Howling for the Holidays!

  

    Hello once again! I'm now once again returning to the pages of my blog, and more articles are on the way. I will be continuing the "Heroes of the Wolf" sections, as well as making sure to include some of the most up to date info. Please stay tuned!

      

Enemy of the state- A sad war against the wolf

 

  As a wolf enthusiast, I can no longer understand how some states are allowing the wolf and other predator's hunting seasons get out of hand. Management is key, and I'm not one that says we shouldn't control populations when needed. However, I am fully against trapping, aerial shooting, hunting all year year long(especially during gestation months), and night hunting.

 I know it can be hard to understand any states having a hunting season, and I think its even worst when states decide to go overboard, and basically declare war on the wolf. Now, a lot of people out there don't understand this, but the wolf is actually a strong survivalist and even with all the illegal shootings, the ridiculous state management plans, the wolf population is growing far greater then first expected. Now do I feel like the numbers will ever be like they were in the early 1900s? No,and a large reason for that is the growing human population and destroyed habitat for the species.

 Wolfs are just like any other predator, and really thrive in the absence of humans. In huge dense forest, the creamy white ice plains and tundra, and in the deserts of the southwest, the wolf will fill its surroundings with the sound of its howl, and the presence of a true apex predator. No one can expect these graceful animals to be living in the backyards of the suburbs and the streets of the cities. Coyotes are in that niche and are hunted like vermin. Thats not what I want for the wolf. I don't want centers and zoos filled with it, or to see it while driving down I-95. I want to know its free, and roaming in acres of amazing lands.

 The problem with the states plans for management is, they really start killing way to many, way to early. As well as the inhumane ways they choose to operate, they need to focus on protecting the environment that is home to the wolves, and not build new condos, and then get upset the wolves are eating the neighbors trash, when last year it was a den site in the middle of the forest.

 All animals are hunted, and that is not my place to tell others whether they should do it or not. That being said, for protected animals, the fines and penalties should be raised ten fold. Killing an endangered species should be a minimal of 6 months in jail, and 5,000 dollar fine. Poachers know what they are doing, and we do not have the right to wipe another species out.

 I love wolves, and the rest of the animal world as well. I vote against actions I feel are not humane, or plainly out of line. However, we as conservationist need to pick our battles, and not cry "wolf" at the hint of anything but 100% our way of thinking. If wolves are attacking livestock, and that states wolf population is blooming, then if the F&W division find the wolves doing it are threatening the area(Obviously within reason), they have to remove them. Just as you would do for a bear, or mountain lion etc. We can not just expect otherwise.

 Make sure you do your best for the wolf and you can help by voting. Here are the links!

 Help the Iberian Wolf- http://www.indiegogo.com/IberianWolf

 Stop the reckless Wyoming "management" Plan- http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/317/794/508/?fb_action_ids=3419290375661&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_source=timeline_og&action_object_map={%223419290375661%22%3A321162237991717}&action_type_map={%223419290375661%22%3A%22og.recommends%22}&action_ref_map

For more, check out my facebook page! Link is on the top right!

Thanks for reading,
Robert Elder

Heroes of the wolves

The second in a series of articles about Wolf Centers and Preserves across North America

   Located just about 50 miles outside San Diego near the town of Julian, the California Wolf Center was founded in 1977 to educate the world on ecology and the wildlife. It currently has several packs of gray wolves, and is one of the mainstays of the SSP program to return the Mexican gray wolf to the wild. The California Wolf Center also has webcams for its wolves, as well as a wildlife handling course.

  Recently, I was able to get a hold of Chelsea Davis, the Animal Care and Facilities Manager of the California Wolf Center and ask her a few questions about the CWC.  Here's what she had to say!

#1- How large is the California Wolf Center in total?
The California Wolf Center is roughly 50 acres split between two different parcels of land.  We have a total of 6 wolf habitats that range from a quarter of an acre to three acres in size.  We have a small staff that operates our animal care facility with the help of a dedicated group of volunteers.  Although we are located in the small town of Julian, CA, we have a broad impact on wolf recovery through our leading role in the Mexican Wolf Species Survival Plan (a bi-national recovery effort for the critically endangered Mexican gray wolf) and through our outreach education programs throughout the state of California.

#2- What is it like getting to work with one of nature's greatest predators on a daily basis?
For me personally, working with wolves has been a dream come true.  Wolves have always been an animal that fascinated me, from their hunting style to their pack dynamics.  Getting to work with the animals themselves each day is amazing.  Getting to work with conservation through the Mexican Wolf Species Survival Plan has been an added bonus.  I get to work with one of the most critically endangered mammals on earth and have a direct impact helping the recovery of this endangered subspecies of gray wolf.

#3- What kind and how many total wolves are at the California Wolf Center?
We currently house nineteen wolves total.  Five are Alaskan gray wolves that are an ambassador pack of wolves.  These wolves help with the educational component of our mission by allowing the general public, school and youth groups, and researchers to observe their natural behavior and learn from them.  It is rare to see wolves in the wild, so we offer a way for people to make a personal connection with wolves and to learn about the important role they play in our environment.  The remaining wolves we house are Mexican gray wolves.  We have one pack of Mexican gray wolves on display so that we can teach people the importance of conserving this critically endangered wolf.  The rest of our Mexican gray wolves are off display because many have the chance to be part of the ongoing reintroduction efforts in New Mexico and Arizona.  Because there is chance that these wolves might be released into the wild, we do not want them getting used to people, and keeping them off display allows them to retain their wild nature.

#4- As Animal Care Manager, what are your daily duties?
My primary responsibilities are to manage animal care for the Center's resident wolves, to maintain a safe environment for the wolves and for visitors and staff, and to assist with the Center's education and outreach efforts.  Because working with wildlife can sometimes involve the unexpected, I do not have a "standard" day.  Sometimes I am out cleaning and maintaining wolf habitats and building dens for the wolves.  Other times I am helping in the office to arrange educational tours and coordinate wolf food pick ups.  Most days, it starts with going out first thing in the morning to perform health and behavior observations on each wolf for our official animal care records.  Habitat cleaning only happens twice a week.  Due to the shy nature of wolves and the large sizes of the habitats, cleaning isn’t needed more often, and it allows the wolves to have their space.  Once cleaning is done, it's normally on to that day's projects.  We are always updating things and changing things for the better at the center, and all these changes help keep me busy. In the evenings, we feed the wolves.  They are most active at this time, so it allows them to eat their food without ravens or squirrels stealing it first.  Some of my days are used to help with education while others are spent helping with fundraising efforts.  Because the California Wolf Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, all of our staff and volunteers help with fundraising.  The staff also conduct research and assist visiting researchers so that we can better understand wolf behavior and how to better protect wolves in the wild.

#5- What can the readers do to support the California Wolf Center?
We are a non-profit and receive no government funding.  We rely heavily on donations, memberships and our educational programs to support our conservation efforts.  People can visit www.calfiorniawolfcenter.org to give donations, become a member or to book a tour to visit, and all of these help support the California Wolf Center.  We also have a volunteer program and an internship program for people looking to volunteer time and gain experience working with wildlife and public education.

  Also, I just wanted to add that, coming up in October is the Wolf Awareness Week event at the CWC with special guest Christina Eisenberg, Wolf Expert, Author and Conservation Advocate! To get more information on this event go to http://www.californiawolfcenter.org/special-events/wolf-awareness-week/ .

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next Hero of the wolves!
Robert Elder III

Also don't forget to "like" us on Facebook! Top Right corner of this blog!

Heroes of the wolves

The first in a series of articles about Wolf Centers and Preserves across North America

   

   Located in Salem, NY, the Wolf Conservation Center is one of the top places helping our furry friends on the east coast. They were founded in 1999 and one of the unique features that I enjoy about WCC is the fact that they have webcams for most of the enclosures. This gives you a unique vantage point to view the daily lives of the occupants.

  Another unique aspect of WCC is their ambassador wolf Atka. Atka is an Arctic gray wolf (Canis Lupus Arctos) which live in the Arctic region above 67 north latitude and travels all across the country teaching the world about wolves.. WCC says that in 2010, Atka visited 150 schools, nature centers, museums and libraries. This is really helping the public understand the wolf and debunk a lot of the myths and false opinions of this great animal.

  I got a chance to ask Maggie Howell from the WCC a few questions about the center:

#1- How big is the Wolf Conservation Center exactly?
   Over 27 acres.                                                                          

#2- How many and what types of wolves do you have located at the center?
  We have 25 wolves.16 Mexican gray wolves, 6 red wolves, and 3 Ambassador wolves (one of which is Arctic and the other are a mix of Canadian/Rocky Mtn. and Eastern wolves).

#3- Is there a tour people can take or is it strictly a private facility?
  We offer programs throughout the yr and people are required to register to attend these programs in order to visit.  In 2011, we welcomed over 7000 visitors.

#4- What role do you play is the SSP for red and mexican wolves?
   We participate in both recovery plans housing 16 Mexican wolves and 6 red wolves.  We’ve had a successful litter of Mexican wolves (in 2008) and these wolves have lived off exhibit since their birth.  We welcomed a litter of red wolves in 2010 and the now 2-yr-old still reside at the Center.  In 2013, we’ll host 4 breeding pairs, 2 red and 2 Mexican.  We’ve also had 2 of our Mexican gray wolves released into the wilds of AZ.  The first in 2006 and the second in 2008.  Our second wolf that was released was the last new captive born wolf to be released into the wild.

#5- How can the public support the Wolf Conservation Center?
   By visiting us, attending one of our benefits, donations, our purchasing our merchandise (or voting for us in grant contests driven by social media – pls see the latest in my signature!)

  What Maggie was referring to is a contest that Toyota is doing called "100 cars for good" program. The Wolf Conservation Center is one of the 500 finalists. They need our help by voting for them on August 12th 2012. For more info please go to http://nywolf.org/news/contests .

Thanks for reading!

Robert Elder III 

Update on Me

Well, I've been kind of busy lately, with the start of college and working. I find it important to write quality articles on topics, and will continue to do so. You can expect two more stories this week, as I clear up the backlog! 

 In the meantime, help the wolfwatchers and all wildlife defenders demand a buffer zone in Montana for the Yellowstone National Park. Click this link to get to the story!

http://wolfwatcher.org/news/all-news/take-action-yellowstone-national-park-buffer-zone-for-wolves/

Wolf or dog? Wooof-Dog!

 An article on Wolf-Dog Hybrids

  So we all hear different stories about wolf-dog hybrids, so I thought that I would write an article to clear up some of things that are false, and give you a dose of the facts.  

  

  The first thing you hear people say is that they are great guard dogs. The answer is NO. In fact most of the times the dog is non-aggressive and will only defend itself. This is even more so in a hybrid that is more wolf then dog. They also make horrible watchdogs, since they have a much lower tendency to bark. 

  Another false idea is that the dog is actually bred from a wild wolf. This is not the case. Most of the dogs are descendants of wild wolves caught so long ago before federal regulations that honestly, they could be considered a domestic dog by now. Also, wolves do not go around mating with domestic dogs. Don't allow yourself to be fooled by this. Most "Wolf-Dogs" are mostly just dog. In some cases you can get one that might be a decent amount of wolf, but this is few and far between, and there is no real way of knowing the genetics of the dog. So never be fooled by the its 63% wolf, and 37% husky lines they will try to feed you.

  Lastly, wolf-dogs are not trainable like other dogs. They do not learn the same, they learn by watching etc. More like a cat, they are not really obedient in the slightest.

Wolf-dogs as pets

Support the Campaign at http://www.wolfhaven.org

  I want to say, that for many reasons I'm totally against all wolf-dog breeding and we need to support an end to this. They are not good pets to own, and most end up in shelters or put under. They can however make a good companion, but only if you are ready for the responsibilities.  There is a ton of special needs to consider when getting a wolf-dog. 

A super link to info on this is: http://www.wildsentry.org/Hybrids.htm

  In conclusion, I think people need to really be wise and smart about things they do in terms of adopting all animals. When it comes to the wolf-dog, make sure your ready for a lifetime commitment and not just a cool "Hey guys, I got a wolf" ego trip.

Thanks for Reading!

Robert Elder III

Links: http://www.loveofbreeds.com/Wolfdog.html

 

"Seeing Red Again"

Update on Red Wolf populations

   Once roaming free from the coasts of the Gulf to the towns of Central Pennsylvania, the red wolf was an apex predator just like its northern brother, the Gray wolf. That is until it became extinct in the wild just about around 1980. Since that point, wolf researchers, animal vets, and wolf conservationists have been trying to reintroduce this creature back where it belongs.

   In 1987, North Carolina saw the first reintroduction take place, with four pairs of wolves both male and female released into Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Now according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, that has spread to atleast 6 other areas, including a D.O.D bombing range that stretches over 1.7 million acres and including an estimated 100+ wolves!

   Recently, the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium (http://www.pdza.org/) had a wolf give birth to 8 new pups and many other conservation centers and refuges are having success with breeding. Hopefully, with such a great effort by everyone trying to save this amazing animal, we can hear the howl of the Red Wolf cross the states once again.

Thanks for Reading,

Robert Elder III

For more info on the Red Wolf Visit the following links!

http://www.fieldtripearth.org/article.xml?id=1535&ordinal=1 (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Article)

http://redwolves.com/rwc/index.html (Red Wolf Coalition)

http://www.wolfhaven.org/redWolf.php

"Alpha no longer top dog?"

  So we all have heard the term alpha wolf right? We'll it turns out that in the wild, that might not be the proper term any longer according to L. David Mech, the authority on all things wolf.

 Studies that have been going on since the mid 80s on free ranging wolf packs have shown that wolves in the wild are actually families, with a pair of breeding wolves(The "Alphas"), pups, yearlings and sometimes 2 year olds and lone wolves picked up, and that the reason we see the infighting is due to the fact that in captivity, random animals put together will always establish a pecking order, and have to fight for dominance.

 This is really a big discovery, and apparently has been around for almost 15 years, but most still don't acknowledge it, however L. David Mech states:

 "However, it has been said that it generally takes about 20 years for new science to fully seep down to general acceptance, including even new medical breakthroughs. Such seems to be proving true with the alpha-wolf concept. Several of my wolf biologist colleagues have accepted the update, but others suddenly correct themselves in the middle of their conversations with me; still others seem totally oblivious to the whole issue."

-"Whatever happened to the term Alpha?"  L.David Mech Winter 2008 www.wolf.org

 I have tried to get answers, as to whether or not the roles are still used just not in a fight for dominance way. Example would be whether or not there is still a wolf performing omega duties, etc. I have contacted a lot of the big conservation societies in the wolf arena, however only one has gotten back to me about why they still have way outdated information on their websites and articles. I believe they are the ones who should be at the front of the charge to be correct with their data. I want to make sure people can know that when they read about the wolf, they are getting the correct information.

 Now in conclusion, I will say that this doesn't change a ton in terms of what we know about the wolf in general, however, socially it is. So please contact the wolf community, and spread the word.

 Here are two articles, you can read yourself.

 Links-

 http://www.4pawsu.com/alphawolf.pdf

 http://ncrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/jrnl/2000/nc_2000_Mech_002.pdf

Thanks for reading!

  Robert Elder III

"Why wolf lovers like me, need to accept wolf management"

 We all love the wolf for different reasons and as we share in that interest, we sometimes forget that we have to share in the reality of the world as it is today. Sadly, wolves in North America were hunted to extinction, and education was not there to help stop it. We realized that was wrong as a country, and brought back this amazing creature. I personally loved wolves my entire life, and recently have been devoting significant time to study, and continue in a career where I can interact with these animals and help promote their well being.

 Some of us though, allow the love and protection of our furry friends, to blind us in the reality of the issues at hand. Once this great nation was sprawling back woods and open plains, free of the highways and cities plotting these lands today.  All animals were able to live without having the fear of being hunted for their pelt, or poisoned so they can make a new mini-mall. This still exists in some places such as in rural Alaska, and many parts of Canada, as they still roam free.

 However I have come to realize that just like any other predator species, humans and wolves can not just live side by side. It doesn't make logical sense, or environmental sense, just like we wouldn't want bears hanging at the local playground. We need to have a management system to help make sure the wolf doesn't get any un-needed bad reputation, and for the hunters/ranchers/farmers to feel they can protect/hunt on their lands. This does not mean we cannot co-exist. We are surely able to, and it is our obligation to give respect and protect all species on this planet.

 Now, do I support inhumane trapping, or un-fair general chase methods? No.

 Will I ever feel any different when I see a hunting season announced?  Absolutely not.

 Will I ever support legislation that goes against things other than needed population control, such as out of season hunting, poisoning etc? Defiantly not.

  Will there still be places where the wolves can roam free without being hunted period? Yes.

I know most of us will read this and feel awkward at the thought of even understanding a wolf needing to be killed, since we love them, and would do anything to prevent that. However we must understand that we cannot control everyone, everyone's outlook on life, their opinions etc. We are in the minority as animal conservationists, and even more so as a wolf conservationist. WE are not hurting the wolves.

The last thing we can do for the wolves, is let them be accepted into the country, and quite frankly the world, and let the people understand that they are an amazing animal that is powerful, intelligent and graceful.

 However, the world will still have its thoughts and boundaries since it is no longer just the creatures of the wild living in these lands. Management must be put into place, with great discussion and of course regulations and we must accept and support that it is needed and will help protect our favorite animal from being hunted to extinction, or the target of multiple states trying to rid them off their lands once again.

The majority of my generation knows only the false facts about wolves, and has never lived in a world with them. So we must have patience and teach them about this wonderful animal. Wolves will always have a home to roam wild and free, but in some places we have to accept that they have to be controlled just like the wonderful L. David Mech said:

"Whereas the above considerations focus primarily on public perception of the humaneness of hunting, some of the public will judge the success of wolf hunting by its ability to decrease conflicts between wolves and ranching. Wolf-taking regulations should therefore attempt to focus wolf harvest on areas where wolves kill the most livestock. Reducing wolf density there could reduce conflict with humans and the need for costly deliberate wolf control while also gaining more public support.

Similarly, where states perceive the need to reduce wolves to increase wild prey, concentrating public taking there could reduce the need for deliberate control by state agencies, which tends to be opposed by certain segments of the public. In this respect, it also will be important for states to consider establishing restricted zones around areas sensitive to the public such as national parks.

In 2009, Montana acted quickly to close an open hunting zone north of Yellowstone after more wolves in an adjacent wilderness were taken than in an adjacent settled area. This desire and ability by states to adapt as they learn will be especially important during the first few years of public harvesting. As experience accumulates, states can refine their regulations to maximize taking wolves where they conflict most with human interests and where and when public concern about wolf taking is least."

Considerations for Developing Wolf Harvesting Regulations in the Contiguous United States

L. David Mech -- International Wolf Magazine, Winter 2010, 12/29/2010

 No one here, or in the IWC, or any place for that matter will allow this world to destroy this creature freely, with prejudice or in disregard for regulations like what happened in the early 1900s. We also don't like the idea of any wolves having to be killed, but that is the reality now. The last thing we want is the populations to get out of control because we oppose all regulating and then incidents happen because of that, and all of the sudden it becomes a free field day on wolves again.

  Please take my word into consideration, I want nothing more than to spread what I believe is the right direction for keeping around the wolf, now and forever. Some may disagree, but just as a parent is overprotective and may stop a child from progressing, we can be overprotective as a conservationist.

“Let us not be content to wait and see what will happen, but give us the determination to make the right things happen." -Peter Marshall

Thanks for reading,

Robert Elder III