Wolf Printukwct.org.uk/wp/issue53.pdf · 2014. 11. 19. · £5,000 CanOvis Project, France (see...

ISSUE 53 AUTUMN WINTER 2014 | 1

Wolf PrintThe UK Wolf Conservation Trust Issue 53 Autumn Winter 2014

■ NEWS■ EVENTS■ RESEARCH■ MEDIA AND ARTS

Shepherding the FutureResearch into the efficiency ofLivestock Guardian Dogs in the Alps

Way of the WolfAn interview with artist andconservationist Pollyanna Pickering

Mesopredatorsand the vital qualities

of danger – whypredators

matter

EasternDelight:how one projectaims to save thebeautiful butendangeredIndian wolf

2 | UKWCT WOLF PRINT

Editor’s Letter

83Tala and Julia by Veda Kavanagh

is a small and mathematicallyunexciting number but sadly,according to reports, it is also

the number of Mexican wolves now leftin Arizona and New Mexico. Althoughthere has been some good news – withcubs born in the Western Sierra Madremountains (see Wolves of the World) –this endangered species is still struggling.

So what can we do? Wolf conservationis many things: reactive, proactive,protective and humanitarian. To help theMexican wolf, we should be all thesethings. Firstly, tell the US Fish and WildlifeService (USFWS) that Mexican wolves areessential and need more protection fromshooting and trapping.

Secondly, please challenge the USFWS’s“experimental non-essential” classification:Urge that USFWS classify Mexican wolvesas “essential” and to give them fullprotections under the Endangered SpeciesAct.

The Mexican wolf is not the only speciesof wolf that is in trouble. This is our‘dangerous’ edition. We can never ignorethe fact that the wolf is a large predator,an opportunist hunter. Looking at non-lethal methods available to deal with any

conflict the wolf mightcreate in communities,has never been morepertinent. We have inthis issue somegeographically diversestudies: From livestockguardian dogs in theSwiss Alps to measures

taken in India to give animals an incentiveto remain within the forest environment,rather than do damage beyond. We alsohave Pete Haswell’s excellent piece on therole of mesopredators. The UKWCT isproud to support some of these intelligentand progressive measures, which willhopefully be the future.

There is some good news: Idaho – anextremely problematic area for the wolf –is beginning to release funds and considernon-lethal methods.

Yet when it comes to dangerous, manis most certainly the most dangerous anddestructive animal of all.

On a local level, there is a lovely storyconcerning Game of Thrones authorGeorge R R Martin and a memorable littlechap called Jack Bailey (see Trust news onpage 7). As our wolves build up theirwinter coats and seem to stand taller as aresult, we have had many otherinteresting visitors to the Trust, includingartist Jackie Morris, fantasy writer RobinHobb and some baby kestrels.

An apology, too. In Cammie Kavanagh’sarticle on coastal wolves in our last issue(pages 13–15), we managed to repeat aparagraph rather than include a very

positive piece of information under the‘Education and Protection’ heading, whichshould have read:

“Conservation groups like Greenpeace,Forest Ethics Solutions, Sierra Club ofBritish Columbia, Raincoast ConservationFoundation and Pacific Wild have beenfighting for a number of years to getthis unique corner of the world andits inhabitants protected. In 2006, aprotection package was established to banlogging in 33% of the Great BearRainforest and also to bring in ecosystem-based forestry management for the restof the area by 2009. Today five years laterthe promises made the British ColumbianGovernment still have not been delivered,although they have recently stated thatthey are still set to deliver by the end of2014. Valerie Lange of Forest EthicSolutions says her organisation iscommitted to seeing this through.”

In this rich and varied issue there areinterviews with Pollyanna Pickering andartist Jack Beaumont, plus a review ofSteve Backshall’s new children’s bookWilds of the Wolf. Have a wonderfulChristmas and a bright New Year.

Onwards and upwards!

Julia BohannaJulia Bohanna

Editor

Cover picture: Nuka, by Mike Collins

EditorJulia BohannaTel: 0118 971 3330 Email: [email protected]

Editorial TeamWendy Brooker, Nikki Davies, Pete Haswell, Cammie Kavanagh, LynnKent, Pete Morgan-Lucas, Tsa Palmer, Denise Taylor

PatronsMartin ‘Wolfie’ Adams, David Clement-Davies, Cornelia ‘Neil’ Hutt,Desmond Morris, Marco Musiani, Michelle Paver

The UK Wolf Conservation Trust DirectorsNigel Bulmer, Charles Hicks, Sue Hull, Linda Malliff, Tsa Palmer

Specialist AdvisorsAlistair Bath, Garry Marvin, Kirsty Peake, Claudio Sillero, Denise Taylor

The UK Wolf Conservation Trust is a company limited by guarantee.Registered in England and Wales. Company No. 3686061.The opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those ofthe publishers or The UK Wolf Conservation Trust.

All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in any manner, in whole or in part, in English orother languages, is prohibited. The work may not be photocopied or otherwise reproduced within theterms of any licence granted by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd or the Publishers Licensing Society Ltd.

Aims of the UK Wolf Conservation Trust· To increase public awareness and knowledge of wild wolves and their place in the ecosystem.· To provide opportunities for ethological and other research that may improve the lives of wolves

both in captivity and in the wild.· To provide wolf-related education programmes for young people and adults.· To raise money to help fund wolf-related conservation projects around the world.

Download Wolf Print, including back issues, from www.ukwolf.org

Design and artwork by Business Pluspoint: www.businesspluspoint.co.uk | 01305 457084Printed by: Pensord, NP12 2YA. www.pensord.co.uk on FSC paper from sustainable forest sources.

This magazine is fully recyclable. By recycling magazines you can help to reduce waste and add tothe millions of tonnes of paper already recycled every year by the UK paper industry. You can recyclepaper through your home recycling collection scheme or at your local recycling centre. Visitwww.recyclenow.com and enter your postcode to find your nearest site.

WOLF PRINT Published by The UK Wolf Conservation Trust, Butlers Farm, Beenham, Reading, RG7 5NT.Tel: 0118 971 3330, fax: 0118 971 0522, email: [email protected], website: www.ukwolf.org Issue 53


26

contents

2 Editor’s Letter12 Wolves of the World

Wolf stories from around the world26 Making Tracks Book reviews and interviews from Julia Bohanna30 Merchandise

New, exclusive and seasonal wolfy gifts and souvenirs

4 Trust NewsA packed summer and autumn windfalls at the Trust

7 Director’s LetterRules and regulations for managing the Trust

8 Update on the Trust’s Wolves

16 GuardiansLivestock guardian dog/wolf issues in the Alps

19 UKWCT Calendar 2015 Order your 2015 calendar now while stocks last20 The Indian Wolf and its Fight for Survival The plan to help the king of the grasslands22 Territorio Lobo

A report from the 2014 Festival of the Wolf in Spain24 Life and Behaviour of Wolves

Mesopredators in a scary world

33 Forthcoming Events at the Trust

REGULARS

NEWS FROM THE TRUST

FEATURES

WHAT’S COMING UP

22

30

16

4


IN THE WONDERFULLY warm summer andautumn our wolves spent large parts of the daylanguishing in the sun. This meant lying onplatforms soaking up all the rays of sunshine then moving to their favourite shady places at the edge of the trees.Most of the time they have one eye on the lookout for a cooling ice lolly, laced with tuna or meat, or on wolf keeperdays, enjoying water melons or coconuts.

This relaxed scene has helped visitors on Visit Wednesdays to take some great photographs of the wolves,particularly when the wolves were fed at 2pm. There were delicate table manners, with no aggressive behaviour,when our wolves were given their portions of chicken, beef and deer. They could also be seen cooling off in theirwater troughs or dipping in the ponds. All very sublime.

TrustNews

VISIT WEDNESDAYSOur open Wednesdaysduring the summerholidays attracted a goodnumber of visitors: onaverage around 250. Aswell as watching thewolves, younger visitorscould handle creepycrawlies, rabbits and awide range of animalsbrought by Quirks’ AnimalRoadshows, in a large tent in the bottomfield. Luke (right, with boa constrictorFeather), who started the companyaround five years ago, gave two talksduring each Wednesday called‘Rainforest’ and ‘Endangered Species’.Luke was originally a work experience

student at the Trust,where he met Hayley,a fellow Trust workexperience student.Later, they weremarried and held theirwedding reception inthe very same tent inthe field where theroadshow was housed.A lovely outcome for allconcerned!

Visit Wednesdays – where we havefrequent visitors in smaller numbers –benefits both wolves and public. By theend of 2014 we will have had 5,000+visitors – approximately the sameamount as we used to have over threelarge open days.

SUMMER CHILDREN’S EVENTS As well as the ever-popular pond-dipping, children took part in naturequizzes and games, a wide range ofactivities in the Education Pole Barnorganised by work experience studentsand we ran a children’s walk with eitherNuka, Tala or Mai every Thursday of thesummer holidays.

Author Michelle Paver also held oneof her eagerly anticipated creativewriting workshops. Mai gave Michelle avery friendly greeting on our walk,demonstrating to the children what agreat bond Michelle still has with thewolves, as she helped hand rear them.

In the long warm summer evenings wewere able to enjoy four wolf viewing andbat walks with Bridget Parslow of theBucks and South Berks Bat Group. Therewas a talk about UK bats and then achance to use sonic detectors to hearand see our resident pipistrelle bats.

We have also had several Brownie,Guide and Scoutgroups onevening visitsand it isparticularlyworthwhile nowwe have aspeciallydesigned wolfbadge for themto work towards.


RESIDENT WILDLIFE AT THE TRUST

The wildlife in the surrounding fieldsto the wolves has had a bumper year:

Kestrel chicks were found in thekestrel box, two barn owl chicks in onebox near the bottom pond and anotherimmature barn owl in the box near thekestrel box. The latter is particularlygood news as last year, after a coldspring, no barn owl chicks had fledged inWest Berkshire at all.

In the summer we counted a total of24 red kites, the most ever, circling overthe wolf cages one August afternoon atfeeding time. It was quite menacing forthe wolves! We are endeavouring tofeed the red kites daily.

We have wildlife on a much smallerscale, too. See overleaf for a feature onthe Trust’s Bug Hotel.

Opposite from top:• The Beenhams bySim Warren, ContrastCollective• Pond dipping By TsaPalmer• Luke and Feather byMike Collins

This page from top:• Kestrel chicks by Mike Collins• At the Newbury Show by CraigJefferies• Piers Torday with Mai bySuvi Hall• Torak by Sim Warren, ContrastCollective• Nuka, Tala and Tundra, byMatt Booth

PHOTO CREDITS

DONATIONS FROM THE TRUSTTO WORLDWIDE CONSERVATION PRODUCTS

£5,000 CanOvis Project, France (see page 16)£2,000 EnviroCare Welfare Society, India (see page 18)£4,000 Chisty Les Wolf Reintroduction Project, Russia

£2,000 Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme

The £13,000 this autumn makes an overall total of£25,000 for the year.

2015As the younger

wolves will be fouryears old next year,we have made thedecision not to haveany walking eventswith them duringthe breeding seasonof mid-February to mid-March. Instead, we have somewonderful new events such as willow workshops. See pages34 to 36 for details of all our forthcoming events.

In 2015 we celebrate 20 years since we founded theTrust and for such a milestone there must be celebrations.We may hold a WOLF FEST during a summer weekend tocelebrate the wolf in art, literature, music and media etc.There will also be a photographic display of the Trust’swolves past and present, plus information on projects wehave supported, the seminars we have held and all we haveachieved. A true celebration of Lupercalia!

A rather indignant kestrel chickabout to be ringed

AUTUMN AT THE TRUSTSeptember brought autumn and a visitto the Royal Berkshire County Show(with some rather unusual wolves, asyou can see below).

We also held our Wolfdog seminar,organised by Kirsty Peake and Sue Hull.This was well attended and stimulatingfor everyone who wanted tounderstand the wolfdog breed andbehaviour.

In Octoberhalf termauthor PiersTorday(picturedright, withMai)walked withthe wolvesafter hiscreativewritingworkshop.There was a Howl and Hoot Open Daywith a talk and demonstration withHalloween activities, including theHowloween Pumpkin Day whereparticipating children carved and filledpumpkins with the wolves’ favouritetreats and then watched the wolvesenjoy them.

Howl nights are very popular in winter.Holly Root-Gutteridge is assisting withour howling evening presentation butalso with myths and legends,conservation and Arctic wolves’presentations.

We also have new slides of ourcurrent wolves and often have toupdate some of the scientific facts, aswolves keep being reclassified!


Last year, some work experiencestudents at the Trust made a bug hotel.

Bug hotels can come in a variety ofdesigns and depend really on what youhave lying around! They can be madefrom all sorts of recycled material. Atthe Trust we have many items simplylying around, waiting to be used. Themain materials for the Bug Hotel werewooden pallets, which we regularly getfrom deliveries of food for the wolves,or for our Wolf Print magazine.

Simply by stacking these pallets ontop of one another, the main structureof the hotel was created. Once we hadthe structure, we then pinpointed thegood location near the pond In thebottom field, where we planted awildflower meadow to attract as muchwildlife as possible: not only frogs,toads etc but immediately above thepond, buzzards regularly nest and we

have bat boxes in thenear vicinity.

After building thestructure of pallets weneeded to fill therooms. The pallets,when stacked upsidedown provideindividual spaceswhich we are calling‘rooms’. These roomswere made up ofdifferent materials toattract different types of wildlife,catering for each species’ ownpreferences, in the hope that it brings inthe guests!

What materials can be used? Anythingthat can be recycled, for example: oldrope, old bottles, flower pots, leaf litter,hay, old tiles, piping and bamboo – to

name just a few tempting items for ourlittle critters.

All species of animal require andenjoy different ways of living and evenhedgehogs will enjoy tucking into oldpiping from time to time!

If you fill the rooms, wildlife willcome to book in!

Tsa Palmer

‘Wolves haven’t destroyed our habitat; we have destroyedtheirs.’ – Jack, aged (just) thirteen, pictured with Tsa Palmer.

Earlier this year, a remarkable little boy wrote a sweet andimpassioned letter to Game of Thrones’ author George R RMartin, offering his pocket money for wolf conservation andrequesting a ‘grizzly death’ in one of the author’s books.Martin had asked for a donation for the Wild Spirit WolfSanctuary in New Mexico and in return, he would ‘kill’ thedonor in his novel, The Winds of Winter. Jack loves Game ofThrones, although he is only allowed to watch an abridgedversion of the earthy series. Most of all, he loves wolves. Inchatty, openhearted style, Jack also mentioned in his letter toMartin a place he loved in Beenham: The UK WolfConservation Trust. The response was remarkable: charmed bythe words, the creator of direwolves sent the Trust a chequefor $10,000.

For me, interviewing someone so young, who is clearlydetermined to be a wolf conservationist, was a pleasure. Jacklives with his family in Wotton Bassett, two RhodesianRidgebacks Inka and Zari, a black cat called Spook and fourchickens. I quickly got a picture of a true child of nature as Italked to him and his parents. This is a boy with wolf wallpaperon his bedroom wall so that he can fall to sleep dreaming offorests, loping silhouettes and distant howls. But before hedoes, as the sun fades, every evening Jack climbs on top of hisgarden shed and like a wolf on a mountain, he surveys hiskingdom to ensure that everything is as it should be. He alsohas a very prosaic attitude to life and a smile to melt the mostcynical of hearts. Apart from wolves, he loves his guitar, magic,dragons and writing short stories. In his fluffy spirit hat andclutching his toy wolves, he looked remarkably like one ofPeter Pan’s Lost Boys. But he is the very opposite of someonelost. Jack is down to earth and focused. When the email cameback from GRRM asking if he was the writer of the letter, Jack’sresponse was typically down to earth and teenager cool: ‘Yes,that’s me.’

So why does Jack adore wolves so much? His answer wassincere and ethereally joyful: ‘Why do I love wolves? There’sjust a spirit to them.’ He was also thrilled to be told that thecheque for $10,000 to use for wolf conservation, whichtranslates to approximately £6,000, will be shared betweenJosip Kusak’s Russian Project and £2,000 to the Ethiopianwolves. It’s quite a gift and we would like to thank George R RMartin but also the one and only Jack Bailey. We at Wolf Printwill be looking out for this budding conservationist in thefuture.

Julia Bohanna

The Power of Words: An interview with Jack ‘a friend to the wolves’ Bailey

It’s a bug’s life


DIRECTOR’S LETTERAs I write this letter at the end of

2014, I have been dwelling onhow much has changed since

Roger and I acquired our first wolf cub“My Lady” from Kessingland Park inNorfolk in 1972, and how many changeshave occurred to the legislation inkeeping wild animals.

In 1972, no one needed any sort oflicence or inspection from an official tokeep a wild animal! Watching andenjoying the recent BBC series “Our Zoo”this autumn reminded me of some of theescapades both Roger’s capuchinmonkeys and our early wolves got awaywith! Like George Mottishead (whofounded Chester Zoo), Roger developedan overwhelming passion for watchinganimal behaviour at an early age. Hislong-suffering parents had to use a farmlorry to transport all his pets back to hisboarding school each term!

In addition to keeping over 100 ratsand numerous hamsters (whichfrequently escaped and established abreeding colony under the schoollaboratory floorboards) Roger used tobreed free-flying budgerigars andornamental pheasants. At 16, Roger hadtwo capuchin monkeys: Candy andJohnny, who used to go everywhere onhis shoulders. They went to CambridgeUniversity with him, living in his room,often running along the college rooftops,much to the college authorities’annoyance!

While working in America duringwinter, 1971, Roger saw some youngwolves in St Louis Zoo. Their beauty andfriendliness made a dramatic impressionand fired his lifelong love of wolves.

In 1976, with a tightening in the law,we had to obtain a licence under theDangerous Wild Animals act to keepmonkeys and wolves (passed that sameyear). This was a necessary andwelcomed change in the law, as someanimals were not being properly housedor cared for in captivity. I remembervisiting the Harrods’ Pet Department inthe 1970s, where one could purchaselion cubs and other exotic animals withno difficulty!

Since 2006, the UK Wolf ConservationTrust has operated under a zoo licence.

Under this legislation we have an annualinformal inspection from West BerkshireEnvironmental Health and LicensingServices’ team, who spend at least threehours checking the following:● The stock list of wolves● DEFRA paperwork for keeping

wolves● Insurance policies for wolves and

volunteer Trust staff● Health and safety protocols –

annual accident/incident reports● Vet visit log● Medicine for wolves’ log book● Daily wolf log● Record of wolf food (raw meat) for

DEFRA● Annual vaccination records● Perimeter fences● Annual fire practices/fire precaution

records● Wolf escape procedure and dates

we have practised this withvolunteers

● Volunteer CRB checks● Volunteer training records and

training days for volunteers, withpaperwork trail

● Conditions under which wecontinue to walk wolves the public.(We are only permitted to walk inthe area registered with the councilaround the Trust. Two handlers perwolf.)

● COSH sheets of any on-sitechemicals

● Any overhanging branches on thewolf enclosures that could fall onthe fences

● Rodent control measures● PAT testing on all electrical

equipment● We have up-to-date first aid kits● The wolf keeper and I have valid

first aid training certificates

Every three years we have a morethorough inspection carried out with theWest Berkshire Team and a DEFRA-appointed ministry vet.

Much has changed in the last 40years! These vigorous inspections havemuch improved the welfare of animals incaptivity but also safety. However, thenecessary spending has forced smaller

establishments or those with limitedincome to close.

I have noticed another change sincethe 1970s: the wide choice of wolfmerchandise available now. There wereno cuddly furry wolf toys for sale in the1970s! This was the era before wolveswere reintroduced into Yellowstone in1995. Public perception of wolves was ofvicious beasts. I often say to childrenwho visit: ‘Why do they think it is takenfor granted and normal for teddy bearsto be taken to bed with them forcomfort and friendship?’ Black andgrizzly bears in America every yearattack humans, some with fatal results.There are no recorded instances ofhealthy wolves attacking people inAmerica, so why were bears chosen aschildren’s soft cuddly bedmates andmascots?

I am glad to say that as the perceptionof wolves has changed there are a greatmany different-sized wolves available forpurchase. We stock a large assortmentof wolves in our shop, many of whom Iam sure will be bought as Christmaspresents this year. We recently attendedThe Berkshire Show with our Trustmerchandise stand and many of ourfriendly wolves have found new homes.OVER 65,000 visitors came to the showand the hardworking volunteers on thestand gave away about 1500 leaflets andtalked to visitors about the events wehold at the Trust, from Howl Nights,Walking with Wolves or our VisitWednesdays. It’s amazing how fewpeople know of our existence, despitethe fact that Beenham is only five milesfrom the Newbury Showground!

In 2015, we will be celebrating 20years since the foundation of the Trust.In the next bumper edition of Wolf Printwe will be looking back at all the wolveswe have had during this time and all wehave achieved. My ambition is by theend of 2015 to have given £250,000 towolf conservation projects around theworld, of which we can all be very proud.

I hope everyone has a very goodChristmas and that the furry toy wolvesand our other merchandise will be flyingoff the shelves at Christmas for presentsfor wolf lovers round the world!

from Tsa Palmer


MAI AND MOTOMO have enjoyed arelatively tranquil summer together; themound in their enclosure has been re-grassed, and they both love to sit or sprawlon it watching the world go by. Or, whenit’s too hot to be in the open, they will takesanctuary at the partially shaded edge ofthe woods at the top of the enclosure andsleep.

During the summer both wolves moulteddown to just the guard-hairs, and lookedremarkably slender – highlighting the wolf’sunderlying nature as a long-distanceathlete. Now, in November, both have re-grown their winter coats and in the processhave become noticeably lighter-coloured.Mai, in particular, has greyed a lot roundher muzzle, legs and shoulders whileMotomo’s new coat (left) has come throughwith a predominant pale straw colour inplace of his previous European wolf brown.

Mai (below) still likes to come out onenrichment walks round the farm with herfavourite handlers; being unsocialised,Motomo stays behind and howls to her in arather mournful way, often getting a reply.Motomo’s temperament has changedsomewhat since he no longer has Mosi andTorak in the adjoining enclosure, though hecan still often be seen fence-running withthe Arctic wolves, who are now hisneighbours.

Report and photos by Pete Morgan-Lucas

MAI and MOTOMO

Update on the Trust Wolves



MOSI and TORAK

WINTER IS starting to make itself felt atthe Trust – the days are getting shorterand the leaves are taking on theirseasonal hue. This is the time when thewolves become more active as theirhormones begin to rise in preparationfor the breeding season ahead (althoughour wolves don’t breed they still gothrough the cycle). This triggers thegrowth of their winter coats and thelaying down of a thin layer ofsubcutaneous fat to keep them warmduring the cold nights.

Mosi is always the last of our wolvesto lose her winter coat; it seems just asthe last of her old fur is shed, the newhair starts growing again! This year shehas had a colour change and hasdeveloped an elegant silver sheen –quite a contrast to her boisterouspersonality. She and Torak are stilloccupying the top enclosure, which theylike very much. Mosi doesn’t have thenickname “Nosey Mosi” for nothing andwill always turn up at the fence if shethinks something interesting is going on.Visitors can expect an immediate wolfsighting when they arrive on site; Mosimisses nothing. As one of our most vocalwolves she will treat them to a series of

inquisitive squeaks and whines and,more often than not, a good long howl.The Howl Nights have resumed after thesummer hiatus and anyone who wantsto hear a wolf call through the darkwon’t be disappointed as we can alwaysguarantee a good performance fromMosi!

As our most adopted wolf, Torakcontinues to be a hit with our visitors.His aloof nature and good looks makehim very popular. He makes a perfectmodel when he lies on top of themound, surveying his territory. Living inthe top enclosure obviously suits him, ashe comes down to the front fence quiteoften now and will even feed in front ofmembers of the public, if they are quiet.No doubt his rising hormones havemade him bolder and, as he is such amagnificent-looking wolf, it’s nice forpeople to be able to see him in his fullglory. He is still picky about his handlersthough and will drift away into the treesif he spots someone he’s not sure about.

Once the breeding season is in fullswing after Christmas, Mosi and Torakwill no longer go on their enrichmentwalks, so they can concentrate on eachother. In the meantime, they are

enjoying regular early morning walkswith their favoured handlers. This isimportant for their welfare and theylook disappointed if you walk past theirenclosure with a lead and don’t stop totake them out. The onset of autumnmeans there are lots of rich smells andnew sights for them to experience. Mosilikes to eat blackberries and has evenbeen known to wolf down a sloewithout making a face! Handlers have tobe alert with Torak as he is one of thefew wolves on site who will go after preyif it’s close enough and in the autumn,rut-crazed deer have a habit of springingout unexpectedly. Both wolves enjoythese outings very much, although Mosiseems to think they are sprints ratherthan leisurely ambles. It’s beeninteresting to note on their walks thatTorak, Mosi and Mai mark the entranceto fields and gateposts as if to leave themessage, “you shall not pass!” It mustbe working, as we haven’t seen anyBalrogs!*

Nikki Davies

*Fearsome shadowy creatures fromLord of The Rings…

Torak and Mosi on an enrichment walk, photo by Mike Collins


BETWEEN GOING out on their amblesand enrichment walks, on occasion,handlers join the Arctics at home: theirenclosure. In a practical sense, this helpswith reinforcing the bond between wolfand handler but it can also be the mostenjoyable time, for both sides, as thereare less restrictions to adhere to thanwhen on the outside and more freedomto interact with each other.

The Arctics love company and willalways come up to greet you, each intheir own special way. Pukak will sit inyour lap given half the chance and Sikkois ever eager to greet you with a lick orten! On the other hand, Massak as thealpha male will be more reserved in hisapproach, preferring to sidle up to youbefore ‘deigning’ to be stroked!

Being loose and more agile than all ofus put together, these exuberantgreetings could be quite intimidating buttheir experienced handlers are able toread their body language so know whichis friendly fire and which is getting a bittoo excitable, at which time we diffusethe situation by simply being boring andignoring their antics. Hosting duties over,they’ll sometimes ask us to join themagain in play which we must discreetlydecline.

Massak, for example, can drop his airsand graces in a moment and bepositively kittenish. A torn piece ofhessian rag at his feet, clearly beingpointed out to you (and which is duly

ignored), brings on a few play bows. Asthis gets him nowhere, he hurls it highinto the air, as he bounces and boundsaway hoping you’ll follow! They mustthink we are an extremely dull lot! Theysoon tire of us, as although it would beso tempting to join in with the fun wemust remain wallflowers at the party.

Dusk is a wonderful time as wolves areat their most active. It’s a joy to watchthem playing games with each other: cat& mouse, hide & seek, tit for tat and tag.All played out in the arena while thewallflowers can only sit on the logs andstare in admiration at such beautifullithe creatures.

To watch these whirling dervishestake full advantage of their 2.5 acreenclosure, going hell for leather, legs andlimbs fully stretched, at such speed, yousometimes can’t turn your head quickenough as they speed past us in fullchase. It takes your breath away to seethese magnificent athletes at their fullpotential.

However, the mood can change in aninstant where some unseen ‘crossing theline’ has been taken. Such as occurredwhen Pukak, Massak’s “flatmate”,suddenly crouched down, sinking intothe long grass to make himself as smallas possible (which is no mean feat forPukak if you know his size!). He wasshowing all the right submissive signs asif to say “OK OK! But what did I do?”Meanwhile, Massak towers over him

growling. Then whatever caused thehiccup is forgotten and order of playresumes.

It’s all these subtle (and not so subtle)signals they constantly give to eachother, which takes time to learn.Although for anybody who is interestedin body language communication etctheir time would be well spent here, asyou can learn so much by simplywatching.

Wolves rarely use their night quarters,with raised beds, decked with straw ofcourse. So I am always surprised howtheir coats remain so clean and neatlooking. At this time of year their coatslook amazing and with the eveningsunlight behind them and the blue skyabove, it makes a beautiful scene. Howlucky we are to have them. At threeyears old they should be white this year!All we need now is the snow!

During a recent health check/observation it was noticed that Sikkooccasionally limped. Mike our wolfkeeper and the work experience teamobserved this was due to a nail being toolong causing it to cross over the toe nextto it, and getting stuck. So theymonitored the frequency and how long ittook to correct itself, which was withintwo minutes. The beauty of havingsocialised wolves is you can also do closeinspections, so she allowed Pat, one ofher handlers, to check it wasn’t painfulto the touch or due to any open wound.

THE ARCTICS: MASSAK, PUKAK and SIKKO


The Arctics naturally have long nailsbecause in the Arctic’s harsh snowand ice conditions they need them.Although it was debated about havingSikko’s nail trimmed, the vet ensuredus it is normal for Arctic wolves tohave longer nails and it will just growto a point where it becomes brittleand snap back to a manageablelength. So on their enrichment walkswhen just their handlers werepresent, at the beginning and end ofthese walks, we now walk them upand down the drive to give themmore access to hard-wearing terrainto help prevent a reoccurrence of thisproblem. Mike and the workexperience team also got straight towork on designing some enrichmentideas to help trim the claws downsuch as hiding food in trees andsmells or food in deeply drilled holesin huge fallen logs, which they thenhave to scrape away at to gain access.

All their hard work is paying off asthere are no more limps! Plus, next totheir enclosure boundary fence,twenty paving slabs have been laiddown for them to run over when theycome up to greet us and the visitors.They now have a patio in theirenclosure – where will it end?!

Suzanne FinePhoto by Sim Warren,

Contrast Collective

AS OCTOBER CAME to an end, TheBeenham Three (Tala, Tundra andNuka), began to re-grow their coatsin readiness for winter. Like theirparents, Mai and Motomo, therehave been some interesting colourchanges.

Nuka’s colour markings are ratherreminiscent of his father Motomo’sat the same age – though with lessof the brownish ‘European wolf’characteristic. His tail has filled out andlooks particularly fine this year! Tala hasgone noticeably greyer all over (thoughas yet nowhere near as grey as mum!)and Tundra’s new fur is a fine lightstraw colour with black highlights – thedark ‘collar’ around her neck gives her aparticularly elegant appearance whenviewed from the front.

All three of the Beenhams are stilltaking part in walks with members –though sometimes it is difficult to getthem ready for these walks – they canturn the whole process into a game of‘chase’ and it’s not unusual for one wolfto grab another wolf’s tail and pullhim/her away if he/she looks like she’sin danger of being collared. We aretrying out new ways of getting themready for a walk which will hopefullyreduce the delays we sometimesexperience – time will tell if this works!

On walks, Nuka and Tala are stillhappy to mingle freely with visitors,doing their usual sniffing, rolling indisgusting smelly things they find andposing for photos. On occasions the

biggest problem has been stopping Nukafrom falling over – he is a master atrolling over and soliciting belly rubs fromanyone who looks easily persuaded.

Tundra still likes to keep her distancefrom groups of unfamiliar people but willsometimes summon up enough courageto intervene if she thinks Nuka and Talahave been the focus of attention for toolong. In the same way, when out on awalk if Nuka and Tala start howling tothe other wolves, Tundra can persuadethem to stop just by giving them a stareof disapproval.

All three of the pack are still extremelyplayful when they are in their enclosuregetting up to some rather impressivespeeds when running at full tilt – thoughany handlers who are also in theenclosure need to take care not to allowthe play to get out of hand. Being fullygrown, the three Beenhams each havelevels of speed and strength that couldbe dangerous to a person. We all have toremember that at heart they are stillwild animals and treat them with respectand understanding.

Pete Morgan-Lucas(report and photos)


THE BEENHAMS: NUKA, TUNDRA AND TALA

Nuka and Tundra

Tala


AMAZINGLY LESS than a year after theywere built, a pack of wolves is regularlyusing all three wildlife underpasses tocross Highway 93 South in KootenayNational Park (www.pc.gc.ca).

Remote cameras monitor the usageby wolves and other wildlife. TrevorKinley, wildlife crossings projectmanager, has said that with newcrossings you expect a learning curve. Ittakes some time for the animals to getused to the crossings and to start usingthem. This could take several years, butimages show that a known wolf pack,believed to have about twelvemembers, has used the three crossings14 times since they were built. Other

animalscaught oncameraincludedwhitetaildeer andsnowshoehares.

Wildlifecrossingshavereduced

wildlife-vehicle collisions by 80% inBanff National Park but Kinley says ittoo early to say whether fewer animalshave been hit on the busy Kootenayhighway. Officials will continue tomonitor the structures for otherwildlife crossings. “We have been reallyencouraged by what we have seen sofar,” said Kinley. “We were pleased tosee the rapid adaptation the wolvesmade to the underpasses, and to knowthat this ensured greater safety forthem and for motorists, and allowednormal movements by the wolvesacross the park landscape.”

(Photo: Parks Canada Agency)

wolves of the worldKETCHUM, IDAHO: as of 15th Septemberthis year, a recommendation to adoptResolution 14-022 in Support of WildlifeCo-Existence and Recognizing The WoodRiver Wolf Project has been approved byMayor Nina Jonas and also been passedby the City Council.

Senator Michelle Stennett gave WolfPrint this response: “Thank you for theopportunity to comment on The WoodRiver Wolf Project.

I am proud of the project’saccomplishments and its demonstrationof a successful non-lethal alternative tostandard lethal practices in Idaho. As theState Senator for this legislative districtand as a member of the SenateResources & Environment Committee, Ihave debated the merits of non-lethalwolf management and that it should

have equal consideration in ourpolicymaking with little success. Instead,our efforts outside of legislative processare seeing better results.

As an example, the Idaho Governor’sOffice of Species Conservation (OSC),working with the Idaho Department ofFish & Game, using applicable federaldollars, now includes compensating forthe use of proactive wolf deterrentsstrategies in the field to help offset someof those costs. This is a separate pot offederal money earmarked for non-lethal,proactive deterrents. Producers will beable to apply to OSC for funding to coverthe costs of those types of activities. OSCis about to begin accepting applicationsand it is my hope that The Wood RiverWolf Project’s methods will beembraced.”

EXCELLENT NEWS FOR WOLVES IN IDAHO

UNDERPASSES REDUCEWILDLIFE-VEHICLE COLLISIONS

THE ASSOCIATED Press reports thatthe first known litter of Mexican greywolves has been born in the wild inthe Western Sierra Madre mountains,as part of a three-year effort to re-introduce the endangered subspeciesto a habitat where it disappearedfrom three decades ago.

Mexico began re-introducingcaptive bred wolves in 2011, and theparents of this litter had beenreleased in December 2013 withhopes that they would mate andproduce cubs. The exact location ofbreeding pairs in recoveryprogrammes is seldom revealed,ultimately to protect the endangeredspecies. The cubs were sighted in Juneby a delighted team of researcherswho said that the cubs appeared tobe thriving.

Mexico’s National Commission forNatural Protected Areas said in astatement to the press: “This firstlitter represents an important step inthe recovery programme, becausethese will be individuals that havenever had contact with human beings,as wolves bred in captivity inevitablydo.”

The Commission did not reveal howmany wolves now live in the wildin Mexico. The Mexican grey wolfwas almost wiped out in the USSouthwest by the same factors thateliminated it in Mexico: hunting,trapping and poisoning. The last fivesurvivors were captured between1977 and 1980 and captive bred. Thefirst re-introductions were into theSouthwest beginning in 1998 – mainlyin Arizona and New Mexico.

The Mexican grey wolf is still anendangered species in the US andNew Mexico. However, US Fish andWildlife Service annual surveyreleased in January states that thereare at least 83 wolves in Arizona andNew Mexico. This shows that thepopulation has increased for thefourth year in a row.

First known litter ofMexican grey wolf cubsborn in the wild forthree decades


PATROLLING THE OUTSKIRTS OF YELLOWSTONE –HOW ONE GROUP HOPES TO HALT THE KILLING OF EX-YELLOWSTONE WOLVES

THE YELLOWSTONE Wolf Patrol is currently following hunters to try and stop killing of wolves that leave Yellowstone NationalPark. They state that: “Nine members of the Wolf Patrol are currently trailing hunters, who in the last two years, have killedwolves belonging to packs originating fromYNP where hunting is prohibited. Wolf Patrolmembers are opposed to the sport hunting ofwolves in Wolf Management Units (WMU) 313and 316, and are asking Montana Fish, Wildlifeand Parks (MFWP) to immediately stop thehunt before more wolves are killed.”

Although it is not illegal to follow thehunters, it would be illegal in Montana law tointerfere with the hunt or harass the huntersin any way.

www.kxlh.com/news/montana-wolf-hunt-season-underway-controversy-continues/

HOPE AND DETERMINATION WIN THE DAY

LOCAL RESIDENTS skiing in the Almaguinregion of Canada in January discovered atimber wolf caught in a trap line. Eachattempt to escape had only pushed thewire deeper and deeper into the softflesh of the wolf’s leg. The snare had cutright through to the bone and the pitifulanimal was severely injured, in pain andin shock.

He was taken to the Aspen ValleyWildlife Sanctuary (www.aspenvalley.ca)where the staff were not sure whetherthe poor animal would survive thecruelty of the trap. A veterinariansurgeon determined that the wolf could

have beensuffering in thetrap forbetween 48 and72 hours. Hedecided that theleg was toobadly damagedand the onlyoption was toamputate it.

The staff atthe AspenSanctuary keptthe wolf indoorsfor the rest of

the winter to protect the stump fromfrostbite. Once the weather got warmerthe wolf was moved to an outsideenclosure, to regain strength inpreparation for release back into thewild. The release was a tense butexciting event even though the outcomewas uncertain.

The wolf was lightly tranquilised totake blood samples and fit the expensiveelectronic collar the sanctuary hadreceived financial assistance with. Thecollar sends regular GPS coordinates to acomputer miles away so the wolf can betracked. As the wolf woke, staff drove it

to a northern release point, not too farfrom its original territory, but away fromthe inhumane trap line that had verynearly killed it.

After only two weeks the datacollected showed that the amazing wolfhad been capable of moving as far andquickly as any four-legged wolf, at timestravelling as much as 17 kilometres a dayalong the Algonquin Park’s northernboundaries. A member of thesanctuary’s staff regularly goes out byair, paddle or even on foot to study theterritory that the wolf passes through asindicated by the satellite information.

There are other examples of three-legged animals being seen in the wild,but the release of a three-leggedrehabilitated wild animal would provethe value of reintroducing them into thewild. The Aspen Sanctuary staff hopesthat they can determine the survival rateof a wild wolf that has not only beenrehabilitated, but released back into thewild after a leg amputation. The datacollected could help to decide the fate ofwolves and other wild animals broughtinto rehabilitation centres in Ontario andbeyond.

Photo: Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary

THREE-LEGGED WOLF RETURNED TO THE WILD AFTER BEINGSNARED IN A TRAP LINE FOR 48–72 HOURS

Extracting a blood sample for DNA testing


The wolf’s howl, its most recognisablecharacteristic, has been noted by manycultures as resembling what we call thehowl of the wind.● The fable of the Three Little Pigs,

where the wolf blows down theirhouse, was born of the ancientconnection between wolves andwind.

● “The wolves are among the grain”was a common German expressionfor the wind blowing the grain in thefields.

● Gases emanating from the groundwere called ‘wolf’ by the people ofGreece, who believed that suchgases came from the supernaturalworld.

● Pacific Northwest Native AmericanTlingit people believe that Khanukhis a wolf that controls fog.

● Odin’s wolves, Geri and Freki,represent storm and wind.

● Fenris, the wolf of Teutonic myth , issaid to be a monster of storm andnight whose jaws (clouds) touchboth heaven and earth.

● According to some ancient myths,Apollo’s mother, “the dark-robedLeto” arrived in a storm cloud as ashe-wolf.

● A particularly harsh winter inSweden is called a “wolf’s winter”.

● Kaput, the Iranian storm or winddemon, has the form of a wolf.

● Dakota tribal legend tells of a manwho sought help from the wolf toconquer the enemy. The wolf taughtthe man a song. When he howledthis song, a wind was created toconfuse the enemy. When hehowled again a fog rolled in andmade the warriors invisible.

● In the Vedas, the four books ofknowledge that constitute theessence of the Hindu religion,werewolves are associated withweather phenomena.

● In Ancient Greece and Argus, thewolf was a symbol of stormy windsin both text and art.

● It was once believed that Vila,eastern Slavonic spirits thatappeared in the form of a wolf, were

capable of calling forth whirlwinds,hailstorms and rain.

● An old European metaphor for astrong destructive wind is “thewolf”. When the wind whistles, it issaid that the wolf is sharpening itsteeth. When the sun shines whilethe rain is falling, it is said to be “thewolves’ wedding”

● In Snorri Sturlasson’sSkaldskaparmal, c 1220 (from theProse Edda, a collection of Vikingpoetry) the expression hunthr ethavargr vidar “the dog or the wolfblows” serves as a metaphor forwind.

● In Germany, “wolf” serves as ametaphor for mist or wind. OldGerman pictures portray wind as thehead of a wolf from which gustsissue.

Tsa Palmer

Photo: Ben Earwicker

WOLVES AND WEATHER LORE

Chester Starr of theHeiltsuk First Nation tribehas always known thatthe wolves of BritishColumbia come in twovarieties: coastal wolveson the Islands and timberwolves on the mainland.The Tribe’s folkknowledge has alwaystaught him this. Nowgenetic research has atlast confirmed whatStarr’s tribe has alwaysknown.

Starr’s “traditionalecological knowledge”prompted scientists ErinNavid from the Universityof Calgary and researcherAstrid V Stronen of thePolish Academy ofSciences to take a closer

look at British Columbia’s wolves, todetermine whether the HeiltsukNation’s folk knowledge was reflectedin the wolves’ genes.

The more they looked, the morepuzzling it became. Wolves are capableof roaming over huge geographicaldistances, easily travelling more than70km a day. They are capable ofcrossing valleys and mountains andswimming across rivers and narrowchannels of sea, yet in an area of just2000sq kilometres the researchersfound stark genetic distinctions amongthe wolf groups who ought to be ableto intermix.

Was it because, despite their abilityto travel great distances, the wolves’behaviour had become so specialisedbecause of the environment they wereborn into that they remained close tohome? According to the researchers, itis all about what the wolves eat.

WHY IS CANADA’S WOLF POPULATION SPLITTING INTO TWO GROUPS?

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Despite the small distances betweenthe mainland and the islands –sometimes less than 1500 metres –there are tremendous ecologicaldifferences. The mainland is rugged andteams with a variety of wildlife, whilethe islands are less mountainous andare home to fewer species.

On the mainland, grizzly bearscompete with the wolves, but on theislands the wolves reign supreme. Onthe mainland, wolves can feast onmoose and mountain goats, while onthe islands they rely mainly on marineresources like fish for 85% of their food.

The researchers began to look atother animals and how they diverged. Itgradually became clear that diet,foraging and hunting styles can have amassive implication for the evolution ofa group of animals.

Chimpanzees and bonobos onlydiverged some three million years ago

but today could not be more different.As with the wolves of British Columbia,the researchers concluded that theremarkable differences in chimpanzeeand bonobo culture are due in part totheir diets. Chimpanzees evolved inforests with fewer food resources thanbonobos did. Fruits are much harder tofind for chimps, which is probably whythey are more competitive. Bonobos,on the other hand, evolved in a land ofplenty, which led to reduced foodcompetition and greater tolerance andcooperation towards each other.

In some ways the stark differencesbetween the coastal and mainlandwolves of British Columbia mirrors thedistinction between grizzly and polarbears. It is thought that the two bearsdiverged because polar bears evolved ina region where they relied upon the seato provide their food, while grizzly bearsremained skilled at hunting on dry land.

It is immaterial whether an animal isphysically capable of dispersing overvast distances. What matters more is ifthey can thrive in an environmentdistinct from the ones in which theylearnt to survive. Like the polar bears,those wolves that found their way tothe islands have simply become skilledat fishing, so they have remained inmarine landscapes. Even oneneighbourhood over, a wolf that was amaster fisherman might starve if forcedto hunt large game.

Will the wolves of British Columbiafollow in the bears’ footsteps and splitinto two distinct species? Only time willtell.

Source: Jason G Goldman

Photo (opposite): Vladimir Bologov

CANADA’S WOLF POPULATION�

WOLVES AT THE GATES OF PARISWolves have been spotted within 40miles of Paris, in the first sighting soclose to the capital since they crept backinto France from Italy a decade ago.“They are probably young adults whohave separated from the pack as theysearch for a territory,” said wildlifeexpert Eric Bas. “A wolf can roam about100 kilometres (60 miles) in a singlenight.”

Forests just outside Paris form an idealenvironment for wolves because theyare well stocked with wild boar anddeer.

The grey wolf was wiped out in Francein the 1920s, but has made anastonishing comeback over the pastdecade. Wolves now numbering at least300 across the country killed more than6,000 sheep last year.

The environment minister, SegoleneRoyal, has authorised culls of wolves –against opposition fromconservationists. However, the decisionwas welcomed by farmers.

Luc Smessaert, a livestock breedernear Beauvais, north of Paris, said:“Coexisting with wolves would beimpossible in this area.”

Special permission isrequired to kill wolves, whichare a protected species underthe Bern Convention andEuropean law.

Mr Bas claims the wolf posesno danger to people, althoughthere were reports of man-eating wolves terrorisingpeople in the Paris area as lateas the 18th century.

“Wolves never attackhumans and they are part ofthe balance of nature,” Mr Bassaid. “It’s flocks that have to beprotected, to prevent the wolfbecoming the scapegoat offarmers and hunters.”

A dead wolf, probably shotby hunters, was found inCoole, a village about 100miles east of Paris, in January,following attacks on sheepslightly further away from thecapital.

Wolves are now expected tocolonise areas north of Paris, accordingto Guy Harle d’Ophove, head of ahunters’ association.

www.telegraph.co.uk(http://tiny.cc/6skaox)


GUARDIANS

WOLF DAMAGE tolivestock herds in thesouthern French Alpscontinues to be achronic problem, withmore than 2,400 headof livestock killed bywolves in 2013.Researchers haveindicated that theregion is facing thelimit on the efficacy ofthe use of LivestockGuardian Dogs (LGDs)in that region.

ResearchersPreliminary results ofthe most recentdetailed researchproject werepublished in theSpring 2014 CarnivoreDamage PreventionNews. The paper,“The CanOvis Project:Studying Internal andExternal Factors thatMay InfluenceLivestock GuardianDogs’ EfficiencyAgainst WolfPredation,” waswritten by Jean-MarcLandry, GerardMillischer, Jean-LucBorelli, and Gus Lyonof the Institute for thePromotion andResearch on GuardingAnimals inSwitzerland, and ParcNational duMercantour of France.

MethodsResearchers wereequipped with a long-range infraredbinocular with

recording capabilities. They were ableto record night-time interactionsbetween wolves and LGDs in theMaritime Alps. Research involvedthree flocks of sheep, two of whichhad high wolf pressure, including onegrazing in an area where no wolfshooting permits are issued – noteven to livestock producersexperiencing wolf attacks on theirherds. Flock sizes ranged from 1,750to 2,500 sheep. One area had twoflocks at the start of the grazingseason, but these were combined atthe end of the summer due tofrequent wolf predation on one herd.All three flocks were protected byLGDs, mainly by Great Pyrenees dogs,or Great Pyrenees/Maremmacrossbreds. One flock had 11 LGDs,while the other two herds had fourLGDs each. The LGDs were fitted withGPS collars each evening, and theirmovements were tracked untilsunrise.

How did the LGDs react?LGD reactions ranged from noreaction, to barking, social or closecontacts (33% of the events), andchasing. Using the infrared binoculars,researchers were able to documentwolves passing by the flock, feedingon freshly killed sheep, andattempting to attack sheep – despitethe presence of LGDs. The researchersnoted: “Wolves were apparentlyunafraid of LGDs. Although wolveswere chased by LGDs or hadantagonistic encounters, theseexperiences did not prevent themfrom returning the same or followingnights. Moreover, we recordedseveral occurrences in which a singleLGD faced a wolf and exaggerated itsbehaviors instead of attacking,allowing enough time for the wolf toescape. Thus, the LGDs observed(either naïve or experienced with wolfencounters) seemed to be very

Livestock Guardian Dog/Wolf issues in the AlpsBy Cat Urbigkit, Big Piney, Wyoming.Reprinted from The Shepherd, June 2014

Left and top right: Livestock guarding dogs surrounded by sheep


cautious aroundwolves.”

The researcherssuggest that LGDsshould be considered aprimary repellant bydisrupting a predator’sbehavior, but they donot permanentlymodify that behavior.Wolves becomehabituated to thepresence of LGDs,according to theresearchers. Theyfound that both LGDsand wolves seem to evaluate the risk ofescalating confrontation.

AggressionGreat Pyrenees LGDs are often selectedfor use in areas with a high degree oftourism, because they are known to beless aggressive to humans and otherdogs. In fact, they are now bred andpromoted for their docility. But LGDsthat are expected to be effectiveguardians in wolf territory must have ahigher level of aggression to predators.They must have a willingness to confrontand fight the predator, as certain LGDbreeds are known to do. Researcherspointed to the Karakachan from Bulgariaas a breed known its aggression tointruders. Stepping away from the research paperfor a moment, I would note that ourfamily started with Great Pyrenees LGDsbut found they were not aggressiveenough for the predator challenges theyfaced. Thus we moved to Akbash, whichhave a higher level of aggression topredators while not posing a threat tohumans; and to Central Asian Shepherds,which have a high level of canine-aggression. We have found them to bevery effective in wolf-inhabited areas ofwestern Wyoming.

BarkingThe researchers found that LGD barks donot modify wolves’ ongoing behaviors,but these vocalizations do seem totransmit information. “Because barkingis easy to pinpoint, they might givevaluable information to the wolvesabout the LGDs’ location, the number ofindividuals, their distance and maybe

even temperament. Nevertheless, LGDs’barks can attract other LGDs, even ifthey are not able to observe the scene.”

MarkingThe LGDs in the study were often seenleaving the flock in the early mornings todefecate and urinate before returning.Some LGDs and wolves defecated on thesame spot, so these “scent markings” didnot serve to deter wolf presence.

Age and courtshipJust as wolves become more sedentaryand their predatory performancedeclines with age, the same appears tobe true with LGDs, especially as itpertains to a weakening physicalcondition that comes with age. Thus, theage structure of the LGD pack is a keyfactor in protecting skills.

The researchers also noted thatfemale LGDs in heat poses a separateproblem that needs managed by theherder or flock owner. “The energy toprotect the flock is wasted on courtingfemales and fighting males,” theresearchers noted. “In our case, astrange male LGD managed to reach afemale in heat in the middle of the flockdespite the presence of three males,probably because they were woundedduring a fight at the beginning of theevening.”

Young WolvesParticular wolves were seen staying nearthe flocks, attempting (and failing) toattack, and interacting with LGDs.Researchers believe these were youngwolves learning to hunt and testing theLGDs. “Consequently, if these first

encounters are not associated withnegative consequences, we hypothesizethey will learn that LGDs and shepherdsare not a danger and will perceive sheepas an available resource. This knowledgemay then be passed to the nextgeneration through associative learning.Thus, more aggressive LGDs may benecessary to teach young wolves thatencounters with LGDs have severeconsequences.”

Shepherds aren’t a threat eitherThe researchers found that shepherdsaren’t viewed as much of a threat to thewolves either. Since their only option isyelling and throwing rocks, the effect onwolves is negligible. The researchersfound that the wolf flight distance whenconfronted by the shepherds wassometimes as short as 100 feet.Recent wolf attacks on sheep herds arehappening more often in daylight (52%of all attacks) and a shepherd reportedbeing challenged by a wolf while tryingto retrieve a wounded lamb.

The futureThe CanOvis project research project willcontinue, with researchers continuing toobserve how LGDs react to wolves andhow wolves counter-respond. To readthe full paper, download the PDF here:http://tiny.cc/canovis.

Footnote:Cat Urbigkit is the author of the book,Yellowstone Wolves: A Chronicle of theAnimal, the People, and the Politics(2008, McDonald & WoodwardPublishing Company)


Julia Bohanna recentlytalked to Jean-MarcLandry, a biologiststudying the use andeffectiveness ofLivestock GuardianDogs in the southernFrench Alps (AlpesMaritimesdepartment):

Jean-Marc, what isyour backgroundand how did the

CanOvis Projectbegin?

I am a biologistspecialising inethology. I worked previously at Swisscarnivore research group KORA as aLivestock Guardian Dog (LGD) expert.For ten years, I have workedindependently, utilising my experiencewith wolf and sheep. My researchproject focuses mainly on how LGDsinteract with their environment –namely hikers, predators and wildlife.This project began based onobservations that despite sheep flocksbeing protected by LGDs, wolf attackswere still happening. Therefore, wewanted to understand what was goingwrong. It is often stipulated that LGDsshould be “protective” in theory – butwhat does that mean in practice? Forexample:

- How do LGDs react in front ofwolves?

- How do wolves respond to LGDs’protective behaviours?

Understanding nocturnal encountersbetween dogs and wolves was the firststep towards improving the efficiencyof the LGDs.

What is a shepherd’s relationship tohis dog(s)?

It is different in each individual case.Some own their flock, breed their dogsand therefore know them. But usually,sheep owners hire a shepherd to takeon both flock and dogs. Some hiredshepherds have a good relationshipwith their animals and can easily dealwith LGDs. However, some do not.There are many different kinds ofshepherd-dog interactions andrelationships. Not all shepherds liketheir dogs and the animals may present

challenges and constraints: they needfeeding or be problematic with hikers.The shepherd may lack understandingand knowledge about that particularbreed of dog. Ultimately, we have lostthe traditional method of protectingsheep with LGDs and we need time tolearn…

How have local people reacted?There is a lot of pressure from farmer-orientated associations to eradicatewolves. They are unhappy with aproject that tries to improve LGDs’efficiency and increase the chance forcohabitation. Sheep owners andshepherds with whom we are workingare in favour of the project. Morepeople (even sheep-farmerassociations) are interested in theresults of our project, which isencouraging.

You have studied stress in sheep butthe study into stress on the actual LGDhad to be stopped. Why is this?I am working on a repellent collar forsheep, based on acute stress. It willdirectly measure stress through theheart rate variability (HRV). Wehypothesised that HRV will reactdifferently when a sheep is attacked bya wolf in comparison to other type ofstress (e.g. seeing a dog, running,herded by a herding dogs, etc.) Thisyear we have studied sheepdisplacement on alpine pasture andhow wolf attack sheep. The projectneeds more time due to a need forsolid scientific validation but alsobecause of a lack of money.

What are the mainproblems you face inyour work?We lack funding andmaterial (GPS,material to recordLGDs’ vocalisations,etc.) We also also lacksleep during the fieldsessions! Most of usmust work full-time aswell, which is time-consuming. Wecannot dedicate allour time to theproject (for example,to analyse thefootage).

What is your ultimate goal?To improve flock protection and tosustain farmer activities in wolfterritories. We also wish to share ourexperiences.

Do you really believe that educationand prevention will completely avoidthe need for culls?Unfortunately not. Culling is a tool tomitigate wolf attacks on cattle. I believethat our project will help to decreasedamage perpetrated by wolves and alsothe amount of compensation claimed,increasing the chance for cohabitation.Prevention measures are the only wayto protect flocks in a long term. Cullingmay help in a short term but also, bydeconstructing the pack, it may alsoincrease damage by wolves.

How did the UK Wolf ConservationTrust become involved?Two members contacted me directlyafter my talk at the Slovenia wolfconference in 2013. Six months later, Icontacted the UKWCT to ask for help.

How can people help the project?At present, many avenues are blockedin France. It’s difficult to obtain fundingfor any research on wolves and LGD. Ilead a four person team of volunteers.We spend a lot of time in the field,working hard. If we could acquire somemore funds, it would help enormously.

The report can be read in PDF format infull here: http://tinyurl.com/pkqd7zd

THE CANOVIS PROJECT– INTELLIGENT RESEARCH


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Although my Devil may have been luckyand deeply loved, his Indian cousins arecurrently not so fortunate. As kings ofthe grassland in India, wolves play a vitalrole in keeping the ecosystem healthyand thriving. Despite this, they are facingpressure and being pushed to the vergeof extinction. Rampant habitatdestruction and an acute scarcity ofwater in those grasslands pose a gravethreat to their existence. These wolvesneed to catch the eye of policy makersand people who can ultimately ensuretheir survival.

Sadly, although many efforts are beingmade to save wolves across the world,especially in the USA and Europe, thereis very little effort being made to protectthe Indian wolves. As a result, they havebeen listed as endangered and we arerapidly running out of time to save thisgraceful predator. According to BBCNews, DNA tests on an endangeredvariety of Indian wolf suggest it might bethe most ancient representative of theanimals anywhere in the world. Unliketigers, wolves have received virtually

zero attention from the people whomatter in protection of our naturalworld. As a result, this magnificentanimal is struggling hard to survive in itsown territory.

Maharashtra, like so many otherstates in the country, has very goodgrassland cover which is home to severalspecies of mammals, reptiles, birds andinsects. The three main inhabitants ofthe grassland: wolf,great Indian bustard,(Ardeotis nigriceps)pictured right andblackbuck (Antilopecervicapra), are at thereceiving end ofhuman greed and furyunleashed to fulfil thehuman race’sunrealistic demandsfor dominance andterritory. InAhmednagar, Pune,Solapur, Aurangabad,Jalna and adjoiningdistricts, there are

still considerable populations of wolf andblackbuck. However, the great Indianbustard is now critically endangered andif things are not addressed urgently, thewolf may soon follow in time.

Clearly, it is high time that we steppedforward to save the Indian wolf rulingthe grasslands of Maharashtra. Everyoneknows about tigers in India but few areaware of the wolf. There is hardly any

information available,such as population,habitat and the pocketsof land where theseanimals have maximumconcentration. Due tosevere shortages,Indian wolves andblackbucks areincreasingly forced toventure into humanlocalities in search ofwater and food. Themoment they come outof the forest, theproblems begin. Thefirst hurdle is the

THE PLAN TO HELP THE KING OF THEGRASSLANDS: THE INDIAN WOLF AND ITSFIGHT FOR SURVIVAL

Anyone familiar with Lee Falk’s comic books featuring The Phantom, will also know the superhero’s loyal lupinecompanion: Devil. As a child, I was so impressed with the relationship demonstrated between the crime-busting duo that I named my first ever dog, a German shepherd: Devil. Ashwin Aghor, project manager of the

EnviroCare Welfare Society, continues.

Great Indian bustard, by Parjwalkm


agricultural land on the fringes of theforest. There are several places in theAhmednagar district where people areillegally cultivating forest land and evendry river beds, for over eight months ofthe year. The desperation for food andwater drives the blackbucks to theseagricultural lands. Once out in the open,they are easy targets. The mostvulnerable are killed by stray dogs or hitby speeding vehicles while crossing thehighways.

Recently, the sense of desperationwas very apparent when a dozenblackbucks drowned after they fell intowells while on the move in search ofwater. Since we are not aware of theirexact population – or even an estimate,for that matter – it is difficult to assessthe loss in terms of number of lives andthe subsequent effect on they grasslandecosystem. Since blackbucks are theprey base for carnivores like wolves,hyena, jackal and leopard, the dwindlingnumber forces these carnivores to resortto killing cattle or in some rare cases,attacking humans.

Clearly, the situation for the Indianwolf is grim, but certainly presently notout of hand. Timely intervention couldsave the wolves, blackbucks, hyenas,buzzards and every single organism, bird,reptile, mammal in the grassland foodchain. Intervention is important; it’s notrocket science. Simple steps can improvetheir lives and create a heaven for bothhumans and animals. If we providewater and food for animals inside theforest, all the problems would be solved.

We at EnviroCare Welfare Society(ECWS) have formulated a project tosave wolves in the Ahmednagar district.The project envisages creating a safeplace for wolves, hyenas, jackals,buzzards and other wildlife to live in andthrive. At present we are doing our bestto manage with the limited availableresources. We appeal to wildlife loversto extend help in monetary and logisticalways – to save the magnificent Indianwolf. After all, the German Shepherd orother breed of dog you love at home is adirect descendent of the wolf!

Ashwin Aghor, Project Manager,EnviroCare Welfare Society.

Wolf photos by Raj Paradeshi

The UKWCT recently contributed £2,000 to EnviroCare Welfare Society tohelp the Indian wolf, but before doing so, had some questions for thesociety:

What methods will you be using todetermine wolf populations?

Over a month, the 1,444 sq km ofgrassland will be initially surveyed,using random counts of wolf packs.This will serve as a baseline fordetermining further wolf populations.By dividing the whole area intoquadrats, each quadrat will be studiedusing line transect; packs andindividuals will be counted along theline. Abundance, population densityand relative densities would beestimated. The distribution across thestudy area would be mapped to assessand understand spatial distribution.

Where are you getting most of yourfinancial backing from for this project?

We have been working on this forthe last two years, without any outsidefunding. Everything is self-funded.

What your project has achieved sofar and what are your projections forthe future?

A base assessment of the landscapehas been done, assessing the mega-and avifauna of the region. However,this assessment has been a randomone, due to lack of funds for systematicand dedicated studies.

Do you have any governmentsupport for the project?

Since the work involves interactionswith wildlife and wolves in forestareas, permissions from the concernedgovernment departments will beneeded. We will undertake to securethose permissions before start workingand before any release of funds. We donot anticipate any resistance or denialsfrom the government for our research.

The Future: How the Indian wolfmay be saved

Initially as a pilot study, the projectarea would be the Ahmednagar districtof Maharashtra, India. The projectinvolves identification and tracking ofwolf packs in the district to get an ideaabout its distribution and movementpattern, as well as population density.Once the wolf distribution in thedistrict is known, strategic locationscould be identified to createwaterholes for the animal. This willprevent migration of wildlife to humansettlements. The project area iscurrently non-protected forest area. Adedicated wolf sanctuary or reservecan be created in the area under thedue process prescribed in the IndianWildlife Protection Act and the ForestConservation Act. This would be thefirst of its kind project for the wolf inthis part of India.

www.ranvata.in/taxonomy/term/100


Margaret Hallowell and herhusband, John, live full-timein the heart of the Sierra de la

Culebra reserve surrounded by wolf packterritory, an area that boasts one of thehighest densities of wild wolves inEurope. They are regularly involved inmonitoring sightings and movements ofthe wildlife that inhabits this and thesurrounding areas. Margaret reports forWolf Print on a unique Spanish festivalcelebrating the wolf:

I review this festival as the village ofVillardeciervos settles back to normal,after its influx of visitors and mediacrews last weekend. Hotels and hostelsthroughout the area have been“completo” (fully booked) and Roberto

in his little draper’s shop smiles broadlyas he announces that he sold 50 t-shirtson Saturday. Taking into account hisusual annual quota of 40, it is no wonderhe wears a very broad smile. EvenLorenzo and Elena postponed theclosure of their grocery shop for theirannual holiday for one day to enjoy theextra trade.

The event was originally conceived asa grand, international festival, with Johnand I being the international contingent!However, the initial attraction ofcourting outside agencies to lead anddictate how the festival should shape uppaled and as time progressed, a core oflocal people honed and created thisexcellent three day event. TerritorioLobo truly celebrated the very specialqualities of this area of Northern Spain.

Naturalists and wolf enthusiastsgathered in Villardeciervos here in theheart of the Sierra de la Culebra to learn,listen, discuss and participate in trackingand watching for this ultimate Europeanpredator. Local businesses workedalongside the two main specialists inwolf eco-tourism, namely Aherca andWild Wolf Experience, to show how this

area, whichhosts thehighestdensity ofwild wolvesin Europe,couldbenefitfromsharing itsabundantwildlife withinterestedparties who

are able to come here to watch forwolves, wild boar, red and roe deer. Notonly that, but to appreciate the co-existence between locals and wolves in alifestyleunchanged forgenerations.

A display and alecture by theeminent Spanishbiologist CarlosSanz mentionedfarming practicesbut also laudedthe Iberian wolf asa “joy on ournaturalinheritance whichmust be observed,maintained but

not enclosed within artificialboundaries”. The use of Mastin dogs, asmentioned in the last Wolf Printmagazine, is of course widespread herein the Sierra de la Culebra. Also, theadded benefit of including a donkeyamongst the flocks, for both itsexceptional hearing and kicking ability,was expounded. Carlos Sanz wasrepresenting “Project Wolf: Wildlife andFarmers” which spearheads work doneby eleven groups active in Spain,Portugal, Estonia and Romania, aiming tolook for solutions to enable co-existencebetween farmers and the wolf.

The overwhelming impression of thisthree-day festival was of positivity, butalso of the vision and vitality of the local16-strong group, calling itself InteriorLegendario. The group worked togetherto organise this festival to focus uponwolves and to take people free of chargeon wolf watches. A large group of peoplewere lucky to be on just such a watch onthe Saturday morning. Modesty forbidsme to say who first spotted the wolf, butindeed everyone was treated to an

enthralling view ofa fine example ofthis apex predatorwalkingconfidently downthe firebreak, rightin front of theirviewpoint, only500 metres away.

As well as thewildlife, thefestival alsohosted sportingactivitiesorganised byZamora Natural

FESTIVAL OF THE WOLF, 5–7TH SEPTEMBER2014, VILLARDECIERVOS, ZAMORA, SPAIN

Carlos Sanz (left) and John Hallowell


(zamoranatural.com) which includedkayaking on the Rio Tera and achallenging 67km mountain bike trail,culminating in a gathering to enjoy thelocal dish of arroz a la zamorana. Lessactive visitors could enjoy an illustratedtalk about traditional architecture of thearea by Esther Isabel Prada Llorentefrom the University of Alcala, or discussthe novel “Beatrice y la Loba” with theauthor Concha López.

It wouldn’t be a Spanish festivalwithout excellent music and theSaturday night of live music did notdisappoint. The Portuguese singerMafalda Veiga sang her owncompositions for the first time in Spain,with a very versatile backing group,followed by a synthesis of musical talentcalled El Naán, who could even createexciting sound out of a kitchen table! Onthe Friday night, visitors were treated toa night of astronomy with JoaquinTapioles after enjoying a theatricalperformance by Candido de Castrochallenging the roles of the wolf intraditional storytelling, “Cuentes de

Lobos” alongside adisplay of localpottery by “Numa”.

This weekend inSeptember was awonderfuloccasion, wherelocals worked inharmony to try todisplay the essenceof this vibrant andcolourful country,with the wolfalways at theforefront. We arealready fieldingquestions about“Next year…?” butat the moment arehappy to haveraised awarenessand to haveengendered discussion, whilst certainlyhelping the hamlet of Villardeciervos.We hope that Territorio Lobo willbecome a flagship for the continuedsurvival of the Iberian wolf in the wild.

Margaret HallowellPhotos: John Hallowell

Wild Wolf Experiencewildlife tours in rural Spain

• Watch wolf, bear and lynx with our expert guides• Small group sizes • Tours throughout the year

• Enjoy eagles, bustards and vulturesin unspoilt rural Spain

Wild Wolf Experience

www.wildwolfexperience.com(0034) 636 031 472/(0034) 620 351 514


There is little doubt that stableecosystems, complete with toppredators, are of value. It can,

however, become difficult to untanglethe web of ecological interactions thatstem from predators, as identifyingbenefits or “ecosystem services” fromapex predators can be problematic. It isrelatively well known that predators likewolves can affect the behaviour of theirprey species (Wolf Print issue 46). Whilethere is some debate about the extent oftheir impact, top predators like wolvesmay also impact numbers, distributionand behaviour of other predators too.Particularly those smaller predatorsknown as mesopredators, who are not atthe top of the food web. Largerpredators can consequently limit theimpact of these smaller predators ontheir own preyin a trophiccascade.

Competitivekilling between species, predation andharassment are common in a wholerange of mammalian carnivores,particularly between species withelements of niche overlap, food sharingor habitat resources. Such competingspecies often have a similar body massand are of the same family. For example,wolves have been observed to interactcompetitively with other canids such asthe coyote and red fox.

The ultimate cost to fitness that ananimal can experience is that ofpredation. Harassment and associatedenergetic loss can also impact overallfitness. Two main mechanisms offerexplanation for the suppression ofmesopredators by larger predators:direct lethal encounters and behaviouralor distribution responses motivated byfear of direct encounters. Wolves canconsume or kill other predators butmore importantly they also scare them.Large carnivores can impact the habitat

use and the foragingefforts of smallermesopredators.Harassment, competitionfor prey andkleptoparasitism (thestealing of food kills) cangenerate avoidance oflarger carnivores throughusing different spaces orusing the same spaces atdifferent times, as well asinvestment in other anti-predator strategies likedefence. Predation riskand disturbance createtrade-offs betweenavoiding risk and otherfitness enhancing activities (feeding,breeding), to the point that risk

avoidance carriescosts in the formof missedopportunities.

Suppression of mesopredators bywolves can result in a reduction ofpopulation density or even exclusionfrom habitats or regions, eithercompletely or at particular times. In theabsence of larger more dominantpredators; smaller predators andomnivore populations often explode,increasing abundance by up to ten timesbefore release. The mesopredatorrelease hypothesis predicts that adecrease in the abundance of toppredators results in an increase in theabundance of mesopredators, due to areduction in direct predation andcompetition. Mesopredator release canhave detrimental impacts on the preyspecies of mesopredators andconsequently economic and social costs.Whether this is through a decline ingame birds or other mesopredator preyspecies utilised by people, a decline inseed dispersal services from rodents andbirds, or even increased disease

transmission to domestic animals frommesopredators. Interactions betweenpredators that are induced by fear canhave cascading effects on interactionsbetween mesopredators and otherspecies. This consequently can impactpopulation dynamics and speciescomposition further down the foodchain. Because of fear from largerpredators a mesopredator may respondto the risk associated with certain typesof habitat where they are morevulnerable. This may include openspaces where mesopredators are moreexposed. Woodlands may provide coverand reduce detection but they can alsopresent obstacles. Woodlands withmany fallen tree branches can carry adifferent risk, making escape moredifficult. Vulnerable mesopredators mayavoid areas highly used by wolves, oreven times of day when they are moreexposed, such as during the day ormoonlit nights. As a consequence ofaggression between carnivores, foragingdecisions by mesopredators are alsoinfluenced by risk or fear from their ownpredators. It is quite likely that thesignificance of behavioural interactionsbetween predators has been

Life and behaviourof wolves:Mesopredators ina scary world

European red fox – photo by Mario Massone

Competitive killing between species,predation and harassment are common


underestimated. If smaller predatorschange their feeding behaviour then thismay alter the species composition,behaviour, adaptive evolution orpopulation dynamics of their prey andperhaps other competitors as well.

Mesopredators have been reportedusing peripheries of larger predatorterritories, presumably reducingencounters with larger predators andincreasing fitness. Distribution ofpredators over large spatial scales maybe dependent on competitiveinteractions. The presence of wolves inNorth America is thought to be stronglylinked with the distribution of coyotes,with wolves limiting habitat use bycoyotes. This is something that humanscould consider beneficial, consideringcoyotes generally have higher predationrates upon livestock. However, thoseinterested in large game animals mayprefer coyote presence to that ofwolves.

The removal ofwolves and therange expansion ofsmaller predatorscan effectively throw the balance out ofwhack. Coyotes, due to their smallersize, cannot easily prey upon adult deer,which are a prey species for wolves.Therefore deer are released to foragemore freely. An increase in coyoteshowever, may mean that young deerbecome more heavily predated. Coyoteprey species and smaller competingpredators such as kit or red fox as well astheir prey species may also be moreheavily affected by both predation andfear from Coyotes in the absence ofwolves. Fearful interactions betweenpredators may be part of what permitsthe co-existence of multiple preyspecies, with certain prey speciesprospering in places or at times wheredominant predators limit the presenceof subordinate predators. Rodents,important seed dispersers, are oftenmore abundant where wolf presencelimits rodent predators.

There is great debate about thestrength of impact apex predators haveupon mesopredators. Rarity andinconsistency of agonistic interactionsand or behavioural avoidance ofencounters may permit co-existencebetween predators. The extent to whichmesopredators are impacted by largercarnivores and consequently the effects

of mesopredators on otherspecies is likely to be highlyvariable. Larger predatorsmay competitively suppresssmaller predators but alsoprovide scavengingopportunities, andsometimes have negligibleimpact. The degree to whichmesopredators have toadjust their foraging efforts,activity patterns, vigilanceand risk taking is likely tovary depending on thepredators involved, habitatcomplexity and foodavailability but particularlywith human influences.Additional fear fromhumans could further limitforaging opportunities formesopredators and human interferencewith larger predators could potentially

reducemesopredatorsuppression.

In trying tomanage predator

communities it is not only difficult toplease all the people concerned but alsoto predict the outcomes of humaninterference. Caution must be expressedwhen interfering with ecologicalinteractions. The addition of alienpredators such as free roaming dogs andcats can interfere with interactionsbetween predator communities.Predator eradication can also haveunforeseen consequences, even withconservation in mind. Invasive speciesremoval can have undesired effectsthrough mesopredator release. Theremoval of invasive predators such asthe domestic cat have in some casesactually increased predation pressureupon native bird species through therelease of pressure on invasive rats, whoalso prey upon bird nests.

As the most dominant landscape useron the planet, humans have thepotential to influence ecosystems andthe organisms that inhabit them in a

myriad of ways. Human disturbancecould interfere with the competitiveinteractions between species, ultimatelyaffecting spatial occupancy and foraging,with consequences for ecosystemservices and trophic cascades. Humansmodify the landscape in many waysthrough roads, fencing, urbanisation,logging nature reserves and agriculture,to name but a few. We providecompetition for resources throughhunting (so removing potential foodsources), livestock grazing (competingwith wild prey species), and provide foodsupplements (discarded waste or feedingstations for hunting). Humans alsoimplement predator control orconservation measures. All of theseactions can cause changes to speciescomposition and change the interactionsbetween predators and consequentlytheir prey. Benefits derived from thepresence of apex predators could bevery much dependent on the humancontext, so it is important to understandthe many different interactions thatlarge predators have with other speciesand how human action may change this,for the worse or for the better.

Pete Haswell

Raccoon – photo by Dave Menke

Pete Haswell, BSc Hons Environmental Science (Biodiversity and Conservation),works at Bangor University http://conservation.bangor.ac.uk/ PeteHaswell.php.enand is collaborating with Professor Josip Kusak on a project the UKWCT supports inCroatia. You can read more about his work on his websitehttp://petehaswellwolfresearch.wordpress.com/ or follow updates on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/PeteHaswellWolfResearch

the range expansion of smallerpredators can effectively throw the

balance out of whack


Ten things we asked Pollyanna Pickering1 You grew up in the North of

England – clearly not an area rifewith cheetahs and wolves. Was wildlifealways an interest?

When I was a child I lived in a smallvillage in Yorkshire. Our house was

surrounded by fields, and beyond thefields were woodlands, full of bluebellsin the early summer. I saw squirrels,rabbits, deer, birds, I picked blackberries,wild strawberries and mushrooms, and itwas here that my lifelong love of wildlifebegan. At night when my mum hadtucked me safely into bed as soon as Iheard the bedroom door close I wasstraight back out of bed at my windowwatching for the barn owl that nightlyquartered our fields!

2 You had some early knockbacks –including an unappreciative art

teacher and a bank manager unwillingto fund you. What advice might yougive to struggling artists today?

It can be very difficult to forge acareer in any branch of the arts – butyou just need to keep pushing ahead,even when no-one else seems to believeyou can do it! Always meet deadlinesand hopefully publishers and galleries

will keep coming back to you. Confuciussaid ‘Choose a job you love and you willnever have to work a day in your life.’But I do believe that I have been veryfortunate to earn my living through mypassion for both art and wildlife.

3 Your daughter Anna-Louise is alsoyour business partner and

companion when you travel. Was shealways a child of nature?

It was a surprise to both Anna-Louiseand me that we ended up workingtogether – although of course she grewup surrounded by animals, and hasalways loved wildlife. The work has alsoenabled her to express her owncreativity – particularly through herwildlife photography, and also in writingtext for the books about our journeys.

4 You have travelled to some hard-to-reach places. What do you consider

was the most challenging or the mostgorgeous? Have you ever felt in danger?

– an interview

Making Trackswolves in the media and the arts, brought to you by Julia Bohanna

WAY OF THE WOLFIllustrations by Pollyanna Pickering, text and photography by Anna-Louise Pickering.HB, 25cm x 25cm, 244pp, Otter House, RRP £29.99, ISBN: 978-0-9529369-4-7

POLLYANNA PICKERING IS a woman ofconsiderable accomplishment. Way ofthe Wolf is quite an undertaking: a bookof two halves that is part travel memoirand part artistic record of journeysthrough Romania and then Ethiopia,with her daughter complementing thework with text and photographs.

An artist will always record a journeydifferently from anyone else – theirsensibilities will always be more attunedto the world around them, both visuallybut also empathetically. This is noexception: in Romania we travel with thePickerings to the wonders of sulphurcaves, forests, mountains and lakeside.The myth of Dracula is discussed and inpart, deconstructed. Romania is so muchmore: a world of wolves and bears butalso fascinating people. Pollyanna meets(and draws) rescued wolves Crai andPoiana at the Large Carpathian Projectand meets a farmer with a missing finger

nicknamed Dino, so named for hisdinosaur handprint. It’s greatnarrative, complemented well byelegant images and warm, well-told stories and snippets ofhistory.

There is much to learn in Way ofthe Wolf. For example, in Europe aloophole was originally a louphole, a spyhole for travellers tocheck for wolves. In Ethiopia, insearch of the flame-furred Ethiopianwolf, we switch to Pollyanna’s veryrespectful and passionate account of thisrare and stunningly photogenic creature.She visits Claudio Sillero at the EthiopianWolf Conservation Programme (EWCP)and also documents interactions withthe local human population, their cultureand rich history. Pollyanna revealsweaknesses that make us warm to herfurther – such as serious terror of craneflies (daddy long legs). She even sketches

them. From wolves, monkeys, tortoises,hyenas to the colour and flavours of aunique continent, we see, feel, smell andtaste as we travel alongside her.

Wonderfully detailed, withphotographs and a generous quantity ofbeautiful images – particularly of wolves– this is a book that will be loved andperused, rather than simply left on acoffee table.

Reviewed by Julia Bohanna

�


�

Each journey presents its ownchallenges! We have to be reasonablyphysically fit as there is often a fairamount of hiking and camping involved.Before going to the high Arctic we had tobuy very serious cold weather clothingand sleeping bags as we were travellingby dog sled and camping out on the icein tents and igloos. One of the mostbeautiful places we have visited was theHimalayan Kingdom of Bhutan – thebiggest challenge was the altitude – ourfirst few nights were spent camping justabove 4,000m and we really felt theeffects very strongly. Some things youcan’t really prepare for – 98% humidityin the rainforests of central America justsaps your energy – and it would havebeen very useful to know that ‘Sanetti’the name of the plateau inEthiopia where you can findwolves translates as ‘Where thestrong winds blow’!

The hardest environment tosketch in was the High Arctic. Ihad to wear three layers ofgloves – thin silk gloves,thermal gloves and the thickpadded mittens – and couldpeel down to the inner layer forjust a few moments before myfingers started to go numb andI would have to wrap up again.Frostbite is of course a very realdanger and that is the last thingI need in my right hand! I could onlywork in pencil as of course watercoloursare frozen solid at temperatures of -30degrees.

Helping to care for a baby panda onthe borderlands of Tibet was a once in alife time experience.

When I was volunteering in asanctuary for big cats in the USA, a tigerdecided to possess my feet! I just had tostand complexly still for over an houruntil he finally became bored and movedaway…

5 ‘The only way to learn is to sitthere with a pencil and a piece of

paper.’ The vow to only draw/paintcreatures you have seen in the wildseems a very ethical decision. Why notfrom a photograph?

The level of observation required tocapture the form of the animal on ablank piece of paper leads to a focus andconcentration which you do notexperience looking through a cameralens. These quick pencil studies form the

basis of most of the paintings I completeon my return to my studio.

6 How did the injured raptors’rehabilitation centre you ran from

your home come about?When I very first began to realise the

importance of sketching my subjectsfrom life I visited wildlife rescue centresto sketch and paint the birds and animalsbeing cared for. Inevitably I became veryinterested in the work they were doing,and in the 1980s set up my own smallsanctuary, initially to care for birds ofprey.

7 What does the wolf mean to youand how did you first hear about

the UK Wolf Conservation Trust? I havealso heard you talk about the Ethiopianwolf in interview.

A friend who had enjoyed theexperience of walking with the wolveswas the first to tell me about the Trust!Ethiopian wolves are amazing – therarest wolves in the world – an elegant,long-legged species of wolf of only ahandful (500) scattered around remotemountains in Ethiopia. Threatened byloss of highland habitats, disease,persecution and in 2004, rabies nearlywiped out this fragile population.Through my charitable foundation Iraised £5,660.00 to support avaccination programme organised by theEthiopian Wolf Conservation project,which tranquillises, inoculates and re-releases the wolves. I am so far am theonly wildlife artist to have visited theirnatural habitat and painted them fromlife – there are none in captivityanywhere in the world.

8 Not many people may know aboutthe painted dogs in Africa. What

measures are being taken to help withtheir conservation?

Painted Dogs or African Wild Dogs, areunique to Africa – endangered andhighly persecuted. Less than 7,000remain in the wild.

The Pollyanna Pickering Foundationpaid £8,700.00 to build an 8-hectareenclosure at the N/a’an ku sê WildlifeSanctuary in Namibia for 14 orphanedpainted dog pups – which wouldotherwise have faced certain death –and will eventually allow their re-introduction into former areas ofresidence such as Etosha National Park.Only between 200 and 400 wild dogsremain in Namibia so this litterrepresents approximately 3% of theentire population.

9 You do seem to be a very positiveand measured soul, with a lovely

sense of humour. Thereseems to be so muchmadness in the world,particularly when it comes toanimals. How do you keep sobalanced and sane? Whatmakes you angry?

Thank you! Any cruelty toanimals makes me incrediblyangry – and especially bearbile farming. Across Asia up to20,000 bears are forced toendure a lifetime in cruelcaptivity, ‘milked’ dailythrough open wounds in theabdomens for their bile – an

ingredient used in some traditional Asianmedicine. My foundation has funded therescue of a beautiful bear ‘Polly’ from abile farm – he now lives in the wonderfulAnimals Asia sanctuary in Vietnam. Oneof next big fundraising projects will be totry to raise £8,000 to fund an educationprogramme – Peace by Piece – thelargest and most ambitious rescue ofbears from the unspeakably cruel biletrade ever undertaken. We hope torescue and rehabilitate over 130 moonbears in Nanning, China kept inhorrendous conditions – many trappedin tiny cages from birth – and farmed fortheir bile. This will be the largest rescueof its kind in the world.

We will create a sanctuary andeducation centre by uniquely workingwith the Chinese Government, providingmeaningful jobs to the nine existing farmworkers. The funds provided by thePollyanna Pickering Foundation willretrain these workers to become skilledbear carers. Pollyanna’s foundation is


The brutal reality of life in afreezing Siberian landscape isevoked with a deft hand in

Backshall’s pacy adventure story, thethird in his Falcon Chronicles series.

A hungry wolf, the leader of his pack,needs food to feed his family. A polarbear, equally ravenous, wants warmflesh of any description. Humanteenagers Sinter and Saker need to foilthe dangerous aspirations of theRussian-American RAMCorp, who seeprofit where others see wilderness andglorious silence. Animals are aninconvenience and RAM Corp’s hunger is

for oil in particular, the black gold that iscapable of so much destruction anddespoiling of landscape and life. Add in asinister clan and a ruthless clan membercalled Wolf – there is clearly trouble andadventure ahead.

When Sinter and Saker are separatedby a avalanche, it’s not certain if theywill ever see one another again, let alonesuccessfully sabotage an illegal oilpipeline. There is also a heroic huskycalled Yantar and many other animals,described by someone who has clearlyinteracted with them in the wild.

This adventure story rips along at agreat pace, as conflicting interests causetension, destruction and violence. Thereis no escaping from the cruelty of man,but there are also tenderness andlessons in life. A hunter who has lookedinto the eyes of a wolf, describes a trulyAldo Leopold moment of spirituality andawakening:

“Man sees his own past in the eyes ofthe wolf…over time, humans have takenall the qualities they despise inthemselves and given them form in thewolf.”

We also learn that a wounded creaturein the Arctic can experience suspended

animation in the double digit minustemperatures. It might even extend theirlife:

“No casualty in the frozen north isdead, until they are warm and dead.”

Part James Bond, part Jack London –there is a true sense of conservation atthe core of the book, as well as a clearloathing of the dark poison of oil on anylandscape. Technology also plays its part:to track, to infiltrate and ultimately tohelp. But it is the wolves that are soincredibly evoked – you can feel theirwildness and know that they will alwayskeep running.

An interview with artist Pollyanna Pickering�

committed to providing carefullytargeted education programmes aroundthe world as a major part of our work – avital way of ensuring the long termsurvival of wildlife as well as the welfareof individual animals.

I do try to keep a positive outlook –inspired by some of the many amazingindividuals I have been fortunate enoughto meet through my work, dedicatingtheir lives to conservation and animalwelfare: Virginia McKenna, the Founderof Born Free who has become a goodfriend over the years, Claudio Sillero-Zuberi who founded the EthiopianConservation Programme is anotherinspirational figure and Jane Goodall,one of my conservation heroines. Thereare also countless lesser-known peopleworking tirelessly on behalf of wildlife

and conservation worldwide, and I thinkthat should fill us all with hope. Please tell us about the Pollyanna Pickering Foundation.

The Foundation is a small but effectivenon-profit organisation campaigninginternationally to prevent theexploitation of wildlife, raising funds tosupport animal welfare and conservationprojects worldwide. For fifteen years Iran my wildlife sanctuary from my homein the Peak District, but had to scaledown the sanctuary – my increasingsuccess in the art world was taking meaway from home for ever longer periodsof time, and I was unable to securepermanent expert help to care for mypatients. To carry on my conservationand rescue work with wildlife, thePollyanna Pickering Foundation was

established.Initially weaimed toraise fundsfor Britishwildliferescue andconservation– but wehelp fund projects and campaigns allover the world! The Foundation alsomakes occasional grants to other causesclose to my heart – such as supportingan orphanage in Ethiopia.

Pollyanna Pickering was speaking toJulia Bohanna

We have Pollyanna Pickering card-making kits for you to buy. See page 31

10

WILDS OF THE WOLFSteve Backshall. Published by Orion Children’s BooksHB 13.5cm x 20.4cm, 224pp. RRP £10.99, ISBN: 978-1-4440-0440-3. Also available as e-book

NEXT TIME IN WOLF PRINT…Wolf Print has been given a sneakpreview of Wolves on the Hunt, TheBehavior of Wolves Hunting WildPrey by L. David Mech, Douglas W.Smith, and Daniel R. MacNulty (TheUniversity of Chicago Press). Due tobe published in May 2015, this is anextremely visceral andpsychologically fascinating insightinto the wolf as predator, living a lifeof feast and famine. We will bereviewing it fully in our next edition.


“When I tell stories, I want people to experience fear, laughter, sadness,adventure, to feel the breath of a wolf on the back of their necks, to standunder the moon beneath the branches of a dark forest and the hear thewolf cry in the darkness and shiver with anticipation.”

THE

DANCINGCROWAn Interview with Jack Michael Beaumont(aka The Dancingcrow), artist and storyteller

As a child, did you grow up in ahousehold where storytelling wasimportant?

I come from a long line ofstorytellers…maternal aunts/uncles andgrandmother; I remember sitting on theground at my mother’s feet listening tomy aunts and grandmother telling talesabout family, One of my uncles ran awayfrom home as a boy and got adopted bya gypsy family. This led to him becominga traveller in a horse drawn vargo. As achild I would go and stay with him andwith the canvas roof rolled back wewould lie on the double bed watchingthe stars. He would tell me tales aboutthe road and animals.What did you want to be when youwere a child? Did wolves or largepredators play any part in your world?

As a child of ten or eleven on a schooltrip to a wildlife park, I had a smallcamera. We came to the wolf enclosure:a simple single depth, chainlink fenceseparating the enclosure from the publicspace – no double protection and thepublic could get very close to the wolves,although that day it was very quiet andthere was one wolf dozing very close tothe fence – I got very close and droppeddown to take a picture of the wolf – andthen it turned, and looked at me, lookedright into my soul, deep, and touchedme spiritually,Can you remember the first story youtold and to whom?

It would have involved Vikings, as Iloved all those Henry Treece books; Ihave an old battered copy of his ‘TheHorned Helmet’ lying around my studiosomewhere.Tell us a little about your background.

I grew up in East Anglia, on one ofthose council estates they built in the1950s/60s when kids played in thestreets and had dens in the woods…astick was a ray gun or a spear and a

cardboard box could be a castle or aspace ship. I went to art school in themid-1970s and studied illustration,worked as a designer and maker aswell as a teacher in FE and HE until Ibecame ill with CFS/ME and had toretire – now I’m rebuilding my careeras a designer and maker of narrativepieces of work made from recycledmaterial and working on severalcollections of short stories.Why the name Dancingcrow?

As member of the BBC onlinecommunity for pagans, to ensureanonymity the members needed ausername. I looked out of the window tosee a jackdaw, tangling with a piece ofspaghetti – the bird had managed to getthe strand wrapped around one legwhile still trying to eat the other end,which resulted in a comical dance – andit just stuck!How did you first find the Trust?

I have a very bad neck injury. I almostbroke my spine at the C1 section –normally fatal, yet it left me very stiff inmy neck and unable to move my neck tothe right. My friends all know my love ofwolves – and two dear friends sponsoredAlba (the dear late Alba, who broke hisneck) in my name for my birthday. I waslucky to meet Alba (from a distance)before he passed over. There was thatsame shared spirit that I had discoveredas a child. I fell in love with the Trust andthe wolves there, and have been manytimes and have been lucky to walk withTorak, Mai, Mosi and the others.What do you hope to achieve withstorytelling events?

I want to allow adults to rekindle theirimagination, to fire up their power tocreate scenes in their mind’s eye, to getthem to become part of a group offellow travellers on a great storyjourney. When I tell stories, I wantpeople to experience fear, laughter,

sadness, adventure, to feel the breath ofa wolf on the back of their necks, tostand under the moon beneath thebranches of a dark forest and the hearthe wolf cry in the darkness and shiverwith anticipation.Do you feel, with the advent oftechnology, that many traditional skillshave been lost and that many peopleare seeking life in the slow lane, as anantidote?

When I went to art school, we had tolearn to make paper and brushes, togrind pigment for colour, with the beliefthat if we knew how to make our owntools and materials then all the better tolearn how to use them properly, I stillknow those skills, but as an illustrator Inow use digital technology to draw,making use of a large screen Apple Maccombined with a digital drawing tabletand pen to ‘draw’ on screen, I combinemy own digital photography with mydrawing skill to create images – the skillas an artist is still there, and the newtechnology allows me greater freedomto explore different avenues. I make useof gold leaf gilding in a lot of myartefacts, and I follow a traditionalapproach to this technique – I might notuse rabbit skin glue anymore (mainlybecause of the smell) and use an acrylicglue to adhere the gold leaf, and I mightnot use insect carapace shellac (I don’tthink it’s environmentally sound) andinstead, favour an acrylic substitute toseal the work – but the skill and thetechnique is the same as those used by �

Illustration for ‘At the gates of the wolf’


Christmas gifts and wolfy souvenirs

medieval monks illuminatingmanuscripts. I like to think that my workcombines traditional practices withemergent technologies and skills, asynthesis that combines the best of bestspheres.How do you source your materials foryour artworks?

I am a magpie, a hoarder, a squirrel;my studio is full of bits and pieces of‘interesting things’ there are peacockfeathers in one jar, boxes of driftwoodscavenged from beaches for caskethandles, jars of rusty nails to decoratework (rusty nails are a strong symbol of

protective magic). Timbers from oldpallets, and discarded furniture, beamsfrom 17th century buildings to make myartefacts, In one corner is a boxcontaining vertebrae and ribs from askeleton of a dolphin that I found on abeach in the west coast of Irelandwaiting to be cut and polished andapplied to a piece of work, sheets of oldcopper from scrapyards to be used tomake wolves and hares for mirrors andcandleholders sit in another, in anotherjar, lumps of raw amber picked from aSuffolk beach await their turn.

We would love to hear about TheWolf That Ate The Moon.

It features a princeseeking allies torecover his kingdomfrom his wickeduncle, a dark mysterious forest, a bravehorse called ‘Fleetfoot’, a talking stag,various badgers and foxes, a moon and awolf, a VERY BIG wolf!

[email protected]

Jack will be visiting the Trust in Februaryand reading some of his stories – seepage 33 for more information and detailsof how to book.

THE

DANCINGCROW�

EXCLUSIVE

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‘STRENGTH OF THE WOLF’ T-SHIRT £16.00T shirt designed exclusively for the Trust using words

by Rudyard Kipling: “For the strength of the packis the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the

pack.” Available in military green, indigo blue andBlack. 100% pre-shrunk cotton. Wash inside out.

Do not iron.Kipling ‘Strength of the Wolf’ T-shirtSizes: S – 34"/36", M – 38"/40", L – 42"/44",XL – 46"/ 48"

UKWCTThinsulate®

BEANIE£11.60

Keepwarm

and cosythis winter with

our navy blue ribbedbeanie embroidered with the Wolf TrustLogo on the rim of hat. Lined withThinsulate® insulation that traps andholds body heat. One size.

WOLFHOOD WITH PAWS& SCARF£19.99A wolfy hat with your very own ears and paws! Wear the paws as a scarfor tuck your hands into the mittens at the end. The hood is covered in athick faux-fur with a velvety faux-fur lining. The mittens have paw print

detail on the insides and both mittens and hood are large enough to fit most adult sizes. Thereis also a zip pocket half way down to carry your phone or cards.

WAY OF THE WOLF £29.99

An illustrated journal of discovery andthought-provoking observation byPollyanna and Anna-Louise Pickering asthey seek out the threatened Europeanwolf in Romania and the criticallyendangered Ethiopian Wolf. Hardback,244 pages, 25cm x 25cm.


CARD-MAKING KITS BYPOLLYANNA PICKERINGJ – Moonlight – £5.99K – Look Into My Eyes – £5.99Each set includes 2 x A4 die cutsheets including toppers, border,sentiments & embellishment,3 x A4 complementarybackground papers,2 x A4 sheets black card,4 6" x 6" cards & envelopes,4 8" x 8" cards & envelopes,1 Inspiration sheet.

MR WOLF’S PANCAKES £6.99by Jan FearnleyMr Wolf fancies some tasty pancakes buthe doesn’t know how to make them. Askinghis neighbours is no use – they’re a meanand horrible lot who refuse to help. PoorMr Wolf. He has to work it out, all byhimself. So what happens when these nastyneighbours want to help Mr Wolf eat hisdelicious pancakes…? Beautifully illustratedby Jan Fearnley in colour throughout.Paperback, 28pp, 30cm x 23cm.

TEA TOWEL£6.00

Designed by Onnie Burford Roe andfeaturing her exquisite pencil drawingsof Motomo, Mai, Tala, Tundra, Nuka,Torak and Mosi. Finished with a borderof wolf paw prints and the Trust’s logoin each corner. Colourfast print in blackand white on 100% cotton.47.5cm x 75cm. Wash at max 40°C.

EXCLUSIVE Lead-free pewter jewellery from Marek Woźnica

Marek Woźnica, featured in the lastedition of Wolf Print, has designed anexclusive range of jewellery for the Trust:

A – Bracelet. Internal diameter 6.8cm.£20.00

B – Pendant. 5.5cm x 2.5cm.Chain not supplied. £15.00

C – Ring. Available in two sizes:20mm and 18mm. £10.00

D – Lapel Pin. Length 3.8cm £5.99

E – Car Badge. Jewellery for your car!Supplied with fixing plate and bolt.10cm x 4cm. £20.00

B

A

E

D

C

3D KEY RINGS£2.00 eachDouble-sided 3D key ringsfeaturing artwork by Lisa

Parker.F – LoyalCompanionsG – Quiet ReflectionH – The Wild One

F

G

H NOTELETS £4.00Pack of 10 notelets,blank inside andsupplied with envelopes.Artwork by Onnie of ourwolves: Motomo, Mai,Nuka, Tala, Tundra, Torakand Mosi. Size: 10.5cm x14.5cm (A4 folded to A6).

JK


To view and order any of these items and our other stationery, clothing,books, gifts and souvenirs, visit our online shop at www.ukwolf.org orcall 0118 971 3330.

Please note: all UK orders are subject to a minimumP&P charge of £4.50. For overseas orders, pleasecontact us.

ORDERING & DELIVERY

Now you can be in the company of wolves every night!This eye-catching photograph has been printed onto easy-carepoly-cotton fabric using the latest digital printing technology.

Single duvet – 135cm x 200cm with one pillowcase – £14.99Double duvet – 200cm x 200cm with two pillow cases – £17.99King size duvet – 230cm x 220cm with two pillow cases – £23.99

52% polyester, 48% cotton.Machine washable at 40°C. Can be tumble dried.

WOLF DUVET SET FROM £14.99

‘THE WILD ONE’ PENDANT WATCH £18.00

Enamel pendant watchdesigned to look like a

stopwatch andfeaturing Lisa Parker’s‘The Wild One’ on thefront cover. Includes

78cm length chainand black velvetdrawstring gift bag.Supplied with sparebattery.

‘WINTER WOLF’CHRISTMAS CARDS£5.00Pack of 6 Christmas cards andenvelopes designed byPollyanna Pickering featuringa wolf in a snowy scene.Message inside readsWith Best Wishesfor Christmasand the New YearSize 10cm x 19.5cm.

GREETINGS CARDS£2.00 eachSingle greetings cards designed by Pollyanna Pickering.Blank inside. Supplied with envelope. 19.8cm x 10cm.A – Company of WolvesB – Snow QueenC – On the Lookout

B

A

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‘HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLVES’GREETINGS CARD £2.00Single greetings card designed by Pollyanna Pickering.Blank inside. Supplied with envelope. 19.8cm x 14cm.

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Forthcoming events at the UK Wolf Conservation TrustTT

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Visit Wednesdays give you the opportunity to come and see the Trust without pre-booking, unlike ourother events. Please note that we will be closed on Wednesday 24th December (Christmas Eve).

You will be able to observe our ten verycharismatic wolves – from our three Arctics withtheir amazing white coats, to our enigmaticblack Canadian wolves – and have a guided tourwith one of our knowledgeable volunteers.There will be fantastic photographic views ofthe wolves in their large, natural-lookingenclosures and you’ll have access to the raised photographic platform on site. If you’re lucky you may

even hear them howl!We have picnic areas for warmer days, a gift shop for you to

browse for booksand souvenirs,and plenty of freeparking.

UKWCT WOLF CENTRE ‘VISIT WEDNESDAYS’Open from 11am to 4pm

ADMISSION: Adults–£8; Members, children (age 3–12) & OAPs–£5; Children under 3–FREE.Tickets on the gate only. Sorry: no dogs on site.

OPEN

Children’s ActivitiesThere will be additional children’sactivities on 31st December and

18th February, including lino printing,quizzes and colouring.

ArcticAmbles

29th November20th December

4th & 24th January8th February9am to 11am

Enjoy a walk with our magnificentArctic wolves and the wonderfulphotographic opportunities theyprovide.

View all of the Trust’s wolves andspend time getting to know thehandlers who work with theseamazing animals.

Afterwards, there will be time toshop for a wolfy souvenir!

Maximum 16 people.Booking essential.£60 per person, age 18+

NEWFOR 2015 WATCH, LISTEN AND BE SPELLBOUND:

SATURDAY, 21ST FEBRUARY, 4pm to 8pmVisit the wolves in the peak of the breeding season and watch their courtshipbehaviour. Torak & Mosi and Motomo & Mai, our paired wolves, will beextremely affectionate to each other at this time of the year, providing a greatopportunity for spectacular photographs.

Hear the wolves howl; perhaps the most evocative sound in all of nature. Ourfear of the wolf often comes when their howl makes our backbones tingle. Theresonance surrounding wolves howling is legendary. During the breeding season,there is a great deal of howling behaviour.

As darkness descends, Jack Beaumont, a storyteller of great renown, willnarrate in our warm education room:

The Wolf That Ate The Moon and Other TalesTruth and Lies – The Wolf in Folklore and Myth

Who’s Afraid of the Wolves

£20 per head • Over 18s only

There is no wolf contact at this event.For more details of Jack Beaumont and his

storytelling visitwww.thedancingcrow.co.uk

HOWLS AND STORIES


WILLOW WORKSHOP WEEKENDNEWFOR 2015

SATURDAY 28 FEBRUARY + SUNDAY 1 MARCH10.00 AM – 4.30 PM

PLACES LIMITED TO 8 PEOPLE PER DAYBook early to avoid disappointment

£100 ONE DAY, £175 FOR BOTH DAYS● Participants attending one day will be able to learn

how to create a bird or small animal● Participants attending both days will have the

opportunity with the added time to make a largerfour-legged animal (even a wolf).All materials will be provided

● There will be opportunities during the weekend totake photographs of all our resident ten wolves andspend time watching them.

Run by Caroline Gregson, a well-known andexperienced willow artist, who has created animals –including our wolf, above – and other living forms inwillow. Caroline has been teaching workshops at theTrust since 2010.

Valentine WalkSaturday, 14th February at 11am

What could be a more romantic gift for an animal loverthan the chance to walk with wolves?

Spend your special time at the UK Wolf ConservationTrust in the company of one of the most family-oriented species. It’s breeding season for the wolves soyou will see them behaving very affectionately towardseach other at this special time of year.

£90 for two people.Comes with a giftBooking essential.

As an extra treat,why not book lunchat the Six Bells pub inBeenham villageafter your walk. Theyhave a special ratefor Trust visitors.

thesixbells.co.uk

THE ULTIMATE WOLF DAY: a magical lupine experience

£175 per person, £300 for 2 people • limited spaces • for adults 18 years and over

Sunday 21st December, Saturday 17th January & Sunday 1st February – 10am to 3.30pm

• Spend an amazing day at the UKWCT in the company of our ten wolves •• Walk with both the Arctic and Canadian wolves •

The day involves two walks, allowing you to get up really close and watch thewolves investigate the countryside around the Wolf Trust.

* Photograph them as they interact with each other, investigate various scents, paddlein the pond or stream and howl to the wolves left behind.

* Together with our experts, you will then feed the wolves and get involved with ourwolf enrichment programme.

* See close up how we care for these magnificent animals.

* Learn about the support the UKWCT has given to worldwide wolf conservation in thelast 20 years.

NEW


PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS WITH BOB BRIND-SURCH● Just bought a digital SLR and not sure how to use it?● Do you rely on the built-in automatic modes?● Do you want to achieve better results but are confused by all the different settings?● Do you want to take control of your camera but are not sure where to start?● Would you like to take some excellent photos of wolves in natural settings?

If so, then this workshop is for you!On this course you will learn how to control aperture, shutter speed and ISO to produce more

creative images. You will learn how to blur backgrounds to accentuate the main subjects of yourphotographs, as well as managing ISO and shutter speed to freeze fast action.

The March workshops are timed to be held during the breeding when the wolves are most active andstill look their best in their thick winter coats. Their large, landscaped enclosures with their naturalmounds, trees and ponds provide the perfect backdrops for your photos. As the wolves at the trust aresocialised the handlers can coax them into good positions for photos.

With a healthy mixture of classroom and practical sessions, the aim on this workshop is to provide arelaxing and comfortable setting. This is a full day workshop, from 10am to 4pm, with a break in themiddle for lunch (not provided). A session on camera practicalities in the morning will be followed upwith a tutored practical session in the afternoon, where you will be able to take some stunning photosof the Trust’s wolves.

Bob Brind-Surch is a professional wildlife photographer and retired teacher with 40 years’ experienceof wildlife photography. He regularly runs practical wildlife photography workshops and African safaris,as well as tutoring groups and individuals on how to improve their photography.

Suitable for DSLR, Bridge and Superzoom. An additional long telephoto lens would be an advantage.Suitable for complete beginners and there will be a maximum of 15 students per workshop.

Saturday 7thSunday 8th

MarchPhotographyWorkshops

with BobBrind-Surch

(no wolfwalk)

£120 perperson

Places strictlylimited

Bookingessential

Saturday25th

Januaryincludes

wolf walk£150 perperson

PHOTOGRAPHY DAY● Held in the winter months when the wolves look their best in their thick winter coats the day

starts with a brief presentation about the history of the Trust, the worldwide wolfconservation projects we support and the stories of our ten resident wolves.

● Each of the four wolf packs can be photographed from an adjoining enclosure where thereare specially made holes for cameras, giving great results. Expert handlers will encourage thewolves to stand in the best position in their enclosures. You will also be able to use ourspecial raised photography platform.

● You will be taken on a walk with the wolves in the fields surrounding the Trust, whichincludes some wooded areas, a small pond and a stream for some natural shots.

● 10am to 4pm (refreshments but not lunch included, so please bring your own)● Suitable for all abilities. BOOKING ESSENTIAL

• Would you like to make wolf sock puppets and masks?• Want to make some unique treasure in a green and fun way?This is your chance and we will provide everything you might need.There is also a tour of the Trust and an opportunity to take photosfrom a raised platform area at one of the wolf enclosures.

Suitable for ages 6 to 12.Maximum of 1 accompanying adult per child. £15 per person. Booking through the Trust on 0118 971 3330.(Please note there is no walk on this event)Further info about Jill can be found at: www.greentheme.org.uk

RECYCLING WORKSHOP WITH JILL NICHOLASFriday, 20th February – 11am to 1pm


FridayNightis

HowlNight!

9th January, 20th February, 20th March, 17th April – at 7.00pmFeel your backbone tingle andyour ears vibrate with the sound.The evening starts with apresentation on wolfcommunication; you will then goon a tour of the centre and havethe opportunity to let out a howland see if the wolves respond!£10 per person. Booking essential.(Don’t forget to dress up warmlyfor an evening under the stars).The event usually finishes fromaround 9 to 9.30pm

Wolf KeeperExperience Days

Thursdays16th, 23rd and 30th April

10am–4pmmaximum 8 people per day.

See behind the scenes at the Trust andshadow the keeper in tasks includingcleaning out the wolf enclosures,preparing food and feeding the wolves.Learn more about the Trust and theworldwide wolf conservation projects itsupports. Get involved in our wolfenrichment programme, walk withwolves, snap up great photoopportunities, watch our resident kitescircling overhead at feeding time andreceive a souvenir event certificate ofyour day. £150pp – booking essential.

Check our website for other dates,full details and to book.

ISSUE 51 SPRING 2014 | 36Full details of all events at www.ukwolf.org or to book call 0118 971 3330

Pancake Fun NEWFOR 2015

TUESDAY, 17TH FEBRUARY – 10.00 AM TO 12.30 PMOn Shrove Tuesday – 17th February – the wolves will eachbe given a pancake stuffed with their favourite treats! Thesewill be made by the children visiting the Trust on the dayfrom eggs and other wolftastic ingredients.

Watch how the wolves gobble up the pancakes –great photographic opportunities!

There is no wolf walk at this event as the wolves are in theirbreeding season.

Only one adult to accompany per child/children

£15 per person • Ages: 6 to 12 years old • booking essential

CHILDREN’S EASTER EVENTS

CHILDREN’S EASTEREGG HUNT AND WALK

Monday, 6th April 11amMaximum 1 accompanying

adult per child/children.£17 per person.

Booking essential

CHILDREN’S WOLF WALKSSaturday, 4th April at 12.30pm

Thursday, 9th April at 11amTuesday, 14th April at 11am

Take a walk with a wolf.This event includes a short talk

on wolves and a tour of thecentre.

Maximum 1 accompanying adultper child/children.

6 years + Booking Essential.£15 per person.

ALL OUR EVENTS AREVERY POPULAR AND

USUALLY SELL OUTVERY EARLY, SO

PLEASE BOOK SOON*TO AVOID

DISAPPOINTMENT ANDKEEP CHECKING OUR

WEBSITE FORADDITIONAL DATES

AND EVENTS.*Booking not requiredfor Visit Wednesdays

Gift CertificatesCan’t decide on or don’t know which particular

day to choose? No problem! You can give acertificate for an experience with the wolves

and the recipient can choose their own.

~ £5, £10, £20 ~

Wolf Printukwct.org.uk/wp/issue53.pdf · 2014. 11. 19. · £5,000 CanOvis Project, France (see...

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Transcript of Wolf Printukwct.org.uk/wp/issue53.pdf · 2014. 11. 19. · £5,000 CanOvis Project, France (see...