Volunteer of the Quarter

Volunteer of the Quarter, Richard Nichols

Volunteer of the Quarter, Richard NicholsBy Dan Monn, Animal Care, Gift Shop & Volunteer Assistant and Cindy Irwin, Director of Education & Volunteer Services, Wolf Haven International

If you had the chance to visit Wolf Haven this summer on a Friday or Monday, chances are pretty good that you met one of our outstanding volunteers, Richard Nichols. Richard is a new volunteer who has made a big impact. He easily engages guests at the docent station with warmth and enthusiasm. Model skulls of wolves, coyotes, bears, and cougars are some of the props that guests get to handle and learn from with Richard’s expert guidance.  Watching Richard interact with visitors of all ages, you can see how adept he is at making them feel welcome.

Having recently retired, Richard is now pursuing his lifelong interest in nature; that includes getting back to some of his wildlife art and photography, while volunteering as a docent with Wolf Haven and at Northwest Trek as well.  He enjoys the opportunity that volunteering gives him to meet new people and talk about the importance of conserving our natural environments.  One day in particular stands out for him at Wolf Haven.  It is a magical, thrilling sound to hear when our wolves all howl in unison, and one day, they howled a total of  nine times! It is unknown why they were so vocal that day, but it made it a very special one for Richard and the guests to share.  Still, Richard looks forward to the day that Wolf Haven, and similar organizations, are no longer necessary.  Until then, we are very happy to have him as one of our outstanding volunteers.

 

Wolf Haven Photographer Debuts New Book – ParentMap

Seattle-based fine-art photographer Annie Marie Musselman has photographed the likes of Gloria Steinem and Barack Obama for magazines including OutsideThe New Yorker and Elle, but it’s her portraits of animals which resonate the most with people.

Mexican gray wolf

Mexican gray wolf, Annie Marie Musselman photo

Salmon Saturday

Lakota leaves his salmon to steal Sierra's fish.

Lakota leaves his salmon to steal Sierra’s fish.by Marisa Pushee, Animal Care Assistant, Wolf Haven International

Merlin carries his salmon

Merlin carries his salmon.

Here at Wolf Haven International, we feed a wide range of raw meats to our resident animals. Whenever possible, we source meat that would otherwise go to waste. One of the special treats we offer the wolves is salmon. In the photo above, Lakota abandons his salmon in favor of stealing one from his companion, Sierra. Luckily, she promptly reclaimed his abandoned fish.

Pike Place Fish Co. donates the salmon. The world famous seafood vendor at Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington is known for its “flying fish presentations” where their fishmongers throw the fish in the air when they make a sale.  While the demonstration draws in the crowds at the market, the rough handling is too much for expensive salmon.

Bucket of salmon

Bucket of salmon.

This is where chum salmon enters as a stunt double for the wild king salmon. These stunt fish are thrown in the air several times before they are discarded. As these fish cannot be sold, Pike Place Fish Co. donates them to Wolf Haven International and other wildlife facilities. The salmon is deeply frozen for several days, and the extreme low temperatures of -5 degrees Fahrenheit kill any microorganisms that could pose a risk for the wolves, including Neorickettsia helminthoeca, the bacteria responsible for producing a fatal gastrointestinal infection in domestic dogs. We are only able to feed our animals the wild salmon because it has been deeply frozen in a commercial freezer.

Lonnie rolling on his salmon

Lonnie rolling on his salmon.

The wolves love the novelty of the fish. The salmon also provide high quality protein, fat, and minerals to the wolves. We are so happy to provide this exciting and nutritious food to the wolves and thank Pike Place Fish Co. for their support.

 

 

 

Honoring Living and Deceased Wolves – FTE news magazine, Combined Fund Drive

As part of our obligation as a sanctuary, Wolf Haven commits to treating all wolves or wolfdogs who find refuge here with compassion, respect, and dignity from the day they arrive until their end of days. There is even a cemetery onsite for residents who have passed on.  We encourage guests to visit the memorial cemetery when they are visiting Wolf Haven and share a requiem for a friend.