Farewell Madah and Kgosi

Featured from left to Right Madadh and Kgosi in their summer coats howling.


It's been a long time since I wrote my thoughts down on my blog. My life got so busy and writing is most of what I do so on my free time I try to do anything else. In case you are wondering grad school is going great but I will touch on that another day.

I found out the other day that Madadh passed away. If you haven't been following my past adventures, Madadh was a socialized wolf raised by Tony at Wolf Watch UK. Her and her brother Kgosi were the first wolves I got to see up close, observe and even touch. Kgosi passed away a few months ago and Madadh followed suit last week. They were both approaching nineteen years old which is  a great age to live as a captive wolf, a testament to the care and love they received from Wolf Watch UK.

I decided to write up a bit about my favorite memories with these guys as closure but also to give you a taste of what it's like to have been this close to a wolf.

The first greeting.

I still remember this like it was yesterday. I had taken an eight hour train ride, a taxi and accepted a lift from a stranger all the way to get to the tiny town where the sanctuary was close to. I was particularly nervous. This was the first time someone had actually decided to give me a volunteering opportunity close to wolves and I would be damned if an expensive long ticket would stop me(side note: Thanks dad for funding all of these expeditions. This wouldn't be possible without you).

Tony drove in and picked me up. I  introduced myself and we talked a little bit about the sanctuary. As we drove to around the typical English country side roads, a huge plot of land filled with pines arose of out nowhere. As if on cue the wolves began howling. Tony smiled and said they always howl when his jeep pulls in. I was excited.

After some brief introductions to the dogs and people present, Tony decided to show me around. First I saw Callow and Pepe. I caught a glimpse of Poppy. Then it was time for Madadh and Kgosi. These two black/gray wolves approached the fence, really happy to see Tony. He let Madadh into the large enclosure. " Kgosi is a bit grumpy around men." I didn't care. There was a wolf in the same space I was.  Madadh came up, sniffed me, jumped on and nipped my lip gently. She then started wandering the large enclosure. We walked behind her as Tony told me all about himself, the wolves and Wolf Watch UK. I was transfixed. Madadh graced me with her attention a few more time and when I finally got my hand and caressed her fur I realized how lucky I was. The fur, coarse and wolly was a great indicator that this wasn't some sort of dog. This was the real deal.  My day was made.

Even in the train ride home, riding with a muddy pair of jeans(I made a fool of myself diving in a small pond that I thought was shallower than it was. I even thought I could jump over it) and smelling of all sort of smells, all I could think of was Madadh, her eyes and how lucky I was.

Kgosi and the first hello

I was at Wolf Watch again. This time I was there for the summer. I helped around by helping with tours, feeding the wolves and all that good stuff. At night I spend time reading on wolves. I would be lying if I said I didn't get the majority of my knowledge from those nights. It's a miracle what no internet or phone signal can do.  It was another day when Tony suggested we let Madadh into the large enclosure for some enrichment. I still don't know if he did it on purpose but he also let Kgosi out with her. At that point, Kgosi has been getting food from me for about a month but we didn't interact much apart from distracting him when Madadh came out for meet and greets. Like a bullet, Kgosi came for me, sniffed me a little bit and move out. Madadh stuck around for some long deserved ear scruffs. It was until later on when me and Tony sat watching the wolves, that Kgosi decided to come and investigate.

At that point, Madadh had laid the boundaries of our relationships. Foolishly I assumed the same applied for Kgosi. I moved to pet him, my hand always visible to him. He gave me the "don't " look. The think you need to understand is that wolves aren't inherently aggressive when it comes to social interactions. Kgosi's "don't" look wasn't one that implied an attack. I wasn't in any danger.  It was simply him saying don't. Tony drew his attention and I gave him plenty of space until eventually I petted him.  It was like petting a King.

It was a different feeling between the two. Madadh was more aloof while Kgosi was more serious. None the less I grew to love them both.

Our howls

I was up in the observation post, sitting outside watching Madadh and Kgosi from afar. I've seen Tony howl to the wolves before but I never dared tried. I felt that I would look silly if it didn't work.  I was reading a book on wolf survey methods when they mentioned wolf howling surveys. It's when you hike around wolf country, howl and see what responds and where. I decided to give it a go. No one was around at the time so it would look less silly if I failed. I did my best Tony imitation and howled. No response.  I couldn't be any more embarrassed at myself. "Look at you thinking you are the wolf whisperer all of a sudden" I said as I sat back down. Then a howl. Another one. A third. A fourth. Finally a fifth. Everyone joined in. Tears rolled at the back of my eye as these wolves howled back at me. As they stopped I started again. It went back and forth for about half an hour or so.

When Tony returned I told him the news. He smiled and said that they love their back and forth howling.

Not a day went by after that when I didn't howl at the wolves.

The pond

It was a day after we did some shooting at Wolf Watch. If memory serves correctly it was Merlin but it may have been another BBC production. Tony had let Madadh out the large enclosure to roam around. We sat by the pond discussing this and that, watching Madadh play with the water. She came to us and non nonchalantly rested her head on my shoulder for a few seconds before going to Tony. That display of affection still makes me smile to this day.


The last howls

This is perhaps my most recent but most earnest memory. I hadn't visited  Wolf Watch for more than a year and a half. A lot changed in my life. I had worked at different wolf centers, I graduated(or was going to in a week) and was on my way out of the U.K, heading to Cyprus and then eventually California. I knew that after that it would be hard to ever return to Wolf Watch UK. I knew deep down that this would be my last visit for a long time.

Tony picked me up at the train station and we chatted as usual about what's going on at the center(they had a new wolf Anja) and he had met some people at Wildlife Paradise Park. It was exciting times for Wolf Watch and exciting times for me.

After the hellos to Eva and the assorted canines, Tony looked at me and said  "Well do you want to go say hello?"  I hadn't seen the wolves in a long time and although Tony and myself emailed back and forth, it's obviously a different thing. We entered the enclosure, when the now obviously senior wolves perked up. Madadh came up and said hi but Kgosi remained where he was. He eventually got up and said hello as well.  We sat down and let them come and sniff and say hello. Madah sat down and started howling. The softest howl came out. Apparently she had lost her voice and didn't try to howl as often anymore.  It was at that moment I realized that this may be the last time I ever get to see Madadh and Kgosi. I was right

Remarks

You have to understand that as remarkable that this relationship seems to you(it's my understanding that a lot people think so and for all I know I am glorifying something that wasn't as special as I make it out to be),it holds no candle to the relationship these wolves had with the man who raised them. Madadh and Kgosi loved Tony in a way that was obvious to even the most oblivious of people. Tony's love for them was the same. This is a man who decided to dedicate a large chunk of his life to helping wolves by rehoming them, raising them and making sure they aren't put down.

Madadh and Kgosi didn't just offer love, nips and fun times. They seared and sealed my passion to study and help wolves in the wild and in captivity. They offered me a first hand experience in what wolves have to offer and what wolves are about. They offered me a unique perspective in wolf life one that very few people get.

It all wouldn't be possible without Tony of course, who decided to share crumbs from his amazing relationship with these animals and gave me time and opportunities to interact with these animals but also encouraged me to pursue this. It's him I think about when it comes to loss. Thank you Tony for doing everything you did for me and letting me come close to these amazing animals. You are in my thoughts in these trying times.

Thank you Kgosi. Thank you Madadh. I will always remember the howls, the bites, the snuggles and the petting.  I will always remember the feeling of your fur. May you rest in peace wherever you may be.



No loss is too small when the bond forged was strong.





If any of you want to support Wolf Watch UK and their amazing work check out their website.

Let's talk about wolf perception

The wolf. An animal that is the icon of wilderness. A symbol of defiance and dominance. We often use phrases such as alpha male, wolf pack and the sort. Our connection to wolves is a strange one indeed. Some people love them, some fear them and some indeed despite them. It's an animal that stands for pretty much anything you want it to be. Its imagery has been associated with anything from Native Americans to hippies to Nazis and everything in between. A wolf is truly an animal that can be whatever you want it to be. It's got traits that we as humans want and seek and so we seek to identify with it in certain situations. It's a pity that most of the things that people assume about wolves are simply not true. Let's break some of them down shall we?

1)Alphas do whatever they do and are dominant over all the others in the pack: 

Let's get it straight. No such thing as an alpha male or female. There is a breeding pair that happen to also be the most dominant at most times but this is due to seniority. Not only that but the breeding pair doesn't always call all the shots. They are experienced leaders which allow the younger wolves to lead the hunt.  Wolves don't work with a strict hierarchy. It's not a pissing contest between them. Wolves work together in a pack in order to survive. So there is no dominion over all. Merely the breeding pair calling the shots due to experience. 

2)Wolves aren't independent:

The entire idea of an independent wolf clearly works against what the wolf truly is. Wolves rely on each other to survive. Wolves hunt together, fight together and live together. More often than not some will leave one pack but only to form their own or join another. The wolf as a symbol of independence is vastly mislead.

3) The wolf as a part of supremacy:

First of all wolves don't keep bloodlines pure. Lets get that out there. Quotes along the lines of " Wolves stick with their own" are just supremacist propaganda.The black coat on the wolves is evidence of interbreeding with dogs(they got the black coat from dogs) and the wolfdog hybrids as well as wolf coyote hybrids are pure evidence that wolves do not keep their bloodline pure. Just like all animals they will mate when given the opportunity.

4)The wolf as a savage fighter:

Again this here is a major issue. Wolves don't do well alone. They fight and they are pretty tough but the wolf's strength is in their pack. Not really on their own. Wolves can be killed by bears, mountain lions or other wolves. Hell even golden eagles can kill them. So if you as a human want to be identified as fierce fighter choose a bear. Hell choose a wolverine. Those little things are badass.

Is California wild enough for wolves?

Photo: OR-25

On the 7th of January 2016, news that another wolf has been sighted in California became public. This wolf may or may not stay in California but at the time of this writing, there is at least 1 pack(the Shasta pack).  Looking through comments online and reading various newspaper articles, I've spotted a recurring trend. People were saying that California isn't wild enough for wolves. That there are humans everywhere, lots of fragmented habitats and that there aren't enough wild places.  That in my opinion isn't true.

First things first, wolves are incredibly adaptable animals. They can found from the frozen tundras to rural areas in Italy and Portugal. So the idea that an area isn't wild enough for wolves isn't true. So long as there are food sources and not a lot of conflict, wolves can thrive in a variety of environments.  That doesn't mean however that it will go well with the locals.

The problem that wolves and humans often face is livestock depredation. In areas where a lot of land and prey is available to them, wolves tend to just prey on wild animals and not cause issues to humans(apart from hunters in certain areas which claim that wolves kill off all the game animals). However in areas where wolves live on the fringes of human habitats, conflicts over livestock tend to occur. When prey animals tend to be less available, wolves will often attack cows and sheep. In some cases, even if prey animals are widely available wolves will do that anyway, Once a pack has attacked livestock, it is likely they will repeat it. This is due to the biology of the animal. Livestock requires less energy to hunt than game animals and are often fatter so wolves will prefer them once they realise that. Hence ranchers and government organisations tend to try and remove the "problematic" wolves either by killing them or capture them and send them to zoos. This is often the main source of conflict between humans and wolves and what will most likely happen in areas of California.

While California is a state that is vastly populated, there are plenty of wild areas that will be suitable for wolves. Habitat fragmentation isn't a major concern for an animal such as wolves as they tend to traverse large areas to find new territories. It may become an issue due to prey availability so we may see more wolf depredation as time goes by but it may be prevented using non-lethal methods. California can most probably sustain a large population of wolves but it may not be interconnected. Whether humans will allow for that coexistence to occur is a different thing all together. What's for sure is that wolves returning to the West Coast posses interesting challenges for the locals.

Should we call coywolves a new species?

Lately there has been a lot of media attention towards the coywolf and what it means as a species. For those of you who don't know coywolves are canids which can be found in the East Coast of the U.S.A. They are believed to be part coyote and part wolf(whether it's red, grey or eastern is up to the location) and sometimes with a splice of dog in there. These animals are of a much broader build than coyotes are and often form larger packs like wolves. However they look more like coyotes and tend to thrive even in urban environments like coyotes do.  Coywolves present an interesting challenge to biologists as the scientific community isn't sure whether to call it a new species or remain classified as a hybrid.

The point is does it really matter? Not to the animals that's for sure but to us it should. Animals like prizzlies(grizzly and polar bear mix) and coywolves just started appearing more and more frequently and the media isn't doing them any favours. They are often described as "ultra predators","a new breed of predator"and other sort of sensational words used to stir up the audience. This is the problem right here. While science is trying to understand whether these animals are unique or have shown up in the past before, the media is scaring people. Instead of leading a debate as to whether human activities have caused these hybrids or whether these hybrids were meant to appear naturally, the media and certain scientists are all about classifying them.

While this may be important for legislation and conservation, I feel that humans are missing the bigger picture. Those of us with some knowledge in evolution will know that favourable traits are selected for. So is it completely strange that these coywolves are just coyotes which are selecting favourable traits from hybrid ancestors? Is it too hard to believe that red and silka deer breed to form a more agile deer that is also stronger?

I suppose the reason why the people are challenged with the idea of superior "hybrids"is the fact that this is an instance of viewing survival of the fittest with our own eyes. Human activities have cause a much more disturbed environment and thus animals have been forced to adapt faster or die out. Pizzles can hunt in a longer range and can eat berries as well as meat. Some pizzles get the best of both grizzles and polar bears. The same goes with the coywolves. Of course some others will get the worse traits and die out. But the idea that these animals are evolving and adapting right before our eyes is newfound and indeed has caused some to label these animals as new species instead of acknowledging that these could be the very species they knew 20-30 years ago and that they are now adapting to a different world.\

And it's a scary thought to acknowledge because we have all been taught that evolution is a process that spans over hundreds, thousands and millions of years but instead is now happening in front of our eyes. Polar bears are losing range, the ice caps are melting, the Northern regions are getting warmer. All of these are factors as to why grizzlis started heading north and polar bears south.  How can all these reasons have happened in the past century or so? Well that's the scary answer my friends. It's us. Instead of focusing on why these animals are changing and adapting, we seek to label them as a new breed of mega predators and hold debates as to whether or not they are a new species. Instead of identifying that the reason coyotes breed with wolves in the first place is because we shot wolves to oblivion and thus limited their mating options, we seek to see these animals as a newly found threat caused by unknown reasons.

To conclude my post, these animals probably aren't a new species but rather one that is adapting to become a new species. The reasons why this is happening should be entirely on us and we should understand that and change our own ways.

Cool Wolf Facts

t's Wolf Awareness Week so I decided to write down some facts about wolves that make them extremely cool and badass.


1)Wolves can travel from up to 60 miles(96 km) over a single night.

2)They can maintain the speed of 40 mph/64kmh for over 10 miles/16 km.

3)Wolves can pick weak or sick animals from a herd. Animals which seem completely healthy have been killed by wolves. When given an autopsy, the prey seemed to be sick or full of parasites.

4)Wolf bites have a bite force of 406 PSI(that means it can shatter bones in two bites)

5)Although not renown for their stealth, there have been recorded incidents of wolves lying down waiting for prey to be driven towards them. This sort of behaviour has been recorded in the Elsmere Islands by tundra wolves and Mongolian wolves in the Steppes.

6)Wolves have adopted a technique of getting rid of fleas which involves holding on to a stick and submerging themselves underwater.The fleas all jump on the stick which the wolf then lets go.

Welcome Shasta pack!

When I was originally writing this, wolves were still not a thing in California. Apart from 0R7, there have been reports of another wolf sighting in July but nothing else. Right now, California has welcomed wolves back into it’s beautiful northern part. California Fish and Wildlife officials have found pictures of at least two adults and five pups. The pack has been officially called the Shasta Pack and this is beautiful news indeed.  It just goes on to show that effective wolf management can go a long way to help species recovery.  But it’s an uphill battle from now on in California and I wanted to just write some advice on how to properly manage wolves in order to achieve a beautiful balance in your state.

1)      Don’t panic: Wolves are not man eater or man hunters by nature. The beautiful Mt.Shasta landscapes are not dangerous because of wolves. Wolves will often shy away from humans so you are safe. If you have a dog with you, make sure they are on a leash and that they don’t wander off too much from you. Keep a noise making device to scare off wolves in case they attack your dog. However given the fact that it’s just eight wolves, it is highly unlikely that this will be the case. States which have hundreds of wolves only get 1-2 dog fatalities a year and usually it’s from dogs allowed to roam.

2)      It’s just eight wolves: It’s a small pack in a vast wilderness. As of now, there is no reason to worry about livestock or human conflict. The only thing I can see driving them to hunt livestock is fire(that would move them from their territory) or lack of food(which is unlikely).

3)      Listen to the science: Please. This one is important. If Californians want to coexist with wolves, listening to science is pretty much a given. Oregon has been doing very well so far, with the wolf numbers increasing, non-lethal measures in place as well as proper compensation in case of livestock depredation.

4)      Keep your livestock in check. If you happen to live anywhere near the Shasta pack’s territory, then it’s a good idea to keep a better eye on your livestock and consider non-lethal methods. It’s highly unlikely that your livestock will be predated but you want to avoid it as much as possible.

5)      Cherish what you have. Wolves haven’t been in California for about 90 years. Now they have returned. If you are interested then keep track of them and make sure people understand that the wolves returning is a good thing.

Enjoy California and please be environmentally responsible. I will try and get myself more involved with the Shasta Pack and I will keep you updated.

Farewell Wolf Watch UK

Ever since my teenage years I've wanted to work with wolves. They fascinate me as animals and it's always good to specialize in something when studying biological sciences. During my first year I've started looking for places that specialize on wolves to volunteer and gain experience with. Wolf Watch UK opened their doors for me and it's been a great relationship ever since.

Wolf Watch UK or WWUK is run by Tony Haighway. His mission is to take in wolves that can't be kept in other captive facilities. Reasons for this may be excess puppy breeding, pack disputes and wolves not suitable for breeding. WAZA(World Association for Zoos and Aquariums) and EAZA (European Association for Zoos and Aquariums) both see it as acceptable practice to kill animals in zoo management (here are my thoughts on this matter). WWUK offers an alternative to death and instead provides a beautiful habitat for the animals to live out their lives.

Located in the heart of Shropshire, Tony has a fantastic piece of land for the animals to roam around and interact with. As it stands, there are six wolves on site and all of them are pretty happy. It was in Wolf Watch when I met my first wolf love. Madadh and Kgosi are two socialized wolves that Tony got as part of an excess litter from one of the zoos. While I was there I had the opportunity to bond with Madadh, who just steals the hearts of anyone who meets her. Kgosi and I maintain a healthy respect for each other but due to his assertiveness as a male, I couldn't interact with him that much. 

Nonetheless, Madadh stole my heart and we spend a good deal of time just chilling in each other's company. She was 12 years old when I met her and she is now 17 as of when I saw her a few weeks ago. It isn't easy seeing her being an old lady and I can't even imagine what Tony feels. Nonetheless her spirits were high and there were a few moments where she acted as a pup. It broke my heart however when she saw me and tried howling. You see, wolves lose their vocal cords as they get older, so it's hard for them to howl. One of my favourite games with Madadh was howling back and forth, usually about who could keep a howl going longer. I don't think I need to tell you who won that one. Anyway, just the fact that she recognized me and tried howling made me tear up, She was as cuddly and affectionate as I remember her being last time I saw her and part of me felt bad for not visiting her every holiday.

There is something to be said about hanging out with wolves, even if it's captive ones. There is a primitive feeling to running your fingers through their fur, looking into their eyes and accepting their affection. Of course, there is also the non-stop alertness and the full awareness that these animals can cause some serious damage to you. But it all makes you feel great. 

Madadh and Tony have both taught me a great many things and I owe my drive to work with wolves to both of them.

Tony has taught me persistence and humility. He doesn't let just anyone come and volunteer at the sanctuary (for the sake of the wolves and his own private ease of mind) so that meant that I had to take an 8 hour train ride for just a day's interview. Never mind the fact that on that first day I found myself waist deep in mud and made a fool of myself. I had to be persistent to volunteer there and when I did, Tony's words were those of constant encouragement. He knew all the wolf experts and all the players in the field, even though Tony has never studied any sort of biology himself. He told me how hard it was to get into the field and how I needed to be optimistic, head-strong and never stop trying. His words still echo in my mind every time I get a rejection from a wolf related application. 

Madadh on the other hand has taught me how to be cheerful, happy but also sneaky. It's hard being angry or upset when she is nearby. When I first met her, I was attempting to quit smoking for the first time. As most people know it isn't easy at all and sometimes I found myself being very upset at the most stupid of things. A steep hill, tripping over a tree, wet ground and many more all caused me to be upset. Not for long, though mind you. A moment later and either Madadh would be there, smiling at me and licking my face or I would just look at her, being a completely careless spirit and I would just let all my troubles go.  Her infinite stealing of food from her brothers made me laugh every day but also had me on my toes as I had to devise ways to feed both of them without Madadh catching a whiff of my plans.

For all the great things that Wolf Watch UK is, it is also facing its own set of troubles. Technology is hard to obtain in that area and it's hard to take advantage of some of the tools that other captive facilities use to gain extra members and revenue. The wolves are getting older and although they lived a happy life, there is now a need for puppies to be socialized and be the face of Wolf Watch. But the ethics of the place stand as an obstacle to an easy acquisition of pups (which may not necessarily be a bad thing). And lastly, Tony is thinking ahead in time about where he wants the sanctuary to go and who will manage it when he finally steps back and let the sanctuary function in the hands of others. That's not to say that these issues aren't addressed but it was just to make sure that you guys understand that it is not easy running an animal sanctuary.

It's hard to say goodbye to a place like that. Wolf Watch UK seems locked in an world where the real life can't get you and all you can do is just sit there with a cup of coffee, watch the wolves play and exchange back and forth banter with Tony. It has given me a great deal of treasured moments as well as determination and strength to do what I want. And for that I thank Wolf Watch UK and say farewell until we meet again.

Livestock depredation prevention 101

Today I received an email from a person in Oregon who asked me about wolves and predators in general. The email reads as follows:
"Hello Pete,
My name is ............... and I am a small time farmer near Bend, Oregon. Lately there have been reports of wolves in the areas[sic] and I was wondering what you think of it and also I thought it would be nice to hear your opinion on  how to prevent predators from eating livestock."

First of all let me say thank you for reading the blog. It hasn't been updated in a while (due to my dissertation deadlines and my visit abroad) but that will change. Also thank you for asking about preventing depredation. In my opinion it's important that we coexist with predators and prey.

Firstly let's talk about the wolves. OR-7's pack has now been named the Rogues pack and it consists of OR-7, his mate and at least three pups. Since it's wolf breeding season it would be wise to expect more wolves and pups. Secondly a lone wolf has been confirmed wandering around the southwest Cascade areas. Now I am not wise to U.S.A geography so I am unsure how close that is to you. Regardless, it is great news. The fact that wolves have spread so far in such a small amount of time is a great testament to the conservation work done in the U.S.A.  Of course people work to delist wolves from the Endangered Species List but fingers crossed that won't work.  Take pleasure on the fact that your wilderness is being occupied with animals that were extinct in that area before. Teach your friends and family about the benefits of having wolves around and  if you happen to see one snap a picture for me please!

Now lets get down to the depredation prevention methods. There are a few basic methods which one can employ to prevent livestock from getting predated on.

1) Keep your livestock inside every night. Most predators are nocturnal or might choose to hunt during night  if they are hungry. Leaving lifestock out at night makes it hard for you to monitor but also provides the predators which more vulnerable prey as the prey can't see as well as they do.

2) Get in touch with your local wildlife agency. Usually some animals are collared so the agency can let you know if they are close to the area where your livestock graze. You can then move the livestock or keep an eye for any predators.

3)Invest in a livestock guardian dog. Depending on your budget you can invest in guardians that will either warn you of predators, fend them off or herd the cattle in an event of predators near by. Just know that these dogs aren't cheap and some predators might attack them. Livestock guardians shouldn't be left unsupervised for a long time.

4) Electric fences and flandry. Electrifying your fence not only prevents predators from entering fenced areas it also conditions them to be wary of fences and teaches them to avoid your area. Flandry is essentially red stripes hanged from a fence that are effecting at deterring wolves from entering or testing fences. They are cheap and are effective for some predators but not all.

5)Carry a gun but fire a warning shot. Most animals will be deterred by a warning shot which would scare them away from your livestock. If you have to shoot the animal make sure you do not break any laws by shooting endangered species or unlicensed.

6) Learn the predators. Study their ecology and behavior. By shooting a wolf you may end up breaking a pack which may lead to more lone wolves and more depredation. By shooting a bear you may orphan cubs that may prey on your livestock.

7) Check for special government incentives. Usually the government or other NGOs offers subsidization for livestock depredation and compensation for expenses when applying non lethal depredation control. Check with your local organisations to see how they can help.Ranging from money to volunteer work, every little help that is provided is weight off your shoulders. Also it is work checking for predator friendly schemes at which your livestock can be sold for a premium price if you go 100% predator friendly.

It is important to educate yourself and your family as well as your neighbors.Communities  that apply the same management regulations ensure that they peacefully co-exist with predators and enjoy the wilderness they bring with them.

One month in the Wolf Science Center. Project finalized and the Wamblee Tale

So here is an update on my recent adventures.

From left to right Wamblee and Yukon

My first month here has come and passed and boy has it been rather fast.  The first project I was assigned to was inequity aversion. Unfortunately that is still in the works and has been put on hold for a month due to the certain fence issues and also the PhD student leading the project will go on holiday and our supervisors don't feel that I should be testing alone. Which is all fair enough as this is a tricky project and people wanted to make sure the right shots were called.
So roll on my second project. We had a lone wolf here called Wamblee and he was to be introduced into a pack of three. The introduction and the effects the introduction had on the wolves' behaviour, would be my second project. In order to stick to the point I willwrite  his story below. But the introduction didn't go as smoothly as expected so that project had to be scrapped as well. At this point I was a month in and without a shred of data to show. After a discussion with one of the bosses and another PhD student who is now my supervisor I reached my final project which is greeting behaviour in captive wolf packs. I will look at how dominance affects greeting, location affects greeting and whether affiliative relationship scores affect greetings. It's quite interesting and I will be taking cortisol levels to boot which is really cool.
 Wamblee's introduction was a really great event to watch.It started off slowly. First Wamblee was introduced to Nanuk, the pack's dominant male.  After a few shaky days, Una ( the pack's submissive female)was introduced. She led Wamblee around on a chase for a day or two and then was removed and replaced by Yukon who was the pack's dominant female. It was all great for the two weeks they were together. Wamblee at first was at one corner being entirely submissive but through time he managed to overcome his anxiety and nervousness and join the pack. There was the question of Una though. She remained alone for some time and although joined by Nanuk and Yukon at some stages, she began to show a more dominant approach to Yukon when they were together. It should also be noted that Wamblee had taken a great interest in Yukon as he spend time sleeping close to her and playing with her.
The day came that Una was also put in the pack. She immediately attacked Yukon in a dominant stance, asking her to submit. A few fights broke up as Yukon refused to submit entirely. Wamblee wanted to intervene but Nanuk kept him away. It was after a few really bad fights that Wamblee decided to attack Nanuk in an effort to be dominant and possibly help Yukon.  As soon as that broke out, Wamblee and Yukon were separated from Nanuk and Una by the trainers and the pack of 3/4 was made into packs of 2.
At this point it should be noted that the whole procedure was always observed and trainers were on standby to intervene. Animal welfare was and is always the priority of the Wolf Science center and although Una and Yukon were both injured, care was and is given to the wolves and it is nothing they wouldn't sustain in a dominance fight in the wild.  A pack that is artificial is harder to click together. Packs in the wild consist of parents and their pups as well as older siblings and maybe grandparents. Regardless they are always a family unit and this is often not the case in captivity.
Which is what the 2 packs of 2 will be. Next year when the wolves will breed, the plan is to hand raise the pups( to ensure that humans don't phase or fear the wolves) and then introduce them to their parents again hence forming pack family units.
It was definitely something interesting to observe from behavioural aspects and also from the way the introduction was handled

Wolf Science Center week 3 update

So I am on my third week here in the Wolf Science Center and I decided to update all of you on some of the happenings here.

First of all I got myself a project. I am aiding a PhD student here in inequity aversion in wolves and pack dogs. Inequity aversion essentially boils down to whether wolves or dogs understand that they are being treated unequally and whether or not they do or feel anything about it. It's a very interesting subject and the more I read into it the more I get excited about the results we might yield. The person I am working with (all people remain unanimous unless they say okay) is great. She knows a lot about the subject, lets me do hands on work and she knows exactly what she wants. I am very glad about that.

As a side project I am doing wolf observations on my free time. This is to ensure some data to comfort my advisor back home. There is a lone wolf here that is currently being introduced into a new pack and my aim is to observe any relationship changes/conflicts that happened to the back after the wolf introduction. At the moment the wolf has been introduced to two of the three pack members and things are looking good.

What is very interesting here is training and the methods used. Although we aren't told much, some of the students decided to shadow a few of the trainers and I got taught a few very interesting things about training and in general animal behavior. I think animal behavior is definitely something a lot easier to understand when the subjects you are studying are not just in theory but rather present.

In addition to that I began work on my dissertation. It is probably too soon given that I have no idea of results or data collected yet but I started my research and the basic introduction stuff just to give myself a heads up.

I think the most important thing that made the transition here really easy are the students. Everyone here is great. It's a great company that bonds easily and there have been many interesting conversations between us. We share many things in common but are still diverse enough to have different view points on things and it's interesting to see biology and animal behavior from other schools and other perspective.

Three weeks have past faster than I thought and soon we will begin collecting data and I look forward to it. I will go in depth about certain aspects of what I learned soon.

Species of the Week: The Grey Wolf

So I decided that every Sunday I will be posting a species of the week. I will give about five to ten facts for each species. If you have a species that you want featured then please add it to the comments.

Species of the Week:

Grey Wolf(Canis lupus)

1. The wolf's can be found in most of the Northern Hemisphere. It is dominant towards the North, but can also be found in Italy, Greece and France.
2. Wolves tend to form packs from 2 individuals to about around 5-10.
3. The largest pack recorded is the Druid Pack in Yellowstone National Park which had 37 wolves in it at one time.
4. Despite their reputation, there have been around thirteen wolf attacks recorded in the 21^st century
5. Wolf territories will change depending on prey availability but the average is deemed to be 35km²
6. Wolves usually hunt large mammals such as deer, bighorn sheep, moose, elk and bison although they often hunt smaller mammals as well such as rodents.
7. Some wolves in the Great Bear Rainforest have been documented catching and eating salmon.
8. Wolves mate in January-February.
9. Gestation period lasts around 60-63 days and around 4-6 pups are born.
10. The best season to observe wolves is in winter where snow tracks are easier to spot and the pack is usually more active in hunting.

Are hunters the devil?

Today’s issue is one that I have been thinking about since this particular article was released. WARNING:EXTREME ANIMAL TORTURE PICTURES:(http://www.examiner.com/article/wolf-killers-admit-it-s-all-about-the-sadistic-sexual-thrill). This ladies and gentlemen is a disgrace. People posting pictures of their kills in social networks and being proud or provocative about it is a disgrace to nature and humanity. However as much as some advocates like to hate hunters, should be generalized? Are all hunters evil,sadistic beings?

The issue is unfortunately often one of two extremes. On one corner you have hunters who are well educated, know their ecology as well as their quarry. Some of them hunt for the meat and others for sport however this hunter class is one that often respects nature or at least their game. They are observant individuals whose idea of appreciating an animal is to track it down. There is something primitive about returning to your own roots and hunt game once more. In addition to that a lot of hunters tend to respect animals such as wolves because of the challenge they provide. In fact local hunters and fishermen are often used in scientific surveys and by conservation These individuals however are decreasing or rather overshadowed from the other side of the hunter coin.

The other side unfortunately is the dark side. People who show no respect to nature whatsoever. Hunters who will gas wolf pups, ride crippled elk,  set dogs on a trapped coyote and will shoot birds just for fun. These are the hunters who will provoke advocates , activists and general nature lovers. I have no kind word for these people.  Although not the general population these people tend to give hunters a bad name all together. In this case hunters find themselves in the same situation that so many other groups do. Christians and the Westboro Church, Muslims with extremists and so forth. It is clear that these particular disturbed individuals  have issues that they decide to take on nature and unfortunately there are worldwide.  Can something be done? I highly doubt it. By removing hunters all together then some wildlife management will be challenging. In addition to that it is unfair for some hunters to be prohibited from hunting because of these individuals. My solution would be for the isolation of these individuals. For genuine hunters who re nature loving hunters to show the world that they are not like them. To isolate such groups and deal with them accordingly through a police force dedicated to wildlife.

It is easy to blame hunters for messing up conservation efforts. It is easy for them to be targeted by advocates or vice versa. The important thing to remember is that there are individuals that are not abusing or just enjoy killing. My advice would be not to let them rattle you are up or upset you. These individuals will always exist and the more power you give them over you, the worse effect will have on you.

Is Scotland ready for wolves?

As my interest in wolves begins to grow and grow I tend to look into a possible wolf reintroduction in Scotland and wonder about it. Should it happen? Moreover can it happen? It seems that this is a discussion that occurs every so often and the media publish it but then it just dies out. While a few die hard groups still advocate for it, the idea in general hasn’t been discussed for a while. I decided to tell you my opinion on the matter.

I will start with the most common of all arguments. Scotland and the rest of the UK have too many deer.  This article basically sets up the scene as 50% of the deer need to cull in the UK. It’s no secret that ecosystems and communities need a balance and in my opinion Scotland does not have a balanced ecosystem. Deer are way too numerous here and that is damaging the ecosystem as deer are not hunted by anyone other than humans. Thus a lot more numbers and so a lot more damage to the ecosystem. Although other carnivores could be reintroduced, the other candidates are the lynx and the bear and although they will impact deer movement, no one could do it better than the wolf.  Wolf reintroduction advocates say wolves will provide some restoration to the system and that they are needed.

Although I agree with the point above there are other things to keep in mind. Reintroductions won’t happen unless the people want it to. Clearly you have the two fronts, farmers, livestock owners and hikers worrying about the wolf, and the advocates and conservationists who wish for the return of the wolf.  But there is more to the story. What about the average Scot? Will he/she be affected? Although wolves are not as elusive as the cat family, they can be quite elusive and it is only when they want to be seen that they will be seen. However due to the proximity of villages/town to wilderness in Scotland it is very likely that encounters with wolves will happen. The problem is that these stories may be exaggerated and demonize the wolf. A recent article put foxes in the spot as one fox attacked a child in the UK. Although these encounters are minimum, they can serve as an argument against wolf reintroduction or wolf shooting to occur if wolves were to be reintroduced. Of course on the other hand people on those rural areas could benefit as reintroduction could mean more tourism which is wolf based and so more money.

People tend to take examples of real life and almost everyone uses Yellowstone National Park and the wolf reintroduction there to argue their case. I won’t argue that Yellowstone is perhaps one of the most studied areas when it comes to wolf reintroduction but I highly doubt that what happened in Yellowstone will happen in Scotland. Yellowstone is a large area where more wildernesses surround it. The reason why wolves thrive there was because they have space. Wolf packs will travel large distances (up to 50km) for hunting and wolf packs also require vast areas for themselves. Although the European wolf tends to form small packs and break up over summer it is no doubt that wolves will spread eventually. And that is where the problems begin in my opinion. Wolves may not stay put in the areas you have designated for them. Wolves may spread and make their home near countryside towns or pastures and go into places people may not want them. The least we want is for wolves to become rural or urban pests. You have to also bear in mind that ICUN guidelines strictly state that reintroductions should be done with animal welfare in mind so it will be unfair if reintroduced wolf packs end up getting shot.  The problem is that wolves in Scotland won’t have the space they had in Yellowstone or in North America in general.

What is more Scotland already has a great deal of issues going on with their wildlife. The Scottish wildcat is in danger of going extinct while the American mink is invading the Scottish countryside and it’s forests. In addition more red squirrels are being driven to extinction by the grey squirrels and deer ran rampant, hybridizing and destroying habitats. Although the wolf may solve a few of these problems, I believe that Scotland needs to spend resources in order to manage the wilderness better. These resources will probably be better allocated to such plans in order to set up some sort of balance to the system as of present. Then letter in time perhaps these resources could be allocated to wolf reintroduction. But for now the wolf’s best chance is for an initiative that would work on a variety of programs to restore the Scottish wilderness.

Why the Wolf

Today I will go on a more personal note because I want to answer the question people ask me constantly. Why choose the wolf? Although I am still studying my undergraduate and don't have any official plans, my main focus is either wolf research or orca research or both. Carnivore research/conservation really interests me  but I prefer to specialize on wolves and orca. So when people ask me why choose the wolf I find myself wondering. I still haven't seen that animal in the wild. So why choose it?

I could tell you that I have some sort of connection with the animal, I could tell you that I admire the animal and that it fascinates me and I wouldn't be lying. Instead I want to say that it's not merely that. There is an aura of wilderness that surrounds the wolf. It's reintroduction to Yellowstone and the number increase in the United States represents one of the most successful conservation stories in the world. The findings from the ongoing research on wolves managed to change the wolf's image from a feral, demonic, bloodthirsty animal that would attack on sight to one of a species key to an ecosystem, a loyal family member and shaper of habitats. This alone fascinates me. The way in which the view for such animal changed in a span of ten to twenty years is alone enough to intrigue me and make me want to study this animal.

The wolf for me also represents intolerance and the clash in the West. I am not from the United States and I have never heard our farmers and ranchers complain about predators so when I first heard of  people complaining for an animal causing that much trouble in the livestock industry I began researching it. Despite the wolf taking very few livestock every year it finds itself in the crosshair of ranchers and hunters who seek to blame the wolf, the bears and the cats for livestock depredation. Hunters claim that the elk, deer and mouse have been declining in numbers and blame the wolf. It's all about the intrinsic politics, the interest in states to side with conservationists or hunters/ranchers ( basically where the money and favors lay) which also interesting seeing as an animal can have that big impact in society. People rally to the banners of conservationists and wolf lovers while hunters and ranchers try to defend their own rights. Few things have brought such as schism in modern society than the love and hatred of predators.  

Mainly however it is the animal itself. There is something about the wolf. A social animal and an efficient hunter it can bring down animals on their own. However it does a lot better forming packs, sacrificing mating rights and perhaps risking eating less for social contact and comfort. Although a lot of things can be explained by genetics, physiology etc I am more intrigued by the brain of the wolf. The fact that the whole pack rejoices when wolf pups are born and they come out to play. The fact that the pack tolerates these pups playing, protects them and will even protect older members in some cases when they cannot hunt.  There is something sentient about that, something sentient that cannot be denied by people who observe the wolf. It is why people, including myself are so intrigued to watch documentaries and hear stories about wolf packs and feel happy or sad when events occur.

Although I have love for all the animals around, the wolf is one of those animals that managed to win me over, to make me want to defend it, study it and watch it roam free and wild where it should be and that is why I choose the wolf.