Lobo SL

Courtesy AZGFD

With continued efforts of advocacy and

population management, this beautiful apex

predator has a chance to recover and thrive.

apex predators such as wolves, bears, and mountain lions. wilderness cannot be wild without that which makes it wild. Mexican wolves will continue to populate the land if we allow them to behave naturally. it is exciting to think that soon these wolves may have an opportunity to inhabit areas they once thrived in over 100 years ago if these new proposed rule changes take effect. the question is, will we let them?

references:

“LittLe KnOwn BUt iMPOrtAnt FeAtUreS.” www.fws.com. US Fish and wildlife Service, 1 Jan. 2014. web. 1 Jan. 2014. <http://www.fws.gov/pacific/news/grizzly/esafacts.htm>.

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SL the Future of the Lobo

December 1, 2014 marks my 17 year anniversary with werC! there have been many ups and downs through the years working for werC, but one part of the job has remained relatively constant the entire time — wolf Camp. For those who have never visited our remote outpost (and there are many who have never seen Camp, due to high security for many of the early years), i’ll attempt to paint a picture of life in Camp. First, why have a camp? well, since we lease the site from the nez Perce tribe, there are certain restrictions we adhere to, one of which is no further permanent structures built. the Visitor Center and my cabin were built when the compound was developed in 1996, and since that time every other resident in Camp has survived in a tent. in addition to my quaint cabin, there are four resident tents, one of which is where Jessica resides. the other three are occupied by interns in the summer…and squirrels in the off season! there is our Cookshed, where interns and Jessica store and prepare food. it is the social meeting area of Camp. A yurt also resides in Camp and is typically used by visiting ViPs of the organization. in addition, a small shed housing fencing supplies and

Another Year in wolf Camp

by Jeremy Heft Biologist/

Sanctuary Manager

21

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Another Year in wolf Camp SL

See more on page 29, OR-

visit at: www.wolfcenter.org

tools is at the center of the work area. Finally, the all important outhouse, that we call “Big Bear”, is located in the center of the living area. now, what makes our living situation rustic, and more of an adventure rather than pleasure, is the fact that we have no electricity, plumbing, or consistent phone service. Sound like a fun place to live? Maybe in the summer, but try it in winter, with snow depths reaching 5 feet and temperatures plummeting to -20F! thankfully, 2014 began with only an average- weather winter, where temperatures were relatively moderate for most of the season, and snow depths did not exceed three feet at any given time. Of course, the wolves love winter, the season when they are the most energetic and undergo their breeding routines. even though the Owyhee Pack only consists of females now, they still are affected by the natural hormone upswing from January to March. this time of the year is by far the most dominant-oriented within the hierarchy of wolves, where they are engineered to compete for the right to breed. traditionally, Xayxayx and Kuckuc both significantly increase their dominance posturing, however for the past two years both females have been relatively subdued with dominance. there are two leading theories why this change has occurred. First, it is possible that the lack of males within the pack has caused the females to not compete for rank. Or, secondly, the girls have just reached the age where hormones do not have as significant of an impact on their behavior. i tend to believe the latter is the most likely cause of the recent mellow breeding seasons. then, spring finally arrived and we prepared for the summer by hiring our intern crew in February for the upcoming summer. we were pleased with our summer interns this year, and be sure to read more about them in a separate article within this issue. the spring season is typically very short here, when the snow and ice gives way to mud for a month or so before the wildflowers of summer rise. this is a busy time for us to prepare the site for summer

Top: Our Interns experience

rustic living conditions, while

gaining valuable work and life

experience.

Middle: Home sweet home

found inside one of our four on

premises Intern tents.

Right: Wolves are more

energetic during winter time as

Xayxayx (left wolf) and the late

Himtuuqin (right wolf) display.

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SL Another Year in wolf Camp

visitation and repair the damage of winter. Painting signs, repairing decks, and wood chipping trails are all typical duties for this time, and this past spring was par for the course. Spring is a low energy time for wolves as they sleep off the rigors of winter and the breeding season. thus, they do not require as much attention during this season, which allows us to prepare to accommodate all the humans that will be visiting us soon. Before we knew it, the summer interns arrived in May and summer began. Since about 80 percent of our annual visitation occurs over the three summer months, plus a multitude of off-site programs are also performed, summer can be a very hectic time of teaching. we literally run educational programs seven days a week for long hours of the day to reach an average of 3,000 people each summer. in addition to educational programs, some of the aging infrastructure inevitably breaks down and needs replacing immediately in order to continue hosting the constant influx of visitors. in addition to all the usual tasks of summer, we also accomplished a major upgrade to all of our interpretive trail signage this year. the old signage had faded beyond recognition, so was replaced with new prints that required mounting and posting. Once completed, the trails looked much better and more informative. we were fortunate enough to have two visitor species around Camp this summer, one planned, and the other

The below image will be featured in our

2015-16 calendar. Visit wolfcenter.org to order yours today!

Another Year in wolf Camp SL

Below: A close up of the Wolf

Camp’s new, crafty residents.

Right: When ready, they will

make their way into the wild

to live out their lives as nature

intended.

unexpected. First, in May, two black bears made their presence known around Camp by knocking over our recycling receptacles and then stealing a small amount of wolf food that was thawing outside from frozen storage. One of the bears was a small yearling, who was very inquisitive of the intern tents, and the other was a large sow (female), who typically kept her distance. it is unknown if the two bears were related (possibly mother and sub-adult offspring?), however the two were never observed together. thankfully, this meant the potential mother was not guarding the youngster anymore, which is about the only time a black bear could be dangerous toward humans. Both bears moved on without any incidents and have not been seen since mid-summer. then, our invited guests arrived in July. wolf Camp became home to three orphaned young red foxes in July as we assisted washington State University Veterinary teaching Hospital (wSU) in rehabilitating these kits for placement back into the wild. the four month old foxes were previously given to wSU after being taken out of the wild prematurely by a good-meaning family. wSU Vet Med nursed them back to proper health, but does not maintain a large enough enclosure to “train” them to be

SL Another Year in wolf Camp

wild, so werC was contacted. we have a long history of cooperating with the exotics Department of wSU Vet Med, especially since our attending veterinarian, Dr. nicky Finch, is also the head of the exotics Department. together, our plan was to release the young foxes into the vacant 20-acre enclosure, feed and provide water, and protect them for a couple months until they were ready for life in the wild. this plan was immediately revised only hours after the release when we realized our large enclosure was not fox-proof. All three foxes escaped the

enclosure quickly; however all remained nearby and made their first wild home within our Camp. we fed them every couple days at first, but weaned them off to about once a week by October. they took up residence under one of the intern tents and under our maintenance shed, and dug small holes all over our trails and roads! it was a common sight to see one of them run across Camp, and the resident interns loved living side by side the novice foxes. As of October, sightings of the foxes had greatly diminished, and it is believed at least one has probably moved on away from our area. we will steadily decrease their feedings as winter sets in, as we attempt to make them find their own food and venture on. this always was the goal, so although it is sad to say goodbye, we are proud to have assisted them back into the wild. As the temperatures cooled and the sun lowered on the horizon, the interns departed and headed back to college, and the human visitors became less frequent as we welcomed autumn. the site moves from hectic-busy to nearly empty in about one week’s time after school begins. Both the staff and wolves collectively take a deep breath and change gears to head back into winter. the Visitor Center is closed up and winterized. All trail signs must be covered to preserve them from the harsh winter elements, as well. this is also the time of year for maintenance on the enclosures, such as removing the old bones that have collected all summer. we still perform some school group presentations on the site, in between buckling down the

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Another Year in wolf Camp SL

hatches for the onslaught of snow and cold. As you can see, there is no dull season in wolf Camp—something is always going on or needing done. this may be why the past 17 years have seemingly flown by for this “old intern” who became stuck here back in 1998. As i have always told the interns — this is not just a job, but rather an adventure. it certainly has been an adventure in the past year, as usual. i am not sure how many more years in Camp i have left in me, but one thing is for sure — i’ll live them to the fullest, just like i set out to do 17 years ago.

Hard work and a good attitude

are required toward the “mildly”

gruesome cleanup task.

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26

Why exactly might one join WERC on Facebook? we give a daily dose of educational information about wolves and other fascinating and beautiful species. we administrate three pages that have different areas of focus. Our main page is the wolf Center wall. it has over 310,000 followers from around the globe. it’s the kitchen sink and often includes inspirational messages, challenges to our convention, and, of course, education about wolves. the next page, the Sawtooth Legacy page, serves the dual purpose of paying tribute to the Sawtooth Pack while moving forward with Legacy projects such as the films. And finally, our Owyhee Pack page is our staff page where daily happenings and educational thoughts emerge onto your screen. why is a Facebook page important? For starters, it’s a free medium. we don’t pay to reach tens of thousands of people with a positive educational message that happens to be centered on wolves. this form of social media also produces results that lighten our supporters’ financial burden. when we faced dire financial circumstances in 2008, it was the introduction of social media that brought in new revenue. today about 20% of our budget can be traced back to such promotions and challenges. As we learn to use the medium better, that number will continue to grow, allowing us to add important outreaches and projects that meet a growing curiosity about wolves. Check us out. Like us today. And if not, we’ll still like you the old-fashioned way.

Like us on Facebook

SL Another Year in wolf Camp

Each summer the Wolf Center has three interns who join us for the season. During the summer interns interact with the visitors that come to learn at the wolf Center. Some of the ways interns teach visitors include giving tours, answering questions, and doing programs outside of the wolf Center. interns also work daily with the captive wolves doing health and wellness checks. Another part of the internship includes building and maintenance of the facility’s interpretive signs and trail system. this past summer, we had three interns working with us to help reach more visitors with our message about wolves. the three interns: emily Clark, Kate williams, and Amy Fontaine joined us from all over the United States. each intern had their own favorite part of their internship. For emily, hers was the alone time she spent with the wolves and being able to watch them interact together. Most of all, emily enjoyed teaching the public about wolves. She says, “if just one person’s mind changed because of me, that’s awesome.” For Kate, the parts of her internship that she best enjoyed were learning and experiencing wolf behavior and

Intern experience

by Jessica CollinsAssistant Biologist

2014

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intern experieince 2014 SL

See more on Page 32

Emily Clark

Kate Williams

Amy Fontaine

talking to people about wolf issues, “My favorite part was watching people think about what we were saying.” For Amy, she most enjoyed the interaction and time spent with the wolves. the time she spent doing health and welfare checks on the captive wolves allowed her to get to know each wolf individually. Another favorite part of Amy’s internship, aside from the camping, was the interactions with visitors. “i loved meeting people from a lot of places with a diversity of perspectives and hearing their stories,” said Amy.

Whether guiding tours along the paths of

the WERC property, or helping our guests

inside our Visitors Center, being available

for questions is an important part of an

intern’s tasks.

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SL intern experieince 2014

29

W O L F C E N T E R A D O P T I O N P R O G R A M

Visit our website to see photographs of each wolf. Adopt one of the Owyhee Pack, or ALL of them!$165,000Caring for four ambassador wolves costs nearly $165,000,

including their health and upkeep, food that is not donated, and the maintenance of the wolf Camp. You can make a significant impact in our programs by adopting one or all of the wolf Center’s wolves. Preserve the legacy of the Sawtooth Pack by giving an adoption to someone or a local classroom.

n Please mail the Adoption or Gift Adoption Packet to the following person, business, or school:Member Number ______________________________________________________Name ________________________________________________________________School/Business ________________________________________________________City ________________________________ State _ Zip _______________________Email _______________________________ Phone (____) ______________________

Please mail completed form with check or money order to: WERC, P.O. Box 12604, Portland, OR 97212 or Visit: www.wolfcenter.org, click on the “Adopt a Wolf ” menu.

Running Homefor

Can you find the

hidden animals in this book,

including the two

on this cover?

by Gail McDiarmid & Marilyn McGee

Illustrated by Durwood Coffey

for

CLICK HERE

29

$100Adopt the Pack • Photo pack of Owyhees 5x7 • SLQ • Choice of 1 Owyhee Pack name t-shirt • “running For Home” Book • Certificate

Yes!

$25Juvenile • Photo pack 5x7 • Wolf plush with name tag • Certificate

Yes! $25Adult • Photo of adopted wolf 5x7 • SLQ • Certificate • 1 free adult admission to werC

Yes!

$50 Yes!

• Poster of history and benefits • DVD • Photo Pack of Owyhee 8x10 • Certificate

Classroom- Juvenile • Piyip photo for each child while supplies last • info kit with individual adoption form and fundraiser challenge

$250 • Photo pack of Owyhee 5x7 • tribute Poster 11x14 • SLQ • running For Home book

Sawtooth Memorial Adoption • DVD • Certificate • Choice of 2 Owyhee name t-shirts • Free admission for a family of 5

Yes! $500 • All 11 wolves photo pack 8x10 • tribute print 16x20 • Choice of 4 Owyhee name t-shirts • Premium Certificate

Sawtooth Memorial Adoption • SLQ • DVD • Free admission for a family of 5 • “running for Home” book

Yes!

See website for more giving opportunities!

www.wolfcenter.org

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SL eD Letter

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Summer Celebration running For HomeThis past season’s Summer Celebration was a weekend to remember. it was intended to be a weekend to premier werC’s Sawtooth Legacy Film titled “the Great wolf Divide: A Predator’s Dilemma,” followed by activities led by dynamic teaching, speaking, and some exciting activities. Some technical difficulties resulted in us emphasizing dynamic teaching, speaking, and some exciting activities. But, by Saturday night, we overcame our tech obstacles and were able to show the video. Some remarkable outcomes were revealed through the difficulty and we discovered many profound and wonderful attributes of our guests and presenters. when one sets aside an hour for a video presentation and the DVD doesn’t work, it’s a tall order to come up with Plan B on the spot. But our leaders are problem- solving miracle workers and before anyone fully realized it, authors Gail McDiarmid and Marilyn McGee were in front, leading singing. there’d have been dancing if they’d

had their way. And the ladies continued to fill in and help in every way possible for the next day and a half. in addition to lending their book’s title, “running for Home,” as

our theme, they continue to be great friends to werC. the winchester Lake State Park staff were remarkable hosts to our 120 guests. they were not only flexible, but allowed our group to take liberty with the parking while we utilized the amphitheater and the Yurt Loop where we prepared a wolf Camp Buffet. the BBQ was vigilantly manned by volunteer Bud Lancaster and werC President Chris Anderson.

we’re pretty sure we fed some people who wandered into a free lunch. that’s okay, though. we’re a friendly bunch. Following lunch, Owl Brand Discovery Kits was on-hand, as was the washington State raptor Club who brought owls to complement the afternoon activity: owl pellet dissection. “that’s the largest group i’ve ever done a dissection with,” described Anderson. “You just have to start the lab with kids. Once they start, human curiosity takes

Running Homefor

Can you find the hidden animals in this book,

including the twoon this cover?

by Gail McDiarmid & Marilyn McGeeIllustrated by Durwood Coffey

for

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SL - winter 2014

Summer Celebration ‘14 SL

over and the rest is history. that’s how education is. with the proper inspiration, good things unfold.” the park staff led an afternoon hike with most of the children, numbering over 60, around winchester Lake. they had the beautiful flora and fauna described in detail. Guests came from as close as Lewiston, idaho and as far away as england to enjoy the festive two-day event. the tierra Vida Community from Pasco, washington joined werC as well. this community development group focuses on leadership development for families and children. we’re excited that they are planning to join us again next year

and have recruited more families to enjoy the retreat where they can learn about wolves and other wildlife challenges. to imagine what role these young people will play in the future of wilderness stewardship makes this event worthwhile. we’ve begun planning the 2015 event for the first full weekend in June and

hope you’ll consider marking your calendar. this year’s event will premier the new production from Sawtooth Legacy Films titled “the Great Predator Debate,” the second in a three-disc series werC is producing. in addition, filmmaker Alan Lacy will bring an update

of “Gray Area and the Sw wolf recovery efforts,” formerly “the Last Pack.” we’re also working with Gail and Marilyn who will be returning for the third consecutive year with their wonderful and contagious teaching. That’s just the start. Look for details and reservation information in the Spring Sawtooth Legacy Quarterly. Plan to join us for our big family reunion!

2015SUMMER

CELEBRATION

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When we began working on a film, we walked beneath the shadows of towering figures that had gone before us. the Sawtooth Pack: wolves of the nez Perce continue to capture the imagination of the public by film and publication alike, long after they’ve departed us. werC’s story and future is the epilogue to those days of filmmaking and the mystique of those eleven wolves. Our motivation with the Great wolf Divide was to pay tribute to the Sawtooth Pack while exposing the paradoxical place wolves find themselves in. not just the United States – the world has a recent history of eliminating many species at an alarming rate. Sawtooth Legacy Film’s goal is to present different perspectives and

find a place for discussion and growth in classrooms, homes — any place where learning is found. Our hope is that every single one of our supporters will view this foundational film. Many have described enthusiasm for our next film that will broaden the discussion to four iconic western predators -- raptors, cats, bears, and, of course, wolves. the backdrop to our entire educational efforts is to make stewardship of the wilderness a social norm. to accomplish that, werC is pursuing new activities that will help us anticipate and contribute to a better future. You’ll see the Sawtooth Legacy Films logo accompany our regular activities. the goal is simple. we will mobilize the public toward greater critical thinking on these

Sawtooth Legacy Films Great Divide Series

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SL - winter 2014

complex issues. You are an important part of that goal. For only $20.00 per school, we’ll mail the DVD and a cover letter describing your sponsorship of this DVD to teachers in your community. Your endorsement is critical and as a community member, you have influence. together, we can direct young minds toward great outcomes on behalf of wolves, other predators, and even humans.

Sawtooth Legacy Films Great Divide Series

Send The Great Wolf Divide and a note to your local schools for only $20! We’ll do all the work!

Contact Info@WolfCenter.org for more details.

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SL - winter 2014

SL Ask the Biologist

by Jeremy Heft, Biologist/Sanctuary Manager

Why doesn’t the Owyhee Pack have puppies?

we accepted the Owyhee Pack from the USDA in April 2008, after they were confiscated

from a backyard where the previous owner was not caring for them properly. A total

of 19 wolves were contained in very small enclosures with inadequate diets. Prior

to the USDA becoming involved in removing the wolves, both the Owyhee County

Sheriff’s Office and idaho Fish and Game attempted to stop the captive wolf operation,

however the laws associated with each agency prevented forcing the owners to cease.

thankfully, idaho Fish and Game convinced the owners to allow the neutering of the

wolves so no new puppies would enter the living conditions. Since the procedure to

castrate a male is much simpler, less invasive, and cheaper; a decision was made to

neuter all males at the “facility”. we do not know exactly when this occurred, however

the procedure was completed at least a year prior to werC accepting the homeless

pack. So when Himtuuqin and Miyooxat of the pack were moved to winchester, both

were already sterilized. the Sawtooth Pack was also unable to breed, however the

procedure was different. the females underwent tubal ligation, which is when the

fallopian tubes are sutured closed, or “tied”. in a way, werC is fortunate the Owyhee

Pack was already neutered; hence we did not spend the resources or create the stress

on them to perform the sterilization ourselves. every responsible captive wolf facility

provides some sort of birth control on their animals because the biotic potential of

wolves is food-dependent.

1.

MiyooxatHimtuuqin

2. What is “biotic potential”?Biotic potential is defined as the number of offspring a mother may produce, given the environmental conditions in which she resides. For wolves, which only reproduce once a year, this means how many wolves can be born into a pack each year. when an individual reaches their full biotic potential, they are able to have the maximum number of offspring. environmental conditions always inhibit the biotic potential of individuals and populations of a species. which primary environmental stress affects the biotic potential varies for each species. For wolves, which are an apex predator, the limiting factor in reproduction, or biotic potential, is food availability. this restriction is common among top predators, and is how populations do not exhaust the local prey supply for the next generation of predators. if this adaptation did not exist, then predators could over- harvest all their prey and crash the herbivore population. By doing so, the future generations of predators would have no prey to eat, causing mass starvation, and would crash themselves. this process is the foundation for the law of nature that predators never completely deplete their prey, even in idaho! Anyway, when in captivity, wolves receive an abundance of food; therefore the pack’s biotic potential would be at maximum, and four to eight puppies could be born to every captive pack every year. Since there remains an overpopulation of captive wolves across the country (remember, the only facility available for housing the Owyhee Pack’s cousins was located in Florida!), allowing an increase of captive-condemned wolves every year would not only be illogical, but arguably unethical as well.

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Ask the Biologist SL

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SL Ask the Biologist

Do we trim the claws of our captive wolves?

no. the claws of wolves are very similar to our fingernails; they are made of keratin and

continuously grow. in wolves, the purpose of the claws is for digging and traction when

running, and besides increasing speed and agility, are not utilized during hunting.

Canines do not attack prey using their claws, rather only use their mouth. Unlike felines,

canine toe nails are stationary and cannot be retracted back into the toe. in the wild and

large captive facilities such as werC, the claws automatically wear down because of

the rough surface the wolves are constantly moving upon. this wearing prevents the

overgrowth of the nails; hence artificially trimming them is not necessary. in contrast,

most dogs do require their nails to be trimmed occasionally. this is due to the soft and

smooth surfaces of the houses that most dogs reside or the lack of exercise off of a

plush grassy lawn for those outside dogs relegated to a backyard. these surfaces do

not wear down the nails sufficiently, hence they continue to grow, and eventually

can cause a painful condition if not trimmed. thankfully, we do not

need to attempt trimming our wolf’s claws — can you imagine

wrestling a wolf to trim nails? Has anyone ever seen a

dog that enjoys nail trimming?

3.

Where do wolves get their water in the winter?Have you ever thought about this question? we recently hosted the 7th grade class from Jenifer Jr. High School, located in Lewiston, idaho (~45 min. north of winchester), and this question arose during

their presentation. At first, it seems like a simple question and answer…however, this is assuming all wolves live in a temperate environment — which they certainly do not! Actually, gray wolves thrive in cold conditions, and some wolves may only see liquid water for a couple months of the year. Here in winchester (north-Central idaho), streams and ponds freeze over in early november and do not thaw until April, and sometimes not even until May! Due to the high sodium content of red meat, wolves do require substantial water to remain healthy, so what is a northern climate wolf to do? the answer is simple — do what every kid who plays in the snow all day does…eat snow! Obviously, snow is just frozen water, so over winter it is a very common sight to see the wolves scooping up a mouthful of snow and eating it. it gets so cold here, that this is the only method the Owyhee Pack obtains water over winter. we attempt to break the ice off their artificial pond, however when the average daily temperature is around 15-20 F, ice forms over the pond before us handlers can even leave the enclosure! Due to the lack of electricity on our remote site, heaters are also not an option. the Sawtooth Pack lived their entire life eating snow all winter, as do most wild wolves, and now the Owyhees do the same.

4.

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Ask the Biologist SL

What is the difference between predator species eyes and prey species eyes?Again, this question was discussed during Jenifer Jr. High’s visit (thanks Ms. Stamper for the ideas!), and i thought it was a very clever question, so it is worth sharing. Perhaps some readers may not even have noticed there is a pronounced difference in the placement of predator eyes versus prey eyes? Ungulates and most herbivore small mammals have their eyes located more so on the sides of their skull, where wolves and other carnivores have their eyes positioned more toward the front of the skull. why? the side placement on the prey’s head allows a widened vision of the surroundings, therefore making it easier to detect predators approaching from all sides. However, this adaptation has its downfalls, particularly that the animal has poor vision immediately in front of them. ever notice that when near a deer directly in front of their nose, they turn their heads to look at you? this poor vision in front of them is the reason. On the contrary, the frontal placement on predators allows for very good stereoscopic vision directly in front of the animal, while inhibiting peripheral vision. wolves and other predators use the close proximity of the eyes to create good depth perception, thus enabling accurate lunging toward the prey and adequate paw to eye coordination. Both eye position adaptations among prey and predators increase the survivability of individuals, therefore benefiting both species as they continue to evolve together.

5.

if you have any questions pertaining to wolves, etc., please let me know so i include them in future segments. Please email me with future questions/topics at: jeremy.heft@wolfcenter.org ~Jeremy Heft Biologist/Sanctuary Manager

olves constantly display hierarchy rank toward one another within their pack structure. Most often, these displays are quite subtle and possibly even go

unnoticed by the untrained eye. Other times, the postur-ing can be intense. the daily life of a wolf revolves around these consistent signals of pack order…even when excret-ing waste from the body! Although possibly not the most pleasant of topics, in wolf language the position an indi-vidual assumes when either urinating or defecating is very important. in this installment, we shall only discuss the less obnoxious category of urination posturing. Perhaps if interest remains, i may address the other category in an

Lesson 18: Urination posturingby Jeremy Heft

Biologist/Sanctuary Manager

W

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SL wolf Behavior 101

39

SL - winter 2014

wolf Behavior 101 SL

upcoming issue? Let me know your thoughts… there are three main postures observed regard-ing urination among wolves. First, the most notorious—the raised Leg Urination (rLU) is when the canine remains standing and simply raises one hind leg straight out to the side. this well known action is indicative of a dominant wolf, and typically only performed by an alpha (male or female), beta-male, or other high-rank wolf. the meaning behind the posture is clear, to exhibit the highest authority of the pack. A raised Leg Urination is also common among intact male dogs…historically, on fire hydrants! why? A dominant canine often chooses pronounced objects within their territory to announce their presence, and exhibit their authority (this is known as Scent Marking—a topic for a future Behavior 101). the second and less-dominant uri-nation posture is the Standing Urination (StU). this behavior is when the wolf re-mains standing and leans forward. Most often, this style is performed by mid-rank wolves, and the meaning is one of neu-trality. Both male and female mid-rank wolves will do a StU to show neutral status within the pack during a social rally. the third posture is known as the Squat Urination (SQU), and is clearly a submissive signal to all pack mates. this occurs when the canine bends both hind legs and

...imagine if humans needed to communicate with their family ...even

when peeing!

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SL - winter 2014

SL wolf Behavior 101

Careful observation of

what posture an individual

wolf assumes while

urinating can tell a biologist

what social rank an animal

holds within a pack.

lowers the rump toward the ground, creating a squat, or sitting position. Usually performed by the omegas, or other low rank members, this style portrays active sub-mission, and the least authority of the pack. it is also very popular among both male and female neutered dogs, as well. there is a variation of the SQU, where the wolf first squats down and then raises one hind leg into the air. this less common style is known as a tripod Urination (trU), and i have only witnessed select alpha-females perform it. Although it is considered a dominant posture, it is more closely related in movement to a SQU. to complicate the issue, these postures are not static within each wolf, but rather change according to the sur-rounding of each particular wolf. For example, a mid-rank wolf may perform a Standing Urination when near an

See more on page 29, OR-

visit at: www.wolfcenter.org

Raised Leg Urination (RLU)

Alpha Posturing

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wolf Behavior 101 SL

alpha-male; however the same wolf may perform a raised Leg Urination when only in the presence of an omega. Since wolves are just like humans in that we all must go at some point, by watching these frequent urination pos-tures, we are able to decipher the relative rank for each pack member easily. Just imagine if humans needed to communicate with their family so extensively that certain postures were required even when peeing! Perhaps you are happy to be human today?

See more on Page 32

Squat Urination (SQU)

Mid-rankPosturing

OmegaPosturing

Standing Urination (STU)

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SL - winter 2014

MeMOriAL DAY-LABOr DAY: Visitor Center opens in Winchester on Fri. and Sat. 12-4 p.m.

Museum of Winchester History opens Fri. & Sat. 12:30-3 p.m.

Summer Events at winchester Lake and wolf education research Center

Memorial Day Services, 11 a.m. Craigmont Cemetery, Craigmont

Here’s some dates to remember. Due to limited space, you’ll have to Google these events but we’ve provided some keywords for you.

Dates to Remember & Sites within Howling Distance

Each year our season for visitors runs between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. Here are some other dates to keep in mind that may help you plan your visit to the panhandle of Idaho.

31 JAN2 0 15

2 MAY

2 0 15

25 MAY

2 0 15

Ice Fishing Derby – winchester Lake State Park

Citywide Yard Sale & Flea Market 7 a.mwinchester and Craigmont

Ice Bowl Fishing Derby, Winchester Lake, 2014

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SL - winter 2014

Dates to remember SL

Craigmont June Picnic & Winchester Lake State Park Fishing

JULY 4 & 5 - 2015 Winchester Days and RodeoCowboy Breakfast; Arts & Crafts; Parade; children’s games; food; 2 p.m. Arena in

the Pines rodeo starts; fireworks over the lake roughly at 10 p.m.; July 5 - 2 p.m. rodeo continue.

JULY 8, 15, 22, 29 2015 Jammin In The Park, Craigmont

WERC Summer Celebration.two-day event featuring entertainment and expertise on the subject of wolves and

other predators

JUNE 2015 - Summer reading program begins with the Prairie river District Library

5-6 JUN2 0 15

27 JUN2 0 15

4-5 JUL2 0 15

8 JUL2 0 15

2015SUMMER

CELEBRATION

See more on Page 30

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RIVER ACTIVITIESHells CanyonDworshak national Fish HatcheryFields Spring State ParkHeller Bar & rogersburgLower Granite Dam

AREA ATTRACTIONSthe nez Perce national Historical ParkConfluence CenterLewis and Clark timeline – Located at the Hells Canyon resort Marina in Clarkston. Lewis Clark Discovery CenterHells Canyon recreational AreaMuseum of winchester HistoryiLO Vollmer Historical SocietyAsotin County Historical Society Museum nez Perce County Historical Society &

Museum the Historical Museum at St. Gertrude

Top: Hells Canyon rafting is always popular.

Right: The Nez Perce National Historical Park

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Area Attractions SL

it seems in the late 1950’s, winchester’s Story was on tV’s “Death Valley Days.” As the televised story goes, Chief Joseph’s band of indians were being chased by the US Cavalry. they had just crossed the Salmon river, (which as the crow flies is about 12 miles from winchester). everyone was frightened and ran to the little outpost with no name. Gathering at the hardware store was the best choice, for it seems that store had gotten a case of new winCHeSter rePeAtinG riFLeS. the owner opened the case and gave everyone a rifle. Chief Joseph heard of the guns at winchester and decided not to come toward the settlers, but went on down the river. So the town was named after the gun.

that was a Great Story. the real Story is not as much fun, but it’s factual. the town of winchester got its name when group of residents gathered at a private home to choose a name. when rifles were counted, it seems there were more winchester rifles being carried than any other rifle. thus the name winchester, after the gun.

BREWERIESthe area surrounding Lewiston and winchester is ripe for craft beer enthusiasts. whether you like a light ale, a rich iPA, or the texture and depth of porters and stouts, here’s some suggestions to get you on the path. Our next issue will list area wineries!

MJ Barleyhopper’s621 21st Street, Lewiston, iD208-746-5300

Riverport Brewing Company150 ninth St., Ste. B, Clarkston, wA509.758.8889www.riverportbrewing.com

Paradise Creek Brewery245 Se Paradise St.Pullman, wA 99163509.338.9463www.paradisecreekbrewery.com

The Moscow Brewing Company630 north Almon Street, Suite #130Moscow, iD 83843208.874.7340www.moscowbrewing.com

Whiskey Barrel Cider Company3431 Airport rd.Pullman, wA 99163www.whiskeybarrelcider.com

Source: Greater Craigmont Area Chamber of Commerce

Fun Facts about Winchester, ID.

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Our mission is to provide the highest quality captive animal care and education possible and inspire greater public tolerance toward

apex predators. We engage the public to support sustainable relationships with nature to become a social norm.

Our vision is a growing community who work toward a more sustainable relationship with nature. This is achieved through captive

animal care, regional interpretive programs, and ongoing development of contemporary media. We partner with diverse cultures and

traditions to build a united and stronger future for all species.

Get involved today!