From Red Wolves, Lessons in Resilience PAG E 4 Softer Skills Can Help Mediate Harsh Conservation Disagreements PAG E 8 Wolf Watching in ...
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From Red Wolves,
Lessons in Resilience PA G E 4
Softer Skills Can Help Mediate Harsh
Conservation Disagreements PA G E 8
Wolf Watching in Yellowstone:
Viewing Versus Habituation PA G E 12
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VOLUME 29, NO. 2 THE QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTER S U M M E R 2 019
Nate Bowersock
Robert Wilcox
4 8 12
Adobe Stock
From Red Wolves, Lessons Softer Skills Can Help Wolf Watching in Yellowstone:
in Resilience Mediate Harsh Conservation Viewing Versus Habituation
Disagreements
They looked and acted like red Yellowstone may be the best place in
wolves—but red wolves had long ago Francine Madden knows how to the world to view free-ranging wolves,
disappeared from Galveston Island. reach a collaborative solution, and but that accessibility has several
The quest to identify these “mystery” her approach is bringing civility to downsides for humans and for wolves.
canines revealed a surprise: red wolf discussions between pro and con Problems like overcrowding and
genes persisted nearly 40 years after forces about the future of wolves. habituated wolves are complicated.
the species was thought to be extinct Respect, trust-building and listening Doug Smith explains how solutions
in that region. The author explains are her tools, conservation issues will require behavior changes by the
the process—and the importance— her specialty, and focusing on future Park Service, the park visitors and
of this discovery. challenges part of her success. the resident wolves.
When she steps in, win-win
By Kelley Christensen B y D o u g l a s W. S m i t h
becomes possible.
B y Tr a c y O ’ C o n n e l l
On the Cover Departments
Photo by Christian Houre 3 From the
Christian Houge is a fine art photographer Executive Director
from Oslo, Norway. The cover image is from
his photo exhibit, Shadow Within. 18 Tracking the Pack
www.christianhouge.no/Shadow-Within
22 Wild Kids
Did you know? 24 Wolves of the World
One easy way for you to help us conserve
natural resources is to make sure we have 27 Personal Encounter
your email address. Simply email your
Mike Possis
address to membership@wolf.org. 30 A Look Beyond
Publications Director
Chad Richardson
DISCOVER WOLVES!
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Carissa L. Winter
Consulting Editor
Kristine Chapin
Technical Editor OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK
Dr. L. David Mech
Graphic Designer MID-MAY THROUGH MID-OCTOBER
Tricia Austin
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2 Summer 2019 w w w. w o l f . o r g
From the Executive Director
INTERNATIONAL
WOLF CENTER
Thank You, Members and Donors; BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Nancy jo Tubbs
You Helped Save Michipicoten Wolves Chair
F
Dr. L. David Mech
or several years, we have watched in anticipation as significant changes occurred Vice Chair
in the wolf population on Isle Royale. Last fall, the National Park Service (NPS) began
Debbie Hinchcliffe
a three-year project to introduce 20 to 30 wolves to the island. It succeeded with Secretary
the first wolves that were translocated from northern Minnesota. Paul B. Anderson
Over winter, the NPS plan to translocate wolves from Michipicoten Treasurer
Island—in eastern Lake Superior—hit roadblocks during the U.S. federal
Cree Bradley
government shutdown. The International Wolf Center was asked for funding
Cindy Carvelli-Yu
assistance by NPS staff and the National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation. Rick Duncan
As you can imagine, we were very pleased to oblige. Fitz Fitzgerald
Our International Wolf Center founder, Dr. L. David Mech, and former Nancy Gibson
board member, Dr. Rolf Peterson, have been very involved in studying the Judy Hunter
relationship between wolves and moose on Isle Royale over the past 60 years. Connie LaFond
Rob Schultz Deborah Wold Lewis
In March, the Center made a significant financial contribution and sought
donors to help us close the financial gap and make the capture and transport of Michipicoten Aaron Morris
Mike Phillips
wolves possible.
Debbie Reynolds
On Michipicoten, the wolves’ winter food source was gone, and had the wolves been left
Jerry Sanders
on the island they might well have starved by spring. The project had a lot of positive media Paul Schurke
coverage, and the seven remaining wolves from Michipicoten had soon been successfully Alice Silkey
translocated to Isle Royale. Dick Thiel
We are proud to have been invited to contrib- Keira Thrasher
ute to this historic effort to maintain a viable wolf
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
population on Isle Royale, and we look forward
Rob Schultz
to being involved in the next steps of the Isle Royale
Wolf Reintroduction Project that will likely occur MISSION
this fall. The International Wolf Center
Ashley McLaren OMNRF
Our sincere thanks go out to our board mem- advances the survival of wolf
populations by teaching about
bers and supporters who helped make this possible! wolves, their relationship to
Since the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone wildlands and the human role
National Park, we’ve seen first-hand the complex, in their future.
positive effects wolves can have on an ecosystem. Educational services and
We expect that a thriving wolf population on Isle informational resources
Royale will make a similar impact there, teaching are available at:
us even more about predator-prey relationships. n 1396 Highway 169
Ely, MN 55731-8129, USA
J. Graham – National Parks of
Sincerely, 800-ELY-WOLF
Lake Superior Foundation
218-365-4695
email address:
internationalwolf@wolf.org
Rob Schultz www.wolf.org
Executive Director
I n t e r n a t i o n a l Wo l f Summer 2019 3
Red wolves, once nearly extinct, again teeter on
the abyss—but new genetic research finds red
wolf ancestry on Galveston Island, providing
opportunities for additional conservation
action and creating policy challenges.
W hen Hurricane Ike stormed
ashore on Galveston Island,
a barrier island off the south
coast of Texas in the Gulf of Mexico,
the massive flooding and vegetation
damage impacted more than humans.
Ron Wooten, a biologist who lives on
the island, lost his dog to a hungry pack
of what he thought were coyotes shortly
after the hurricane.
Rather than try to ruthlessly hunt
down the animals for their crime,
Wooten instead sought to study them
From
to understand what would drive them
to kill a dog. Also a photographer, Wooten
was able to capture images of some
Red Wolves,
pack members. It was then he realized
that the animals were not coyotes.
“Seeing that they were unique and
did not look like coyotes at all, I searched
Lessons in Resilience By KELLEY CHRISTENSEN
Ron Wooten Photography
Valerie Abbott
4 Summer 2019 w w w. w o l f . o r g
for almost two years to find someone maybe 30 yards away—about 60 pounds, program managers and was then used
who could help me identify those maybe 28 inches at the shoulder, with a with the Mexican wolf reintroduction.
animals,” Wooten said. “I started think- big, wide bowling-ball head. He tried to The reintroduced population in North
ing that they must have bred with a lie down behind a levee but he was so big Carolina grew for 25 years, even while
big dog somewhere down the line, he just stood out like a sore thumb. Then experiencing complex management
because these animals did not look he looked over his shoulder, turned, issues such as red wolves hybridizing
like coyotes. Much longer legs, much jumped 10 feet and was gone. with coyotes.
bigger, broader heads, longer ears, longer “I have spent a lot of time outdoors But the wild population is once again
snouts, and their behavior...” in this area and never had seen any- dwindling (from a peak of about 150
But other area wildlife managers thing like him before. I called every U.S. individuals in 2005 to a mere 25) amidst
didn’t seem to share Wooten’s convic- Fish & Wildlife Service and every Texas political controversy, pressure from land-
tion that animals that looked very much Parks & Wildlife Department person I owners for the right to shoot wolves on
like red wolves (Canis rufus) could still could find, thinking the world would their land, and poaching. In addition to
exist on Galveston Island. Despite the spring into action to confirm the pres- the wild population, there are approxi-
negative reactions, Wooten continued ence of these animals. You would’ve mately 200 red wolves in captivity. The
his study, watching the animals hunt thought I’d reported seeing a T-rex!” entire red wolf population in the United
small game and play together as a pack. And now, before the story of the States descends from 14 individuals, of
Bolstered by Steve Parker, a Galveston Galveston Island canids continues, we which only 12 are genetically represented.
attorney who shared an interest in the must travel 1,400 miles away to North The challenges the red wolf faced in
mystery, Wooten was able to recover Carolina, where a different tale of the the 1970s are essentially the same that
tissue samples from pack members that red wolf has unfolded… threaten the species today: persecution
had been struck by cars and left by by humans, habitat loss, hybridization
the side of the road—items he kept in A Story of Recovery and disease.
a freezer alongside rattlesnakes, deer
hides and a flying fish. Wooten sent the and Decline Ghosts of the Past,
samples to Bridgett vonHoldt, an assis- The red wolf is one of United States’
tant professor of ecology and evolution- greatest wildlife conservation stories. Red Wolves of the Future
ary biology at Princeton University. wolves were on the brink of extinction During the ongoing debate on how to
“After comparing the samples to along the American Gulf Coast during recover the red wolf, a team of research-
images of coyotes, reviewing a few papers the late 1970s when the U.S. Fish and ers including scientist Kristin Brzeski,
on wolf and coyote behavior, Wildlife Service (USFWS) made a bold
and remembering my genet- decision to purposely remove all remain-
ics lessons on island biol- ing red wolves from the wild.
ogy, it occurred to me that The USFWS attempted to trap all
perhaps this was a specific wild wolves remaining along the Gulf
group of wolves that had Coast of Texas and Louisiana to initiate
become genetically isolated a captive breeding program and recover
on the island by the physi- the species. After several years of suc-
cal barrier of surrounding cessful captive breeding, red wolves
water,” Wooten said. were released back onto the landscape
Having contributed the in North Carolina in 1987, well before
samples, Parker paints his the famous wolf-reintroduction effort
own experience to solve the in Yellowstone National Park.
mystery of the Galveston “The Red Wolf Recovery Program
Island residents that so has accomplished much with very little
clearly were not coyotes. public recognition,” says Cornelia Hutt,
Red Wolf Coalition board chair. “The
Becky Bartel / USFWS
“In 2000, a friend con-
firmed there was a pocket red wolf is the first predator ever to be
of very ‘wolfish’ animals restored to the wild after becoming offi-
near a container port under cially extinct in the wild.”
construction. One after- Hutt notes that the technique of pup
noon, we went down the fostering (placing pups from captive
road where one such animal was always wolves into dens of wild wolf pups)
seen, and sure enough, there he was, was developed by Red Wolf Coalition
I n t e r n a t i o n a l Wo l f Summer 2019 5
assistant professor in the Michigan threat from hybridization with coyotes. that the Galveston Island canids have
Technological University School of Forest “Red wolf research is exciting, frus- both red wolf and coyote alleles, likely
Resources and Environmental Science, trating, sad and uplifting at the same related to species interbreeding dur-
who worked with vonHoldt as a post- time,” Brzeski said. “They neared total ing the 1970s as coyote populations
doctoral researcher, discovered high extinction, were saved through captive expanded across North America.
amounts of red wolf ancestry in canids breeding, and have been demonized by “I had the privilege to work with wild
living on Galveston Island. opponents, all the while continuing to red wolves in North Carolina for my
“Our discovery that red wolf genes be a successful, reproductively viable PhD dissertation and hear them howl
persisted in Texas after being declared species that keeps on ticking—with the in the wild. Their reintroduction has
extinct in the wild was very surprising,” help of incredibly dedicated biologists, shaped wolf reintroductions since. What
Brzeski said. “It introduced positive managers, captive facilities and dedi- scientists learned changed how they
opportunities for additional conserva- cated volunteers, of course.” did Yellowstone and influenced what
tion action—and also some difficult The red wolf alleles—variant forms of they’re doing on Isle Royale,” Brzeski said.
policy challenges.” a given gene—appear to have persisted “Finding them (red wolves) in Galveston
Brzeski and her coauthors published in a population of canids on Galveston and Louisiana is so exciting because that’s
their findings, “Rediscovery of Red Wolf Island because of their isolation from where they came from. There is some
Ghost Alleles in a Canid Population Along coyotes, and the resultant improbabil- sort of reproductive isolation occurring
the American Gulf Coast” in December ity of interbreeding and hybridization. with zero human management.”
2018 in the journal Genes. This report The research group Brzeski was part The Galveston Island animals—
tended to support the 2010 publication of obtained tissue samples from two known to wildlife biologists as admixed
in the Southeastern Naturalist by Mech roadkill canids (not the same animals canids—do not share all variant genes
and Nowak of possible red wolf genetic Wooten took pictures of) on Galveston with contemporary red wolves, but they
representation in north-central Texas. Island and conducted analyses with are genetically closer to red wolves than
genome-wide, single nucleotide poly- they are to coyotes.
Canis rufus Persists morphism and mitochondrial DNA from This is significant; it means that red
There are just two recognized species 60 animals that represented all potential wolf genetics persist in the American
of wolf in the United States: the gray sources of ancestry for the Galveston south nearly 40 years after the species
and the red. Red wolves, native to the Island canids: coyotes, red wolves and was thought to be extinct in that region.
southeastern U.S., are smaller and more gray wolves. Brzeski and others found The canids on Galveston Island, and pos-
slender than their northern cousins. The sibly elsewhere, may represent a “reser-
red wolf population has also been under voir” of red wolf genes that could be used
to bolster other red wolf populations.
“This research shows hybrids can
have conservation value through har-
boring extinct genes from endangered
parent species,” Brzeski said.
Next Steps
In the past decade, red wolves have
been under attack by opponents of
the conservation program who claim
Robert Wilcox
Valerie Abbott
6 Summer 2019 w w w. w o l f . o r g
this animal is not genetically distinct in small pockets in the American South, References
from coyotes and therefore not eligible are indeed Canis rufus.
Heppenheimer, E.; Brzeski, K.E.;
for protection under the Endangered It is Wooten’s hope that red wolves
Wooten, R.; Waddell, W.; Rutledge,
Species Act. will continue to exist successfully on L.Y.; Chamberlain, M.J.; Stahler, D.R.;
Research reveals the need for fur- Galveston Island alongside humans. Hinton, J.W.; VonHoldt, B.M. (2018).
ther genetic sampling of coyote popula- Brzeski and Hutt, too, close their eyes Rediscovery of Red Wolf Ghost Alleles
tions in Louisiana and Texas to survey and hear the wolves howling in the North in a Canid Population Along the
for red-wolf ghost alleles. Additionally, Carolina dark. These people hope that American Gulf Coast. Genes, 9, 618.
researchers note a need for assessments red wolves thrive despite the challenges, DOI: 10.3390/genes9120618
of morphological differences in canids so that future generations might hear
with red wolf ancestry. The discovery of their song in darkened forests and wit- Committee on Assessing the
Taxonomic Status of the Red Wolf
the Galveston Island canids could also ness their crab hunts on the beach. n
and the Mexican Gray Wolf. (2019).
create an opportunity for future reintro- Consensus Study Report: Evaluating
duction efforts outside of North Carolina. Kelley Christensen is a science writer at the Taxonomic Status of the Mexican
Brzeski says, “Our discovery opens Michigan Technological University, where Gray Wolf and the Red Wolf. National
up a new chapter in their story: red wolf she is also pursuing her doctorate in envi- Academies Press.
ancestry has persisted independently ronmental policy. Prior to her current posi-
without focused management action. tion, she worked in newspaper journalism Mech, L. D. and R.M. Nowak. 2010.
How will this impact recovery efforts? in Montana and Nebraska, and as science Systematic Status of Wild Canis in
Can we recover extinct genes through editor for IEEE Earthzine. North-central Texas. Southeastern
Naturalist 9(3):587-594.
selective breeding with newly identified
admixed canids? These are difficult but A shorter version of this article was originally
exciting questions, broadly important published at mtu.edu/news under the headline
“A Future for Red Wolves May Be Found on
beyond red wolves, that will influence
Galveston Island.”
wildlife conservation in an era of major
climate and landscape change.” Grants & Funding This research was funded
In March 2019, the National by the PDZA Holly Reed Conservation Fund,
Academies of Sciences, Engineering NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in
and Medicine released the “Consensus Biology Grant No. 1523859, and the Ontario
Study Report Evaluating the Taxonomic Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry,
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research
Status of the Mexican Gray Wolf and
Council of Canada. Some southeastern
the Red Wolf,” sponsored by the U.S. coyote samples were provided under loan
Fish and Wildlife Service. The conclu- 501 agreement G.2016.3, 4318.
sions of the report are that historic red
wolves were a taxonomically valid spe-
cies, that extant red wolves are distinct
from gray wolves and coyotes, and that
extant red wolves trace some of their
ancestry to the historic red wolves. Based
on these conclusions, the report asserts
that the extant members of the species
in North Carolina, Galveston Island and
Becky Bartel / USFWS
Becky Bartel / USFWS
Robert Wilcox
I n t e r n a t i o n a l Wo l f Summer 2019 7
Softer Skills
Can Help
Mediate Harsh
Conservation
Disagreements
By TRACY O’CONNELL
Adobe Sotck
8 Summer 2019 w w w. w o l f . o r gFrancine Madden wolves there caused wolf populations
to rebound. By 2015 conflict had become
concluded that Madden brought civility
to the state’s contentious Wolf Advisory
wraps up project so heated that Washington’s Department
of Fish and Wildlife hired Madden
Group, noting that progress was made.
There will always be conflict, Madden
as wolf-conflict to intervene and help cool hostilities
within the state’s Wolf Advisory Group.
says, so she sees her role as helping
people work together effectively even
manager in Madden’s work in this arena has
been written up in the Washington Post
as future challenges loom, rather than
achieving a solution to an immediate
Washington magazine and the Capital Press, a weekly
that, according to its motto, “empow-
problem, leaving underlying issues to
foment and arise later.
ers growers of food and fiber.” The Post In the Washington state experience,
article reports, “Madden spent 350 hours participants went on to discuss other
A chieving agreement among peo-
ple of opposing views is seldom
easy. Examples on the national
stage are rampant and often revisited
in battles that rage year after year. In
interviewing 80 people about wolves
before she led advisory group meet-
ings. She found anomalies in the ‘us-vs.-
topics, from handling issues around other
carnivores, such as bears and cougars,
to gender equity issues in the workplace.
conservation arguments, people may
be labeled uncharitably by opponents … there are several levels of conflict,
as “tree-huggers,” “gun nuts” or left- or
right-wingers. At this depth of resistance, from mere disagreement to deep levels of
efforts to reach agreement may involve
acknowledging underlying, unnamed mistrust that add layers of complexity—issues
issues well beyond those that appear
on the table. that must be dealt with before finding a
Enter Francine Madden, executive
director of the Center for Conservation solution to the surface problem.
Peacebuilding (formerly Human Wildlife
Conflict Collaboration) who has spent
more than 20 years as what she terms them’ narrative: a hunter who described After her success in Washington state,
“a third-party neutral” in conflict man- seeing a wolf as a ‘religious experience’; Madden says, she has been approached
agement around the world. Madden environmentalists who supported, or by a variety of interests in other states
recently completed her most substantial at least were neutral about, the idea of concerned with their role in managing
assignment—a three-and-a-half year stint a wolf hunt. Wolves, she found, were wolves—people who want to know,
in the state of Washington, where she a proxy for other fears, such as fad- “How can we scale this up?”
oversaw the development of an agree- ing traditions and a loss of control to Madden calls her unique approach
ment on the future of wolves between Seattle progressives.” to achieving agreements conservation
pro and con forces that included envi- The Capital Press covered her work conflict transformation, or CCT. It’s a
ronmentalists, ranchers and hunters. in several articles, questioning the “hefty formula she has honed since seeing
Washington state had become a $1.2 million price tag” and other expenses the need for a new approach while she
hotbed of conflicting views common the contract entailed, and citing the lack was a Peace Corp volunteer in Africa.
in other locales, as well, where the of transparency in closed meetings. It gives her a role not unlike a group
presence of wolves is typically lauded The writer agreed, however, with the therapist, drawing out the unspo-
by conservationists and general lovers need for an outside mediator, saying “The ken and underlying needs of various
of wildlife, and cursed by ranchers and state’s wolf plan was unrealistic, agency participants to gain trust and establish
others who fear for their safety and leaders seemed caught in the crossfire a long-term solution. Her work since
livelihoods. The Washington situation between pro- and anti-wolf groups, then has taken her to multiple places
began to heat up in the 1990s after and legislators and the governor were in Africa, to Asia and Latin America, and
an experimental reintroduction of feeling the heat from all sides.” The series around the United States.
I n t e r n a t i o n a l Wo l f Summer 2019 9She sees her role as helping
people work together even as future
challenges loom, rather than
Photos courtesy of the Center for Conservation Peacebuilding
leaving underlying issues to
foment and arise later.
to understand the complexities
within each group. Individuals
who have a common inter-
est, such as those who iden-
tify as hunters, may hold
differing perspectives. Some
Fancine Madden (left) may favor a robust presence
addressed peacebuilding of predator species while oth-
as part of a panel last year. ers do not. Some may favor
government-based solutions as
opposed to those with a more
libertarian view. People don’t
want to fight, she says; they
want dignity and respect, so
the process must be all about
building trust. All sides need
Using a Conservation Conflict Transformation (CCT) approach, to be respected and valued
relationships are built, trust is repaired, and people begin to work and have their identity legiti-
together toward solutions that allow coexistence with each other mized, Madden insists, and
and wildlife. when that happens, “they will
guide you” to what needs to
Madden, based in Washington, brokered in the past without attention happen in the process.
D.C., draws upon models of conserva- to these more time-consuming, “softer” She believes time must be set aside
tion conflict resolution put forward by aspects of relationship-building that to address these needs before a solu-
Christopher Moore (1986), and Gregg creates understanding of others beyond tion is reached every time a new group
Walker and Steven Daniels (1997), simplistic slogans and stereotypes. faces conflict, rather than assuming the
which identify several levels of conflict, Accords reached that way can become interpersonal issues uncovered in one
from mere disagreement to deep levels mired in memories of past missteps circumstance can be applied to another.
of mistrust that add layers of complex- by each opposing group. Research by Efforts where the trust-building stage is
ity—issues that must be dealt with before Naughton-Treves, et. al. (in 2003, on short-changed will not succeed in the
finding a solution to the surface problem. tolerance to wolves in Wisconsin) and long term; Madden calls that approach
She draws from a toolkit of techniques others pointed to failures in past agree- “go fast to fail.” While the Washington
to handle disputes, noting that the basic ments that were based on traditional tools state experience spanned years, each
settlement is often the easiest to reach. such as compensation for predation, if encounter operates on its own timeline,
The more difficult process is working those agreements didn’t also include a she says. Her briefest interaction, in the
through the underlying, unspoken issues path toward reconciliation of past hurts Galapagos where parties addressed inva-
and forming the relationships necessary among the parties involved. sive species, required only two weeks
for a lasting solution. Madden cites listening as a core on the ground.
The need for Madden’s work can be component of her method to uncover Part of the listening, trust-build-
seen in conservation-related agreements the resentments each side holds, and ing work can include measures many
10 Summer 2019 w w w. w o l f . o r gwould see as quite apart from a typical not rocket science.” It often involves each other might be making a comeback
conservation-related agreement. In operating from the gut and remaining in a world where more technology and
Africa, working with groups to seek behind the scenes. She sees her organi- more laws have too long been seen as
an end to the poaching of elephants, zation as “the mother ship” from which solutions—and have too often failed. n
stakeholders coached villagers in she hopes to launch clients who can
construction skills and helped them to continue to manage future issues accord- Tracy O’Connell is professor emeritus at
build a mosque—efforts that addressed ing to the process they have learned— the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in
the human needs for connectedness, even those individuals she finds initially marketing communications, and serves on
spiritual security and meaningful resistant. Many, she says, turn out to be the Center’s magazine and communications
engagement, all of which are parts of “really good.” committees.
an agreement that will be successful With Madden’s success, the old-style
in the long term. approach of listening to and honoring
Madden emphasizes backgrounding
in preparation for the diverse cultural
and personal issues she encounters in her
work—seeking information that comes
from the participants themselves, as she
asks them to come forward with topics
they associate with the subject at hand.
“We all have baggage,” she says, when
coming into a group. Hers, in any given
interaction, might include being an urban
resident, or being white, or American
or female. “I have to earn my neutrality
by proving it,” she says. It comes with
showing humility, a sense of humor,
and a willingness to listen that can be
equally effective whether the person in
her role is a man or woman, she notes.
Madden has trained 500 profession-
als and conservation stakeholders in
the past decade in “capacity-building”
workshops that run for several days,
in which participants gain or improve
the knowledge and skills to improve pro-
fessional competence. She apprenticed
early on with Brian McQuinn, an Oxford-
trained researcher in armed conflict who,
while not working in conservation efforts
himself, took her capacity-building
ability to the next level, she notes. Adobe Stock
She has recently taken on her first
apprentice, who will work with her
for 18 months to gain “journeyperson”
status. She likens the process to the References
traditional role of workers learning from Daniels, S. E. and G. B. Walker:
Moore, Christopher, The Mediation
a more experienced person. Process: Practical Strategies for Working through environmental
She doesn’t see herself as a mas- Resolving Conflict, San Francisco, conflict: The Collaborative Learning
ter, but as someone with “a ton left to Jossey-Bass, 1986. Approach. Westport CT: Praeger
learn,” as she clicks off the skill sets upon Publishers, 2001.
which she draws—neurology, behavioral
science, sociology, political science
and several others. Still, she says, “It’s
I n t e r n a t i o n a l Wo l f Summer 2019 11Wolf Watching
in Yellowstone:
Viewing Versus Habituation
B y D O U G L A S W. S M I T H
Lizzie Cato
Y
ellowstone National Park may be the best place serving nature and visitor experiences,
but wolves pose unique challenges. For
in the world to view free-ranging wolves. There example, instead of keeping a distance of
are other places, but nowhere else offers the same 25 yards, as requested for other wildlife,
watching wolves (and bears) requires
consistency, ease of access and exciting behavior. Even a distance of 100 yards—and the
visitor must maintain that distance. (In
park visitors with no familiarity with the park or the other words, if the wolf moves closer,
wolves stand a pretty good chance, on a two- or three- the visitor must move away!) These
rules have been hard to enforce; some
day visit, of seeing a wolf. people willingly disregard them because
This accessibility has its downsides: proximity to a wolf can be the wildlife
roadside crowds, human proximity experience of a lifetime. But there are
to wolves, blocked road-crossings for serious downsides to that behavior.
animals, and humans pursuing wolves Too-frequent close approaches and
for photographs—or even strategically daily proximity to people can cause
waiting for a wolf to pass on a known wolves to become unafraid of humans.
travel route. Rarely, but sometimes, these Most wolves in Yellowstone are not
situations can lead to habituation, that entirely unafraid, but many are toler-
is, becoming used to or accustomed ant of people. They have to be, with
to something such that they no lon- 4 million people per year visiting the
ger fear it. park. This does not mean they are habitu-
As a result, park administrators ated, however.
have responded with regulations and A tolerant wolf wants to avoid people,
education. Most “wolf” rules are consis- but still tries to get where it is going
tent with other park policies about pre- by employing route alterations and bend-
12 Summer 2019 w w w. w o l f . o r ging around human activity, but always on the scene. We have proactively killed like this have led to the National Park
keeping a distance and moving along. two wolves (after hazing them did not Service examining management prac-
A habituated wolf displays fearlessness, work) because of fearless behavior. We tices toward fearless wolves and possibly
approaches people closely, or stands believed they were threats, but their revising (once again!) our viewing and
close to people and vehicles with lit- behavior did not fit the step-by-step pat- hazing regulations.
tle concern. Crossing a road carelessly, tern Geist described. Generally, if there Yellowstone National Park, known
stopping in the middle—maybe even has been no food reward, hazing works; for its wolves and wolf-viewing oppor-
‘hooking’ onto a car and walking up to we have many successful examples of tunities, has passionate advocates—
it, are some examples. Behavior like this this. If done appropriately, during what a special circumstance that creates special
usually happens when wolves have been we call “teachable moments,” and not problems. Solving them will need to be
a joint effort by the National Park Service,
the wolf watchers and the wolves. n
References
McNay, M.E. 2002. Wolf-human
interactions in Alaska and Canada:
a review of the case history. Wildlife
Society Bulletin 831-841.
Geist, V., 2014. Seven steps of wolf
Tom Murphy
Doug Smith
habituation. Pp. 87-100 in T.B. Lyon and
W.N. Graves, eds, The real wolf: The
science, politics, and economics of co-
fed; however, it can happen without food just general hazing, it is almost always existing with wolves in modern times.
involved (McNay, 2002). Another behav- successful. Billings, MT: Farcountry Press.
ioral reaction is flight. Some wolves flee The fundamental principle is this:
when they know people see them. Most Keep people and wolves apart from each Douglas Smith is a senior wildlife biologist
wolves in Yellowstone see people; it’s other, and of course, do not feed them. in Yellowstone National Park. He has
hard for them to avoid all interactions. If these two things are accomplished, studied wolves for 40 years, working at
Understanding these reactions is wolves do not become habituated, Wolf Park, on Isle Royale, in NE Minnesota
important because it provides insight into and we do not have to kill them. and in Yellowstone, beginning with the
1995 wolf reintroduction there.
how wolves have adapted in Yellowstone. So how do things go wrong? With
There have been no injuries or close calls, millions of people visiting the park each
possibly because our understanding has year, it’s very hard to get everyone on
led to preventative action. board. And some people just can’t stay
There were once predictions that away from the wolves.
a park environment would produce What are our options? Should we
fearless wolves that would attack peo- haze the wolves more or enforce regula-
ple. While some described the process tions on humans more stringently? If we
by which a wolf becomes habituated cannot achieve human compliance, we’ll
(Geist 2014), this step-by-step process need to look elsewhere for solutions.
has not been observed in Yellowstone. One possibility is making wolves more
We have not seen wolves moving close avoidant of the people and of the road.
to people and targeting them because of Not taking action has repercussions
“prey evacuating home ranges en masse, other than habituated wolves.
leading to virtual absence of prey,” nor Wolves that live their lives outside
“waterfowl vacating wintering grounds,” of parks are wary. Wolves accustomed
or wolves approaching human habita- to people inside the park won’t be wary
tions and making playful or clumsy of people outside—including hunters.
attacks on people (Geist 2014). This happened in December 2018 when
We have documented wolves in a wolf from the Lamar Canyon pack was
developed areas, but they go there to legally shot in an area just beyond the
find elk, typically at night, even occasion- park boundary in Cooke City, Montana.
ally killing them—on one occasion, in It was well-known that the Lamar pack
Tom Murphy
someone’s backyard. Yet they are wary of was accustomed to people, making this
people and leave when a human arrives an atypical hunting situation. Shootings
I n t e r n a t i o n a l Wo l f Summer 2019 13International Wolf Center Helps Fund which is far more than biologists con-
sider viable for the island to sustain. Too
Flights of Six Hungry Wolves to Isle Royale many moose on Isle Royale will lead to
overconsumption of vegetation, eventu-
ally causing severe damage to the island’s
By Chad Richardson
ecosystem and raising concerns that the
Unless noted otherwise, photos by Ashley McLaren OMNRF
moose population may collapse.
With wolves once again on the island,
A n urgent effort to translocate seven
gray wolves from Michipicoten
Island and the Canadian
mainland to Isle Royale in March was
a major success. On March 22 and
intense, but we had a really wonderful
result,” Green said.
It is believed that a 2-year-old female
that was moved from Michipicoten to
Isle Royale may be pregnant. If she were
the moose will have a natural predator
to keep their population at sustainable
levels. Scientists expect the two popula-
tions to manage themselves just as they
had done for decades on Isle Royale.
23, the Ontario Ministry of Natural to give birth on Isle Royale this spring, These seven new wolves join eight that
Resources and Forestry, along with those would be the first pups born on were already on the island, including
the National Park Service, successfully the island since 2014, according to six that have been reintroduced since
moved six gray wolves from Michipicoten Rolf Peterson, the lead researcher study- September through other efforts.
that were at risk of starving because of ing wolves and moose on Isle Royale. “Now our focus will turn to follow-
insufficient prey. “Any reproduction on the island ing researchers who study the impact
Funding for the project was pro- this year would be pretty remarkable,” of these new wolves on Isle Royale,
vided by a partnership between the said Peterson, who followed the trans- and sharing the fascinating stories that
International Wolf Center ($55,000) location process closely. “I was just glad come out of the project,” Schultz said.
and the National Parks of Lake Superior it was successfully concluded. There “As we move into the summer months,
Foundation ($45,000). are so many ways it can go wrong. You’re the International Wolf Center looks for-
“We were honored to have played nervous until it’s over.” ward to working with the National Park
a role in this important operation,” Peterson and other researchers are Service and the Lake Superior National
said Rob Schultz, the executive direc- anxious to see how the island’s new
tor of the International Wolf Center. inhabitants form their packs. “We have
“And we’re grateful to our members for to wait now until the wolves organize
their financial support over the years; their personal
their donations made it possible for us lives and get on
to help save these wolves and support with things,” he
the Isle Royale reintroduction project.” said. “It’s been
Isle Royale National Park seven years since
Superintendent Phyllis Green said the wolf predation
project to fund emergency flights to had any impact
move the wolves from Michipicoten on moose out Loading Twin Otter with three wolves
would have been impossible without there. It will be
generous donors. good to see that Adult male wolf
“I thank everyone who donated,” going again.” waking up in crate
she said. “We were worried about the The males
money aspect of this, but we were pretty captured on
much right on the mark in terms of our Michipicoten
estimate and what came in from donors. were close to healthy
We couldn’t have done it without them.” weights, but the females
Three wolves were captured and weighed between 50 and
flown to Isle Royale on Friday by teams 60 pounds—far below
of professionals. On Saturday, another what is considered healthy.
four were moved, including three from The low female weights are
Michipicoten and one from the Canadian due to the fact that wolves
mainland. Of the seven, three are female. on Michipicoten had run
“They were long days—we were coor- out of prey. Meanwhile,
dinating five aircraft and seven wolves, Isle Royale is populated by Wolf tracks
arriving independently. It was very more than 1,600 moose, on lake
14 Summer 2019 w w w. w o l f . o r gParks Foundation as they begin planning
the next phase of wolf reintroduction,
which is expected to occur this fall.”
In total, about 20 to 30 new gray
wolves are expected to be introduced
to Isle Royale National Park over the
next three to five years. n
Chad Richardson is the Communications
Director at the International Wolf Center.
Capture
helicopter
of Lake Superior Foundation
J. Graham - National Parks
Capture crew
and adult
female wolf
Taking measurements
on a wolf
Isle Royale Ca
na
Un da
ite
Lake Sup d
Sta
eri tes Michipicoten
Island
or
Radio telemetry antenna
for tracking collared wolves
on Michipicoten Island
(in background)
I n t e r n a t i o n a l Wo l f Summer 2019 15Free With Admission
AMBASSADORS TO THE WILD
Want to know more about the Center’s exhibit
pack? Join this program to learn about our
ambassador wolves, their histories and their
behaviors. Then step into the world of wolf WHAT’S FOR DINNER?
biology and gain a better understanding of Saturdays, 7 p.m.
wolf interactions and pack dynamics. Adult Non-member $8, Member $6
Anung Viay
Child (4-12) Non-member $5, Member $3
COYWOLVES, WOLVES AND
Children 3 and under FREE
WOLF-DOGS? OH, MY!
It’s more than their looks that make wolves, Learn about the fascinating feeding behavior
coyotes, foxes, dogs and even wolf-dogs of wolves as you watch our Exhibit Pack dine,
different from each other. Behaviors, diets cache, hide or defend a variety of prey.
and vocalizations vary among members of
HOWLING SAFARI
the dog family. Come and find out what
August: Wednesdays and Fridays, 8 p.m.
makes each one unique.
September and October: Saturday, 8:30 p.m.
WOLF ENRICHMENT Adult Non-member $10, Member $9
Looking for the wolves? Wolves typically try to Child (6-12) Non-member $6, Member $5
conserve energy and avoid the heat of the day, — Not suitable for children under six
but during this special program, our wolf care Prior registration is required.
staff will encourage our ambassador wolves to Did you hear that ?! Learn about wolf
actively investigate new items in their enclosure vocalizations before practicing your own
while you observe their every move. howl and venturing into the nearby forest to
AT THE INTERNATIONAL THE WOLVES & MOOSE OF try calling to a local wolf pack. Don’t be
surprised if they howl back!
WOLF CENTER ISLE ROYALE
The declining wolf population, combined with BEHIND THE SCENES (MEMBERS ONLY)
an increasing number of moose on Isle Royale, June 15 - August 10: Fridays, 9 a.m.
ADMISSION TO led to a decision to move wolves to the island.
Learn more about the history, population
Adult Member $10, Child (6-12) $5
— Not suitable for children under six
THE CENTER dynamics and recent wolf translocations to
This behind-the-scenes experience gives
Admission is valid for three this isolated ecosystem.
members exclusive access to areas off-limits
consecutive days. to the general public! Get up close and learn
WOLVES OF THE NORTHWOODS
Members. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Free What’s so special about “Up North”? about the socialization, care and feeding of
our ambassador wolves. Participants will
Non-Member Adults. . . . . . . . . $14 What role do wolves play in this environment?
view the wolves from benches near the fence.
Seniors (60+) . . . . . . . . . $12 Join this program to learn how history shaped
northern Minnesota and how the past still
Child (4 -12). . . . . . . . . . $ 8
determines, in part, what currently survives in
Child 3 and under. . . . . . . . . FREE this unique part of the state.
Hours WOLVES IN WILDLANDS
What do wolves need to thrive? How do they
May 13 –June 9
V I SIT
interact, and how does their presence impact
Sunday–Friday . . . . 10 a.m.–5 p.m. other organisms where they live? Join us for a
Saturday . . . . . . . . . 9 a.m.–5 p.m. look at these relationships, and discover the
importance of wildlands.
June 10– August 11
WOLF EXPLORERS
R N M O R E!
TO LEA
Open daily . . . . . . . 9 a.m.– 6 p.m.
June-August, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
August 12 –October 13 Learn about wolves through interactive games
Sunday–Friday . . . . 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and fun activities. This hands-on program is
designed for kids 4-12 years old. Adult guardians
Saturday . . . . . . . . . 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
must remain on-site and with their children.
16 Summer 2019 w w w. w o l f . o r gNew Discover Wolves! Exhibit
Opened in May
By Chad Richardson
B y the time this magazine arrives
in your mailbox, an extraordinary
new exhibit will be waiting for you
at the International Wolf Center in Ely.
This stunning, immersive experi-
“Behind the scenes, we’ve been work-
ing on this project for 16 months. To
watch the installation as the wolf’s story
came to life, piece by piece, was thrill-
ing,” Harrington said. “We are so grate- wolves,” Schultz said. “We hope you’ll
ence— Discover Wolves! —was installed ful that the exhibit was funded by a come and enjoy it.”
in April and opened in May. $1 million grant from the Minnesota A grand opening for the new exhibit
“Visitors are loving it!” said Environment and Natural Resources is set for June 28 in Ely. n
Interpretive Center Manager Krista Trust Fund.”
Harrington. Scientific knowledge of “This new exhibit is another way— Chad Richardson is the Communications
wolves has continued to advance, the latest, most engaging way—for us Director of the International Wolf Center.
enhanced by the emergence of new to continue educating the world about
technology, and the Center wanted to
provide a fun, state-of-the-art learning
opportunity for visitors to Ely—a lively
experience that reveals the wolf in the
pack, as a cousin to your dog, and in
relationship to you.
“Discover Wolves! does all of that,”
said Executive Director Rob Schultz.
“Visitors take part in the action.” The
new exhibit takes a dynamic hands-on
approach to studying wolves. Visitors
find microscopes to examine wolf-scat
slides, a place to experience the simu-
lated flight of an airplane as research-
ers track wolves—even a howling room
where guests are surrounded by the cho-
rus of a pack under the northern lights.
I n t e r n a t i o n a l Wo l f Summer 2019 17Tracking the Pack
Taking the Lead—Pack Life After Aidan 2016. The 2020 pup-management
plan recommends that at least one of
the two pups selected be a female. Even
by Lori J. Schmidt in a non-breeding pack, a pair-bond
exists between the dominant wolves, and
I n July 2018, after a winter of testing to conduct behavioral observations with having a female enter the pack will likely
and confrontations from younger the goal of determining which wolf is stimulate one of the males to take on a
pack members that reduced his now more likely to take the lead in pack consistent leadership role.
confidence, we moved Aidan, the Exhibit dynamics. The students’ preliminary These are some results of the
Pack leader, to the retirement enclosure. data, collected during a 10-hour data students’ preliminary observations of
This is a summary of what we know trial in February 2019, offers a glimpse pack dynamics:
about how pack dynamics may develop into pack life very different from the “... our data shows that although Boltz
in his absence. interactions we witness as wolf care staff. has been observed asserting himself as
The International Wolf Center is Our presence during wolf care can a dominant pack member, he is more
fortunate to have the Vermilion often lead to individual wolves postur- likely to show his leadership through
Community College 2019 Wolf Ethology ing for attention from staff, whereas the social interactions than overt dominance.
class (part of the college’s Wildlife students witness the wolves’ social inter- When in conflict, he displays appease-
Ecology curriculum) trained and ready actions independent of humans. While
ment behavior by licking the other pack
students observed individual events of
high-ranking dominance, they saw no member’s face.
consistent leader emerge. We believe the Denali’s behavior is indicative of the
pack dynamics will be fluid until after senior wolf in a pack with no clear
the introduction of new pups in 2020. pack leader. He exhibits food obsession,
The pack has been without a female’s evidenced through aggressive displays
influence since Luna’s retirement in
International Wolf Center
of lip curling, snarling, lunging, snap-
ping, biting, full hackle displays, cach-
ing (burying food) and face-offs. He is
involved in nearly every pack activity
and behavior, but rarely as an instigator.
Arctic wolf Axel and Boltz face-off in a Axel and Denali have developed an
boisterous display of social behavior. affinity for each other, shown through
parallel walking and frequently resting
in close proximity. Denali welcomes
Axel’s appeasing behavior, allowing him
preferential treatment in relation to food
and tolerating Axel’s extensive follow-
ing, resting and sleeping in close contact
with him. Axel displays some dominance
behavior until another wolf choses to
engage; then his tail is tucked.
Grayson still exhibits a majority of
International Wolf Center
submissive behaviors during pack ral-
lies, but when other pack members show
ritualized dominance, Grayson will gain
some confidence, and this stimulates his
18 Summer 2019 w w w. w o l f . o r gINTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTER
Member Profile
Christina Rizzo—Loving the Pack
Photo courtesdy of Christina Rizzo
and Participation at the International
Wolf Center b y S u s a n R i c c i
H aving loved animals since she
was a child, Christina Rizzo pur-
sued a pre-veterinary program
in college—but after graduation, she
decided to serve her country and enlisted
After several more moves—to
California, Nevada and back to
England—Christina and Vince
would relocate in Watertown, South
Dakota when he retired from the military.
beautiful setting that looked so natural…
it was magical!”
in the United States Air Force. Prior to “Once we knew Vince was retiring and The depth of Christina’s admiration
leaving for basic training, she married we were going to Watertown, I wondered for the Wolf Center is evident when she
her high school sweetheart, Vincent, who what I would do. Having worked in medi- talks about wolves. “I really feel con-
also enlisted in the military. They soon cal facilities for 16 years, I wasn’t sure I nected with the Center because it’s so
found themselves stationed in England would find many opportunities there.” educational and science-based. They
without their beloved pets. Christina emailed the Bramble Zoo don’t force their opinions on others.
“It was rough at first, because dogs in Watertown about volunteering, and We changed so many of our practices
were not allowed,” Christina said. “I had they offered her a part-time job as a at Bramble due to things I learned from
to leave them behind in the care of my zoo keeper. “I remember my very first Lori, the IWC wolf curator, by listening
parents. Not having our pets was almost day. I got to work with the coyotes and to her webinars or asking her questions
like missing a family member.” Christina the wolves. I had always loved wolves. on wolf-care and pack management. Our
and her husband began volunteering at They were my favorite animal, but I wolves at Bramble are not socialized. Lori
the Wildlife Trust and the Cats Protection felt I didn’t know enough about them. understands how their management is
League on weekends. “It was really ful- Everyone has that one, special animal different. She invited me into a safety
filling for us. We did everything, from connection, and that is mine. As soon as meeting for wolf-care handlers to learn
cleaning cages to feeding and helping I saw them…” her voice fills with emo- about emergency procedures and wolf-
with medical care.” tion. “It’s so hard to describe.” on-wolf conflict. My curator let me pres-
Another wolf encounter would ent information on wolf care and safety
happen soon afterward. Christina protocols I tailored to the Bramble Park
had a friend at the zoo who grew up Zoo. Our curator liked it so much I pre-
strong predatory drive. Grayson seems in Minnesota, and she mentioned the sented it at small-zoo conferences across
to be far more aware of outside stimuli Wolf Center in Ely. “‘You really need to the Dakotas, Nebraska and Minnesota.”
than the other pack members, often bark- go there,’ she told me. ‘You will love it!’” Christina’s current “pack” includes
howling in response to a perceived threat. Christina had never heard of the her husband of 20 years, Vince, and their
Instances of him investigating, staring International Wolf Center, but when she pups, Max and Millie. She says she’s truly
through windows, and even deliberate looked it up online, she was hooked. “I thankful for the friendship opportunities
patrolling were frequently recorded when watched the wolf logs and the YouTube her membership and participation in
videos; I read everything on the website. the Center has provided. This year she
other wolves were distracted, asleep
Four years ago in March I went up there is signed up for our Working for Wolves
or absent. These behaviors displayed with my sister for the Wine, Women and and Tracking the Pack events, while Vince
by Grayson exhibit (albeit anecdotal) Wolves event.” will be taking the Pup Care course this
qualities of potential leadership.” Christina said it was a powerful summer with a friend they met through
moment that very first time she saw the Center. n
To learn more about the Exhibit Pack
the Wolf Center. “Luna was still part
dynamics, consider joining a wolf care
of the pack. It was winter, and it was Susan Ricci is the development director for the
webinar at www.wolf.org/programs/
snowing. Seeing the exhibit pack in a International Wolf Center in Ely, Minnesota.
webinars. n
I n t e r n a t i o n a l Wo l f Summer 2019 19You can also read
