Wolf Haven International invites you to participate in one of our popular wolf photography visits. Photo visits are held during colder months, when the wolves are wearing their winter coats and are more active. The program begins at 8:00 am with a continental breakfast and brief presentation. The group will take photographs in the wolf sanctuary from 9 am – noon.
Third-graders at Columbia River Gorge Elementary School were able to lay their storybook perceptions of the “big, bad wolf” to rest this week, after experiencing Wolfways, an educational presentation about wolves in the wild, on Monday, Dec. 4.
In Wolf Nation Brenda Peterson (ΦBK, University of California-Davis,1972) provides a passionate advocacy for the protection and preservation of the wild wolf population. Her photographic essay, “Wolf Haven: Sanctuary and the Future of Wolves in North America”2016), might well serve as a companion to this work.
2017 poster: The Golden Hour by Emma Loisch
Wolf Awareness Week is fast approaching. Celebrated the third week each October, this is a time for wolf advocacy organizations to promote science-based wolf facts and dispel inaccurate myths. Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute began the Timber Wolf Alliance in 1987, and every year, with the assistance of sponsors like Wolf Haven International, a poster featuring an award-winning artist’s rendering of a wolf or wolves in their natural habitat is produced. The 2017 winner is Emma Loisch with The Golden Hour.
Wolf Haven is participating in several events this month in honor of Wolf Awareness Week. We will be in Portland, OR, Dana Point in Orange County, CA and the North Olympics region of WA. We hope you can join us at one of these forums to celebrate the lives of wolves.
If you are looking for an interesting, new way to celebrate Wolf Awareness Week, look no further than the Portland Zoo. Wolfways, an Oregon outreach program supported by Wolf Haven, along with Oregon Wild and Wolf Haven International, will host an educational, fun event on Saturday, October 21.
When: October 21, 11am – 3pm
Where: Portland Zoo Education Center
Admission: Wolf Education free with regular zoo admission.
Click HERE to learn more.
There will be educational, organizational, and craft tables. Every child is given a passport to take while “traveling” and will receive a stamp for participating in each table’s learning opportunity. Four stamps earns him or her a wolf pendant, while children with eight stamps receive a poster. The tables will consist of wolf information about adaptations, family life, ecosystems, habitats and more. Come join the wolf fun and explore the Oregon Zoo.
Learn about wolves from Skie Bender, Educational Outreach for Wolf Haven, at Dana Point Library. Skie will share her passion and knowledge regarding wolves and dispel myths and legends regarding these remarkable animals. Presentation suitable for all ages.
When: October 8, 2-3:30pm
Where: Dana Point Library Community Room
Admission: Free
For more information about this and other wolf educational programs in California, contact: Skie Bender 714.336.5798.
Get information at the Forks and Sequim libraries about wolf conservation from Chris Montero, Outreach Coordinator at Wolf Haven International. Guests can learn more about Wolf Haven’s mission to conserve and protect wolves and their habitat, as well as hear about wolf recovery in Washington State. Chris will also discuss Wolf Haven’s participation in multi-agency Species Survival Plan programs for critically endangered wolves like the Mexican gray and the red wolf.
When: October 14, noon – 2pm
Where: Forks Branch Library
Admission: Free.
When: October 14, 5pm
Where: Sequim Branch Library
Admission: Free.
“I do have a favorite. His name is London, and he is considered a victim of the film industry. People tried training him to be vicious, but he wasn’t a very good actor.”
The closest thing he’s had to a hometown gig in recent years has been serving as auctioneer for Wolf Haven International’s annual Wolves & Wine, set for Sept. 30.
by Wolf Haven volunteer Sarah Elizabeth Crawford
It is often said that helping others is a reward in itself and many of those who volunteer at Wolf Haven International would strongly agree. Still, the staff at Wolf Haven never misses an opportunity to thank those who spend their time and energy trying to aid in their efforts to increase understanding, appreciation and conservation of wolves.
…wolf cookies!
Enjoying potluck barbecue, complete with…..
One way Wolf Haven expresses its appreciation is by hosting a yearly Volunteer Appreciation event. The event varies from year to year; however, this summer volunteers and their guests were invited to a barbecue at the sanctuary. The festivities began with viewings of a special video made honoring the wolves who have passed away in the previous year, giving volunteers a chance to say goodbye to the animals they have cherished, many since their first days at the Haven. The video also introduced newly added residents, such as the four Mexican gray and eight red wolf pups born this Spring.
The author making a wolf popsicle.
Making delicious smelling sicles.
Adding water to the concoction.
Afterwards, guests donned disposable gloves and dug deep into buckets of hot dog bits, venison biscuits, and clam chunks. Don’t be too alarmed by the spread – these delicacies were layered into cups and frozen into popsicles to be given out to the wolves as a delicious summer treat. The real feast came after, when everyone (the humans, that is), gathered for an outdoor picnic, enjoying a light summer breeze and each other’s company.
Sierra showing off her popsicle.
Cindy Irwin, Director of Education and Volunteer Services shares anecdotes with volunteers.
The event ended with stories from volunteers depicting their experiences at Wolf Haven, and heartfelt expressions of gratitude from staff. During the speeches, the wolves added their own voices as they collectively sang out, reminding each of us of the cause that continues to bring us all together.
Could you be a Wolf Haven volunteer? Want to learn more? Send an email to Wolf Haven’s Director of Volunteer Services, Cindy Irwin, at cirwin@wolfhaven.org.
Pamela Maciel and Chris Montera of Wolf Haven show where wolf packs reside in the state.
by Faye Peebles
Education Coordinator, Wolf Haven International
Wolf Haven staff describe different animal skulls to the Girl Scout campers.
As we set up our table, very much as if we are at a booth event or our own docent table back at Wolf Haven, people start coming down the gravel path from the parking lot. We are in one corner of the large opening. In the center is a round fire pit with benches four deep on all sides. In the corner opposite are two tables end to end with the makings of Campfire Cones on them.
You may be asking what is a Campfire Cone? It is a common Girl Scout campfire treat. How do I know this (aside from being a Girl Scout myself)? Chris, Pam, and I are at Girl Scouts of Western Washington’s (GSWW) center in Dupont, Washington. We are guest speakers at the second Fireside Friday of this summer. GSWW-Dupont began Fireside Fridays as a way to bring environment-related learning to Girl Scout families in a fun way and get some use out of their fire pit. The purpose of Wolf Haven’s presence is to talk about being safe while recreating in carnivore country and briefly talk about what to do in the event of an encounter with wildlife.
As families, GSWW volunteers and staff come in, they greet those they know and then the kids get excited. They see our table full of skulls, the life-size coyote and gray wolf standees, and our Camping with Carnivores sign.
Quickly the table is surrounded by children of varying ages, eager to find out what we have, share with us what they know, and see how they physically “size up” to wolves.
Before we know it, the group’s attention is being called for and the campfire is starting. After a welcome from the lead volunteer and a couple of campfire songs, (yes, Chris, Pam, and I participated to the best of our ability), we get started.
Moving among our guests, we ask the group to be skull detectives with us. An animal’s skull can tell us what types of food it eats, which sense is most important for survival, and roughly its size. Paw prints, along with the skull information, help the group identify the animals, all of which are native to Washington.
With a general understanding of the carnivores in our state, we take the group through a lesson in responsible hiking/camping/recreating and then demonstrate the good vs. bad ways to react if a person comes upon wildlife.
Faye holds up a wolf skull replica as Pam explains features of that species.
Finally, we are able to enjoy the Campfire Cones as more questions are asked and answered (incidentally, a campfire cone is a waffle cone filled with marshmallows, chocolate, sprinkles, peanuts, etc., wrapped in foil and heated over a fire for a short time. Everything melts together and you enjoy like an ice cream cone.) Overall, a great time is had by all, including these three Wolf Haven staff.
Faye Peebles – Woman of Distinction
Editor’s Note: Faye is too modest to mention this in her blog post, but she was recently selected as a Girl Scout Woman of Distinction. She received the award from two ambassador Girl Scouts at a May 4 ceremony in Tacoma, WA.
Diablo’s final portrait (Julie Lawrence for Wolf Haven International, 2017)
At 17, Diablo defied the odds- most wolves never live to see their 10th birthday let alone their 17th – so we knew that we were on borrowed time. We realized that eventually his age would catch up with him and the day would come when we would need to say goodbye. That day came on Sunday, June 25.
Until nearly the end, Diablo enjoyed good quality of life. He had some age-related challenges; he had become hard of hearing, his vision wasn’t as sharp and he had generalized stiffness and weakness. This was particularly pronounced in his back-end, especially if he laid in the same spot for a long time and then tried to get up. All things considered, though, he was as spry as a 17 year-old wolf could be.
Gypsy and Diablo photo taken by Julie Lawrence
Diablo was immediately identifiable because of the twin notches in his ears. He was born at a zoo in Detroit, where it is believed that the notches were caused by sibling squabbles. Diablo came to live at Wolf Haven in 2004 when he was three years old.
A Mexican gray wolf, Diablo was a participant in a federally managed Species Survival Plan program designed to preserve the survival and health of this critically endangered subspecies of the gray wolf. His longstanding companion was Gypsy, a female Mexican wolf. Because their enclosure was on the public visitor route, over the years hundreds of people were privileged to see the beauty and unique coloration of this rare breed. Beyond this, though, visitors could bear witness to a bonded pair that carried themselves with dignity and grace.
Young Diablo (2004) taken by Julie Lawrence
Diablo was a teacher to us in so many ways and he undoubtedly touched everyone who encountered him. We were fortunate to have had the opportunity to care for him all these years but there is definitely a void in the sanctuary, not only for his longtime companion Gypsy, but for all of us.
Rest in peace sweet Diablo.
Lovingly written by Wendy Spencer and Kim Young
Wolf Haven
Wolf Haven’s annual fall fundraiser and annual meeting, Wolves & Wine, will be held on Saturday, September 30 from 5-8 pm at Saint Martin’s University – Norman Worthington Conference Center in Lacey, WA.