a publication of the international wolf center spring...

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At t i tudes Toward Wolves in Wiscons in , page 8

A PUBL ICAT ION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTERSPR ING 2005

2 As a Matter of Fact

3 From the Executive Director

10 International Wolf Center Notes From Home

14 Tracking the Pack

15 Wolf Tracks

16 Wolves of the World

22 Personal Encounter

25 News and Notes

26 Wild Kids

28 A Look Beyond

Features

THE QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTER VOLUME 15, NO. 1 SPRING 2005

On The Cover“Westended,” pencil on paper, 9 1/2 x 12 1/2 inches, by Gendron Jensen, 2003

The drawing depicts the pelvic andshoulder relics of a lone wolf on IsleRoyale. Learn more about the artist onpage 12. www.gendronjensen.com

Departments

Kath

y Jo

nes

Mik

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The State of the WolfProject: Findings from the2003 Wisconsin Survey

If the wolf is removed from the endangered species list, management of the species could eventually return to the states, and the fate of the wolf in Minnesota,Michigan and Wisconsin could once again be in thehands of the states’ residents. How do current residentsof these states regard wolves? The State of the WolfProject is answering this question.

K e v i n S c h a n n i n g a n d J e n n i f e r V a z q u e z

Wolf Moon OverYellowstone: The Story

of a Wolf and Its PreyOn September 25–26, 2004, wolf watcherswitnessed an unforgettable interaction betweenan injured elk and wolves of the Geode Creekpack in Yellowstone National Park.

B e t s y D o w n e y

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4Be

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Publications DirectorMary Ortiz

Magazine CoordinatorAmy Pfarr Walker

Graphics CoordinatorCarissa L.W. Knaack

Consulting EditorMary Keirstead

Technical Editor L. David Mech

Graphic DesignerTricia Austin

International Wolf (1089-683X) is publishedquarterly and copyrighted, 2005, by theInternational Wolf Center, 12615 Co.Road 9,#200, Minneapolis, MN 55441, USA. e-mail: [email protected]. All rightsreserved.

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 membershipsare U.S. $30 • Wolf Pack $50 • WolfAssociate $100 • Wolf Sponsor $500 • Alpha Wolf $1000. Canada and othercountries, add U.S. $15 per year for airmailpostage, $7 for surface postage. Contact theInternational Wolf Center, 1396 Highway169, 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-relatedissues. Articles and materials printed inInternational Wolf do not necessarily reflectthe viewpoint of the International WolfCenter or its board of directors.

International Wolf welcomes submissions ofpersonal adventures with wolves and wolfphotographs. Prior to submission of othertypes of manuscripts, address queries toMary Ortiz, publications director.

International Wolf is printed entirely withsoy ink on recycled and recyclable paper (text pages contain 20% post-consumerwaste, cover paper contains 10% post-consumer waste). We encourage you to recycle this magazine.

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

2 S p r i n g 2 0 0 5 w w w . w o l f . o r g

Answer: The Mexican wolf is very similar to other wolves but has subtle differences in appearance and genetics. Mexican wolveslive primarily in the southwestern United States, where they havebeen reintroduced into parts of Arizona and New Mexico. Slightlysmaller than most subspecies, Mexican wolves weigh from 60 to 80pounds. Their coats have a reddish hue mixed in with buff, gray and black. In addition to feeding on white-tailed deer, mule deer and elk, Mexican wolves often eat javelinas, jack rabbits, cottontailrabbits and smaller mammals. �

How does theMexican wolfdiffer fromother wolfsubspecies?

In what areas of the UnitedStates are gray wolves classified as endangered?

New Question

West Gate

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Our sights are set on America’s Southwest. With increasing intensity, we are

preparing for the International Wolf Center’s fourth international wolf

conference scheduled for October 1–4, 2005, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The conference will bring together several hundred scientists, federal and state wildlife

agency representatives, wolf proponents and antagonists, educators, legislative leaders

and media representatives. We have put out a call for presentations, and we are sched-

uling panels and presentations, contacting partners, making arrangements with the

conference hotel and seeking funding to help underwrite the event.

We have chosen the Southwest as the conference’s location for

important reasons. One is that wolves from the Northern Rockies are

dispersing to southwestern states that have not seen wolves for a long

time. Colorado and Utah are preparing for the time when wolves will

likely become permanent residents. Also, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

(USFWS) has created a wolf recovery team to assess the potential for

restoring wolves to locations within an area encompassing northern

Arizona and New Mexico and southern Utah and Colorado. (By the

way, this effort may well be the nation’s last wolf recovery program

unless the USFWS is convinced or commanded by the courts to include

northern New England in the recovery plan for the eastern population of gray wolves.)

Another reason that the Southwest is important is the existing Mexican wolf recovery

area in east-central Arizona and west-central New Mexico. While this recovery

program has not yet reached the remarkable levels achieved in the Northern Rockies,

50 or more wolves have been established so far, and eventually some will disperse beyond

the present and limited geographic range to other parts of the Southwest.

The return of wolves to “new” landscapes brings with it the mythology that

always seems to accompany this predator. A distinct goal of our conference is to

provide a forum in which the reality of wolves in the local landscape can be discussed

and debated in an atmosphere that is reinforced by the presence of experienced wildlife

professionals who deal with wolves daily. And since the media are so key to what the

public understands about controversial issues, we plan to make a special effort to

provide regional journalists with a unique opportunity to get the facts.

We hope many of you will join us in Colorado. See our Web site, www.wolf.org,

for current conference information.

Cowboy hats are optional. �

From the Executive DirectorINTERNATIONAL

WOLF CENTER

BOARD OF DIRECTORSNancy jo Tubbs

Chair

Dr. L. David MechVice Chair

Dr. Rolf O. PetersonSecretary

Paul B. AndersonTreasurer

Dr. Larry D. Anderson

Thomas T. Dwight

Nancy Gibson

Hélène Grimaud

Cree Bradley

Cornelia Hutt

Dean Johnson

Dr. Robert L. Laud

Mike Phillips

Deborah Reynolds

Jerry Sanders

Paul Schurke

Ted Spaulding

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

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 5 3

Walter Medwid


Wolf watchers in Yellowstone National Park

are used to seeing members of the Lamar

Valley’s Druid Peak pack, which because of the

location of their den, are the most visible wolves in

the park. Yet, on September 25–26, 2004, it was

several of the Geode Creek pack that provided a

major roadside attraction at Floating Island Lake

about 15 miles from Mammoth, Wyoming, on the

Mammoth–Tower road.

T e x t a n d p h o t o s b y

B E T S Y D O W N E Y

WOLF MOON OVER

YELLOWSTONEThe Story of a Wolf

and Its Prey

Left to right: Wolf 106 approaches the elk.The elk chases off the wolf. The wolfapproaches the elk again. Moving closer tothe elk, the wolf hops up on a rock. Theelk and the wolf are distracted by some-thing, perhaps other wolves.


The action began with an unob-served event in which a cow elkinjured her left rear hoof. BySeptember 25 the hoof was split into two or three pieces. Her lowerleg was very swollen and probablyinfected, and she could not putweight on it. Sometime that morningseveral Geode wolves discovered thecrippled elk and began to go after her.

I encountered them a little after 9 a.m. on my way to the Lamar Valleyto look for Druid Peak wolves.Approaching the lake, I noticed ahuge—and growing—traffic jam.Because I have seen moose thereseveral times, my first thought was“moose jam.” I thought I saw a cowmoose in the water on the far side ofthe lake, but then I thought “funnylooking moose—whoa! That’s a cowelk! What’s she doing in the water?

Wolves!” When I spotted RickMcIntyre’s rig in the pull-off, I knew I was right. Rick is the park servicenaturalist who keeps daily track ofthe wolves. I abandoned my car in the ditch, grabbed my spottingscope and camera, and joined thecrowd. I’d seen something similar in June when Druid wolves hadinjured a bull elk, which took refugein Soda Butte Creek. It took thosewolves about 12 hours to get theirelk; it would take the Geodes nearly24 hours to get theirs.

For most of the day, three wolvesplayed a teasing and waiting game,demonstrating both their patienceand their desire to avoid risk. The elkstayed near the shoreline, grazing.The wolves lurked and bedded in the nearby trees. Several times wolf 106, the light-colored breedingfemale, rushed the elk, once sneakingup while she was bedded. Each timewe thought “this is it,” but each timethe elk drove her off. Finally, in theearly afternoon when the wolves

Several times wolf 106,the light-colored

breeding female, rushedthe elk, once sneaking up

while she was bedded. Each time we thought

“this is it,” but each timethe elk drove her off.

Below and right: The wolves’ strategy was to get the elk into deep water and keep her there; in the water she would

stiffen up and lose body heat.


were asleep, the elk hobbled up a slighthill to the wolves’ right and disap-peared. So did most of us, planningto come back later and guessing thatthe wolves and elk would too.

When I returned around 4 p.m.,they were back. The only watcherwho had stayed told me the wolveshad woken up shortly after 3 p.m.,followed the elk’s scent up the hill,and chased her back into the lake.“She was powered by adrenalin,” hesaid, “and moved like she had fourgood legs!” As the crowd reassem-bled, the wolves began teasing andwaiting again. Shortly before duskwolf 106 and another wolf drove the elk into water up to her back.This seemed to be the new strategy:get the elk into deep water and keepher there; in the water she wouldstiffen up and lose body heat.

Dusk comes early to Yellowstonein late September. By 7 p.m. the light

was fading, and although a nearly full moon was rising behind us, thecrowd began to leave. By 8 p.m. itwas totally dark, but a half dozen of us counted on the moonlight andstayed. An hour later it was so brightwe could see through binoculars and spotting scopes. We witnessed a wolf-elk interaction we will neverforget. We could see the elk and a wolf,along with trees, rocks, a bemusedswan and all their reflections in thelake. Silent otherwise, we could hearthe sounds of Yellowstone at night—a bull elk bugling, coyotes howling,ducks quacking in outrage as the elkand wolf splashed by, and the elk andthe wolf themselves.

All night the wolf alternatedbedding down with forcing the elkinto the lake and deep water. Oncewhen both were in the water, the wolflatched onto the elk’s good haunch,and the elk swam off towing the

Sensing that we wereinhibiting the wolf, the elk edged along theshoreline, sheltering nearus. With that we decidedto leave and let them play it out alone.

Sometime between 2:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m.the wolves killed the elk. When thewatchers returned, the elk was only acarcass, and a wolf was feeding on her.


wolf until it lost its grip. Shortly afterthat, both animals were out of the water,and the wolf started to circle the laketo get at the elk from another direc-tion. But the road where we were isclose to the lake, and even the few of us were too many for the wolf. Itstepped onto the road to our left andspent several minutes in the middleof it, apparently deciding what to doabout the bipeds in its way. The wolffinally crossed the road, traversed thehill behind us, crossed the road toour right and proceeded around thelake, clearly visible on the rocks andreflected in the water below.

Close to midnight, the wolfresumed the bedding and teasing,and most of the humans departed.Only veteran wolf watchers Mikefrom Bozeman, Jeanne from Chicagoand I were left for the most memo-rable part of the night. Around 1 a.m., the wolf went back into thewater and drove the elk into thedeepest part of the lake. For 15minutes the elk swam up and downthe lake, and her pursuer “wolf-paddled” after her with only the topof its head and its gray back and tailvisible. The elk “barked” in herdistress, but the sound I will alwaysremember is the soft, steady sound of the wolf’s breathing as it passedback and forth along the shore belowus. Even as I watched, I wonderedhow many people have witnessedsomething like that.

But it wasn’t over yet. The elkfinally came out of the water, and sodid the wolf. It came back to the road,apparently wanting to go around theshore again. Looking at us, the wolfseemed to be thinking, as Mike said,“Oh heck, I’ll go back the way I came.”It did and bedded down again. It nowbecame clear to us that we wereaffecting the course of events. The elkmoved to the shoreline on the end ofthe lake to our left. The wolf beddeddown above her, and there they stayed.The elk, apart from her injured leg,

had started the day strong and ingood shape. Now she was exhausted,chilled and so stiff she could nolonger haul herself onto dry land. Butshe didn’t give up.

Sensing that we were inhibiting thewolf, the elk edged along the shore-line, sheltering near us. With that wedecided to leave and let them play it out alone. We left a little after 2:30 a.m., cold, tired but still wideawake. As I took one last look, thewolf raised its head and looked at me,and the elk moved to the shorelinedirectly below me. In the light of the still bright moon, I thanked themand moved on.

The next time I saw them, the elkwas only a carcass, and the wolf wasfeeding on her. Sometime betweenour leaving and the arrival of the first watchers of the new day, about 5:30 a.m., the drama had reached itsonly possible end. Several wolves hadreturned and fed before I got back.Now along with the gray wolf, therewere coyotes, red foxes, ravens andmagpies transforming her death intotheir life. Later I watched a black bear,

reflected in the now full moon, rakingthe lake bottom for the last of the elk.

I went home aware thatYellowstone’s circle is complete. WhenI first came to the park in 1965, therewere no wolves. Now they are backand thriving. Yellowstone is wholeagain. I am privileged to be part ofthe circle and to experience whatphilosopher Arthur Schopenhauercalled the “strange pleasure” ofseeing the “free animal going aboutits business undisturbed, seeking itsfood, or looking after its young, ormixing in the company of its kind, all the time being exactly what itought to be and can be.” �

Betsy Downey teaches history atGonzaga University in Spokane,Washington. Her recent research andwriting has focused on the Nebraskahistorian/novelist Mari Sandoz and her relation to the New Western Historyand the environment. Downey has also presented papers and slide shows on Yellowstone National Park’s bison.Downey visits the park frequently to ski, hike, photograph and observewolves. On her most recent visit she saw 55 different wolves in one day!

The wolves became covered in muck from feeding on the elk. This wolf tried to lick the muck off his muzzle, but his tonguecouldn’t reach it all.


As original inhabitants of Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin, gray wolves faced near extermination with the influx of European

settlers in the 1800s. Steeped in European folktales of werewolves and other anti-wolf mythologies, the settlers’ misconceptions and negative attitudesextended beyond viewing wolves as competition forfood. These cultural biases were devastating to wolf populations, as poisoning and other forms ofpersecution wiped out wolves in all of Wisconsin and Michigan (except Isle Royale) and nearly all of Minnesota—save along the Minnesota-Canadaborder —by the 1960s.

Fortunately, however, people’s perceptions of the wolfevolved over time, and efforts were made in the 1960sand 1970s in all three states to protect the wolf. The Endangered Species Act, passed in 1973, grantedwolves federal protection and placed them under a wolf recovery plan. Protection set the stage for wolfrecolonization to occur, and populations increased. As of 2003, wolves numbered approximately 2,445 in Minnesota, 321 in the Upper Peninsula of Michiganand 335 in Wisconsin. These numbers met the re-quirements set out in the federal recovery plan, and onApril 1, 2003, the wolf was reclassified from endan-gered to threatened. Under this classification, removalof the wolf from the endangered species list couldbegin, eventually returning management to the states.The fate of the wolf could once again be in the hands of the residents of Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin.

How do current residents of these states regardwolves? To assess their attitudes, we started the State of the Wolf Project. The project would survey resi-dents of Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota. The firstsurvey was conducted in Wisconsin in 2003. In addi-tion to providing demographic information, randomlyselected residents of Wisconsin answered questionsabout eight topics: experience with wolves, activities,safety concerns, attitudes, knowledge of wolves inWisconsin, management issues, background and howdo you get your information? Six hundred forty-foursurveys were returned, a response rate of 13 percent,yielding a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.

The survey found that general knowledge aboutwolves is lacking. Only 30 percent of respondentsknew the current number of wolves in Wisconsin andthe size of an average wolf pack in the state.Approximately 20 percent knew the average weightof an adult male wolf, and 12 percent knew the numberof deer an average wolf kills in a year. Most respon-dents were not confident of their knowledge, even ifthey were correct. Furthermore, a proportion of those

State of the Wolf Project:

Findings from the 2003Wisconsin Surveyb y

K E V I N S C H A N N I N G a n d

J E N N I F E R V A Z Q U E Z

Steeped in folktales of werewolves andother anti-wolf mythologies, Europeansettlers’ misconceptions and negativeattitudes extended beyond viewingwolves as mere competition for food.


surveyed did not know basic wolf biology and heldnegative stereotypes of the wolf: 16 percent thoughtthe average Wisconsin wolf weighs over 100 pounds,and 11 percent thought a wolf has attacked a humanin Wisconsin; 20 percent felt that wolves are naturallycruel and belong in places like Alaska (in true wilder-ness), not in Wisconsin.

The survey also learned, however, that overall,people’s attitudes about wolves were positive. More thanhalf of respondents agreed that the wolf is part of ourvanishing wilderness and should be protected. Themajority answered that they feel the wolf is a symbol of beauty and wonder in nature, and that seeing a wolfin the wild would be one of their greatest outdoorexperiences. Almost three-quarters of respondents felt that wolves keep deer herds healthy by killing sickand weak animals, and 62 percent felt that wolves are essential to maintaining the balance of nature.

To a question about where wolves should beallowed to live, only 9 percent of respondentsanswered, “Nowhere in Wisconsin.” They stronglysupported wolves inhabiting national and stateforests and national wildlife refuges. Fifty-onepercent thought that currently there is the rightnumber of wolves in Wisconsin, and 31 percent felt that there are not enough.

Residents were also asked how their participationin certain activities would change if they knew thatwolves lived where they participate in that activity.The majority answered that there would be nochange in their activity, and others answered thatsome activities, such as nature photography andcanoeing, would increase. Almost half of the respon-dents had seen or heard a wolf in the wild or had seen wolf tracks, and when asked how concernedthey would be about their safety in the presence ofwolves, only 12 percent showed strong concern.

In regard to deer hunting, most felt that the elim-ination of wolves from much of the United States has resulted in unhealthy deer populations. Over halfbelieved that deer hunters can experience good deerhunting in areas with wolves.

Most respondents felt that farmers and wolves can co-exist. When depredations occur on farms, the WisconsinDepartment of Natural Resources (DNR) compen-sates owners for the lost animals. Eighty-one percentof respondents supported compensation for lost live-stock. Stronger support was shown for compensatingfor livestock depredated on farms where the farmerwas taking steps to protect livestock from wolves.

To manage problem wolves, respondents’preferred method was to shoot the wolf, and their

least favored method was poisoning. Sixty-six percentthought that a farmer should be able to shoot a wolfcaught attacking livestock.

The DNR is primarily responsible for wolf manage-ment in Wisconsin, and respondents were generallysatisfied with the agency’s handling of wolves.However, more people responded with a neutralanswer (not agreeing or disagreeing) than any otherreply, an indication that they may not be well informedabout the DNR’s activities.

Our results show that the public has come a longway in understanding wolves and developing positiveattitudes about coexisting with them, but also that more education needs to be done, particularly aboutwolf management, safety concerns and general knowl-edge about wolves in Wisconsin. Watch for the resultsof the Michigan and Minnesota surveys coming soon. �

The State of the Wolf Project is funded by the Prescott FamilyTrust. Research is conducted at Northland College in Ashland,Wisconsin, by primary investigator Kevin Schanning, associateprofessor of sociology, and research assistant Jennifer Vazquez.

Almost half of therespondents to thesurvey about wolves inWisconsin had seen orheard a wolf in the wildor had seen wolf tracks. M

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Wolf Expo Held on Long Island

There are no wolf populations living on Long Island,New York. But in Teresa DeMaio’s mind that’s no reason

to stop educating people about Canis lupus. DeMaio, a 10-year member of the International Wolf

Center, planned and carried out the first Long Island wolfexpo last summer. Titled “Long Island People Saving WolvesOne Pack at a Time,” the expo gathered nearly 200 peoplefrom the greater Long Island area.

The special guest of the expo, says DeMaio, was a whitearctic wolf brought there by the Wolf Conservation Center,

located in South Salem, New York. The event also showcasednumerous exhibits and booths, including the InternationalWolf Center’s The Wolf and You traveling exhibit. Childrenlearned about wolves by exploring a wolf den, completingcraft projects and listening to a Native American storyteller.

Another highlight was the “Pledge of Faith” area wheredonations toward wolf research and conservation werereceived. The proceeds of this area—and the entire expo—were donated to seven wolf sanctuaries across the country,including the International Wolf Center.

Plans are already underway to make the expo an annualevent, with the second expo scheduled for August 7, 2005.


For Betty Lewandowski’sthird-grade class at

Homecroft ElementarySchool in St. Paul, Minnesota,wolves are not fairy tale“bad guys” but vital heroesfor the earth’s ecological bal-ance. So when Lewandowskimet art outreach instructorand wolf advocate DawnMarie Perault of the Northern

INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTER

Notes From Home

Clay and Imagination Make theWorld of the Wolf Come Alive

Betty Lewandowski’s third-grade class at Homecroft Elementary School in St. Paul, Minnesota, participated in anart residency about wolves.

Clay Center in Minneapolis,the two educators instantlyknew the focus of a week-long art residency: make the world of wolves comealive for these students and, in turn, their families.

Homecroft’s students areethnically diverse, and theconcept of “wolf” is oftenvague for children of other

cultures who may have hadlittle contact with wildanimals or even domesticpets. With Lewandowski incharge of classroom infor-mation, Perault designedwolf-themed art projectsutilizing clay. As the chil-dren created wolf masks,their talk focused on thenature and function of thewolf’s features, such as ears,eyes, teeth, paws, fur andtail. Sculpting wolf pups

was the students’ favoriteactivity because they eachcreated a wolf to nurtureand enjoy forever. The finalproject was a class activityin which a wolf totem polewas erected in honor of allwolves and what they havebrought to the students’lives and to the earth.

On the last day of the resi-dency, the students, with thehelp of the music teacher,created a special song dedi-cated to wolves. After thesong was sung and howled,everyone enjoyed wolfcookies and had photos takenwith their wolf creations.

An acknowledgementgoes to Minnesota Arts inEducat ion Fund andSchools Arts Fund ofCOMPAS, which made itpossible for the NorthernClay Center to conduct theall-school art residency. Itwas an opportunity thatthese third graders call a“howling success.”

D a w n M a r i e P e r a u l t

Daw

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What happens whenalpha wolves come

together from all over thecountry? A celebration! Atleast that is the case when allof the alphas are members ofthe International Wolf Center.

The annual gathering ofAlpha, Alpha Legacy andWolf Sponsor members was held in Ely, Minnesota,September 10–12, 2004. In addition to an informalreception and dinner withthe Center’s board membersand staff, members weretreated to a weekend ofnorth-woods wolf lore.

Highlights included anup-close visit with theCenter’s wolves, includingthe three pups that weresuccessfully integrated intothe pack last summer.Members got a “behind thescenes” look at the Center’soperations and updates onthe status of wolves and the Center’s increasingeducational efforts in thesouthwestern United States.Naturalists led interpretiveoutings, and polar explorerand Center board memberPaul Schurke let membersexperience the thrill offlying through the woods intraining carts harnessed toteams of his Inuit sled dogs.

During the openingdinner, the Center’s board of directors presented Dr. Richard “Chip” Hansonwith the “Who Speaks forWolves?” award in recog-nition of Hanson’s significantservice as the Center’sUSDA Veterinarian of Recordsince 1989.

“Dr. Hanson bringsintegrity, expertise and com-passion to our day-to-dayinteractions, and to thosemoments of crisis, when his work is crucial and his knowledge reassuring,”said Dr. Larry Anderson,retired Duluth veterinarianand Center board memberwhen presenting the awardto Hanson.

The name of the award,“Who Speaks for Wolves?”is derived from a children’sbook in which Native tribalelders decide that eachtribal council of importancemust include an individualwho speaks for wolves. �

Dr. Rolf O. Peterson Is Honored by the University of Minnesota Duluth

Dr. Rolf O. Peterson (left), shown here with Dr. Randall Hicks, wasinducted into the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Academy of Scienceand Engineering in October 2004.

CenterCelebrates Annual AlphaWeekend

Dr. Rolf O. Peterson, board member of the InternationalWolf Center and renowned wildlife researcher, was

inducted into the University of Minnesota Duluth’sAcademy of Science and Engineering in October 2004.

Peterson was honored by his alma mater for his work onthe world’s longest-running predator-prey study, which hehas led for 34 years. His work has revealed unique relation-ships between wolves and moose, forest ecology and climateon Isle Royale in Lake Superior. The Academy of Science and Engineering gives public recognition to distinguishedalumni and special friends of the College of Science andEngineering who have brought distinction to themselvesthrough their participation, commitment and leadership intheir chosen profession.

Peterson graduated from the University of MinnesotaDuluth with an undergraduate degree in zoology in 1970.After earning a doctorate at Purdue University in 1974, hejoined the faculty at Michigan Technological University,where he is a professor of wildlife ecology in the School ofForest Resources and Environmental Sciences. Throughouthis career his research has focused on the gray wolf, withspecific studies of wolf populations in Alaska, Minnesotaand mainland Michigan. He has also advised researchprograms involving recovering wolf populations inYellowstone National Park and Norway.

Dr. Larry Anderson (left)presented Dr. Richard “Chip”Hanson with the “Who Speaks forWolves?” award at the AlphaWeekend in September 2004.

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bones seem to verily sing; they humwith resonate mystery.”

Jensen’s drawings attempt tounveil that resonating mystery. Herefines and enlarges relics, juxta-posing shapes and textures to createsculptural, iconographic forms. Thebones of a white-tailed deer and gray wolf come together to form acounterpoint of prey and predator.Opossum cheekbones are portrayedin jigsaw-puzzle fashion along with a snapping turtle vertebra. It all—in Jensen’s eyes—represents the creatures’ very foundation of being.

“The spirits of the animals are inthe bones,” he says. “They speak oflife and the creature they once were.”

The Smithsonian Magazinedescribes Jensen’s work as “meticu-lously rendered, often monumental,graphite drawings of bones whichinvite the viewer to see these relics in a new way—to journey beyondtheir ordinary anatomical context toa deeper, more spiritual realm.”

Jensen’s fascination with bones wassparked when he was just six years old.His youthful exploration of PokegamaLake in Minnesota uncovered a small

Time and time again, artist GendronJensen has heard the question,

“Why bones?” It is not a surprising question. The

workroom in his northern New Mexicohome is a plethora of bones. Relics ofelks, wolves, loons, lynx and coyotesline his shelves. Other smaller bonesspill forth from old cigar boxes.Drawings of bones also adorn theroom—a small sampling of the 1,500relic drawings the self-taught artisthas completed in the past 40 years.

It bears asking, “Why are bonesthe focus of each drawing?”

“From ancient times, [bones] havebeen held as representative of

sterility, aridity and death,”Jensen explains. “For me,beyond the physical fact of

death, bones are portalsunto exaltation. The

“The Spirits of the Animals Are in the Bones”

“Minongers,” stone lithography, 30 x 40 1/8 inches,by Gendron Jensen, 2003

This lithograph is derived of a bull moose from Isle Royale,which was 14 years old when he died in autumn 1985. Hisantlers spanned 4 feet across and were one of the most impres-sive ever collected by researchers on the island. Configuredwithin this lithograph is an alpha female wolf skull also fromthe same island. The wolf, weighing only 47 pounds, died in1994, likely from starvation. The artist remarks, “I felt thegrandeur and majesty of these two creatures and endeavored to convey something of this and the mysterious realm of theirEden Isle named ‘minong’ by the Ojibwe Natives, which means‘place of blue berries.’”

The project was funded by Dr. and Mrs. Rolf O. Peterson.

Artist Gendron Jensenuncovers the beauty of

bare bones in his draw-ings. His necklace, which

the artist wears whilegiving presentations and

lectures, is made of thevertebrae from two

road-killed animals, afemale gray wolf and a

white-tailed deer.

rodent skull. It was a discovery thatinitiated his bond with nature, thoughthat bond would not take the form ofdrawings until the age of 26.

Over the past 40 years, Jensen hasparticipated in numerous exhibitionsand given countless lectures atuniversities across the nation. Hisartwork is featured in the collectionsof the Walker Art Center inMinneapolis, Los Angeles CountyMuseum of Art, Fogg Museum atHarvard University, and Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, NewYork. Jensen plans to attend the 2005International Wolf Centerconference in ColoradoSprings, Colorado. Formore information on his artwork, visit www.gendronjensen.com. �

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INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTER

Contributors

Major DonorsToxie Beavers

Dorothy Blair

Tim & Sharol Damberger

Dorothy Donnelley Moller

Kristine & Michael Elias

Ellen Gigliotti

Johanna Goering

Mikael Hardy & family

Charles & Sharon Heck

Cynthia & Richard Hemphill

Robert Laud

Lyn McFarland

Mark Moore

William Prentice Jr.

Deborah Reynolds

Jerry & Debbie Sanders

Kathleen & Michael Shopa

Michael & Joan Swanson

Nancy jo Tubbs

Tina Wyatt

John & Donna Virr

RoyaltiesMBNA America

Rykodisc, Inc.

Voyageur Press, Inc.

Matching GiftsCharles Ferguson &Grainger MatchingCharitable Gifts Program

Sherry Green & Microsoft Giving Campaign

John Kashwick & The New York TimesCompany FoundationMatching Gifts Program

Blake Lipham & The Home DeportFoundation

Melissa Lorek & Aetna Foundation, Inc.

Ronald Nauman & General Mills Foundation

In-Kind DonationsBrian and Ellen DietzDean JohnsonJames LeBlancAndrea NelsenJerry SandersPaul SchurkeNancy jo Tubbs

HonoraryIn Honor of Cynthia Hemphill:Richard Hemphill

In Honor of Merlin Tebbe:Amy Tanner

MemorialsIn Memory of Peter Batterman:Gerald Kaplan

In Memory of Private Stephen A. Bulgar:Mary & John Gourley

In Memory of Carolyn Chapman:Mr. & Mrs. Donald PoageFrances Kay SpurlockBob & Mary HarteltDon & Ruth McKeeVi GouldDonald & Sylvia PoageDonn & Pam HoffmanBurt & Joan Johnson

OCTOBER–NOVEMBER 2004

Thank You

In Memory of Steve Frogel:Ruthe Berman

In Memory of Melvin Johnson:Johanna Goering

In Memory of Ryza:Jacqueline Winkowski

In Memory of Linda Salzarula:Carolyn Pilagonia

In Memory of Clayton Selthun:Janis Selthun

In Memory of Lois Smith:Tina Wyatt


checkup. These exams areconducted once every threeyears or when an animal’scondition warrants a morethorough exam.

On October 8, 2004, theveterinary care team assem-bled for the retired wolves’exams. Center veterinarianDr. Chip Hanson and boardmember Dr. Larry Andersonconducted the exams. Thewolf care staff, Andrea LorekStrauss, Nancy jo Tubbs,Jen Westlund, Jim Williamsand Jim Ziburski, were onhand to assist. Vermilion

Community Collegestudents observed andassisted, includingJessica Holmes, AlishaMaves, Larisa Skujins,Luke Urevig and BrianKormanik.

Injecting the wolveswith drugs wentsmoothly. This is oneof the greatest benefitsof socialized wolves.With limited stress from the injection, the wolvesquickly and quietly laydown and fell asleep. With-in 15 minutes, all threewere resting comfortably in the wolf lab.

All the wolves appear tobe in good health, especiallyfor animals nearing 12 yearsof age, with only minorailments. Lakota has a smalllump on the side of her leg that was sampled andsent to the lab for analysis,and both her eyes showedsigns of Grade II cataracts.MacKenzie was treated for acalcium/lipid deposit in hereye. Dr. Anderson injectedmedication at three sites inher right eye to preventpigmentation and slowinflammation of the cornea.She had initial swelling inher eye from excess fluid,but within a day she was

holding it open and showedno signs of favoring the eyeor squinting in response to light as she had beforethe exam.

Lucas had some tartarbuildup on his teeth andsome noticeable muscle lossin his front right shoulder.The exam also revealed adead upper incisor tooth,but it is still solid and hasno indication of decay.Lucas showed signs of somelipid deposits in his cornea,similar to MacKenzie’s, butnone of the wolves hadsigns of glaucoma.

We thank Chip Hansonand Larry Anderson formaking these medical examsa priority and treating theanimals and the staff withcare, patience and respect.And we thank all of themembers who support thewolf care program and helpensure that the wolves stayin good health. �

Tracking the Pack

Time for a Checkupb 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

Veterinarians Chip Hanson(left) and Larry Andersonexamined MacKenzie’s eye.

Dr. Larry Anderson recorded infor-mation about MacKenzie’s health.

Lori Schmidt prepared to injectLakota to immobilize her for theexam.

When managingcaptive wolves,the ability to

deliver proper medical careis critical. Daily exams aredone for physical abnormal-ities, but to do an in-depthinspection and draw bloodrequires that the wolves bedrugged and taken to thewolf lab’s exam table for a

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Fact: Fourteen Canadian wolveswere successfully introducedinto Yellowstone National Park

in March 1995, and another 17 inspring 1996. As of late 2004 15 packscontaining at least 170 wolves inhab-ited the park.

While biologists ardently studythe wolves, and conservationistsrejoice over this event, and whilevisitors come enthralled to watch the mythical predator in its originaldomain, many people bordering the park violently disagree with the restoration. To understand the diversity of feelings about wolves,sociologists have now studied andinterviewed not only ranchers, guidesand business owners near the parkbut also rangers and environmentalactivists. The results reveal a widediversity of viewpoints.

When wolves kill cattle, ranchersare compensated monetarily. But manyfeel that the money in no way makesup for the art and craft, the sweat andtoil, and the years they have expendedin creating their herds. They viewranching not just as earning a livingbut as creating a life from land that is theirs, and they view wolves aslifestyle wreckers.

Another strong feeling, say sociol-ogists, is that the government’s powerto reestablish threatened and endan-gered species reduces the self-deter-mination and freedom of people andcommunity choice and values.

Many local residents believe thatthe park’s mandate to protect the

land—animals, plants, water,soil, rocks and air—is amistaken effort to close thepark to both recreation and the resource extractionindustries that some arguerightfully belong there.Other people maintain that it is to perpetuate a govern-ment bureaucracy. “I believethat eventually they’re goingto have buses to shuttlepeople through the park . . .it’s more and more control,which eventually means it’smore money in their (thegovernment’s) pocket,” saidone local citizen. Others see reintro-duced wolves as bureaucratic vehi-cles for dominating the lifestyles and livelihoods of residents.

Some environmentalists feel thatthe government has even curtailedthe wolves’ freedom because theanimals were not allowed unfetteredmigration into the park on their own.“I’m really sorry that they didn’t havea chance to come back on their own,”said one. “Are we going to have wolvesin the wild or are we going to havewild wolves? . . . What we have rightnow is wolves in the wild.”

Is the wolf a symbol of freedomand wildness, a scientific challenge or a vicious threat to a way of life?Understanding better what wolvessymbolize to different people shouldhelp government agencies in solvingfuture thorny environmental issues. �

Wolves Mean Different Things to Different Peopleb y J a y H u t c h i n s o n

Reference:

Rik Scarce, “What Do Wolves Mean?Conflicting Social Constructions of Canis lupus in ‘Bordertown,’” Human Dimensions of Wildlife 3, no. 3 (Fall 1998): 26–45.

Jay Hutchinson is a writer and editor,retired from the U.S. Forest Service’sNorth Central Research Station, in St. Paul, Minnesota. Between travels, he enjoys writing about various naturalhistory subjects, including wolves.

Thirty-one wolves were successfully introducedinto Yellowstone National Park in 1995 and 1996, and as of late 2004 15 packscontaining at least 170 wolves inhabited thepark. Sociologists have interviewed not onlyranchers, guides and business owners near the park but also rangers and environmentalactivists to understand the diversity of feelingsabout wolves.

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selves into wolves and then back intohuman shape. Latvian folklore evenboasts a formula for becoming awerewolf. But beware! If while in the persona of a werewolf, yourdiscarded human clothes are touched,you must remain a werewolf forever!

Though wolves are widespread in Latvia, their numbers have fluctu-ated dramatically over the years.Populations have tended to increaseduring periods of plague and war, forexample, and to decline during timesof active campaigning to eliminatepredators. Despite periods whennumbers were severely reduced, thepopulation has always recoveredthrough natural recolonization from regions east of the Balkans. In1998, perhaps 1,000 wolves rangedthroughout Latvia. But an intensivecontrol program in the late 1990scombined with loss of habitatreduced the number significantly.

At present, the population is esti-mated to be 250 to 300 wolves.

Latvia is a beautiful land ofrivers, lakes, forests and bogs. Theforests, which cover 44 percent of Latvia’s territory, are home to anabundance of wildlife—elk, brownbears, lynx, red deer, beavers andwild boars. The Latvian landscapeis a mosaic of forests alternatingwith small farms, fields andpastures. Since the dismantling of the former Soviet Union, largecollective farms have disappeared,and herds of roaming cattle andvast flocks of unsupervised sheep

are rare. Wolves in Latvia prey mainlyon wild ungulates and beavers.Livestock depredation is uncommon.

Wolf-human conflicts in Latviaoccur mainly over hunting. Hunting is both traditional and popular in ruralLatvia, and hunters therefore regardwolves as competitors for the sameprey and try to keep their numbers incheck. When Latvia was part of theSoviet Union, official governmentpolicy labeled wolves as pests andvermin. Thus, they were routinelykilled in an effort to eliminate them.That attitude is slowly changing,however, and efforts are being made to involve hunters in studies of largepredators so that wolves will beregarded as a game species with regu-lated hunting seasons and limits.

Meanwhile, funding for researchto enhance wolf management isbeing sought. Data are needed onwolf ranges, and this means moneyfor radio collars and telemetry equip-ment. In 1993, Zanete Andersonebecame the Latvian manager for thejoint Norwegian-Baltic-Polish projectcalled “Large Carnivores in theNorthern Landscapes.” This projectwill attempt to use telemetry in theBaltics for research on lynx, brownbears and wolves. Perhaps somedaythe new information learned willfoster a trend back to a more positiveattitude toward these animals.

The author acknowledges the followingsources of information:

“Treasures of Latvian Nature,”http://www.latinst.lv/nature.htm.

Andersone, Zanete, “Wolves in Latvia,”Wolf Print (U.K. Wolf Conservation Trust),Summer 2003.

b y N e i l H u t t

W O LV E S I N L AT V I A

Fairy Tale Menace or Servant of God?

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There was once a time in Latviawhen people revered the wolfand honored it as a servant

of God. Many old Latvian folk songsrefer to the wolf as God’s dog, andaccording to ancient lore, the wolf’shaunting howl is a prayer. Thus,people believed that wolves shouldnot be persecuted or hunted. Lonetravelers in the forest had incanta-tions ready to persuade a wolfencountered on the path to leave and go on its way. Other reliablerecitations allowed people to avoidwolves while traveling in wild places.

In time, however, attitudeschanged. Christianity, with its depic-tion of the wolf as a creature of Satan,transformed the wolf from deity todemon. The wolf became a scapegoatfor epidemic diseases and the scourgeof war; fear and hatred replaced rever-ence. Legends were created aboutpeople who could transform them-


W O LV E S I N F R A N C E

The Trouble withWolves: The WolfWar in France

The official politics in Franceregarding the wolf are no longerunderstandable. The wolf is beingkilled where its opponents make a lot of noise even if the wolf has not made any damage.

— Lise Donnez, Wolf Coordinator, FERUS (Ours-Loup-Lynx Conservation)

This is not about reducing the wolf population in France, but reducing the specific pressure in certain areas.

— Serge Lepeltier, French Minister of Ecology

. . . the maximum of four wolves is nowhere near enough to relieve the pressure on the sheep-farming community.

— Franck Dieny, Provence-Alpes-Côte D’Azur Sheep Farmers’ Association

Under a government-sponsoredhunt, authorized in July 2004,an 18-month-old female wolf

was killed on October 21, 2004, insoutheastern France. The followingweek agents of the National Office for Hunting and Wildlife (ONCFS)shot a 2-year-old male wolf. A pack of three had recently settled in thearea. It is not known whether themale wolf shot was the breedingmale. Many environmentalist andanimal protection groups are out-raged, while farmers and livestockowners claim the official wolf cull,which allows the killing of up to fourwolves, does not go far enough.

Wolves in France were hunted tothe brink of extinction in the early1900s. But “les grands prédateurs”(the great predators) made a reap-pearance in 1992. Hailed by SergeLepeltier, France’s environmentalminister, as the pride of France’snatural heritage, wolves are fullyprotected in the Mercantour NationalPark on France’s border with Italy.The present population is estimatedto be 39 to 55 wolves ranging theAlpine region of the country.

The government-authorized cullis aimed at calming the fury of Alpinesheep farmers, who claim to have lost 2,177 animals in 500 wolf attacksin 2003. The Minister of Ecology hassupported protection of wolves inFrance under the 1979 BerneConvention and has firmly resistedthe demands of some farmers to beable to shoot wolves on sight. Thegovernment insists the wolf will bepreserved in France and the cull willnot affect its long-term survival.

But many protectionists strenu-ously disagree. Ours-Loup-LynxConservation (FERUS), an organiza-tion whose mission is the preserva-tion of bears, wolves and lynxes, theWorld Wildlife Fund (WWF) and theSociété Protectrice des Animaux(SPA) have condemned the killing ofthe two wolves. The wolf’s existencein France remains threatened, theseorganizations say, because of illegalkilling and because the number ofreproducing packs is low. Measuresfunded by public money to preventwolf attacks (guarding dogs, shep-herding and night parks for sheep)have not, they claim, been given a fairtest. One of FERUS’s key field activi-

Environmental andwildlife activists gathered

in Paris in November2004 to protest the

French government’s wolfmanagement policy and to

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New Hope forWolves in IranIt was seven o’clock of a very warm evening when Father Wolf woke up from his day’s rest,scratched himself, yawned, andspread out his paws one after the other to get rid of the sleepingfeeling in their tips. Mother Wolflay with her big gray nose drapedacross her four tumbling, squealingcubs, and the moon shone into the mouth of the cave where theyall lived. “Augrh!” said FatherWolf. “It is time to hunt again.”

— Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Book

The Jungle Book, Kipling’s time-less tale of a human childnurtured by wolves, takes

place in India, not in Iran. But youngMowgli’s protector is Canis lupuspallipes, also known as the Indianwolf, the Middle Eastern wolf and theAsiatic wolf. This is the subspecies ofwolf in Iran.

Smaller than the races of wolves inNorth America and northern Europe,this unique subspecies once rangedacross the Indian subcontinent and inparts of Turkey, Iran and Israel. KavehHatami of the Iranian Cheetah Societyestimates that at one time more than10,000 wolves lived in Iran. But in2003, the World Conservation Union(IUCN) reported only about 1,000surviving in marginal habitat.

Iranian wolves stand 18 to 30inches at the shoulder and weighbetween 30 and 70 pounds. Theyinhabit a variety of ecosystems, fromsemiarid deserts and grasslands toscrub forests. Thus, behavioral andphysical differences exist among indi-vidual populations of Iranian wolves.Ones living in the hot southernclimate of this huge country have

ties is Pastoraloup, a program whosegoal is to promote coexistencebetween wolves and farmers.Volunteers in Pastoraloup, which isco-sponsored by the WWF and theSPA, help protect the flocks of sheepgrazing in the mountains against wolf attacks during the summer.

Several organizations havelaunched legal challenges accusing thegovernment of poaching and disre-garding international agreements. InNovember 2004, environmental andwildlife activists gathered in Paris to protest the French government’swolf management policy and to enlistinternational support for their cause.Meanwhile, under the rules of thelimited cull, two more wolves could be killed before December 31, 2004.Minister Lepeltier said that if the firstthree wolves killed were females, hewould not allow a fourth hunt. Thedeath of the male wolf has erased thatoption, thus allowing two more wolvesto be taken before the end of the year.

Lise Donnez of FERUS insists thatkilling wolves is not going to solve theproblems of French sheep farmers.She claims that a number of economicproblems plague the sheep-raisingindustry, which is heavily subsidizedby the government. It is time, shesays, to “deliver a real conservationplan for wolves that is acceptable toall parties involved.”


Henley, John, “Limited Cull of WolvesOrdered to Save Sheep,” The Guardian,July 20, 2004, http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,4974468-110633,00.html.

WWF, SPA and FERUS, “First Wolf Killed by the French Authorities: Stop theSlaughter!” press release, received fromLise Donnez on October 21, 2004.

Donnez, Lise, e-mail message to author,October 27, 2004.

In October 2004, two wolves were killed in southeastern France in a government-sponsored hunt tocalm Alpine sheep farmers who have lost animals in wolf attacks.

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short pale coats with little or nounderfur. This adaptation to theirharsh environment keeps them cooland helps them blend in with theirsurroundings. These wolves oftenhunt in pairs, their prey consisting of small mammals, including hares,mongooses, rats, squirrels and ground-nesting birds. They are known toconsume rotting fruit to quench theirthirst, and Hatami’s researchers haveobserved them eating watermelons.Reports indicate they seldom howl,although no one seems to know the reason. Perhaps it is an adaptationthat makes them able to eludehumans. Northern Iranian wolvesinhabit the richer scrub forests andhave larger prey available such asibex, gazelles, wild boars, mountainsheep and deer. Thus, they are slightlylarger and tend to hunt in packs.

Despite its declining numbers,Canis lupus pallipes has not beengiven the protection afforded otherthreatened and endangered wolfsubspecies. Many factors havecontributed to the disappearance ofwolves in Iran. Among them are lossof habitat, decline in prey popula-tions due to human subsistencehunting, and encroaching human

populations. People living in Iran’swolf range are often too poor to beconcerned about the welfare of wildanimals. They view the wolves asthreats to their livestock even thoughmuch of the damage to domesticanimals is actually caused by wilddogs. Wolves are routinely shot,trapped and poisoned.

If wolves in Iran are to bepreserved, steps must be taken toreduce the level of hatred towardthese endangered predators. Eco-tourism might be one way for localvillagers and livestock owners to

benefit from protecting wildlife.Education is also needed, especiallyin the schools, to eradicate the nega-tivity toward wolves within theculture and to keep it from passingfrom one generation to the next.

According to Hatami, there hasbeen “no good news on wolves in Iran”during the past decade. However, inMay 2004, Hatami announced freshevidence of wolves surviving in north-eastern Iran. He reported a pack of 16 or 17 wolves in Mian DashtWildlife Refuge in northeastern Iran,and a large wolf print was foundsouthwest of Golestan National Park.These recent discoveries have elatedresearchers and scientists studyingways to prevent Canis lupus pallipesfrom becoming extinct in Iran. As aresult, Hatami said, there are “newhopes for wolves surviving.” �


Sefscik, Sue M., “The Iranian Grey Wolf”Wolf Print (U.K. Wolf Conservation Trust)16, Summer 2003.

Hatami, Kaveh, “New Hope for Wolves inIran,” e-mail report from Iranian CheetahSociety, September 17, 2004.

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

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Smaller than the gray wolves of North America and northern Europe, Canis lupus pallipes onceranged across the Indian subcontinent and in parts of Turkey, Iran and Israel.

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“At the Next Right Thing Ranch,wildlife are your closest neighbors.Moose, big horn sheep, grizzly bears,WOLVES, mule and white-tailed deer all share the neighborhood as do a wide variety of smaller species,such as beaver and coyotes. One of the most visible wildlife species is elkthat winter on the adjacent RockyMountain Elk Foundation’s WinterRange. HERDS NUMBERING IN THETHOUSANDS are not uncommon.”

Yes, the place sounds a lot likenirvana (and it is), if you’re a personwho appreciates having true wildnessout the back door and all of the

elements that come with it. The sellergoes on to explain that ParadiseValley “should have been a nationalpark on the scale of Yellowstone”;that’s how ecologically rich it is.

In the name of full disclosure, Ishould note the Next Right ThingRanch isn’t owned by just anyone in this breathtaking dell chock full of movie stars, corporate CEOs andother bigwigs who merely want aplace where they can relax anony-mously and not be hounded.

This 41-acre tract is owned byRobert T. Fanning Jr., one of the most vocal anti-wolf crusaders in the American West, who has gone before western state legisla-tors, members of Congress, WiseUse groups and TV cameras tire-lessly informing the public howwolves have decimated the land-scape near his ranch and transformed

Yellowstone into “abiological desert.”

In fact, you readright here [BillingsOutpost] how Mr.Fanning, a fewyears ago, declaredthat by 2004 (this

Rancher in a Pickle over Truth, Wolvesb y T o d d W i l k i n s o n

This article was first published in the Billings Outpost, August 26, 2004. Reprinted by permission.

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Dear Ladies and Gentlemen: I don’t have a license to sell

real estate, and I doubt I’llreceive a penny of commission if any of you—upon reading this adver-tisement—decide to part with $1.1million to buy the Next Right ThingRanch. (I swear to you, this IS theranch’s real name).

Situated in Paradise Valley,Montana, some 25 miles north ofYellowstone National Park, the NextRight Thing recently came on themarket and what follows, verbatim, is the owner-seller’s description of his property:

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wolf movement have promoted avision of wolves turning the GreaterYellowstone ecosystem into a waste-land devoid of big game, especially elk.

But in his real estate ad—read it at www.nextrightthingranch.com—he creates a visual scene of a land-scape teeming with wildlife. “One of the most visible wildlife species is elk that winter on the adjacent winter range,” Mr. Fanning says.“Herds numbering in the thousandsare not uncommon.”

Once and for all, Bob, set the recordstraight: Are the public lands aroundyour $1.1 million ranch a wildlifeShangri-La or a wasteland; are theregood numbers of elk or are there not?

Tell us, in the name of full legaldisclosure: Is having wolves andabundant wildlife an asset or aliability to the value of your land?You’re not under oath, but somedayyou could be. �

year), the “largest migrating elk herdon Earth [Yellowstone’s Northern ElkHerd, which inhabits lands aroundMr. Fanning’s property] WILL BECOMPLETELY EXTINCT.”

Mr. Fanning added: “We predictentire communities in Montana willvanish because no one spoke up forsocial justice for the people whowere forced to live with wolves.”

More recently, he claimed thenearby Absaroka-Beartooth moun-tains, which he called “continentalAmerica’s most productive publichunting grounds and Montana’s most popular hunting grounds” arenow destroyed by wolf predation.

Being a lowly journalist, I admitthat I don’t know much about the real estate business, but I do knowthat, by law, the sellers of privateproperty AND THEIR AGENTS have to tell the truth when they are listing a piece of land.

A guy can get sued for lying ordeliberately misleading prospectivebuyers if the property is not what it is claimed to be.

Mr. Fanning’s real estate represen-tatives have him quoted as saying:“Anyone who buys this ranch won’tbe disappointed. It is a one-of-a-kind,

end-of-the road ranch, providingone of the last chances to live inParadise Valley—a place that isindeed paradise for anyone wholoves wild things and wild places.”

I was thinking that maybe Mr. Fanning could clear up what appears to be a significantcontradiction.

In the past, Bob Fanning andother sportsmen in the anti-

In the past Bob Fanning has promoteda vision of wolves turning the GreaterYellowstone ecosystem into a wastelanddevoid of big game. Now he is adver-tising his ranch as a landscape teemingwith wildlife.

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to see arctic wolves with David Mech,I had joined the International WolfCenter’s annual August trip toAylmer Lake Lodge. The experienceson the tundra opened my eyes to theforces at work in a land so vast and a climate so harsh that it seemsamazing that anything lives there atall. But life there is, and much of it.

Every day after fixing our lunches,we’d squeeze into our lifejackets and head out in the motorboats along the lake. Our mission was tolocate the wolf pack that Dean Cluff,the regional wildlife biologist for the government of the NorthwestTerritories, had seen denned near the lake edge. We knew the pack wasnearby as they had welcomed us with a wonderful sighting on our first evening’s climb to the low ridgebehind the lodge. Late in the day, as the shadows lengthened, we had

The Treasures of the Tundrab y P a t r i c i a M e y e r

During daily forays into new terrain some membersof the group were explorers who would walk andinvestigate (left) while other members of the groupwere spotters and would settle on a hilltop to keepclose watch on the many miles around (right).

Apiercing yell woke us fromour early morning dreamsand propelled us from our

bunks to the window overlooking the tundra. We were rewarded by a close view of one of the many treasures of the tundra, a handsomegrizzly, no doubt attracted by thetempting aroma of breakfast. AlanRebane, the lodge owner, did his best to persuade the grizzly to leave,but after many futile attempts, heresorted to popping the bear with a stinging but harmless rubber bullet. I was sad to see the frightened carni-vore sprint off into the distance, but I was learning that life on the tundrais tough—for all the animals.

The grizzly visit was among manyhighlights in a memorable week on the central arctic tundra at AylmerLake in the Canadian NorthwestTerritories. Attracted by the chance

hiked up the hill, then settled downto watch the treeless terrain. Some-time later, four beautiful whitewolves streamed along the valleyfloor, bound for somewhere only theyknew, to be followed later by a singlewolf. Perhaps she was the breedingfemale, which had made a late deci-sion to join the hunt, torn overleaving her pups. As the wolves lopedalong, the second one paused briefly,turned and looked toward us as wesat high on the ridge. Dave felt theywould have continued along the floorof the valley had they not known of our presence a few hundred feetaway, but instead they headed upthrough the rocky slopes to disappearover the far ridge line. Unfortunately,like most of the animals in the area,they are extremely wary of humans,as they are hunted, often for no morethan a trophy for some den wall.

On our first excursion along thelake Dave and Dean successfullylocated the den, which was excitingto see, but the wolves were gone.Dave explained that a pack willsometimes move the pups to a ren-dezvous site away from the den, oftenin a protected group of dwarf willows,which grow close to the ground insheltered areas. The rendezvous areawas to prove very elusive.

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For our remaining days at AylmerLake we searched for the hiddenpups. We were not lacking in moderntechnology to aid us, as Dean’s extensive computer software andskills enabled us to keep track of theareas we had searched. Also, Alanand Dean flew over the area in Alan’splane, looking for new areas to inves-tigate. Meanwhile Dave’s superiorknowledge of the ways of the wolfenabled a jigsaw puzzle of ideas to besorted out and our next day’s plandesigned. During our daily foraysinto new terrain we would followDave’s suggestions and split intogroups, some to be spotters andothers to explore. The spotters wouldsettle on a hilltop to keep close watchon the many miles around, while the explorers would walk and in-vestigate. On the hikes we found titillating signs of wolves—huge foot-prints in the sand and mud, scats and old chewed caribou bones—butno signs of the pups. On a few occa-sions we watched a lone wolf thatDave felt was the breeding female,and proof that the pups were closeby—without the pups, the breedingfemale would have left.

Once when Dave saw the wolf, heasked us to get down on the ground.We watched the wolf travel along the hill for some time. With myuntrained eyes I hadn’t noticedanything other than the wolf loping

on its journey, but Dave wasable to recall many behaviorsexhibited by the wolf: it hadsquatted and urinated and had turned to look behind onmore than one occasion. Davewas a great trip leader, full ofinformation, possessing a greatsense of humor and havingunlimited patience with ourendless questions.

As the days pro-gressed, it became clearthat the caribou thatnormally migrate souththrough the Aylmer Lakeregion during Augustwere nowhere to befound. Dean and Alanconfirmed this on theirflight over the area.Without the caribou,what were the wolveseating, or how far werethey traveling to findfood to bring back for the pups? What was to become of the breedingfemale and her pups?

Our searching continued. On ourtravels we were rewarded with newexperiences, such as seeing shaggymusk-oxen, permanent residents ofthe tundra that survive the winterswith help from their floor-lengthcoats. We learned about the uniqueplants that grow and seed quicklyduring the very short summer, and

Top: A visit from a grizzly was among manyhighlights in a memorable week on thecentral arctic tundra at Aylmer Lake in theCanadian Northwest Territories.

Above: Returning from a flight over the area,Dean Cluff and Alan Rebane confirmed thatthe caribou that normally migrate souththrough the Aylmer Lake region duringAugust were nowhere to be found.

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to the diversity of the tundra: a raresighting of a wolverine, a double-entranced fox den, red foxes, arctichares and two wonderful hairy cater-pillars, one rust, one bright green.

The days passed too quickly. Eachnight my roommates and I wouldgiggle and talk about indoor plumbingand other missed home comforts, butnow I’m ready for the tundra again.The experience was so different, attimes challenging, yet so rewarding.My most unforgettable memory is ofthe afternoon on our last day on thetundra, when we watched a lonewolf, probably the same breedingfemale. She seemed unsure whichway to travel, turning and retracingher steps. Then she sat down, put her head back and howled. Thatsound is like no other—it is magical.No doubt she was calling to hertundra treasures—only she knewwhere they were. �

Patricia Meyer lives north of Los Angeleswith her four golden retrievers. After acareer as head of human resources andadministration for an insurance company,she now enjoys her many volunteer activities, including working as a docentlecturer at the Los Angeles Zoo. Sherecently formed Friends of the IslandFox, Inc., which will join in the efforts to save the highly endangered island fox found only on the California Channel Islands.

To participate in an International Wolf Center trip like

this one to the Northwest Territories,contact Trip Coordinator

Cornelia “Neil” Hutt at [email protected],

or write to 16156 Jonella Farm Drive,

Purcellville, VA 20132.

the permafrost that keeps the earthpermanently frozen except for ashallow top layer. The permafrostprevents the melted snow and icefrom soaking into the earth—thusthe endless lakes, ponds and wetareas. Amid the damp grow tufts ofplants on top of mounds, calledhummocks. The hummocks were the object of many a swear word aswe slogged our way for miles, eitherbalancing on top of them or trying to follow the narrow caribou trails,fashioned by the migrating herds asthey travel single file.

On a hike to a different area of thelake, while Dave and Dean continuedwith the pup search, we were treated

The International Wolf Center conducts an annual trip to Aylmer Lodge (below) in the Canadian Northwest Territories to experience the central arctic tundra.

Visitors to Aylmer Lake were treated to thediversity of the tundra including sightings of a bear, an arctic hare and a shaggy musk-ox.

Dave Mech prepares to howl to the wolves.

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RECENT WOLF ARTICLES

can now be found by checkinghttp://www.carnivoreconservation.org.Recent proceedings, newspaper arti-cles and other wolf-related literaturecan be found there, and one can searchfor various scientific wolf literature,including the latest articles.

THE WOLVES OF ALGON-

QUIN PARK.” The 12-year studyby John and Mary Theberge is avail-able as a monograph from Kate Evans,University of Waterloo. Order fromKate Evans, University of Waterloo:e-mail [email protected];phone 519-885-1211, ext. 3278; fax519-746-0658; price (C.O.D. ship-ping included): $23.50 Canadian; $20 U.S. or other countries. �

“

William O. Mills, 1922–2004The International Wolf Center mourns the

loss of former board member Bill Mills, whopassed away September 13, 2004,

following a long illness. Bill played aninstrumental part in the establishment of theCenter and served as a board member for

10 years. An active member of the Elycommunity, Bill will be missed by both Ely

residents and the International Wolf Center.

ONTARIO WOLF PLAN. TheOntario Federation of Anglers

and Hunters has endorsed Ontario’snew wolf management plan. The planproposes for the first time variousregulations and restrictions on killingwolves, including a closed season fromApril 1 to September 30 in central andnorthern Ontario, and the federationconsiders the plan well balanced.

ALASKA WOLF CONTROL is again in the news. The U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service has asked theAlaska Board of Game to foregocontrol of wolves and brown bears inTetlin National Wildlife Refuge,which occupies 15 percent of GameManagement Unit 12, where much of the control is proposed to helpincrease moose and caribou popula-tions. The federal agency requiresmore analysis to be completed beforesuch control is allowed on its lands.

WOLVES AND SNOW were the subjects of a new article

in Wildlife Biology, volume 10, pages17-23. “Influence of snow cover onwolf (Canis lupus) predation patternsin Bieszcady Mountains, Poland” byRoman Gula discusses the effects ofsnow depth on wolf predation onwild boar, roe deer and red deer.

WO LV E S I N L O W E R

MICHIGAN. A female wolfcollared in Michigan’s UpperPeninsula was accidentally killed by a coyote trapper in Lower Michigan40 miles southeast of the MackinacBridge. Since then, the MichiganDepartment of Natural Resources hasconfirmed a pair of wolf tracks, a fewmiles from there.

FOUR WOLVES ILLEGALLY

SHOT in Idaho are the subject of $5,000 rewards by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Defenders ofWildlife. The wolves were killed inwidely separated areas during Octoberand November. Contact USFWS agentsCraig Tabor or Scott Kabas, 208-378-5333, with any information. Callersmay remain anonymous.

WOLVES AND HORSES don’tget along. This new problem

is beginning to plague ranchers inWyoming as wolves appear to haveattacked horses in three or four cases.In some parts of Spain, wolves liveprimarily on wild horses.

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DON’T MISSA presentation and book signing

by Doug Smith celebrating a decade of wolves in Yellowstone.

April 28, 2005,at the Minnesota Zoo

Visit www.wolf.org for details.Sponsored by the International Wolf Center

and the Minnesota Zoo

SUMMERSPRING


A Journey Throughthe Seasonsb y J e n W h i t e , I n t e r n a t i o n a l W o l f C e n t e rI n t e r i m O u t r e a c h E d u c a t o r

New BeginningsIn spring pups are born, and amother wolf sticks close to the den.

Pups spend the first few monthsin the den. This is because theyare born helpless. They weighonly a pound and are unable tosee or hear. Pack members worktogether to help raise the pups;they may bring the mother foodso she can stay with the pups. In spring, baby elk and deer are born, and sometimes wolvescatch them for food.

Family TimeIn summer the pups move from the den to an area called a ren-dezvous site. It is often an open areasurrounded by dense vegetation. Thesite is a safe place for the growingpups to sleep, explore and play while the pack is out hunting. It isalso a social center for the pack. Pupspractice being a grown-up wolf bylearning how to communicate withtheir ears, tails and voices. By the endof the summer the pups begin toventure out on short hunting tripswith the pack.

Do you like the cool, crisp breeze of a fall day when the

leaves are vibrant with colors? Or do you prefer the

warm sun of an endless summer day? Many people have

a favorite season. We also have different activities depending on the

season. Some days you wear a heavy coat outside, while other days

you don’t wear any coat at all! Have you ever wondered how wolves

change with the different seasons? While you are reading along,

compare a wolf’s activity to how your life changes with the seasons.

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WINTER

FALL

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DateHuman Activity

Plant and Animal Activity

What date did

this happen

last year?

put away sled

April 1

tulips appear

April 15

robin observed in la

wn

May 1

first lawn mower heard

May 17

first laundry hung outs

ide to dry

May 6

swimming pool opens

June 1

temperatures hit 80 de

grees for first time June 15

my first sunburn

June 23

cicadas heard

July 30

vegetable garden b

looming

July 5

school starts

September 4

first leaf color obse

rved September 8

wear a sweater for first time

October 2

geese observed flying south

October 12

temperature drops belo

w freezing November 12

first snow

December 1

switch to warmer coat

December 1

enough snow for sledd

ing

January 10


Exploration and Discovery

When fall comes, wolves travel moreas a pack. The pups travel longerdistances, learn their territory andpractice finding prey and hunting. It is important that they learn these things because in fall huntingbecomes a full-time job. If the preymigrate to winter feeding grounds,the wolf pack may follow. In fallwolves begin to grow thick insulatingfur called an undercoat, which willkeep them warm during theupcoming winter.

AdaptingWinter can be bitter cold, but wolvesstay active and adapt to their envi-ronment. Wolves’ sprawling feet help them travel through the deepsnow. Winter is also the time toprepare to mate. Usually only thedominant male and female mate,most often in February or March, andafter about 63 days, new pups areborn in spring. The yearly cycle will once again repeat itself. �

ACTIVITY: Keeping a Record of ChangesKeep a phenology journal about the changes in your life through the

seasons. A phenology journal is an account of seasonal changes you see in theworld around you as well as the biological effects of those changes. Comparethe seasonal activities of humans with those of wildlife.

Example: Based on human activity, how do you know when spring comes?Do you hear a lawn mower? Are people planting gardens? Did you put yoursnow sled in the attic? Also note what the animals and plants are doing: Are thebirds building nests? Do you see baby animals? Is the grass turning green?When do leaves appear on the trees? Be sure to record the date you notice each event happening.

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prepared to defend the animals fromthe sort of hysterical fears that wereonce so common. At the same time,the greater challenge for wolf advo-cates now is to help design sensiblewolf management plans that promotestrong wolf populations in primehabitat while minimizing wolf-human conflicts elsewhere. Thatmight mean endorsing programs that are harsh on wolves outsideprime wolf country, which is odiousto wolf fans, even if it might be in the best long-term interest of wolves.

I recently spoke to wolf managersin Minnesota, Wisconsin andMichigan. They were concernedabout a new trend in public attitudes,a trend that has the potential to reversethe great progress wolves have made.

“I used to encounter a lot of wolfopposition based on fear and igno-rance,” said one. “But more and more,I run into people who are mad aboutwolves because wolves have attackedtheir pets or livestock.”

Wolf fans who insist on champi-oning wolves exactly as they havedone for three decades might not bedoing a kindness for wolves. Insteadof maximizing wolf numbers, thenew challenge for wolf advocates will be to minimize hostility betweenpeople and wolves. This approachwill greatly help maintain the positive view of wolves we haveworked so hard to accomplish. �

Steve Grooms has just finished totallyrevising and updating his best-sellingbook Return of the Wolf. The third edition,published by Nova Vista Publishing, willgo on sale in spring 2005.

New Challenges for Wolf Advocatesb y S t e v e G r o o m s

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Arecent front-page newspaper story carried the headline: “Big, bad reputation for

Wisconsin wolves.” It describedunhappiness in northern Wisconsinabout wolf depredation, althoughmanagers and angry citizens disagreeon how serious the problem is.

The article was surprising becausewolves in Minnesota, Wisconsin andMichigan have made headlines inrecent years by doing well as theyrecovered from near extinction.Wolves, previously newsworthy forpositive reasons, now are attractingnegative media attention.

This has serious implications forfans of wolves.

Until recently, the main challengefor wolf advocates has been to counterignorance and irrational fear withreassuring scientific information.People still hate and fear wolves irrationally, but that is less of aproblem than it once was.

The new challenge for wolf fans isto help the public maintain a positiveimage of wolves. Meeting this chal-lenge will involve different tacticsthan were effective at debunking oldspooky stereotypes. Now that wolfrestoration has been so successful,the most daunting challenge is todesign management policies thatmight preserve the public tolerancefor wolves, even if those policiesinvolve the death of individuals thathabitually attack pets or livestock.

Irrational wolf hatred still exists,in some places worse than in others,and all admirers of wolves must be

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