SPECIAL ISSUE: Attitudes Toward the Wolf · Tell your boss you just foundaway to help yourcompany save thousands. Okay, so it’s not money. But it’s something no one can put a

A PUBL ICAT ION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTERFALL 2000

A PUBL ICAT ION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTERFALL 2000

SPECIAL ISSUE: Attitudes Toward the Wolf

Deep-seated beliefsystems governattitudes towardwolves, page 5

Minnesotanslargely support the wolf, page 9

Pups! Meet our newestadditions, page 16

Cover.fall 00 7/26/00 11:17 AM Page 2

Tell your boss you

just found a way to

help your company

save thousands.

Okay, so it’s not money. But it’s something no one

can put a price on. The survival of a species. A

not-for-profit organization like the International

Wolf Center is as reliant on the generosity of

people like yourself as are the wolves we

work together to protect.

And it may surprise you to

find that in this era of

corporate cutbacks and

belt-tightening, companies

like Citibank, American

Express, Arco Chemical and

IBM are now matching

employee membership fees

and contributions to the

Center. Please ask your

benefits administrator if your donation or

membership renewal qualifies for a matching

contribution. It’s a great way to save.

INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTER

Photo by Lynn and Donna Rogers

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8 0 0 - 9 5 0 - 9 4 2 5


3 From the Chair of the Board

12 International Wolf CenterNotes from Home

16 Tracking the Pack

19 Personal Encounter

22 Great Minnesota Wolf Debate

25 News and Notes

26 Wolf Tales; Wolf Trails

27 Don’t Believe Everything You Read

29 Wild Kids

30 As a Matter of Fact

31 A Look Beyond

5What good is the wolf: public opinion about wolvesInternational experts examine the determining factors that shape world-wideattitudes toward wolves.

C o r n e l i a H u t t a n d S t e v e G r o o m s

FeaturesTHE QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTER

VOLUME 10, NO. 3 FALL 2000

On The CoverCover artwork by C.J. Conner.

Conner is an artist living and practicing inHayward, WI. Conner does a wide variety ofwildlife art in acrylics and describes herself asa surrealist painter. Her work will be featuredin a sticker book called Discovering Wolves,

published this summer by Dog EaredPublications. Conner was also designated as

Artist of the Year by the Timber WolvesAlliance in 1995.

9Study details attitudesabout wolves, past and presentAn examination of a study conducted by Yale University Professor StephenKellert reveals the attitudes, knowledge,and behaviors of Minnesota residentstoward wolves.

D . M . O ’ K e e f e

DepartmentsJ.

Hen

ry F

air

Am

y Fa

rrar

Pups! Two new arcticwolf pups becamepermanent residentsof our Wolf Center inEly this summer. Readall about their firstfew weeks in Trackingthe Pack.

Willi

am R

ideg

, Kish

eneh

n W

ildlif

e W

orks

Luigi Boitani, a wolf biologist from the Universityof Rome, speaks at the symposium about wolvesand attitudes toward them in Europe.

SPECIAL ISSUE: Attitudes Toward the Wolf

IntWolf.fall 00 7/24/00 8:37 AM Page 1

Publications DirectorMary Ortiz

Managing EditorAmy Farrar

Technical Editor L. David Mech

Consulting EditorLynette D’Amico

Graphic DesignerTricia Hull

International Wolf (1089-683X) ispublished quarterly and copyrighted,2000, by the International Wolf Center,3300 Bass Lake Rd, Suite 202, Minneapolis,Minnesota 55429, USA. e-mail:[email protected]. All rights reserved.

Membership in the International WolfCenter includes a subscription toInternational Wolf magazine, free admissionto the Center, and discounts on programsand merchandise. • Lone Wolf member-ships are U.S. $28 • Wolf Pack $50 • Wolf Associate $100 • Wolf Sponsor $500 • Alpha Wolf $1000. Canada and othercountries, add U.S. $15 per year for airmail postage, $7 for surface postage.Contact the International Wolf Center,1396 Highway 169, Ely, MN 55731-8129,USA; e-mail: [email protected]; phone: 1-800-ELY-WOLF

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

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

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

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

2 I n t e r n a t i o n a l W o l f F a l l 2 0 0 0

Editor’s Note: The International Wolf Centergreatly appreciates all the feedback we receivedregarding our proposed expanded mission toinclude educating the public about the importanceof wildlands to the survival of the wolf. As evidenced here, most of the readers whoresponded favored our proposal. We re-emphasizeour mission to educate the public about wolves. In response to the letters below, some letters havebeen edited to save space.

WildlandsWithout wildlands…where would thewolf be? As with the destruction ofhomes caused by the fighting inKosovo and the floods in Africa,where are these people to go now thattheir natural environment has beendestroyed? It will be costly to rebuild.Without the wolf’s natural environ-ment and wildlands, they woulddisappear as so many species havebefore them. We must be guardians to the animals and the earth. Doingmy part to “Save Something Wild,”

Lauren CoffmanReinbeck, Idaho

[As] an International Wolf Centermember for many years, I’ve alwaysbeen impressed with your ability tomaintain a clear focus on yourmission. But the article [on wildlands]made me stop and think about thewolf recovery success in the broadersense of the surrounding environ-ment. If we envision the state of ourenvironment years into the futurewithout additional emphasis on maintaining or expanding that wilderness today, I think we canimagine a day [when] the wolf isagain in dire trouble. For the Centerto continue down the same path ofnarrow environmental focus would be short-sighted. Wasn’t it Leopold

who said, “The first step in intelligenttinkering is to save all the pieces”?

John BridgelandMonticello, Wis.

Due to the ever-increasing pressure on wildlands everywhere from anever-expanding [human] population,it will likely not be possible to keep asmuch land in true wildlands thatwould be best for our brother wolf.

For those interested and willing to share the land and live with the wolf, there is a way to do this whileprotecting the land. Through the use of Conservation Easements, one candictate the use of the land in perpetuitywhether it be undeveloped, lived on or agricultural (just about any combi-nation is possible). Enough connectingeasements would likely not providesufficient habitat to sustain a pack butcould very well provide a corridor to or between such areas.

Through a Conservation Easementwith the Minnesota Land Trust, [partof my] land will be protected longafter I am dead and gone.

Henry CrosbyJordan, Minn.

The proposal to extend the Center’smission to incorporate educationabout wildlands is fine. [However] inorder for your organization not to loseits identity and become “just anotherpro-wilderness” organization, I feel itimportant that the expanded missionfocus most heavily on preservation ofwilderness areas in which wolvescould be reasonably expected to(eventually) expand their range ifthose areas were so preserved. While I do support “saving a brushy vacantlot for inner-city kids to explore or

continued on page 28


In this issue of International Wolf, we’re listening to public opinion on

important questions about the wolf, and we hope you’ll join us.

When we talk, we learn what we think. That’s why the good teacher

asks important questions, and then listens for the speaker’s knowledge,

values, concerns, reasoning and feelings.

I’ve said the following, and maybe you have, too: “I didn’t know I felt that

way until the words came out of my mouth.”

We’re tuned to our own thinking as well. Members of the Board of Directors

met in April and, having listened to each other, to our staff, and to the voices of

our members, decided to add to our mission

“education about the wolf ’s relationship

to wildlands.”

Good teachers that you are, you asked us

what we meant by “wildlands”?

We thought about it and came up with a

working definition: Wildlands are extensive

natural habitats, such as forests, prairies,

brushlands, tundra, and deserts, where human

presence is minimal and human tolerance could allow coexistence with other

species. Examples of wildlands include designated wilderness areas, state

and national parks and forests, wildlife refuges, wildlife management areas,

and natural habitat around interspersed communities.

From your letters to the editor, we learned that you believe wildlands are

important to the survival of the wolf, but don’t want us to lose our focus.

We agree. We’ll teach about wildlands in the context of the wolf, related species,

and human concerns.

We’d like to thank The Turner Foundation, Inc. for subsidizing this issue

focused on public opinion on the wolf, its management, wildlands, and wolf-

human conflict. We can’t wait to hear what you think. ■

From the Chair of the BoardINTERNATIONAL

WOLF CENTER

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Nancy jo TubbsChair

Dr. L. David MechVice Chair

Dr. Rolf O. PetersonSecretary

Paul B. AndersonTreasurer

Dr. Larry D. Anderson

Phillip DeWitt

Thomas T. Dwight

Nancy Gibson

Helene Grimaud

Cornelia Hutt

Dr. Robert Laud

Mike Phillips

Dr. Robert Ream

Paul Schurke

Teri Williams

Pat Woodworth

MISSION

The International WolfCenter supports the

survival of the wolf aroundthe world by teaching

about its life, its associationwith other species and its

dynamic relationships to humans.

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

"....we learnedthat you believewildlands areimportant to thesurvival of thewolf, but don'twant us to loseour focus."

I n t e r n a t i o n a l W o l f F a l l 2 0 0 0 3

Nancy jo Tubbs

Lynn

and

Don

na R

oger

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Minnesota is unique. In no otherstate have so many wolves and somany humans occupied the same

landscape for so many years. Unlike everyother state except Alaska, Minnesota hasalways had a wolf population. Since comingunder federal protection, that populationhas steadily increased (today it numberssomewhere between 2,500 and 3,000adults). At the same time, wolf range hassteadily increased and today it comprisesmore than a third of the state. Because it wasthe earliest state to experience wolf restora-

tion, Minnesota now has wolvesincreasingly occupying developedlands that have high numbers ofhumans, pets, and livestock.

These unusual facts are madeeven more unusual by the fact thatMinnesotans generally like wolvesand want them to continue as apresence in the state’s wildlifecommunity. Public opinion polls,including media polls and the work

of Yale researcher Steven Kellert, all showthat most Minnesotans want wolves to dowell in their state. For an animal that hasbeen vilified and persecuted for centuries,the climate of opinion in Minnesota todayrepresents an unprecedented opportunity. Asignificant wolf population now lives inrelatively close contact with a significanthuman population, and those humansgenerally hope they can coexist with wolveswithout a great deal of conflict. The situa-tion defined by all these circumstancesmight never have existed anywhere in theworld, and it certainly has not existedanywhere before in United States.

The Importance of the Minnesota Experimentb y S t e v e G r o o m s

I l l u s t r a t i o n b y J o a n O u e l l e t t e

Steve Grooms

J. H

enry

Fai

r

4 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 0

Minnesota is a laboratory in whichpeople’s tolerance for wolves will be testedin ways it never has been before. MostMinnesotans who say they like wolves livefar from them and thus are not in a positionto lose a pet or livestock to wolves. Theiraffection for wolves might be enhanced bythe fact that wolves are a theoretical presence and not a real threat of any sort. As wolves and people increasingly comeinto contact with one another, the depth ofMinnesotans’ tolerance of wolves will betested. Similarly, the ability of managers andpoliticians to craft intelligent and effectivewolf management programs will be challenged at the same time. So far, wolvesand people have gotten along better thanmost observers would have expected,although that could change.

The effort to restore wolves where theywere once extirpated is taking place in manydifferent regions and countries. Inevitably,people fighting to fashion new wolf policieswill cite the Minnesota experience as anexample of what happens when people andwolves share the same living space.

If wolf restoration eventually goes badly inMinnesota, people in other states and othercountries will be more reluctant to conduct asimilar experiment on their own soil. But ifwolves and Minnesotans can continue tocoexist with an acceptable level of conflict,the future for the wolf will be much better inmany varied places on earth. ■

Steve Grooms is the author of several books,including a popular book on wolves and wolfrestoration in the United States, ‘Return ofthe Wolf.’ A writer living in Saint Paul, heserves on this magazine’s advisory committee.

Inevitably,

people fighting

to fashion new

wolf policies

will cite the

Minnesota

experience as

an example of

what happens

when people

and wolves

share the same

living space.

ATTITUDES TOWARD THE WOLF


ACroatian shepherd spits indisgust. “What good is thewolf?” he asks. “You can’t eat

him and you can’t milk him.” A youngman who suffered a violent attack bythugs outside his high school takes a dramatically different view of wolves.During months ofpainful recuperation,the teenager develops afascination for wolves,seeing their restorationas a symbol of hope forhis own recovery. Hehungrily reads anythingwritten about wolves in Yellowstone anddreams of seeing one.

People have excep-tionally diverse views of wolves. Recently,several wolf authoritiesdiscussed the variousfactors that cause peopleto see wolves so differ-

WHATGOODIS THEWOLF?

Public Opinion About WolvesB Y C O R N E L I A H U T T

A N D S T E V E G R O O M S

ently. Many of them addressed this topic at our Beyond 2000 wolf symposium heldin Duluth in February. Others respondedto requests for comments for this article.

There are surely other factors thatinfluence people’s views on wolves. The list of factors in this article, if

not complete, at leastsuggests why wolvesare so controversial for so many people.

Knowledgeabout wolves

Myths and lack ofinformation of tencause people to fearwolves . Canada ’sAlistair Bath, talkingto an education panelat the wolf sympo-sium, noted that manywolf opponents havefalse impressions oft h e i r s i z e , t h e i r


People often

hold negative

views of

wolves unless

they see there

is a way they

can benefit

economically

from wolves.


Lynn

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Don

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numbers, and their behavior. NikitaO v s y a n i k o v o f t h e R u s s i a nFederation has found that manypeople in his country fear predatorsand misunderstand their role in anecosystem. Gerry Ring Erickson, afield representative with Defenders ofWildlife, constantly battles misinfor-mation about wolves, especially theperception that wolves commonlyattack humans.

Some wolf educators caution thatdisseminating accurate informationabout wolves will not end wolfhatred. The facts people hear aboutwolves usually have less impact on their view of wolves than deeplyheld convictions and fears. Thosecore convictions and anxieties often determine which “facts” aboutwolves people choose to believe.

Wolf educators note that it isusually easier to educate childrenabout wolves, since children havefewer entrenched biases than adults.For this reason, polls on attitudestoward wolves often show thatyounger people see them more favorably than older people do.

Patrick Valentino, director of theCalifornia Wolf Center, worries thatmany people in the United Statesdon’t have much direct knowledge ofanimals. They pick up cues from the media that they should “save”one animal or another, yet the samepeople are quickly terrified if exposedto wild animals that they feel couldthreaten them.

Wolf fans sometimes labor undermisperceptions of their own.

According to Luigi Boitani, a wolfspecialist in Italy, efforts to eradicateold stereotypes about the “bad wolf”might have created new stereotypesabout the “good wolf.” Boitani asks,“Have we done something wrong in education to have made wolfsupport so emotional?”

Acceptance of ecological values

People who like wolves are oftenmotivated by their understanding ofthe role of wolves in ecosystems andby their acceptance of several corevalues associated with environmentalpreservation. Environmentalism is

not only a series of observations aboutthe natural world but also a worldviewand a set of beliefs. Those beliefsinclude notions about what is valu-able, such as ecological health, andabout mankind’s proper role in thenatural world, which is not to domi-nate but to live in harmony with it.

Nina Fascione, director of carni-vore conservation with Defenders of Wildlife, observes that people who like wolves often feel a moralobligation to pass along a healthyecosystem to future generations. As it affects attitudes about wolves,environmentalism encourages peopleto appreciate wolves as keystonepredators rather than condemningwolves because they kill to survive.

That perspective is not shared byeveryone. People who think man was put on earth to dominate “lesser”animals often dislike the wolf, apredator that competes with humansand is hard to dominate. People whosee animals in strictly utilitarianterms sometimes find little value inwolves. The Kellert study (see page 9,Survey Details Attitudes AboutWolves, Past and Present) shows thathunters and trappers value the wolf.

Several wolf educators believeenvironmentalism is a natural development of highly developedand wealthy societies. ResearchersYadvendradev Jahla of India andChristoph Promberger of Romanianote that people living in poverty areusually unaware of environmentalvalues and would consider them afrivolous luxury anyway.

The economic Impact of Wolves

A ubiquitous factor influencingattitudes toward wolves is the issue ofdepredation on livestock. All aroundthe world, a consistent source of wolf hatred is the fear of livestockproducers that wolves will hurt them economically. Because livestockproducers are so vehement, their

J. H

enry

Fai

r

Yadvendradev Jhala of the Wildlife Institute ofIndia speaks during the symposium on conflictbetween humans and wolves in India.

Djuro Huber of the University of Zagrebspeaks on the situation of wolves in Croatia.

Bret

t Gro

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opposition to wolves can be morepolitically potent than would beexpected based on the actual damagewolves do.

An example is Sweden, whereanti-wolf sentiment is closely linkedto wolf depredation on reindeerherds, according to researcher Anders Bjarvall. Portugal’s FranciscoPetrucci-Fonseca told symposiumattendees that the key to wolf accep-tance in his country would beresponding to the concerns of shepherds, the group that has most tolose from wolf restoration. In theUnited States, wolf opposition hascome not only from livestockproducers but from hunting out-fitters who fear wolves will kill enoughelk or deer to threaten the resourcethat supports their businesses.

People often hold negative viewsof wolves unless they see there is away they can benefit economicallyfrom wolves. That leads some educa-tors to hope that support for wolvescan be built by showing the potentialfor eco-tourism based on wolves.Mary Theberge, a researcher workingwith her husband John in Canada’sAlgonquin Park, hopes to improvepeople’s attitudes toward wolves bymaking the public aware of the ways wolves can attract people andmoney to the park.

ProximityMany wolf educators point to

people’s proximity to wolves as a major factor influencing publicop in ion on them. Even in Minnesota, a generally “pro wolf”state, those living in urban areas tendto like wolves more than those wholive in wolf ranges and are at risk oflosing a pet or livestock to wolves.

The importance of proximity towolves is usually expressed in terms of the rural-urban split. In the wordsof Djuro Huber, a researcher inCroatia, “The key factors influencingpublic attitudes about wolves are

Lynn

and

Don

na R

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s

“People seem

to fear and

exaggerate

possible

changes for

the worse

than they

value changes

for the better.”


acceptance in Minnesota (wherewolves have always existed) and theSouthwest (where wolf restoration is anew fact that frightens many people).According to Gerry Ring Erickson,“People seem to fear and exaggeratepossible changes for the worse thanthey value changes for the better.”

Respect for governmentand law

Several wolf education panelists at the symposium mentioned thecovert but potent impact of people’s attitudes about government and law.In the United States, this is oftenlinked to particular resentmentsamong rural people toward theEndangered Species Act (ESA).Because wolf restoration is a federalgovernment initiative conductedunder the ESA, some wolf opponentsexpress some sympathy for wolvesbut contempt for the governmentand the law that forced wolf restora-tion upon them against their will.

Patrick Valentino points to theexample of an Arizona gun shopowner who vigorously opposes wolfrestoration in the Southwest. Thatman believes wolves could put his gun shop out of business. “The wolf, to this man, is a symbol of governmental intrusion into his wayof life,” according to Valentino. Awoman who fears wolf attacks on hergrandchildren explained that shedoesn’t worry about cougars orcoyotes much because, “We can killthem, but we can’t do anything aboutwolves (because of ESA protection).”

Gerry Ring Erickson has learnedthe hard way that negative attitudestoward government can poisonpeople’s attitudes toward wolves.Erickson reports, “Opposition isparticularly virulent on the OlympicPeninsula where there is tremendousresidual anger at government inter-ference stemming from the creationof Olympic National Park over sixdecades ago.” More recent actions,


completely different for the public thatshares the habitat with wolves andhave some direct competition withthem as opposed to the urban public.”

Rural people sometimes feel theyhave practical knowledge of wildlifesuch as wolves, but believe wolfsupporters operate from uninformedsentimentality. Dean Cluff, a biologistin Canada’s Northwest Territories,expressed the point this way: “Thosewho experience wildlife on a day-to-day basis will likely differ inperceptions from those who get theirexposure mostly by DiscoveryChannel or visits to parks.”

Experience with wolves and fear of change

A few wolf researchers and educa-tors point to the fear of change as afactor that causes people to opposewolf restoration. Where wolves arebeing introduced, people often reactnegatively because of stereotypes andmyths. Where wolves have long beenestablished, people are more likely to accept them (sometimes begrudg-ingly) as a natural part of life. InCroatia, for example, shepherds havelong dealt with wolves, according toresearcher Djuro Huber. In the U.S.,there is a sharp contrast between wolf

including restricting timber cuts toprotect spotted owls, have exacer-bated local bitterness about federal“meddling” in local affairs.

Resentment of government is notlimited to the U.S. In Croatia, DjuroHuber fears governmental protectionof wolves came “too fast” for localpeople. Wolves, once accepted bylocal people as a fact of life, now aretainted with rural people’s fear theyare losing control over their lives.

Final ThoughtsIf anything is clear from the

perceptions of people who work withpublic opinion about wolves, it is that the topic is complex. Wolf fansgenerally believe that more peoplewould love wolves if they just knewmore about them. As a generality, thatis probably true. Yet wolf educatorscaution that it is overly optimistic toexpect wolf education to turn wolfhaters into wolf supporters.

Opinions about wolves arecomplex because they exist on manylevels. People often argue facts aboutwolves when what really determinestheir attitudes are deeper fears andresentments. Debates about depreda-tion rates, for example, often maskunderlying resentments about theway rural people feel abused bydistant politicians and arrogant city-dwellers.

It also seems clear that self-interest has a major impact on howpeople see wolves. An old maximholds that “where you stand dependson where you sit.” How people feelabout an issue like wolf restoration is heavily influenced by the impactspeople imagine wolves will have ontheir lives. ■

Cornelia Hutt is a wolf advocate,educator, and International WolfCenter board member who lives inPurcelville, Virginia. Steve Grooms, a writer living in Saint Paul, hasrecently revised his book, TheReturn of the Wolf.

Lynn

and

Don

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According to a Yale University study sponsored by theInternational Wolf Center, The Public and the Wolfin Minnesota, 1999, public attitudes and behaviors

toward the wolf are changing. Residents are movingfarther away from seeing the wolf as a furbearer anddangerous beast. Regardless of where in Minnesota theylive, most residents now see the animal as an intrinsicallyvaluable resource to be protected for future generations.

Stephen R. Kellert of Yale University’s School ofForestry and Environmental Studies designed and

Min

neso

ta H

istor

ical

Soc

iety

Lynn

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. . . most residents now see the animal as an intrinsically valuable resource to be protected for future generations.

analyzed two surveys in 1985 and 1999 to investigate the attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors of Minnesota residents toward wolves. The studies were not identical,but 25 questions in each survey were the same or similarenough for the comparisons discussed here.

The Turner Foundation Inc., the National Fish &Wildlife Foundation, the Harold W. Sweatt Foundation, the Unity Avenue Foundation, and an anonymous donorfunded the 1999 study. The entire 1999 study can be foundat the International Wolf Center Web site, at www.wolf.org.

B Y D . M . O ’ K E E F E


SURVEY DETAILS

ATTITUDES ABOUT

WOLVES, PAST AND

PRESENT

SURVEY DETAILS

ATTITUDES ABOUT

WOLVES, PAST AND

PRESENT



of the service while keeping an eartuned to the opinions of Minnesotans.

The new wolf management plan,[carefully] drafted by the department in 1999 and modified by the 2000Legislature, was signed into law byGovernor Jesse Ventura. Plan criticsstill fear the consequences of twoallowances: the possible establishmentof a public hunting and trappingseason five years after the wolf’sdelisting, and the destruction of wolvesthreatening residents, livestock, or pets

in regions outside the wolf’s designatedrange. Such measures, they say, willencourage indiscriminate and unneces-sary killing, which, they claim, couldset the wolf’s survival back 25 years.

Management plan proponents saythat the wolf can successfully sustainits population with these controls.Without them, its predatory instinctswill eventually contribute to adversepublic opinion. Wolves that dispersebeyond their intended range into areasof greater human population densitywill take advantage of domestic prey.Minnesotans are likely to tire of this opportunism, demanding strictercontrols despite adequate compensa-tion for livestock loss. The end game,they say, is the same.

How the department and theLegislature will strike a balancebetween human interests and wolfsurvival under the scrutiny of state,national, and international watchers is

Legislative backgroundThe successful recovery of the

gray wolf in the Western Great Lakesregion, and Minnesota’s recent adoption of a wolf management plan,have set the stage for the U. S. Fishand Wildlife Service to removeMinnesota’s wolves from its threat-ened species list. When protection of the wolf passes to the state’sDepartment of Natural Resources, itstask will be to ensure the long-termsurvival of the wolf to the satisfaction

Kellert’s study also reveals that nearly 80 percent of those surveyed in1999 believe that seeing or hearing wolves would be on of their greatestoutdoor experiences.

Kellert’s study reveals that a majority of people surveyed in 1999 thinkwolves add to the experience of enjoying the wilderness.

Presence of wolves adds a great deal to Minnesota wilderness experience

Seeing/hearing wolves would be one of thethe greatest outdoor experiences of life.

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%

■ 1985 agree ■ 1999 agree ■ 1985 disagree ■ 1999 disagree

Non-north North Farmers Hunters Trappers

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%

■ 1985 agree ■ 1999 agree ■ 1985 disagree ■ 1999 disagree

Non-north North Farmers Hunters Trappers

Fear of wolves decreased substantially since 1985 for northern



yet to be seen, but ongoing awarenessof trends in public opinion may helpto chart the course of future actions.

Survey shows positive stance

Responses to survey questions in1999 show that nine out of ten resi-dents, including farmers and live-stock owners, think the wolfsymbolizes the beauty and wonder ofnature—up over 12 percent since1985, when a similar survey wasconducted. More than 70 percent ofMinnesotans now think that seeing orhearing wolves would be one of theirgreatest outdoor life experiences.

More significantly, nearly nine outof every ten residents believe that the wolf ’s presence adds to theMinnesota wilderness experience.Only six in ten held that belief 15years earlier. Fewer northern (livingin the northeastern one-third of the state) than non-northern respon-dents hold these beliefs, but thenumbers of farmers and livestockowners who do rose significantly.More than 80 percent of all residents

think Minnesota would be a lesserplace without wolves.

Fear of wolves is an importantcomponent of how the animals areperceived. In 1999, just over a third ofnon-northern residents thought theywould feel afraid if they saw a wolfwhile alone in the woods or if wolveslived near their homes, while a fourthof northern residents shared the sameconcern. Fear of wolves decreasedsubstantially since 1985 for northernresidents, despite growing numbers of wolves living in the region.

Management and controlAs Minnesota’s wolf population

increased between 1985 and 1999, sodid the public’s support for elimina-tion of predators of livestock and pets.Northern supporters increased by 20percent. Yet, there was a notableincrease in the number of residents—excluding farmers and livestockowners—who think killing wolves is wrong because of the animal’s intel-ligence and ability to feel pain.

These somewhat conflictingoutcomes suggest that Minnesotansare ambivalent about which controlmethods should be used for problemanimals, and explains the divisionbetween those who do and don’tsupport unlimited wolf dispersionthroughout the state. Only a smallminority of residents in both surveyyears supported poisoning or killingcubs in their dens, but 1999 showedan increase in support for poisoning.A majority finds hunting for sportand trapping for fur unacceptable,but they still prefer that wolves be

used that way rather than be killed by the government.

Education and knowledge The number of Minnesotans who

had seen a television program or filmabout wolves in the two years prior tothe survey increased 30 percent in 15 years. The increase could beexplained by wider access to satelliteand cable TV, but viewing is voluntaryand therefore suggests heightenedinterest in wolf behavior. Still,responses to questions about wolfbiology and behaviors suggest thatincreased viewing contributed little toincreased knowledge of the animal.

The percentage of Minnesotanswith practical knowledge aboutwolves has changed little. Thisincludes things like knowing theapproximate weight of an adult male wolf and that wolves do not necessarily avoid killing cattle andsheep if enough deer are available.

What these findings say aboutMinnesotans is hard to determine.Are more residents and theirdomestic animals now exposed tointeractions with wolves? Are moreresidents willing to kill wolves illegally or to justify killing as legal?Further study of resident behaviorsmay be necessary as wolves disperseand human population increases.

As Minnesota enters a newchapter of gray wolf management,the attitudes and behaviors of residents will continue to be valuablewhen formulating policy and evaluating solutions to human/wolf conflicts. It’s hoped that trendsuncovered by the 1999 study will be important to decision-makers inMinnesota, and instructive to thoseresponsible for threatened andendangered species world-wide. ■

D. M. O'Keefe is a freelance writer,Wisconsin Master Naturalist, andlong-time supporter of wolf recoveryand habitat protection efforts in theUnited States.Ly

nn a

nd D

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residents, despite growing numbers of wolves living in the region.




Notes from Home

Artist shares vision with CenterB y J e n n i f e r R e e d

Joan Ouellette has worked with wolves her entire life. Unlike a wolf handler or scientist, Ouellette is an artist and contributes to

the International Wolf Center through her artwork, often showingthe softer side of wolves. Recently, in anticipation of the Center’s

new pack members, Ouellette has included pen andwatercolor drawings of wolf pups playing and

cuddling together.Those who have shared her art praise Joan for

her generous talent, but she responds withextreme modesty. She says, “I feel like a small cog in the wheel” compared to others in the wolf

world. For a small cog, her work has had quite an impact. Ouellette has worked with the Center

since shortly after its inception, and her illustrationshave appeared in nearly every facet of the Center’s publi-

cations, including educational materials, funding requests,International Wolf, this year’s symposium logo, and an upcoming pageon the web site. “It’s very hard to find an illustrator who draws wolveswell, let alone someone who can respond quickly to our requests,”noted Mary Ortiz, Associate Director.

For Ouellette, wolves have long been a passion. She knew, even atage six, that she would draw wolves. At that young age, a teacher toldher class they could choose an animal for their next drawing assign-ment, and Ouellette remembers her sharp disappointment at beingtoo sick to go to school that day, losing her chance at drawing a wolf.

That interest has only strengthened, and she now says that ifsomeone told her she could only draw or paint wolves for the rest ofher life, “I would be happy. The wolf is the epitome of wilderness,

completing a healthy ecosystem.”

Nanniesnurture pupsB y J e n n i f e r R e e d

Not everyone can find outwhat it’s like to raise

two wolf pups, socialize themto humans, and introducethem to another wolf pack.Twelve people participated in the Nanny program at theInternational Wolf Centerthis summer, each spending a week acting as a surrogateparent.

The first on the scene wasNancy Weiss, an attorney who has returned to herecology roots, working withboth the California WolfCenter and Defenders ofWildlife. Weiss was excited

Joan Ouelette poses withher Siberian HuskyEddie and her AlaskanMalemute, Tundra.

Joan Ouellette’s artworkhas graced the pages ofthe Center’s publicationsand this year, our newlyremodeled web site.


Museum, Center partner to craft interactive exhibitB y A l l i s o n D e v e r s

By summer of 2001, the International Wolf Center will have a new

exhibit designed and built by the Science Museum of Minnesota. In

1993, the Science Museum donated the award-winning Wolves and

Humans exhibit to the Center, providing the jump-start the interpretive

facility needed to get off the ground. The new exhibit, for families and

children, will be permanently on display at the Center in Ely, Minnesota.

With support from funding from the Legislative Commission on

Minnesota Resources (LCMR), the exhibit will be “interactive, family-

oriented, and engaging,” according to Andrea Strauss, the Center’s

Education Coordinator. “We hope to creatively educate and engage

people while they learn about wolves,” Lorek Strauss said. Right now,

the exhibit exists only in the minds of the Center’s staff and the Science

Museum’s design team. Brainstorming has provided ideas ranging from

a life-size wolf den to wolf, deer, and raven costumes for children to

wear during role-playing. None of the exhibit-components are in

writing at this early stage, but, “the Center is looking forward to this

opportunity to support our mission, enhance the visitor’s experience

for ALL ages, and develop the interactive components of the Center,”

said Strauss. “Hopefully this will target families’ needs and encourage

people to come out

and see us.”


about how the nanny experi-ence will enhance her work in educating people aboutwolves. She said, “I’d like toeducate myself on rearingwolves, and would like to usethat in my presentations.There’s nothing better thanpersonal experience for peopleto listen to the message.”

One interesting skill Weiss brings to the programi s he r c e r t i f i c a t i on inTTouch™, a method of phys-ical training, exercises, andbodywork designed to helpanimals’ well-being. Weisshas used TTouch™ with wolfhybrids, and offered thisexpertise in working with theCenter’s pack.

S e e o u r n e x t i s s u e for details about Weiss’experience as a nanny.

The pups werenurtured this summerby volunteer nannies. Ti

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The new exhibitwill feature interactiveactivities like this one.




Notes from Home

The d a u n t i n g t a s kof maintaining the

International Wolf Center’sextensive Web site (www.wolf.org) has been made lesschallenging with the addi-tion of talented volunteers.With staff guidance, ValerieDuVernet, Meg O’Keefe,Mike O’Connell, and SteveMcCann have collectivelyput in hundreds of hoursrevamping and adding information to the site.

Following the newarrival of two arctic wolfpups to the Center, possiblythe most exciting additionto the Web site is the wolfPups Page, with links to

GENERAL:van

tape backup for thecomputers

wheelchair

software upgrades forWord, Excel and Quark

room dividers, preferablycubicle units withshelving for 2 offices

web software for mgmtmodules for 2 computers

music/information onvoicemail waiting

bookcases

new microwave

WOLVES:walk-in freezer

MEMBERSHIP:heavy duty printer

RETAIL:display cases androlling clothing racks

STORAGE:shelving behind exhibit

shelving in new storagecloset under-sink cabi-nets in new restrooms

COMMUNICATIONS:zip drive

CD burner

Color Scanner

Equipment for editing tapes

MAGAZINE:G4 450 meghrzcomputer with internalzip drive and cd playerwith 19-20 inch monitor

zip drive

PhotoShop software

digital camera

scanner

AUDITORIUM:blinds

ceiling fans

CLASSROOM:countertop and cabinets

EDUCATION:lap-top projector unit forpower point presentations

concierge stand

INFORMATIONRESOURCES:

voicemail-on-demandfor wolf info

free standing bookcases

arctic wolf information, an article about a year in the life of an arctic pup, and a Grow-the-Pupd o n a t i o n p a g e .Through June andJuly, this site alsohad a link to KARE11 television’s Wolf-Cam, a 24-hour liveW e b - c a m t h a tf e a t u r e d o u rnewborn wolves.

The Grow-the-Pup page is anotherf e a t u r e o f t h eu p d a t e d s i t e .Documenting thecharacteristics ofwolf pups as they

grow, this site offers the firstopportunity for visitors todonate on-line. People canvisit the Grow-the-Pupsite and help the Centerprovide for the care andfeeding of our pups andtheir packmates.

Another helpful additionto the site is the media PressKit. The press kit will makeit easier for the press andother visitors to seek outbasic information about theCenter. With board andstaff biographies, a shorthistory of the organization,

t e s t i m o n i a l s o f visitors to the inter-pretive Center in Ely, Center pressreleases, and links towolves in the news,the press kit providesa new dimension to the site.

With our newv o l u n t e e r s , t h eCenter hopes tocontinue updatingand improving ouron- l ine content .E n j o y v i s i t i n gwww.wolf.org! ■

Website transformation features new pupsB y A l l i s o n D e v e r s

★InternationalWolf Center Wish ListThe International Wolf Centerwould like to thank members fortheir remarkable generosity inhistorically responding to ourneeds. We continue to be in needof the following items or services.If you are able to donate, pleasecontact our Brooklyn Centeroffice, at 763-560-7374. Alldonations are tax deductible.



B y A m y F a r r a r

The arctic wolf pups thatbecame the Center’s

most recent additions werenamed on June 12 by ourName-the-Pups contestwinners, Dan Gregory, ofCoon Rapids, MN, andGina Dejong, of Belcamp,MD. No longer referred toby the colors of theircollars, the pups are nowbeing called by their names,Malik and Shadow.

According to Dejong, “Ichose the name Shadowbecause I have a friend inNorth Carolina who loveswolves and owns ShilohShepherds. One of the shep-herds is named Smokey’sShadow. The pup looks a lotlike Smokey’s Shadow whenshe was a puppy.” Gregorynamed the other pup Malikafter late Timberwolvessuperstar Malik Sealy.

Approximately 1,700people submitted names tothe contest and more than

8,000 votes were tallied toselect the top two namesfrom the choices providedby the contest judges. Thecontest’s judges includedAllen Garber, Commissionero f t h e M i n n e s o t aDepartment of NaturalResources, Ann Lachinski,Sales Promotion Managerfor KARE-11, Lori Schmidt,the International WolfCenter’s wolf curator, LolitaSchnitzius, Mayor of Ely,and Nancy jo Tubbs, Chairof the International WolfCenter’s Board of Directors.

Malik and Shadow, whowere born on May 8, spentthe first few weeks of theirlives with International WolfCenter Board Member andNaturalist Nancy Gibson.KARE-11 TV, an NBC affil-iate in the Minneapolis/SaintPaul area, hosted the conteston their web site and set up a pup cam during the pups’first few weeks of life (peoplewith access to the Internetcould view live pictures ofthe pups that were updatedevery 60 seconds).

The Name-the-Pupscontest was also promotedon the Center’s Website, and KARE-11’s “CreatureF e a t u r e ” a n d n e w sprograms. Anyone notdirectly affiliated with the contest was allowed to submit names. ■

Barb

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Notes from Home

Dan Gregory of Coon Rapids, MN, holds Malik, the arctic wolf pup henamed after the late Minnesota Timberwolves basketball superstar, MalikSealy. Not shown: Gina Dejong of Belcamp, MD, who named our otherwolf pup, Shadow.

Arctic wolf pups named bylucky contest winners

Malik and Shadow explore NancyGibson’s backyard in characteristicwolf exploratory fashion.


tantly, the welfare of thepups. Brightly coloredcollars were attached to eachpup for identification so the public could marvel atthe pups’ rapid growth. As each movement wasbeing recorded in history,the pups were learning toadapt to a human’s worldthat had not historicallybeen user friendly.

The pups were takenfrom their mother at tendays of age to start the critical socialization process.Each day brought new revelations. At 12 days ofage, their blue eyes werecompletely open, theirvision limited to seeingshadows, bound to improvewith each day. The pups cuttheir front upper teeth thesame day, and by evening,their lower front teeth were

Tracking the Pack

exposed. By 13 days, mostof their tiny teeth werevisible and they were sharp!

Equally sharp was thepups’ sense of smell. I hadto keep a certain distancefrom their cage—a merewhiff of me close to feedingtime would send them into a feeding frenzy. This strongsense is a survival tool thatwould serve them well tofind their prey and stick totheir territory.

The pups made severalsounds. My favorite was thecooing and rumblings somerefer to as “comfort” noises.Those sounds of content-

ment were most prevalentafter a good meal and werealmost constant. As thefourth hour between feed-ings approached, thecomfort noises changed towhines and short, high-pitched howls designed tobring mother back into theden. This became the timefor the pups to seek out eachother for comfort and play.

The pups ’ hea r ing developed earlier than Iexpected—at 15 days ofage, they would tune in tothe sound of the microwaveannouncing their next mealas I heated their bottles

Raising Wolves in a High-tech WorldB y N a n c y G i b s o n

International Wolf Center Board Member Nancy Gibson shares her

experiences raising the arctic pups that became the most recent addi-

tions to our Center in Ely this summer. At seven weeks old, the pups,

named Malik and Shadow, joined our ambassador wolves, Lakota,

Mackenzie, and Lucas at our Center in Ely this summer. Executive

Director Walter Medwid said having the wolves at the Center “will

bring the global issues and the international story of wolves to our

visitors and members.” Arctic wolves are the least well known by

the general public because their natural environment is so remote.

Right: International Wolf CenterCommunications Director Nancy

Vest feeds one of the puppies.

The call came on May 8:two male arctic wolfpups were born in

captivity and doing well.Bottles, nipples, fresh goatmilk, towels, and a specialtelephone line were quicklya s s e m b l e d . We w e r epioneering our wolf educa-tion efforts with live sciencevia the Internet with thesupport of NBC-affiliatetelevision station, KARE 11in Minneapolis.

Raising wolves is a chal-lenge in itself, but doing thetask in front of a curiousworld via a web camerapresents a forum for intensepublic input. The color oftowels and choice of stuffedanimals was always underscrutiny, while I worriedabout mustard-coloredexcretions being exposed tothe world. I had to masterthe high technology of webcamera paraphernalia, themost pleasing angle forexposure, but most impor- Ti

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Snippets from the diary of a surrogate wolfmom (taken from the International WolfCenter’s web page, www.wolf.org):

May 19, 2000 The two male Arctic wolf pupseach weighed a pound at birth and have already almosttripled their weight. They are eating two ounces of specialformula primarily made up of fresh goat’s milk every four hours. The red-collared pup made his first attempt at howling at 11 days of age and he remains the most vocal of the two pups.

May 22, 2000 [The pups] collars had to be loosened one notch to accommodate their rapid growth.The diet has increased to 15 ounces of formula per day.Their eyes fully opened on May 20 at 12 days of age.

May 25, 2000 They have quadrupled theirweight in 17 days, which is typical of wolves that need togrow rapidly in order to survive. Wolf pups need to be able to travel with the pack by fall.

May 30, 2000 Their light colored underfur isnow noticeable around their head. Their fur will start tolighten all around their body the next two weeks until they are almost blonde. The red-collared pup joined hisbrother for a howl on May 28.

June 2, 2000 They are playing more with eachother with play biting and growling, which begins thesurvival training process.

June 5, 2000 The two pups spent part of themorning outside discovering that insects are fun to chaseand pounce. This is typical of what wild pups would bedoing outside their den while the adults are hunting orsleeping near the den.

June 8, 2000 They gained 11 ounces in threedays! With the onset of warm weather, the pups havebegun to dig up the soft dirt outside to reach cooler soil to escape the heat. Wolves will dig large holes in warmermonths not only for relief from heat but also the bugs.

June 12, 2000 The red collared wolf weights 8.6 pounds and the blue one is 8.75 pounds. Their legs are beginning to grow, as are their feet and nose. Each day they are getting faster as they romp outside.


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white and their “cuteness”will evolve into the sleek-ness of efficient predators.In the meantime, the adultwolves at the Center willdemonstrate their nurturingskills with the pups underthe gaze of the public andthe h igh- tech wor ld ,reverting back to the naturalbehavior that has allowedthis species to survivethroughout the centuries. ■

See our next issue for details on how the pups, later named Malik andShadow, (see page 15) were acclimated to our Center in Ely.

of milk. Just the sound of the microwave door wouldsend the pups to the cagedoor in anticipation.

At three weeks, theirpersonalities developeddrastically. One pup wasmore vocal as he exploredhis surroundings; the otherone lagged behind by a few ounces in weight butmade up for it in his feistybehavior. Time will turntheir grey coats to cream

Too cute to be real! Gibsonrocks one of the pups (at 25 days old) to sleep.



Todd Bernard

Lammot Copeland, Jr

Julie & Parker Hall III

F B Hubachek Jr

Ms Lacey M Hunter

Neil Hutt

Robert & Harriet Jakovina

Dorothy Kanehl

Robert & Christine Laud

Mimi & Stew McMillen

Christina M Probst

David Smith

Ronald Sternal & Nancy Gibson

Terra et EducareFoundation

Douglas & Leonore Walters

MemorialsIn memory of Mary L KeillorPatricia O’Donnell &

Joann Papenfuss

In memory of Nina MelbinCarol Walsh

In memory of Paul “Kirk” PrincipeGloria DebrunnerBrian HomSharon KariyaPam LogasaBetty Principe

In Memory of Jan VolkmanFrederick Eller

KianaMemorialsChick Steffes

HonoraryIn Honor of Brianna GarboLawrence FeuerNorman and

Rhonda GarboMark and Sally OldsKenneth Rawson

In Honor of Ron &Marlene NaumanSally Bell

In Honor of Ryan SingerSteven and

Jennifer Weiss

Be sure to check outwww.wolf.org to seehow you can help growthe new additions to our family!

Matching GiftsDoes your company have a matching gift program?

We have received matching gifts from:


Contributors

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Correction

International Wolf apologizesfor the following error:

In our spring issue, we incorrectlystated on page 12 that the WestwoodHill Nature Center is in Bloomington.The center is actually in St. Louis Park.

American Express

Dayton Hudson Corporation

Enron Corporation

General Mills

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The wolf lay limp at out feet, itsmuzzle streaked with blood.Except for the weak move-

ment of its breathing, it would havebeen hard to say if she was dead oralive. We shuffled and stamped ourfeet to fight the growing cold as thesun descended in a red horizon andthe wind gathered its strength.Harboring no doubts that her endwas near, we left feeling depressedand helpless.

It was hard to understand how hercondition could have deteriorated soquickly. Less than one hour before,she had struggled against the steel

Editor’s Note: The following report is a

field report by Dr. William Bleisch, a

biologist who has worked in wildlife field

research since 1987. Bleisch is currently

coordinating a joint project between the

China Exploration and Research Society

(CERS), a Hong Kong-based non-

profit, and the Arjin Mountain Nature

Reserve to establish a research and moni-

toring program for Tibetan antelope and

other large mammals. Bleisch spends two

months a year studying wolves in Tibet.

This article originally appeared in China

Explorers, CERS quarterly newsletter.

The Wolf Trap: Encountering MixedAttitudes in Tibetb y W i l l i a m B l e i s c h

The reserve staff felt that they could not protect wolves without souring theirrelationship with the local herders. Here, a wolf on the reserve eats its kill.

foot-hold trap with frantic strengthfed by fear at our approach. We hadcome upon her sitting strangely quieton a grassy mound by the roadside.The chain that held her fast to a stakein the ground was not obvious untilwe were only a few meters away.

Life or death?We stood around the wolf for some

time debating what to do. On the one hand, the wolf was a traditionalenemy in Xinjiang, where the cultureis very much rooted in the traditionsof the herder. The trap that had caughtthis unfortunate wolf had been set by Uigher villagers from Yishakipati, asmall settlement of mud-faced housesjust a few miles away. They set trapsspecifically for wolves in retaliationfor the loss of their sheep. Some fami-lies reported losing nearly one sheep

W.V

. Ble

isch/

CER

S



There were some compellingreasons why the reserve staff werereluctant to save this helpless wolf.On the other hand, the reserve staffconsidered that trapping of any wildanimal inside the nature reserve wasa dangerous breach of the regulationsand an attack on their authority. The staff also knew that their job was to protect the nature reserve, andthat meant protecting the entireecosystem, not just this or thatspecies. And this ecosystem includedthe predators as well as the prey.

Several other nature reserves,where wolves and other predatorshad been exterminated, were nowreporting dangerous over-populationof grazing animals, as the prey populations increased unchecked bynatural predators. Would the ArjinMountain ecosystem remain healthyif it lost its wolves to uncontrolledtrapping?

After some discussion, includingmuch gentle coaxing by two foreignbiologists, Director Zhang Huibinmade his decision. We would release

each night to wolves during thewinter. The law requires that compen-sation should be paid by the countygovernment, but no money was available for such payments.

It was understandable that thereserve staff would feel that theycould not protect wolves withoutsouring their relationship with thelocal herders. That relationship hadbecome even more valuable as thevillagers had become allies in thereserve’s fight to control outsiders.Local people regularly reported onillegal activities by outsiders,including poaching of Tibetan antelope and other rare wildlife.

In addition, the reserve staff allknew that wolves are not rare in theArjin Mountain Nature Reserve.During our observations on thewinter rutting grounds of the Tibetanantelope, we encountered one ormore wolves nearly every day.

The reserve’s mission was toprotect the Tibetan antelope andother larger grazing animals, so thestaff harbored no romantic affectionsfor the wolves.

Bleisch and his colleagues encountered one or more wolves at the ArjinMountain Nature Reserve in Tibet each day.

The wolf, which must have spent the night in the same spot wherewe had left her, leapt up and trotted away when the car approached!

True to her faith,

Shah spent the

evening praying

for the wolf’s

recovery.



the wolf. We would cover her withheavy sheepskins to calm her whilethe trap was removed from her leg.We would also get ready withcameras and video to document theevent, as a statement of a new policyand a lesson for the future.

When we returned with theequipment, one of the local guards,not understanding our intention,approached the wolf with a shovel,ready to end her suffering. He couldnot understand that the wolf was to be spared, and thought we onlyintended to collect and measure thecorpse. We stopped him in time, butthen realized that, even without hishasty act, the wolf’s situation hadalready changed dramatically. She laynearly senseless at the end of the out-stretched chain. The sheepskinswere not necessary because she didnot struggle as the trap was carefullyremoved. Beneath the trap, the bonewas not broken, but the wolf simplylay still and made no move to flee.

Overnight RecoveryDiscouraged and depressed, we

returned to the village. All but one ofus was convinced that the wolf wasnow beyond our help. But Nita Shah,a biologist from India, thought therewas one last measure she could take.The China Exploration and ResearchSociety (CERS) had invited Shah tojoin our expedition to the reserve sothat she could give advice andtraining for surveys of Tibetan wildass. In addition to being one of theworld’s foremost authorities on theecology and behavior of wild ass,Shah is also an adherent of Ahimsar,the doctrine of nonviolence, whichpreaches respect and compassion forall sentient beings. True to her faith,Shah spent the evening praying forthe wolf’s recovery.

In the morning, before setting outfor the day’s surveys, Shah asked tobe taken back to check on the wolfone last time. The joy and relief wereclear on her face when she soonreturned to tell us all that the wolf,which must have spent the night inthe same spot where we had left her,

had leapt up and trotted away whenthe car approached. Althoughlimping slightly, she seemed to havefully recovered from her ordeal. Shegave one last glance at the car,perhaps unsure whether it containedfriends of foes, then disappeared intothe vastness of the nature reserve.

Although the salvation of one wolfwill not tilt the balance in theecosystem, perhaps these eventssignify a turning point in natureconservation in China. Naturereserves in China are slowlybecoming more than simply lines ona map and lists of regulations, worthlittle more than the paper they arewritten on. Many of China’s naturereserves are becoming true refuges of wildness, where nature is allowedto take its course, undisturbed by the acts of humankind.

Although the goal is for these wildareas to be relatively free from human influences, this can only beachieved with active management toprotect these special areas from thegreat changes brought about by therestless activities of China’s vast

human population, and bythe new impacts of rapideconomic and technologicaldevelopment. Arjin MountainNature Reserve is proving tobe one of the leaders in thenew approaches to natureconservation in China, andCERS is proud to be able towork in partnership with the reserve. ■

The wolf survived the ordeal, thanks to the efforts of visiting biologists. After recoveringovernight, she gave one last glance at the car and disappeared into the nature reserve.

All

phot

os b

y W

.V. B

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h/C

ERS


International Falls

Duluth

Ely

Bemidji

Park Rapids

Hinckley


over yet. Anumber ofenvironmental groups have threatenedto sue to prevent the state managementplan from being implemented.

The bill that passed this year,House File 3046, establishes two wolf management zones in Minnesotaafter federal delisting. Wolves would be more highly protected in “Zone A,” the northernmost wilderness zone estimated to contain98 percent of the wolves inMinnesota. In this zone, wolves couldonly be killed by private citizens if they are viewed as posing an“immediate threat” to livestock,d o m e s t i c a n i m a l s , o r p e t s .Depredation control would be carriedout by state-trained and certified

trappers who could takewolves in “predator

control zones” for 60 daysafter a verified depredation.

Wolves wou ld be l e s sprotected in “Zone B,” thesouthern agricultural zonecompr i s ing f i ve - e i gh ths o fMinnesota, where biologists estimate about 100 wolves live.Subdivision 8 of the legislation wouldallow citizens in this zone to take

On May 15, MinnesotaGovernor Jesse Venturasigned a bill in the Minnesota

Legislature establishing two wolfmanagement zones in Minnesota.The bill represented a compromisebetween the 1998 Ci t i zen ’sRoundtable Agreement and a billpassed by the House in 1999 thatestablished an open hunting andtrapping season in the state. Thebattles leading up to this agreementwere contentious – and it’s not

Minnesota Legislature carves out wolf management zonesB y K i m b e r l y B y r d

This map shows the areas of the state carved out by theMinnesota Legislature for two wolf management zones.

continued on page 24

Hunting/Trapping Season

Type of Depredation Control by Farmers

and Pet Owners

Type of State-RunDepredation Control

Different Wolf Management Zones

Wolves Killed in Defense of Human Life

Harass Wolves

Penalty for Illegal Killing

Other Provisions

Bill Outcomes

Bill Summaries

1998 Contiguous Wolf Range(North and East of line)

Gray Wolf Zone, “Zone A”(Federal Zones 1-4)

Agricultural Zone, “Zone B”(Federal Zones 5)

Minnesota Wolf Distributionand Management Zones

Linda

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Citizens’ Roundtable Agreement House File 3046Developed by a 33-member stakeholder A “compromise agreement” between the Roundtable Agreement of 1998 committee in 1998. Rejected by the Legislature. and a bill permitting open hunting and trapping seasons by the

House in 1999. Accepted by the Legislature in 2000.

No public hunting/trapping for five years. No public hunting/trapping for five years.

Farmers and pet owners can kill wolves if Throughout the state, farmers and pet owners can kill wolves if theythey witness an attack on one of their animals. present an “immediate threat” by stalking, pursuing, or attacking

one of their animals.

“Subdivision 8” allows a person in Zone B to “shoot a wolf at anytime to protect livestock, domestic animals, or pets,” or they mayemploy a state-certified trapper to take wolves.

DNR maintains animal damage control “Predator control zones” extending a mile beyond the farm are program for depredating wolves. established after verification of a wolf depredation. Opened maximum

of 60 days in wolf zone, seven months in agricultural zone. Can be re-opened in the agricultural zone for five years. State-certifiedtrappers are paid $150 for each wolf killed.

No Yes, establishes management “Zone A,” which is identical to FederalRecovery Plan Zones 1-4, and contains mostly wildlands and approximately 98% of wolves in the state. “Zone B” is identical to the 1992 Federal Recovery Plan Zone 5, and is mostly agricultural,and contains aproximately 100 wolves.

Yes Yes, throughout the state.

Can harass wolves within 500 yards but Can harass wolves within 500 yards but injury is prohibited.injury is prohibited.

Gross misdemeanor, $2,000 restitution Gross misdemeanor, $2,000 restitution

Provides money for non-lethal controls; DNR to manage the “ecological impact of wolves on prey species;” livestock compensation cap lifted. livestock compensation cap lifted.

Amended radically in House 1999 Passed House 78-53 on April 11, 2000 as HF1415 (2000 version); (see HF 1415); tabled in Senate 1999; slightly Sent back to Conference Committee twice by the Senate; attached to modified and passed on Senate floor hunting and fishing license increase bill HF3046 and passed through March 15, 2000 by a vote of 45-21 to go the Senate by a vote of 38-24, and through the House by a vote of to Conference Committee. 87 to 44. Signed by Governor Ventura on May 15, 2000.



wolves “at any time” to protect live-stock, domestic animals, and pets, orhire a state-certified trapper to removewolves for the same purpose. Predatorcontrol zones could be opened anytime in Zone B within five yearsfollowing a verified depredation.

Management techniques in ZoneB provided much of the fodder for

wolf population, that wolves in ZoneB would “continue to multiply,” andthat the bill “implemented the round-table agreement’s five-year protectionfrom public hunting and trapping in90 percent of wolf range.”

This ruling calls to light the veryhigh level of controversy surroundinginteractions between humans andwolves in Minnesota and beyond. Indeveloping this legislation, heateddiscussions focused on the ethicalimplications of dealing with individualwolves and the tolerance of predatorsthat people are willing to support. Willthe state’s decision set a precedent forsimilar scenarios throughout thenation and the world? ■

Kimberly Byrd is a doctoral candidatein Conservation Biology at theUniversity of Minnesota, studyingvarious belief systems behind publicperceptions about wolves.

debate about the bill. Some organiza-tions labeled subdivision 8 the “shooton sight provision,” and claimed thepredator control zones would be amodern-day bounty that providedincentives for trapping as manywolves as possible. Supporters of thebill claimed that many people wereexaggerating potential impacts on the

Wolves should be allowed to spread throughout Minnesota

These statistics, taken from Yale University Professor Stephen Kellert’s study of public attitudestoward wolves in Minnesota (1999), show the level of controversy about what the sampled populations think of their interactions with wolves.

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AMICHIGAN WOLF dispersed to theInternat ional Fal ls area of

Minnesota in May but apparently washit by a car and had to be destroyed.The animal had been radio-collared inNovember near Crystal Falls, Michiganand thus had traveled a straight linedistance of about 400 miles beforesuccumbing.

BREEDING FEMALE WOLF 40 ofYellowstone’s famed Druid Pack

that inhabits the east end of the LamarValley was killed by other wolves inearly May when her pups were just afew weeks old. The night before, shehad been seen interacting aggressivelywith her daughters, at least two ofwhich also produced litters. Biologistssuspect that wolf 40 was killed by herdaughters. It does appear, however,that other pack members are tending40’s pups.

L UCKY WOLF. U. S. Fish andWildlife Service Biologists Diane

Boyd and Tom Meier recaptured aradio-collared wolf in Glacier NationalPark and learned why the wolf’s collarhad ceased transmitting prematurely—there was a bullet hole through the transmitter! The wolf itself wasunscathed.

MINNESOTA’S WOLVES are thesubject of a new, popular book

to be published by Voyageur Press thisautumn. With chapters by many ofMinnesota’s past and present wolfresearchers, the book presents in plainlanguage the highlights of the wolf’shistory in Minnesota, and the animal’sbiology, behavior, and interactions withprey. It also examines public attitudestoward the wolf and celebrates thecreature’s recovery.

OREGON WOLF? A radio-collaredwolf was found dead near Baker,

Oregon, possibly a road kill, accordingto the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.Baker is about 40 miles west of Idaho,easy dispersal distance from the Idahowolf population. However, theService cautioned that conceivablythe wolf was carried to the areaand dropped off there.

WILD LAND PROTECTION

gained considerablemomentum in May when theU. S. House of Representativesagreed to create a $45 billionfund to buy parks and openspaces, restore damaged coastalareas, and purchase scatteredprivate property within federal parks over the next 15 years.

“PLACES FOR WOLVES,” a handsomeand useful booklet published

by the Defenders of Wildlife inDecember 1999, provides “A Blueprintfor Restoration and Long-term Recovery [of the Wolf] in the Lower 48 States.”The booklet examines various areas of wildlands in the U. S. outside ofAlaska and discusses their potential for wolf recovery.

WOLVES AND HUNTERS competelittle for deer in most of north-

eastern Minnesota, concludes a Journalof Wildlife Management article, “DoWolves Affect White-tailed BuckHarvest in Northeastern Minnesota?” byL. David Mech and Michael E. Nelson.The authors based their analysis on up to 23 years of data on wolf numbers and hunter-killed bucks. ■

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Edward Norton reads a copy of International Wolfat the historic Senator Theater in Baltimorewhere Norton’s recently released film Keeping the

Faith, premiered. Norton, who is an International WolfCenter member, both directed and acted in the film.The film is about the importance of community spiritand effort in creating positive change. ■

Please send photos or slides of you or a friend reading the magazinein a favorite or far-off place to Managing Editor, International WolfCenter, 5930 Brooklyn Blvd., Suite 204, Minneapolis, MN 55429.Identify the person pictured and include their permission to use thephoto, the photographer’s name and the location. Regretfully, weare unable to return slides or prints.

New Release from C. J. ConnerWolf Alliance Artist of the Year’95 and ’98

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From “Yellowstone Wolves,” StarTribune, January 16, 2000, p. A22.

✎ S TAT E M E N T“The government has tried to meet the ranchers’ objections [towolf recovery in Wyoming, Montana,and Idaho] by mitigating predation,paying for losses . . . .”

✍ C O R R E C T I O NIt is Defenders of Wildlife, a non-government organization, that paysranchers compensation for losses oflivestock to wolves in the West. Theonly places where any government inthe United States pays such compen-sation is Minnesota and Wisconsin.

From “Crying Wolf,” by DerykFunkhouser, Letters from readers, Star Tribune, February 17, 2000.

✎ S TAT E M E N T“This [3,500 wolves] is 140 percentof the 2,500 the federal governmenthas requested [for wolf recovery].”

✍ C O R R E C T I O NThe federal government’s criterionfor delisting the wolf in Minnesotawas not 2,500 wolves but rather was1,250.

From “Gods or Monsters?Neither, Just Wolves,” byKristin Tillotson, Star Tribune,March 5, 2000, p. F3.

✎ S TAT E M E N T“ . . . but even Michigan andWisconsin—states that don’t havesignificant [wolf] populations . . .”

✍ C O R R E C T I O NMichigan and Wisconsin containabout 400 wolves, four times thefederally mandated recovery level.

From “Of Survival on the Edge:How a Beetle Led Experts to a New Path,” William K. Stevens,New York Times Science,February 22, 2000.

✎ S TAT E M E N T“A range map of the red wolf showsthe species’ current distribution asbeing in the southeastern Texas andsouthwestern Louisiana areas.”

✍ C O R R E C T I O NThe current distribution of the redwolf is in northeastern NorthCarolina. The last remaining redwolves were removed from Texas and

Louisiana in the mid-1970s, placedin captivity and bred for reintro-duction. Captive-bred animals werethen reintroduced into northeasternNorth Carolina where they form the only known wild population ofthe species.

From “President’s Message,” by Martha Minchak, MinnesotaChapter, The Wildlife SocietyNewsletter 27 (1):1.

✎ S TAT E M E N T(Referring to the proposed MinnesotaDepartment of Natural Resources’[DNR] wolf management plan) “And

where will the $100 wolfbounty monies come from?”

✍ C O R R E C T I O NWolf bounties are tradition-ally monies paid to anyonefor killing wolves at any timeand any place in the stateregardless of where wolfdamage might have occurred.Because they did little ornothing to solve a depreda-tion problem, such bountieswere rejected by wildlifeprofessionals. The DNR plan,on the contrary, would payspecially trained trappers tocapture wolves at specifictimes and places wherewolves have done damage.Thus the only resemblancebetween a bounty and theDNR payments is that ratherthan paying individualcontrol trappers on an hourlybasis, the plan would pay on a per-wolf basis. ■

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setting aside parcels of landaround a housing develop-ment,” I feel that such areasare not likely to be key areasfor wolves. To move awayfrom a mission of supportingwolf environments and wolf survival would causeyour organization to lose its focus and, as a consequence,particular appeal.

Carol A. LawsonPiedmont, Calif.

I have been a member of theInternational Wolf Center for

several years now. All thistime, it has bothered mesomewhat that the Centerseems to support wolf education and recovery withvery little regard for theserious problems of humanpopulation growth and theresulting loss of wildlandsthat, sooner or later, are sureto undermine these efforts. I was very surprised andpleased to see the Spring2000 issue follow the lead of the Wildlands Project andsimilar groups, and addressthese critical issues head-on.I read the article by Nancy joTubbs and could not agreemore. In fact, I would behard-pressed to find a singleline in the whole issue

that I disagreedwith. It is now ornever for thisc o u n t r y ’ sr e m a i n i n g wildlands—eithert h e y w i l l b eprotected for thefuture, or t h e ywill be destroyed,to the d e t r i m e n tor extinction ofwolves and al lother species thatdepend on them.

I feel that theCenter shoulddefinitely changeits mission state-ment to includeeducat ion andadvocacy for wild-lands. This posi-t i o n will helpb e n e f i t t h el o n g - t e r msecurity of wolves,

along with that of manyother species of organisms.It will also help ensure the

survival of these lands forfuture generations to enjoy.

Nancy GarskeMarenisco, Mich.

I am writing you because I have a real interest in the environmental affairs of the Mexican wolf inArizona. I just finished anenvironmental project formy English class, and this is the issue I researched. I have read many articles inmy city’s newspaper aboutwolves being killed by angryranchers, who feel their livestock and land are beingthreatened by wolves.

I see the killings of theMexican wolves as a poten-tial problem here in Arizona,because of how i t i saffecting so many lives.Some causes of the problemare that our federal govern-ment in the 1930’s gaverewards out to bountyhunters to kill wolves. Thewolves then almost becameextinct, and ranchers nowfind it astonishing how thegovernment is trying toredeem itself today bygiving out large rewards toprotect wolves and fine the poachers who kill them.

Some possible solutionsthat I see are to put trackingdevices on the wolves and to release them into theirnatural habitat. Another solu-tion is to center most of thewolf population in nationalparks such as Yellowstone,although I feel this would not be the best solution.

What are some othersolutions that you knowabout to solve this problem?Also, if I wanted to start acareer in the wildlife field,

Letterscont. from page 2

what can you tell me abouta job and education that isneeded for me to succeed in this field? I eagerly awaityour reply.

Alleana BlacketerFlagstaff, Ariz.

Technical Editor ’s Note: Alleana,take as many science and math coursesas you can, and in college, major in Wildlife Management, Biology,Zoology, or Conservation Biology.

Twelve years ago, I went to a zoo in Orono, Ontario. Istopped at a cement cagewith bars, no bigger than sixor eight square feet in size. Ithoused a gray wolf and ablack wolf, who only hadroom to take several stepshere or there. I knew nothingof wolves in those days. Istood there in my ignorancethinking, what on earth arewolves doing in a zoo?

The black wolf stopped,turned, and glared at me withhatred. I will never, neverforget that moment. I had toleave. Ever since then, I havefelt the deepest sorrow forthose wolves and regret that I did not at least try to dosomething for them.

Thank you for what you are doing. Thank youfor great people like R.D.Lawrence, Dr. David Mech,and Nancy Gibson to namea few, for their wonderfulbooks and courage to dosomething. Some day, Iwould like to be of morehelp. Right now, I can onlygive what I can and hope it makes a difference.

Joni GaleThunder Bay, Ontario Canada


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We’ve Got MailB y N a n c y j o T u b b s

We love getting letters from young people at the International Wolf Center. The wolves of

fact and imagination dance across their pages. Here,in a few excerpts, is a peek inside the heads andhearts of our young public.

My class is learning about wolves and we would like to help save the wolves. I admire wolves. I think they’re cool because one wolfbites an elk’s nose and the rest of the pack brings it down. I have a dog named Rex and he howls like a wolf.

RACHAEL GOSHI • FAYETTEVILLE, NC

I am a second grader at Our Lady of Lourds School. I know some facts to tell you.Wolves are mammals. They have live birth. Wolves have two leaders calledalphas. Alphas don’t let others have babies. But if the baby is in her stomach,it is too late! But if she sees that they are trying, the alphas will break it up!So please help them.

HILARY JEAN MAGIERA • DAYTONA BEACH, FL

Do wolves fight back to their enemies? How big do baby wolves get when they are born? I just hope thatthey will bring some wolves to Downers Grove.

SHELLEY • DOWNER’S GROVE, IL

Please do not kill the wolves. They are very cute. They may eat animals but theymean much to me. I love the sound when they howl but if you take it away I would be very sad and they are my favorite wild animal.

CHAUFA

We wild ones are now very few. You made the woods small, you have killed manyof us. But I still hunt. I feed ourhidden pups. I wonder if the tame ones who live with you made a good choice. They have lost the spirit to live in the wild. They are many, but they are strange. We are few. I still watch you so I can avoid you. I do not think I know any more. —Sincerely, Canis Lupis

HEATHER WILLIAMS • TOCCOA, GA ■


Oooooooooaaaaaaahhh



How is the arcticwolf different fromother wolves?

The arctic wolf is very similar toother wolves. Arctic wolves differfrom other wolves mainly in theirhabitat, appearance, and prey. Arcticwolves live primarily in the arctic.They have white fur, more-roundedears, shorter muzzle, and shorter legsthan other types of gray wolves. Likeother northern wolves, they also havehair between their toe pads and long,thick fur to keep them warm. Arcticwolves live and hunt in packs, have asocial hierarchy, and hold territorieswell over 1,000 square miles, muchlarger than their southern relatives.They prey primarily on musk oxen,Peary caribou, and arctic hares.

Arctic wolves are much largerthan their southern relatives andhold territories well over 1,000square miles. ■

When do arctic wolf pupsgain adult size?

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Increasingly more positive publicattitudes toward carnivores andbetter knowledge about them are

two reasons large carnivores(European brown bear, Eurasianlynx, wolverine, and wolf) arecoming back to many parts ofEurope. There are several factorsinfluencing this trend: rural-to-urbanhuman population shift, an increasein vegetative cover, an increase inprey base, and the efforts of the LCIE,a coalition of experts from more than25 Pan-European countries.

Historically, European attitudestoward wolves, like attitudes in NorthAmerica, were extremely negative,but an interesting difference exists.Europe, with many more people thanthe U.S. and much less space, did notreduce their wolf numbers to thedegree that occurred in the UnitedStates. Without any introductions ofwolves, Europe today has signifi-cantly more wolves than the lower 48contiguous states. What has changedin North America is public attitudestoward wilderness, now seen asendangered space and something topreserve for future generations.Wolves exist within this wilderness.

In many parts of Europe, wolves donot exist in wilderness. There areEuropean wolves that prey on reddeer, wild boar, and roe deer living asemi-wilderness lifestyle like theircounterparts in North America. But inmany areas of Europe, wolves feed atgarbage dumps, eat livestock carrion,survive on killing livestock and pets,routinely cross highways, wanderthrough cities, and rest under a singletree in the midst of an agriculturalfield that has been cut to the ground.

T h i s m a y s u r p r i s e N o r t hAmericans, but it also surprises manyEuropeans. In some areas, Europeansbelieve wolves do need wilderness,that their country has no wilderness,and therefore they should have nowolves. The wolves are returning, but the question is whether peopleare willing to tolerate them and share the space.

Human dimensions (HD) researchhas been initiated through the LCIEin two provinces in France (Savoieand Des Alpes Maritimes), in Poland(entire country), Croatia (wolfrange), Spain (Zamora province),and the United Kingdom (UK).Smaller projects are also underway inPortugal and Slovenia. The HDapproach is to gain representative

B y A l i s t a i r B a t h

data from the general public and keyinterest groups (hunters, foresters,shepherds, biologists, teenagers,tourism officials, political leaders)across various geographic zoneswithin a country that may havedifferent characteristics.

Understanding how attitudes andbeliefs of various groups may changeover space helps managers decidewhether different policies shouldvary over space and the likelihood of success of those policies whenimplemented. Such informationallows communication and educa-tional efforts to be targeted to thoseweaknesses most strongly linked to attitude and to a certain segmentof society, resulting in better successof those programs. This research has been set within a context ofconflict and management options,

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urban areas. In Sweden, with shep-herds and in Spain with teenagers,this does not seem to be the case. Thismeans that communication messagesand target audiences for wolf education programs may have to berevisited in the near future.

Stay tuned for more news onEuropean attitudes toward wolvesand wolf management as resultsbecome available. ■

Dr. Alistair J. Bath is an associateprofessor in the Department of Geographyat Memorial University of Newfoundlandin St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada. He is also a member of the LargeCarnivore Initiative for Europe (LCIE),where he has contributed to increasingpublic awareness and acceptance of large carnivores through his research in public attitudes.

attitudes toward wolves across thethree study zones in Croatian wolfrange. Attitudes in the north (GorskiKotar) are positive while attitudesbecome less positive as one movessouthward into Lika and Dalmatia.The most negative attitudes towardwolves occur in Dalmatia where wolfdensities are low but livestock lossesare the highest in wolf range. Withvery little wild prey available,approximately 80% of a wolf ’sdiet in Dalmatia is made up ofdomestic sheep.

A study of UK student attitudestoward wolves, bears, and ottersfound that wolves were perceivedquite positively, especially comparedagainst otters (a close second) andahead of bears. Regional differencesdid occur. Northern Ireland studentswere significantly less positive toward wolvesScottish, Welsh, and Englishstudents. Knowledge levelsabout all three specieswere low but in all areasstrong support existed for the continuing survival of the wolf.

Interestingly, Spanishteenagers, when askedsimilar questions on theirattitudes toward wolves,were much more positivetoward wolves. Spanishstudents who lived in morerural areas with higher densities of wolves weremore positive than their lessrural counterparts who didnot have wolves.

Such findings begin tochallenge our traditionalways of thinking that ruralareas are more negative than


allowing an understanding of thenature of the conflict and support or opposition for managementactions. Results from these areas arejust becoming available.

In Norway, Sweden, and Finland,attitudes toward wolves arebecoming increasingly more positive.The media are presenting morebalanced articles depicting positiveand negative aspects of wolves. The majority of shepherds in Sweden had positive attitudes towardwolves and wolf management. Thismay be partly due to a compensationprogram for losses.

In Norway, wolves kill domesticreindeer, causing conflicts with thetraditional people of the region(Sami) who still see the wolf as adirect competitor. Hunters occasion-ally lose their hunting dogs towolves, creating conflict with thisinterest group. The general publicremains concerned about publicsafety, even though wolf attacks onhumans have been rare. The lack of public knowledge about theanimal continues to influence publicattitudes toward the species.

Public attitudes toward wolves inCroatia vary considerably across wolfrange. Those individuals living withthe highest density of wolves tend to hold significantly more positiveattitudes toward the wolf than individuals where wolf densities areconsiderably lower. Interest groupsinvolved in the HD Croatia wolfstudy area are considering the GorskiKotar region, where attitudes weremost positive by hunters and thegeneral public. This region is beinglooked at by these groups as the bestplace to encourage eco-tourism.

Hunters and foresters vary in their

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EACH KIT CONTAINS:• an adoption certificate

with a photo of your pup • a biography of your pup

and information aboutthe Center’s pack

• National GeographicWhite Wolf video

• Wolf Pup Book by J.C. George

• stickers • interesting facts and

information about wolves • a jumbo pencil

with paw prints • a wolf puzzle • and a folder for storing

your adoption materials

Recommended for ages 13 to adult.

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Order a pup adoption kit todayand get to know your very ownadopted wolf: Malik or Shadow!As a bonus, you’ll learn moreabout this fascinating animal

and its life in the wild.

To order, call 1-800-ELY-WOLF ext. 29 or purchase online at www.wolf.org!

You have spent your life trying to make a difference… you’ve

voted for leaders who will protect the natural world,

you’ve raised awareness of the plight of the wolf, you’ve

supported organizations like the International Wolf Center.

When you leave this world, do you trust that those who

remain will show the same care you do? As an ALPHA

LEGACY member of the International Wolf Center, you can

ensure that your work on behalf of wolves continues when

you are gone. Your bequest of stock, property, or cash will

guarantee that the International Wolf Center’s important

work continues through the next century.

If you’d like to create an

Alpha Legacy, contact

Executive Director

Walter Medwid at

612-560-7374,

[email protected],

5930 Brooklyn Blvd,

Minneapolis, MN 55429.

Let your legacy be a world with wolves.Let your legacy be a world with wolves.

We’ll carry on your legacy.

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Call 1-800-ELY-WOLF ext. 25 or visit www.wolf.org

T E A C H I N G T H E W O R L D A B O U T W O L V E S

2000-2001Family Dogsled AdventureDecember 29 – 31, 2000February 17 – 19, 2001

Bond with your family this holiday seasonby dogsledding, howling to wolves andsnow-shoeing in the beautiful north woods.

Intensive Wolf Study CourseJanuary 13 – 19, 2001

Spend a whole week delving into theworld of the wolf. Independent study time compliments fascinating lectures and multiple field adventures.

Tracking the PackJanuary 26 – 28, 2001 March 2 – 4, 2001

Experience wolf research like the world’sexperts! Observe our captive pack and participate in aerial radio telemetry.

Wolves and Wilderness by DogsledFebruary 21 – 25, 2001

Calling all dog lovers–this is your chance toexperiment with the sport of dogsleddingwhile learning about canid behavior.

Wolves Eagles and Bears. Oh, My!May 18 – 20, 2001

Focus on animal behavior this weekendwhile observing nesting eagles, viewing a feeding of our captive wolf pack and visiting a bear sanctuary.

Isle Royale RevealedSpecific dates will be announced (six daysbetween May 26 – June 14, 2001)An intensive adventure combining wolfstudy with exploration of Isle RoyaleNational Park, home to a dynamic equilibrium between wolves and moose.

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SPECIAL ISSUE: Attitudes Toward the Wolf · Tell your boss you just foundaway to help yourcompany save thousands. Okay, so it’s not money. But it’s something no one can put a

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