Conservation

Wolf Haven supports the restoration of wolves in their historical ranges; actively discourages wolves and wolfdogs being privately-owned as pets; and provides fact-based information to the public. Wolf Haven also partners with various organizations in the ongoing study and restoration of prairie habitat and native species.

Saving Animals From Extinction

Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) programs are a cooperative effort between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), as well as non-AZA participants like Wolf Haven. A SAFE program is designed to oversee the population management of an endangered species in captivity and to enhance their conservation in the wild. The program, originally called Species Survival Plan (SSP), was developed in 1981 to help ensure the survival of selected species, most of which are threatened or in danger of extinction in the wild.

Wolf Haven participates in federally-managed SAFE programs designed to ensure the continued health and survival of two endangered wolf species: the American Red wolf and the Mexican wolf. Wolf Haven is a breeding facility for both programs and because of the secluded nature of our sanctuary, the wolves raised here are prime candidates for release into the wild. To date, ten litters of Mexican wolf pups and five litters of American Red wolf pups have been born at Wolf Haven. Three packs (22 wolves) of Mexican wolves and two American Red wolves have been released from Wolf Haven into the wild over the past 20 years.

Wolf Wise Communities

As the wolf populations in Washington grow, and as individual wolves disperse, we expect wolf packs will soon become established in the South Cascades and Olympic Mountains. In anticipation of the return of wolves to these regions, Wolf Haven and its partners are building Wolf Wise Communities (WWC) that can thrive on landscapes with wolves. WWC are about building community through conversations, collaboration, and experiential exchange, while modeling leadership through a prism of hope.

Wolf issues are complex and often divisive, so the program aims to understand the ways in which people perceive wolf issues; identify shared goals; exchange reliable information; brainstorm solutions; cultivate a shared sense of ownership over the entire process and its outcomes. At the heart of Wolf Haven’s WWC initiative is the belief that partnerships built on trust, respect, credibility, and the ability to empathize with individuals who have different and opposing perspectives will produce thriving and resilient human and wolf communities.

Prairie

Coastal prairies are one of the rarest ecosystems in Washington and over 90% of highly threatened prairie land has already been lost. Once native prairie is converted to other use, such as housing or industry, it becomes inhospitable and often uninhabitable to its original residents. As prairies dwindle, so do the number of native species who thrive on them. Developed land rarely, if ever, returns to prairie. Conservation and restoration of remaining prairie fragments is crucial to the long-term survival of this unique ecosystem.

While we are known for our work in wolf conservation, we are committed to involvement in other conservation opportunities when they arise. In addition to our wolf sanctuary, Wolf Haven’s acreage includes 36 acres of rare Mima mound prairie, 8 acres of Garry oak/conifer woodlands, and 8½ acres of wetlands ranges. This mosaic of habitats makes up the Patrick Vance Dunn Memorial Prairie, which offers unique opportunities for restoration and reintroduction of regionally rare species. The primary goal of the Wolf Haven Prairie Project is restoration of its prairie and strengthening its role as a host for rare and threatened prairie species.