A PUBL ICAT ION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTERFALL 2004

16 Personal Encounter

19 Tracking the Pack

22 Wolves for theClassroom

25 What Should WeTeach About Wolves?

26 Educator Workshops

28 A Look Beyond

THE QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTER VOLUME 14, NO. 3 FALL 2004

On The CoverPhotos by Tom Schwab, Becky Rennicke,International Wolf Center and Jonathan Chapman

Departments

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We’re Not in Kansas Anymore: The Rapidly Changing World of Wolf Education

S t e v e G r o o m s

At the Crossroads: Toward a New Era in Wolf Education

J i m W i l l i a m s

Wolf Education in Action

Why This Special Issue on Education?

L . D a v i d M e c h

Features4

710 Hunter Outreach:

Face to Face EducationD o r o t h y M c L e e r a n d N a n c y W a r r e n

Can Attitudes Toward WolvesChange from Fear to Curiosity?Experiences from an EducationalProgram in NorwayK r i s t i n E v e n s e n G a n g å s

Education Goes Both Ways with Wolf DepredationsC a r t e r N i e m e y e r

Can Ecotourism Improve Wolf-Human Coexistence?C h r i s t o p h P r o m b e r g e r

Wolves in Print Media: Information or Misinformation?N o r m B i s h o p

Educating for ChangeN i n a F a s c i o n e

Wolf Education in the 21s t Cen tur y

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Publications DirectorMary OrtizAndrea Lorek StraussMagazine CoordinatorCarissa L.W. KnaackConsulting EditorMary KeirsteadTechnical Editor L. David MechGraphic DesignerTricia Austin

International Wolf (1089-683X) ispublished quarterly and copyrighted,2004, by the International Wolf Center,12615 Co. Road 9, #200, Minneapolis, MN55441, USA. e-mail: mplspack@wolf.org.All rights reserved.

Publications agreement no. 1536338

Membership in the International WolfCenter includes a subscription toInternational Wolf magazine, free admissionto the Center, and discounts on programsand merchandise. • Lone Wolf member-ships are U.S. $30 • Wolf Pack $50 • Wolf Associate $100 • Wolf Sponsor $500 • Alpha Wolf $1000. Canada and othercountries, add U.S. $15 per year for airmail postage, $7 for surface postage.Contact the International Wolf Center,1396 Highway 169, Ely, MN 55731-8129,USA; e-mail: mplspack@wolf.org; phone: 1-800-ELY-WOLF

International Wolf is a forum for airingfacts, ideas and attitudes about wolf-related issues. Articles and materialsprinted in International Wolf do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of theInternational Wolf Center or its board of directors.

International Wolf welcomes submissionsof personal adventures with wolves and wolf photographs. Prior to sub-mission of other types of manuscripts,address queries to Mary Ortiz, publications director.

International Wolf is printed entirely with soy ink on recycled and recyclablepaper (text pages contain 20% post-consumer waste, cover paper contains 10% post-consumer waste). We encourageyou to recycle this magazine.

PHOTOS: Unless otherwise noted, orobvious from the caption or article text,photos are of captive wolves.

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AcknowledgmentsThe International Wolf Center is grateful to the Institute of Museum andLibrary Services for funding this special issue of International Wolf.

The Center also extends a special appreciation to Congressman James L.Oberstar (MN-08) and Congressman Martin Olav Sabo (MN-05) for theircritical help in securing support for this issue.

West Gate

Clockwise from top: Nyssa (female) born 5-12-04;Grizzer (male) born 5-5-04;Maya (female) born 5-5-04. See the latest on their progressat ww.wolf.org! Photos: International Wolf Center

Welcome the newest additions to the International Wolf Center.

Why This Special Issue on Education?

Welcome to this special wolf-education issue of International Wolf. As youopen our pages, we open our thoughts to you about educating peopleabout wolves. With wolves recovering in key areas of the United Statesand Europe, wolf education becomes increasingly important.

Not only are wolves inhabiting more areas of the country, they are also living closer

to humans. Conflicts with human interests including livestock and pets are increasing.

Some hunters are becoming concerned that wolves might kill too many

game animals, and a few people fear for the safety of their children.

All these concerns need to be kept in perspective, and it is only through

public education that this can be done.

As with other wildlife, public agencies will manage wolf populations,

and members of the public will disagree on what the proper approach

will be. At present, several states are holding public discussions about

wolf management and developing wolf management plans. Some people

want wolves eliminated, while others object to any wolves being killed.

What is an objective and informed approach? Public officials must figure this out

and try to accommodate the disparate wishes of the public. The better informed people

are, the better public agencies can manage wolves to the greatest benefit for wolves

and humans.

Thus, this special issue of International Wolf will help foster this effort. Because

the International Wolf Center’s mission is to advance the survival of wolf populations

through education, this special issue of our magazine helps accomplish that mission

straight on.

This issue of International Wolf is being sent not only to members, as usual, but

also to educators and wildlife professionals in the various states where wolves

live now or will soon. We hope each reader will find it valuable and use it to help

educate others. �

L. David MechFounder and Board Member, International Wolf Center

Welcome LetterINTERNATIONAL

WOLF CENTER

BOARD OF DIRECTORSNancy jo Tubbs

Chair

Dr. L. David MechVice Chair

Dr. Rolf O. PetersonSecretary

Paul B. AndersonTreasurer

Dr. Larry D. Anderson

Julie Potts Close

Thomas T. Dwight

Nancy Gibson

Hélène Grimaud

Cree Holtz

Cornelia Hutt

Dean Johnson

Dr. Robert Laud

Mike Phillips

Deborah Reynolds

Jerry Sanders

Paul Schurke

Ted Spaulding

Teri Williams

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Walter M. Medwid

MISSION

The International WolfCenter advances the survival

of wolf populations byteaching about wolves, their

relationship to wild lands andthe human role in their future.

Educational services and informational resources

are available at:

1396 Highway 169Ely, MN 55731-8129, USA

1-800-ELY-WOLF1-218-365-4695

e-mail address:mplspack@wolf.org

Web site: http://www.wolf.org

I n t e r n a t i o n a l W o l f F a l l 2 0 0 4 3

L. David Mech

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When the Endangered SpeciesAct was enacted in 1973,gray and red wolves wereamong the most prominent

species listed. Managers planningways to restore wolf populationsrecognized that success would dependon educating people about wolves.Wolves could never be restored ifpeople continued to fear, hate and killthem as they long had. Wolf educatorsfaced the challenge of reversing atradition of wolf hatred that stretchedback to medieval Europe.

Educators hoped to accomplishthat goal by countering ignorance andfalsehoods with facts. Sound scienceand wolf advocacy were nearly thesame thing in those days, since tospread the truth about wolves was toshow how badly they had beenmisunderstood and to make the casethat wolves deserve a place to live.

Wolf educators fought old stereo-types with facts. They argued thatwolves are no danger to humans.Educators explained that wolvesevolved with wild ungulate popula-tions and do not represent a threat to them. While educators acknowl-edged that wolves sometimes attackdomestic livestock, they cited reas-suring research showing that thepercentage of such attacks was low.

Much early wolf education wasconducted by wolf researchers,managers and their assistants—people with direct experience withwolves. Education often took theform of books and magazine articlesbased on scientific research. A numberof sympathetic filmmakers addedtheir efforts to the cause, and their

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The Rapidly ChangingWe’re Not in Kansas Anymore:

Because wolves living in developed areas inevitably

prey on pets or livestock,some wolf educators haveadded a new message: wemust set aside significantareas of wild lands where

wolves can be wolves.

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films were aired on television.Some of the most effective wolf

education was accomplished with“ambassador wolves,” wolves habit-uated to humans that weretaken on leashes into such publicsettings as schools and state legi-slatures. With infinite dignity andcharisma, these ambassadors demon-strated the wolf ’s better side.Ambassador wolves often have moreemotional impact than any numberof scientific findings.

The Two-Front WarPerhaps the most astonishing

fact about the campaign to reverseAmerican attitudes about wolves ishow rapidly it achieved its goals. Wolfeducators point to the early 1980s asa time when public opinion began to shift. Wolf hatred gave way to wolftolerance and even wolf adoration.

In the Lake Superior states, wolvesincreased and occupied more habi-tats. The reintroduction of wolvesinto Yellowstone National Parkcreated a robust wolf population thatbegan dispersing into new regions.The Mexican wolf reintroduction inthe Southwest and the restoration ofred wolves in selected habitats alongthe eastern seaboard created moreawareness of wolves in those areas.

With success came new challenges.Groups of ardently pro-wolf peoplearose, and some were as strident inadvocacy as wolf haters had been inopposition. Their passionate advocacysometimes thrust wolf educators intotalking about the negative side ofwolves. Wolf educators who had beenfighting irrational wolf hatred found

themselves in a “two-front war,”arguing on the one hand that wolvesare necessary animals, and on theother that they sometimes requiremanagement. Some pioneering wolfeducators who had faced hostilegroups of wolf-haters were suddenlybeing accused of supporting the“slaughter” of an endangered species.The politics of wolf education werebecoming complicated.

The original wolf educationmessage that “wolves are cool”became more nuanced and complex.The new message was based on theconcern that wolf-human conflictscould inspire a resurgence of wolf

hatred. For some educators, the newmessage included endorsing lethalcontrol of wolves that prey on live-stock on the theory it is better to havedepredating wolves removed legallyby government agents than illegallyby irate citizens.

Some research began to show thatwolves have a dark side, furthercomplicating the message of educa-tors. Wolves sometimes adverselyaffect wild ungulate populations bypreying heavily on the young. Thatcan limit or greatly reduce localungulate populations.

The use of ambassador wolvesbecame controversial. In view of how

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World of Wolf Education

Above: Some of the most effective wolf education wasaccomplished with “ambassadorwolves.” This showed people the wolf’s better side.

Right: In the early years of wolf education, much of it wasconducted by wolf researchers,

managers and their assistants—people with direct experience

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views of wolves, evento school groups.

Wolf educators inmajor urban areasface entirely differentchallenges, as theyare talking to peoplewith little knowledge

about the natural world. Wolf educa-tors in the urban East, for example,must confront old shibboleths about wolves eating humans anddecimating deer herds.

In the American West, attitudestoward wolves are highly polarized.Some groups hate wolves and spread old myths about them. Other groups are ardently pro-wolf. ManyWesterners who formerly gave nothought to wolves are taking aninterest as wolves occupy territoryfrom which they were extirpatedmany decades ago.

Wolf education is now beingconducted through a far wider numberof venues, formats, genres and agen-cies. Books about wolves proliferate, as do films and television shows. Theabundance of animal shows on cabletelevision means that wolf films airfrequently, and wolf films are availablefor home viewing as DVDs and videotapes. Many zoos, wildlife centersand wolf centers conduct educationalprograms. Vast amounts of infor-mation (and misinformation) aboutwolves can be downloaded from the Internet. Colleges and schools nowoffer wolf education classes. Wolftourism provides another way to learn about wolves. Animal rights and wolf advocacy groups spread theirown vision of wolves.

Professional researchers andmanagers used to control the wolf

education message but no longer do.Increasingly, the voices doing mostteaching about wolves are those ofpeople who care about wolves orpeople who are professional commu-nicators, not wolf researchers.

Wolf education and wolf advocacyare no longer automatically the samething. Some wolf educators continueto see the world as hostile to wolves,so they continue to defend themvigorously. Other educators believethat the public has gotten beyond“Little Red Riding Hood” fairytalesand is ready for a more complex andrealistic vision of wolves.

Wolf education has changed radi-cally in its short history. Because ofincreases in wolf numbers and wolfrange, more people are learningabout wolves from direct experience.The audiences interested in wolveshave become larger and vastly morediverse. Similarly, there are morepeople doing wolf education—people with diverse backgrounds,motivations and views. There aremore ways to communicate messagesabout wolves, including ways neverimagined when the wolf was placedon the endangered species list.

Some wolf educators are nostalgicfor the time when wolf hatred wasrampant and the message of wolfeducators was simpler and morepassionate than it has become. Buteven they know that the bewilderingcomplexity of modern wolf educa-tion is largely a result of the astonish-ingly effective job wolf educatorshave done. �

The author wishes to acknowledge the help of wolf educators, including Les Lynn,Cornelia Hutt, Nina Fascione, PeggyCallahan, Anne Koenke, Doug Smith, Kent Weber, Dick Thiel, Norm Bishop, Jim Halfpenny and others. The insights inthis article are theirs; the errors are mine.

Steve Grooms is a writer who lives inMinnesota.

well the public was accepting wolves,many educators believed the timehad come to present a more nuancedand less sanitized view of wolves.Some educators worried that theimage of a wolf on a leash sends thewrong message, encouraging peopleto regard wolves as handsome dogs.Still, some wolf educators continueto believe that ambassador wolves,properly used, convey a messagemore potently than any other educa-tional technique.

Because wolves living in devel-oped areas inevitably prey on pets orlivestock, some wolf educators addeda new message to wolf advocacy. Ifwolves are to live without forevercoming into conflict with humans,they said, we must set aside signifi-cant areas of wild lands where wolvescan be wolves.

Ever Greater ComplexityAs modern wolf education moves

into its fourth decade, complexityhas become the norm. One exampleis the impact of geographic differ-ences on wolf education.

In the Lake Superior states publicattitudes toward wolves are remark-ably positive. Having lived withwolves, people in the region knowand tolerate wolves to an extentnever seen before in a Western civilization. Wolf educators are ableto present sophisticated, nuanced

Many zoos, wildlife centersand wolf centers conducteducational programs.

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Afew years ago, I attended a wolf seminar in Yellowstone during which I witnessed arevealing exchange. In a talk onwolf management, the instructorexplained that it is often necessary to kill individual wolves in order to conserve wolf populations. After-ward, a student asked, “How can wejustify the intentional infliction of suffering and death on a sentientanimal for any reason?” “As I said,”the instructor responded, “researchshows that livestock depredation will rise to socially unacceptablelevels unless managers are willing tokill offending wolves.” Unsatisfied,the student responded simply, “Thatdoesn’t address my question.”

Indeed, the instructor had notaddressed the question, at least notdirectly. The student was asking aquestion about moral values—thosedeep-seated beliefs that concern“how we ought to live.” Because theYellowstone instructor did not recog-nize the moral nature of the question,he missed a valuable opportunity tohelp his students critically examineone of the many important moralissues in wolf conservation.

This exchange is emblematic of apervasive contradiction in wolf

education. Wolf educators talk agood deal about the importance ofmoral values to wolf conservation.Yet most wolf education programsfocus predominantly on biology anddevote little or no attention to values.To understand this contradiction, weneed to go back to the roots of wolfeducation in the field of biology.

The Virtues and Limits ofWolf Biology Education

From a historical perspective, wolfeducation might be more preciselytermed wolf biology education. Wolfbiologists founded the wolf educationmovement, taught most of the earlyprograms, and established the science-based tools and standards that have

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I n t e r n a t i o n a l W o l f C e n t e r

Crossroads:

Toward a New Era inWolf Education

At the

Although wolf educators talk a good deal about the importance of moral values to wolf conservation, most wolf education programs focus predominantly on biology and devote little or no attention to values.

Productive wolf education should notonly teach wolf biology but also fosterdiscussion of moral and ethical issuesinherent in wolf conservation.

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But the wolf is not only anorganism, and misunderstanding ofwolf biology is not the only reasonwhy extreme views of the wolfpersist. The wolf is also the subject ofhuman moral values whose greatimpact on wolf survival is sometimesindependent of correct biologicalunderstanding. In our Yellowstoneexample, the student understood theinstructor’s science-based argumentsbut objected on ethical grounds,believing that individual wolves havemoral standing that may supersedethe value of population conservation.

Philosophers of science tell us thatbiology and the other “hard” sciencescannot answer such moral questions.

Despite this, the science-dominatedwolf community continues to rely onscience to understand and explain allthings, including moral values. Inwolf education, this misapplication ofbiology only further obscures alreadysubtle and complex moral issues.

Wolves and Moral ValuesWolf education’s failure to recog-

nize and meaningfully examinemoral values has broad implications.Wolf conservation is infused withconflicting moral values, and animalwelfare is just one of several commonmoral themes. Other commonthemes concern the following:

Democracy: Wolf recovery is anantidemocratic imposition of elitisturban and suburban values on ruralpeople, or the U.S. government unnec-essarily constrains wolf recoverybecause it is beholden to politicallypowerful anti-wolf interests.

Virtue and vice: Wolves that play,cooperate, love and sing are theembodiment of virtue and the goodlife, or wolves that kill wastefully andmercilessly are the embodiment ofevil and depravity.

Religion: Wolves are part of God’screation, and as such, we are oblig-ated to protect them, or wolves arepart of the wilderness that Godintended man to subdue.

Spend enough time as a wolfeducator, and you will encounter all ofthese moral themes and many more.

Political scientist Martin Nieargues in his book Beyond Wolves:The Politics of Wolf Recovery andManagement that moral values likethese are ultimately the basis of most

guided wolf education ever since. As a result, today’s wolf educators are all, in some sense, “biologists,” if not by academic training then by theirimmersion in a professional commu-nity dominated by biology.

In large degree, emphasizingbiology in wolf education makessense. The wolf is, after all, anorganism whose evolution, physi-ology, ecology and behavior can onlybe understood through the theoriesand methods of biology. On a practical level, biology-focused wolfeducation has advanced wolf conservation by tempering extremepro- and anti-wolf views that areoften based in part on misunder-standing of wolf biology.

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sociopolitical disagreementsabout wolves. If Nie is correct and wolf education isfailing to meaningfully addressmoral values, then the wolfeducation community’s nearlyexclusive focus on biologymisses some of the coreissues in the debate.

“Sound Science,Sound Ethics”

Ethicist William Lynn hasoffered a simple but profoundsolution to this dilemma. He terms it “sound science,sound ethics.” Sound scienceis the theory-rich, evidence-based knowledge that isrelied on to ground ourthinking about wolves inbiological facts. Lynn arguesthat we need to complementsound science with a soundethics equipped to illuminate themoral dimension of wolf conservation.

Easier said than done. Ethics is adistinct scholarly discipline, no lesscomplex and demanding thanbiology. Wolf educators can no moresimply begin teaching ethics compe-tently than a carpenter could beginpracticing dentistry. The wolf conser-vation community too often missesthis crucial point, mistaking mereconversation about moral values forcritical analysis. The result is that thediscussions that do take place areoften unproductive.

But what would sound ethics inwolf education actually do? Soundethics must do at least five things for students:• Identify and clarify the moral

values that are often implicit anddifficult to articulate.

• Examine the internal consistencyof moral value systems.

• Examine the compatibility ofmoral values with the best avail-able science.

• Identify and remediate conflictingvalues.

• Develop and justify refined valuepositions that meet all of theabove tests.

Educators of a scientific bent oftenask whether this sort of approach can reveal a single right answer—an unambiguously “correct” moralvalue—and if not, whether such an approach has any practical worth.Most philosophers would not endorsethe idea that we can reveal definitivemoral truths analogous to biology’shard and fast facts. But the assump-tion that moral values are, therefore,beyond rational analysis is incorrect.A sound ethics has the power to refinemoral beliefs by identifying and eliminating inconsistencies, illogicand false premises. The prevailingmoral beliefs on all sides of the wolfdebate usually suffer from many suchflaws. By eliminating them, we canraise the moral debate to a new levelof rationality and integrity.

A New Era in WolfEducation?

Incorporating a sound ethics inwolf education begins with improvingthe wolf education community’sknowledge of ethics. Improvingknowledge of ethics requires formaltraining in ethics for wolf educatorsas well as the hiring of new wolfeducators who already have strongtraining in ethics.

The good news is that there is a wealth of excellent scholarship onmoral values and their role in conser-vation issues. If we in the wolf educa-tion community are willing to availourselves of this scholarship, we have the opportunity to offer enhancededucational programs whose sophisti-cated treatment of moral values andbiology can do for the era of state wolfmanagement what wolf biology alonedid for the era of wolf restoration. Untilwe seize this opportunity, that studentin Yellowstone will still be waiting foran adequate response to her question.Let’s not make her wait too long. �

On a practical level, biology-focused wolfeducation has advanced wolf conservation bytempering extreme pro- and anti-wolf viewsthat are often based in part on misunder-standing of wolf biology.

Wolf biologists founded the wolf education movement,taught most of the early programs, and established thescience-based tools and standards that have guided wolfeducation ever since.

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During the past decade manypeople have become awarethat the way we travel oftendestroys the reason why we travel. Inmany places the natural world hasbeen damaged by an overabundanceof visitors; local traditions andcultures have been converted intovisitor attractions; and rich touristsdisplay their latest-model cameras,clothing and mobile phones in oftenpoor local communities.

Consequently, ways to develop amore sustainable tourism have beenexplored, and the term ecotourismwas coined to describe these efforts.Ecotourism is also called naturetourism, sustainable tourism and

responsible tourism, but they allmean the same: respect for natureand for the people that live there.

The term ecotourism has beenwidely misused, however. A three-daytrip from Europe to a South Americannational park with immense con-sumption of fossil energy representsecotourism as little as a safari lodgeowned by a multinational companywhose profits leave the area. Trueecotourism causes minimum impactson the environment throughout theentire trip (including the environ-mental costs of traveling to the destination), includes informationand education components, andinsures that a certain percentage ofthe money spent on the trip (the

literature talks about 25 percent)remains in the local community.

As part of the Carpathian LargeCarnivore Project, an internationalresearch and conservation project, Ideveloped an ecotourism program inthe Romanian Carpathian Mountains.The Carpathians form the mostimportant stronghold of large carni-vores in Europe, with 3,000 wolves,5,500 brown bears and 2,000 lynxliving together with some 5 millionpeople in an area of about 70,000square kilometers (about 27,300square miles). The program workedthrough Western travel agencies,which sent organized tour groups tothe area. All services within Romaniawere provided by local businesses,and with the exception of the travelagencies’ overhead and the costs for transport to Romania, all moneyremained in the local communities. We

Can Ecotourism Improve Wolf-Human Coexistence?b y C h r i s t o p h P r o m b e r g e r

Wolf Education inWolf Education in

An ecotourism program in the Romanian CarpathianMountains provides informationabout carnivore ecology to organized tour groups.

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trained local guides to provide goodinformation about carnivores andnature to the visitors, and each groupwas accompanied for two days byproject staff in the field who explainedcarnivore ecology and our research.

As a result of the tourism programlocal people are more aware of carni-vores and feel they have somethingthat other people will travel far toexperience. Local citizens are alsomore aware that the way they use or overuse their natural resourcesmay influence future economicopportunities. After a week in theCarpathians, visitors from westernEurope learn that wolves and bearsdon’t live only in remote wildernessareas and that people in Romania canlive successfully with carnivores.

Christoph Promberger has led theCarpathian Large Carnivore Project forthe past 10 years and is currently engagedin the development of a Large CarnivoreCentre in Romania. He also runs a horse-riding center, where people are taken outon horseback to view the fantastic sceneryof the Carpathian Mountains. For moreinformation, go to www.clcp.ro andwww.equus-silvania.com.

Every November, as if Muslimsmaking a pilgrimage to Mecca,hundreds of thousands ofhunters take to the north country of Michigan and Wisconsin to partici-pate in the generations-old tradition of white-tailed deer hunting. Duringthis popular season, these states have experienced rises in wolf shoot-ings. To help curtail this illegal activity, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) created a program in the mid-1980s calledHunter Outreach to meet hunters faceto face with information about wolves.

This program relies on citizenvolunteers and wildlife agencypersonnel who traverse the backroads during the few days before the opening day of the season andlocate hunters in deer huntingcamps. Armed with packets of wolfinformation provided by the MDNR,the Timber Wolf Alliance and theNational Wildlife Federation, theygreet hunters, answer questions about

Hunter Outreach:Face to FaceEducationb y D o r o t h y M c L e e r a n d N a n c y W a r r e n

wolves, and ask hunters to report anywolf observations.

Jim Hammill, a now retired MDNRbiologist and originator of HunterOutreach, believes this program hasbeen effective on several fronts. Hesays, “We believe that the presence ofpeople afield during the firearm deerseason deters those who may kill awolf when no one is present. The ob-servation reports submitted over timerecord a significant number of wolfsightings, helping greatly with winterpopulation monitoring activities.”

Recognizing a good thing,Wisconsin adopted Hunter Outreachthree years ago when strong anti-wolfsentiment reappeared; the TimberWolf Alliance now coordinates theeffort with support from the WisconsinDNR. This past deer season a dozenvolunteers and forest service and DNR personnel took to the back roads and reached nearly a thousand hunters in northeastern Wisconsin andMichigan’s western Upper Peninsula.

Dorothy McLeer and Nancy Warren aremembers of the Timber Wolf Alliance’sAdvisory Council and its volunteerSpeakers Bureau. McLeer is one of themost involved of the Michigan HunterOutreach volunteers, and Warren coordi-nates Wisconsin’s Hunter Outreach.

Hunter Outreach relies on citizen volunteers and wildlife agency personnel whotraverse the back roads and locate hunters in deer hunting camps. They greet hunters,answer questions about wolves, and ask hunters to report any wolf observations.

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Participants in an ecotourism programin the Carpathian Mountains learnthat lynx and other carnivores don’tlive only in remote wilderness areas.

ActionAction

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After decades of absence,wolves returned to the Stor-Elvdal municipality insouthern Norway in the late 1990s,and their presence led to seriouscontroversy. People asked questionsabout the chances of a wolf attackingchildren. Was it dangerous to walk in the forest, ski in wolf areas or pick berries? Words like “decreasedquality of life” were heard more often.

In 2000, the Ministry of theEnvironment, for which I work, andlocal authorities started an educa-tional program in Stor-Elvdal to helpalleviate the controversy. The aim ofthe program was to increase knowl-edge about large carnivores. We didnot take any political stance in thediscussion. Lynx, bears and wolver-ines also occur in this area, so it wasnatural to treat all large carnivores as

local species and to notmake any of them“symbol species.”

People were invited toparticipate in outdooractivities like snowtracking, visiting oldbear dens, radio trackingand looking at kills. Wepresented slide shows in schools and for thegeneral public. The latestnews about research was distr ibuted inbulletins sent regularly

to every householdin the municipality.People could jointhe researchers inthe field, and schoolclasses visited thecollege in the areathat also runs aresearch station. Weencouraged peopleto relate their ex-periences with largecarnivores in the

bulletin, and quite a few took the opportunity. These effortsincreased the understanding of howresearch works, and the dividebetween scientists and local citizensseemed to decrease.

When the project started, somefolks claimed that it was just anothermanipulative project with a hiddenagenda to make everyone have posi-tive attitudes toward the wolf. But thechildren were enthusiastic and trans-ferred this enthusiasm to theirparents. When the project ended inDecember 2002, people asked formore, and some activities werecontinued in 2003 and 2004 andhave become traditions.

The project was evaluated byNOVA (Norwegian Social Research).One conclusion was that people withno experience of conflict with carnivores found an opportunity toincrease their knowledge withouttaking a political stance. Those whoparticipated in project activities said that they increased their under-standing of nature and also becamemore curious about large carnivores.In the first years after the wolf pack was established, the childrenexpressed fear, and school staff hesi-tated to use their outdoor areabecause it was part of the wolves’habitat. Today this is no longer anissue, and the school staff uses anyarea they find appropriate.

Our experience has been thatpeople’s fear decreases over time asthey become used to the presence ofthe wolves. But I think that citizens’participation in the project activitiesand their increased knowledge accelerated the decrease in fear and controversy.

Norway now has similar projects,called “Living with Carnivores,” ineight other conflict areas. It will beinteresting to see the results fromthese projects!

Kristin Evensen Gangås is a biologistwith the Royal Ministry of Environmentin Norway. This is her fourth yearworking on projects dealing withconflicts between large carnivores and local people.

Can Attitudes Toward WolvesChange from Fear to Curiosity?Experiences from an Educational Program in Norway

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Top: Children in Stor-Elvdal, Norway, participated in radio-tracking lynx and bears as part of a program to increase knowledgeabout large carnivores.

Bottom: Children in Stor-Elvdal, Norway,helped radio-collar a moose for a study on wolf-moose predation.

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By misstating or misusing facts,anti-wolf authors provide goldenopportunities to correct the record orclarify a misstated concept. I respondto misinformation published in theregional media through editorials andletters to the editor using credible,scientific sources. I avoid derogatorylabels and keep my responses factual.I don’t take on the emotional aspects

of articles by anti-wolf writers. Thewolf literature and data compiled bothbefore and since the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone and centralIdaho—reports to Congress, environ-mental impact statements, annualreports and many scientific publi-cations—help to refute the modernmythmakers and provide solid footingfor correcting misinformation.

Norman A. Bishop was the principalinterpreter of wolves and their recoveryin Yellowstone National Park from 1985 to 1997. Since his retirement, he has continued to educate people about wolves.

Many Americans use thepopular media as theirprimary source of informa-tion about wolves. Unfortunately,what they get is often misinforma-tion. Printed media such as nationalsportsmen’s and livestock growers’publications and local newspapers inwolf country often spout what I call“barstool biology” to support theirdeclarations and proposals againstwolves and their recovery in thenorthern Rocky Mountains.

A popular theme among thesewriters is that wolves are a danger topeople, especially children. Anotheris that as wolves return to the RockyMountain states, they will destroy elk and other game populations in unspeakably cruel andwasteful ways, and then turnto cattle and sheep, puttingoutfitters and ranchers out of business. They believe thatanyone who appreciates wolvesor supports their recovery isan eco-terrorist o r bunnyhugger who doesn’t know thetrue destructive nature ofwolves, hates hunters andhunting, and would take awaythe firearms used by huntersto feed their families.

Wolves in Print Media:Information or Misinformation?b y N o r m B i s h o p , I n t e r n a t i o n a l W o l f C e n t e r G r e a t e r Y e l l o w s t o n e E c o s y s t e m R e p r e s e n t a t i v e

Anti-wolf authors who spout “barstoolbiology” in printed media to support theiropposition to wolves and their recoveryprovide golden opportunities to correct therecord or clarify a misstated concept. M

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I listen to what the ranch family tellsme. I always express empathy, but I also remind them that livestock die andcan be killed in many ways. If I canestablish that their animal was killed by wolves, I may suggest that we radio-collar a single wolf to find out howmany wolves are in the area, and howproblematic their presence could be.

My first objective is to stop thedepredations. If that can be accom-

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plished using nonlethal means, thenwolves fare better, but I analyze each situation to see what kind oflatitude the rancher will give me. Imust abide by U.S. Fish and WildlifeService policies, so I try to ensurethat the rancher and I understandeach other’s positions.

I’ve found that trust and commu-nication are the most important ele-ments in resolving conflicts. In somecases wolves must die, but in all cases education goes both ways.Giving ranchers the opportunityto express their feelings aboutwolves (and about the govern-

Wolf depredations on live-stock are emotional eventsthat require thorough in-vestigation and good communication.It takes only one phone call by anunhappy rancher for a depredation to turn political and be accompaniedby a media circus.

I have built trusting relationshipswith ranchers by listening and beingobjective. Before I investigate a kill,

Education Goes Both Ways with Wolf Depredationsb y C a r t e r N i e m e y e r

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I n t e r n a t i o n a l W o l f F a l l 2 0 0 4 15

Education is the first step inwildlife advocacy. How cansomeone argue for a causeunless they are informed about the topic and understand how the political process works? Thosepromoting wolf conservation need to teach people not only why theyshould care about wolves—theecological importance of this keystonespecies and the moral imperative to restore an animal decimated byhuman actions—but also about who makes wildlife managementdecisions and how to reach and influ-ence those people.

There are examples from acrossthe country of educated citizens aidingwolf recovery. Informed Oregoniansrecently defeated 10 bills that would have gutted protections forwolves in their state. In Vermont,wolf advocates halted proposed legislation that would have prohib-ited wolf reintroduction there.

And Alaska citizens have twice voted to ban the practice of aerialwolf control.

Advocacy brings together individ-uals whose voices might otherwise be lost. A single voice may not havemuch power, but there is strength in numbers. As with wolves, thechorus is heard not with a lone howlbut the combined vocalizations of apack. As Dr. Fred Harrington discov-ered and R. D. Lawrence stated in In Praise of Wolves, “when a pack calls in unison, the varying pitch oftheir voices may deceive a listenerinto believing that the number ofwolves in the group is greater than itactually is.” Similarly, human activistscan make more noise and conse-quently achieve greater conservationsuccesses through the combinedefforts of informed individuals. �

Nina Fascione is the vice president of speciesconservation at Defenders of Wildlife.

ment) is the first step toward bettercooperation and understandingamong all of us.

Carter Niemeyer is the Idaho WolfRecovery Coordinator for the U.S. Fishand Wildlife Service.

Above: Carter Niemeyer investigates wolfdepredations on livestock. One aspect ofhis job is that sometimes wolves must bekilled when nonlethal means do not stopthe depredations.

Left: Niemeyer has found trust andcommunication to be the most importantelements in resolving conflicts over wolfdepredations.

Those promoting wolf conservation need to teach people not only about the ecologicalimportance of this keystone species but also about who makes wildlife managementdecisions and how to reach and influence those people.

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On a 1994 field trip to the Ely,Minnesota, area to study waterquality, my students asked if wecould visit the International WolfCenter to find out more about thesemysterious animals. We did visit, andwe learned. We sat in awe of thecaptive wolves; we knew it was aspecial opportunity to see a real wolf!

This was not an end to the ques-tions, only the beginning. That visitsparked the design and implementa-tion of Eyes on Wildlife, a high schoolscience curriculum designed toprovide authentic research opportu-nities for students. It was importantto me, as a teacher, to nurture thenatural curiosity these students had

about wolves. It was also importantto me for these students to learn thefacts and various opinions aboutwolves—to talk and work withpeople knowledgeable about thiscontroversial animal.

A major goal of conductingwildlife research with students is tohelp them understand more fullytheir responsibility for better eco-system management. Students whoget to know a wildlife populationwell and share the information they have gathered in an objectiveway with experts and the communitybecome empowered and believe theycan make a difference in local andworld problem solving.

In the early 1990s, wolvesreturned to the northern edge of Otter Tail County, Minnesota.Rumors abounded, and speculationspiqued the interest of my students.“Do we really have wolves here?”some asked. “What are they like? Are they mean?” These questions and more were addressed to me bystudents. “I don’t know very muchabout wolves except that they are on the endangered species list,” I replied. Our facts were limited and sketchy, and our opinions onwhether it was desirable to havewolves return were based solely on the few things we had read orheard from others.

Eyes on WildlifeT e x t a n d p h o t o s b y B e c k y R e n n i c k e

Eyes on Wildlife, a high school science curriculum, provides research opportunities for students,such as using radio telemetry to track radio-collared wolves.

I n t e r n a t i o n a l W o l f F a l l 2 0 0 4 17

With program funding we traveledto Ely to learn about tracking radio-collared wolves, howling and otherimportant information. We learnedabout the causes of the wolf popula-tion decline, the management plan to increase the population and theissues the plan raised. The staff atVermilion Community College andthe International Wolf Centerprompted students to look at all sidesof the issues and taught them torespect the concerns of various stake-holders. We learned that there are noeasy solutions, but to get any solutionat all, we need to work together. Thisphilosophy became a cornerstone ofthe Eyes on Wildlife program.

Since those early years, studentshave conducted track pad and howling

s u r v e y s i nour area andhave visitedthe Agassiz

National Wildlife Refuge and CampRipley to observe research biologistscapturing and radio-collaring wolves.We study the habitat, make plastercasts of wolf tracks, collect scats and talk with field biologists aboutdiscoveries they have made aboutwolf behavior. Students receive thetracking data and plot the movementsof the animals using GIS. This pastwinter we saw a wolf for the first time running through the woods at

Camp Ripley!Once again, thestudents knewthey had seensomething not

everyone gets to see. But this waseven more special; this wolf was not acaptive wolf, this wolf was free.

We continue to study wolves everyyear. It is a success story in wildlifemanagement and a constant reminderto us of how humans so dramaticallyaffect the ecosystem. Are we makingan impact on how students viewwildlife management and the wolf inparticular? I think so. I asked formerstudents for their thoughts. Here aresome of the responses:

Andy: “I thought of wolves asanimals that run about causingmischief. But after the trip, I thoughtof them as animals that keep to themselves. The survival of the wolfis important because they help maintain the natural food chain.”

Rachel: “When you study a partic-ular animal in depth, you have abetter understanding of howcomplex the ecosystem is and how it is all interrelated, how changes inanimal populations affect people, andhow what we do determines whetheranimals in the food chain live or die.”

Patrick: “I have lived in the woodsall my life, but I didn’t realize that

Students learn how to locate radio-collared wolves by using triangulation.

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everything in nature is soclosely knit together, that every

animal is affected by every otheranimal. I have learned basic ecology,how things work in wildlife.”

Overview: Students will differentiate betweenbeliefs, values and attitudes, and thenconduct a survey.

Directions: The following definitions will behelpful for this activity:

Belief: an assumption based oninformation. It may be right orwrong. Example: Where there aremore prey, there are more wolves.

Value: a worth attached to an object,event, idea or place. Example: Wolvesare magnificent animals.

Attitude: a position based on a belief ora value with a predicted behavior.Example: Wolves should be controlledand managed.

Instruct students to write a list of fivebelief statements, five attitude statementsand five value statements related towolves. Have students develop a surveyto ask at least 30 other people whetherthey agree or disagree with each state-ment. Students will then report surveyfindings to the class. Be sure studentsphrase their findings properly, forexample, “ X percent of survey re-spondents agreed that...” instead of“X percent of people think that....”

Student participants in Eyes on Wildlifeobserve research biologists capturing andcollaring wolves.

Agree or Disagree?

One of our project cooperators isGary Huschle, a wildlife biologist withthe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.“This project has far reaching benefitsfor our nation’s conservation efforts,”he says. “Students involved in thisproject will have a much greaterappreciation for the environment, allaspects of a field research project, the professionals that care for it, and the role that public policy playsin conservation. . . . The success ofthis project will be measured whenthese students become communityleaders and resource professionals.” �

Becky Rennicke has been a scienceteacher for 24 years and has alwaysstrived to make education meaningful for students by linking with professionalsin the community to provide authenticopportunities for students.

For more information:

Eyes on Wildlife: http://www.mnstate.edu/regsci/eyes/project.html

WISE: http://wise.berkeley.edu

International Wolf Center:http://www.wolf.org

I n t e r n a t i o n a l W o l f F a l l 2 0 0 4 19

The mission of theInternational WolfCenter is to advancethe survival of wolf popula-tions by teaching aboutwolves, their relationship towild lands and the humanrole in their future. Thismission is accomplishedthrough exhibits, on-siteeducational programs, ad-venture programs, outreacheducation, teacher work-shops, curricula, our quar-terly magazine and our Website. Our ambassador wolvesare an important componentof the Center’s exhibits andeducational programs andcan now be seen on the Web.

Through a cooperativeeffort with ElyMinnesota.com,a company that offers Webservices to Ely residents andvisitors, three Web cams aremaintained at the Center.Two cameras record thedaily activities of theExhibit Pack (Shadow,Malik, Grizzer, Maya and

Nyssa), and one cameraoffers a glimpse into theworld of the Retired Pack(MacKenzie, Lucas andLakota). You can view thewolves through thesecameras by clicking on the“Watch Live Wolves” linkon the Center’s home page,www.wolf.org. Because thewolves are free to come andgo from camera view, insummer you are most likelyto see them when they aremost active: before 8 a.m.and after 6 p.m., whentemperatures are cooler.During the other seasons,

Tracking the Pack

The International Wolf Center:Where Wolves Meet the Webb y L o r i S c h m i d t , W o l f C u r a t o r ,I n t e r n a t i o n a l W o l f C e n t e r

The ambassador wolvesare an important compo-nent of the Center’sexhibits and educationalprograms and can nowbe seen on the Web atwww.wolf.org. News ofthe wolf care programis delivered via the wolflog section.

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wolves may be visible anytime of the day. Log in to see the wolves on the ledge rock in front of theexhibit or taking a swim in their pond.

News of the wolf careprogram is delivered on the Web via the wolf logsection. These descriptionsreport the physical, behav-ioral and logistical details

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Overview: Students react to statements in journal or essay form.

Directions: Provide these statements to students and have them select one torespond to.

• In A Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold wrote, “The lastword in ignorance is the man who says of a plant or animal,‘What good is it?’” React to this statement. What did Leopoldmean? Do you agree or disagree?

• In 1854 Chief Seattle said, “If all the beasts were gone,man would die from a great loneliness of the spirit. Forwhatever happens to the beasts soon happens to man. All things are connected. . . . Whatever befalls the earthbefalls the sons of the earth.” What does Chief Seattle meanby these words? Do you agree or disagree?

• Barry Lopez writes in Of Wolves and Men that “in thewolf we have not so much an animal we have known, butone we have imagined.” In what ways is this true? Is this

positive or negative?

• Wolves are the subjects of myths,legends and fables. Explore the differ-ences. Write a myth, legend or fableusing the wolf as a central character.

Travel the protected waters ofSE Alaska’s inside passage.This remote area of mountainous islands, old growth timber and tidal estuaries is home of theAlexander Archipelago Wolf.

6 day, 5 night trips, meals,lodging, daily shore excursionsinto the best wolf habitat.

FOR A BROCHURE CONTACT:

Riptide Outfitters8654 View Court North

Ketchikan, AK 99901

www.hyakalaskacharters.com907-225-1548

Wolf Watch Aboard the

MV HYAK

collectively learning fromthe ambassador pack.

Look for Nanny Notes in summer 2004 as theCenter begins the socializa-tion process of three wolfpups preparing to join the Exhibit Pack. Weeklygrowth rates, behavioraldevelopment and vocaliza-tions will be recorded andposted on the Web site forall to share. There may evenbe a live Web chat or two.Stay tuned, and see you on the Web. �Wolf Words

of the ambassador wolves.Readers can even reliveShadow and Malik’s puppydays through archived nannynotes posted near the wolflogs. These logs describetheir growth, their develop-ment as yearlings, theirtesting of their older packmates for status and theincidents that resulted inMacKenzie, Lucas andLakota’s retirement. Theselogs can also be a valuableresource to other facilitiesdealing with similar captivewolf issues, sharing and

I n t e r n a t i o n a l W o l f F a l l 2 0 0 4 21

INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTER

Contributors

Major DonorsDonald Benson Jr.

Craig Dill

Richard Gould

Robert Kulus

Elizabeth McCafferty & Kevin Porro

Dody Nesbit

Elaine Lyford Nojima

Debbie Reynolds

Theodore Spaulding

Ceridwen Sanders

Charles, Kathleen &Charlie Stelzner

Harold W. SweattFoundation

Terra Et EducareFoundation, Henry Crosby Jr.

Turner EndangeredSpecies Fund

John & Donna Virr

RoyaltiesRykodisc, Inc.

Voyageur Press, Inc.

In-KindDonationsVirginia Goodwin

Jerry Sanders

Art Sinden

Matching GiftsMartha Champagne &IBM InternationalFoundation

Frances Cone & ING Foundation

Judith Fech & Wells Fargo

Sherry Green & Microsoft

Rosemary Hughes &American ExpressFoundation

Richard Krueger &General MillsFoundation

Elizabeth McCafferty,Kevin Porro &Schindler ElevatorCorporation

Caryl McNeilly &International Monetary Fund

Virginia Minor & IBMInternational Foundation

Thea Necker-Wachter &JP Morgan ChaseFoundation

Lois Nichols & Pfizer Foundation

Brian Ogren & AmericanExpress Foundation

Kevin Oliver & OrangeCounty United Way

Lisanne Renner & The New York TimesCo. Foundation

Richard Salz & IBMInternational Foundation

Ruth Schunmann &Rogers Corporation

Kate Stanley & Star Tribune Foundation

Honorary

In Honor of Teresa Marx:Eileen Holloway

In Honor of Seth David Medvin:Dody Nesbit

In Honor of Doris Rable:Ana Maria Andrade

In Honor of TobiasSchwarz & Deb Jarrett:Karen Zelinski

In Honor of Fred Strauss:Dody Nesbit

In Honor of Wayne Sueker:Beth Sueker

In Honor of Jeff Woolford:The Campbells

Memorials

In Memory of Marian Bloechl:Toni Bloechl

Tina Cornella

Arlene Holm

Brad Warne

In Memory of Doris Brazil:Carolyn Farnham

In Memory of Bill Eastman:Janet Eastman

In Memory of Terry Klass:William Hayes

In Memory of Nicholas Lakis:Dolores Lakis

In Memory of Mary McKelvey:Jean Ruth

In Memory of Catherine Peabody:The Callahan Family

Erica Cardozas

FEBRUARY–APRIL 2004

Thank You

Nyssa curls up with Grizzerfor warmth and security.

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BooksThese books contain accurateinformation and are fun andfascinating to read. Some are out of print, but they can bepurchased from used-bookvendors on selected Web sites fora fraction of the original price.

G E N E R A L I N F O R M AT I O N

Wolves: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation,edited by L. David Mech and Luigi Boitani, University of ChicagoPress, 2003.

The ultimate resource for anyoneinterested in wolf ecology, environ-mental science or conservationdynamics.

The Way of the Wolf, by L. David Mech, Voyageur Press, 1991.

Wolves, by Nancy Gibson, Voyageur Press, 1996.

Return of the Wolf, by Steve Grooms, NorthWord Press, 1999.

The Wolf Almanac: A Celebrationof Wolves and Their World, by Robert H. Busch, Lyons Press, 1998.

The Company of Wolves, by Peter Steinhart, Alfred A. Knopf, 1995.

The Great American Wolf, by Bruce Hampton, Henry Holt and Company, 1997.

Of Wolves and Men,by Barry Lopez, Scribner Classics, 2004.

Wolves of the World, by Todd Fuller, Voyageur Press, 2004.

H I S T O RY O F T H E W O L F I NN O RT H A M E R I C A

War Against the Wolf: America’s Campaign toExterminate the Wolf, edited by Rick McIntyre, Voyageur Press, 1995.

Wolf Wars: The RemarkableInside Story of the Restoration of Wolves to Yellowstone, by Hank Fischer, Falcon Press, 1995.

A Society of Wolves: National Parks and the Battle over the Wolf, by Rick McIntyre, Voyageur Press, 1996.

A R C T I C W O L F

The Arctic Wolf: Ten Years with the Pack, by L. David Mech, Voyageur Press, 1997.

Wolves of the High Arctic, by L. David Mech, Voyageur Press, 1992.

R E D W O L F

Journey of the Red Wolf, by Roland Smith, Cobblehill Books, 1996.

Another Country: JourneyingToward the Cherokee Mountains, by Christopher Camuto, Henry Holt, 1997.

U P P E R M I D W E S T

The Wolves of Minnesota: Howl in the Heartland, edited by L. David Mech, 2000.

Keepers of the Wolves: The Early Years of Wolf Recovery in Wisconsin, by Richard P. Thiel, University of Wisconsin Press, 2001.

Wolves of Minong: Isle Royale’s Wild Community, by Durward L. Allen, University of Michigan Press, 1993.

Wolves for the Classroom: The Wolf as a Keystone forTeaching Essential Skillsc o m p i l e d b y N e i l H u t t

Bookstores, libraries and onlinesources offer an almost limitlessarray of books and films aboutwolves. Wolf Web sites compete for atten-tion. What are the best resources? Beloware some suggestions for all audiences—teachers and students, parents, the general public. Theseselections are most appropriate for middle school, highschool and beyond. In addition to teaching about the wolf,many of these resources encourage students to examinetheir individual and collective responsibility towardanimals and the ecosystems that sustain them.

Through these books, videotapes and Web sites, thewolf becomes a collaborator in helping young people topractice active stewardship of the earth. Invite the wolfinto your classroom to help students develop essentialskills such as • reading for information and pleasure

• organizing information

• learning by listening, viewing

• reflecting on learning

• using technology todiscover information

• thinking logically, critically and creatively

• asking questions

• distinguishing betweenfact and opinion

• building vocabulary

• conducting researchand crediting sources

• taking responsi-bility for the earthand its resources.

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Denotesitems availablefor purchaseonline atwww.wolf.org.

I n t e r n a t i o n a l W o l f F a l l 2 0 0 4 23

The Wolves of Isle Royale: A Broken Balance, by Rolf O. Peterson, Willow Creek Press, 1995.

The Timber Wolf in Wisconsin:The Death and Life of a Majestic Predator, by Richard P. Thiel, University of Wisconsin Press, 1993.

A L A S K A

The Wolves of Denali, by L. David Mech et al., University of Minnesota Press, 1998.

The Wolves of Mount McKinley,by Adolph Murie, University ofWashington Press, reprint, 1985.

NORTHERN ROCKIES ANDYELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

The Wolves of Yellowstone, by Michael K. Phillips and DouglasW. Smith, Voyageur Press, 1996.

The Yellowstone Wolves: The First Year, by Gary Ferguson, Falcon Press, 1996.

The Return of the Wolf to Yellowstone, by Thomas McNamee, Henry Holt, 1997.

The Ninemile Wolves, by Rick Bass, Houghton Mifflin, 2003.

Yellowstone Wolves in the Wild, by James C. Halfpenny, Riverbend, 2003.

S O U T H W E S T

The New Wolves: The Return of the Mexican Wolfto the American Southwest, by Rick Bass, Lyons Press, 1998.

The Return of the Mexican GrayWolf: Back to the Blue, by Bobbie Holaday, University of Arizona Press, 2003.

N O RT H E A S T

The Return of the Wolf:Reflections on the Future ofWolves in the Northeast, edited by John Elder, University Pressof New England, 2000.

E A S T E R N C A N A D A

Wolf Country: Eleven YearsTracking the Algonquin Wolves, by John B. Theberge with Mary T. Theberge, McClelland and Stewart, 1998.

W E S T E R N C A N A D A

The Buffalo Wolf: Predators, Prey, and the Politics of Nature, by Lu Carbyn, Smithsonian Institution Press, 2003.

S T O R I E S

Tales of the Wolf: Fifty-One Storiesof Wolf Encounters in the Wild, compiled by Denise Casey and Tim W.Clark, Homestead Publishing, 1996.

Wolf Songs: The Classic Collectionof Writing About Wolves, Robert H. Busch, editor, Sierra Club Books, 1994.

The Mountain Wolf’s Gift, by Kevin Strauss, audio recording, 2003.

The Wolf, the Woman, the Wilderness: A True Story of Returning Home, by Teresa Tsimmu Martino, New Sage Press, 1997.

Hungry for Home: A Wolf Odyssey, by ’Asta Bowen, Simon and Schuster, 1997.

VideotapesBecause these great predators areamong the most elusive animals,good documentary films are vitalcomponents of any educationprogram about wolves. Each ofthe following films depicts wolvesin the wild. They bring to theviewer the reality and complexnature of these flexible, intelli-gent and tenacious animals. Mostare available for purchase, eitheronline or in bookstores.

Wolves: A Legend Returns to Yellowstone, National Geographic, 2000.

Wolf Pack, National Geographic Television, 2003.(Not produced for public sale at thistime. Watch for televised reruns.)

Overview: Students compare and assess film portrayals of wolves.

Directions: Many people will never have a chance to see a wolf in thewild. Thus, many people learn what wolves look like and howthey act by viewing films about wolves. Because of cost, time

and other factors, different films reflect differing levels ofrealism in their portrayals of wolves.

View several films (or film clips) about wolves with students. Youmay wish to use some of the videotapes listed in the resource

section on this page. Have students discuss and write about theeffects of these films on the viewing public.

Discuss: What is anthropomorphism? Howdoes giving human characteristics towolves or other animals enhance ordetract from a film? Peter Steinhartsays in his book The Company ofWolves that “we will always have diffi-culty separating what killing means towolves from what killing means to humans.” What do youthink Steinhart means? Many documentaries on wolves donot show the close-up details of wolves killing prey. What decisions would you make in that regard if you werea filmmaker?

Canid Cinema: The Good, the Bad and the Misleading

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Web SitesThe wolf resources in cyberspacecover every topic from biologyand ecology to recovery andmanagement issues and backagain. Some sites are informa-tional while others are main-tained by wolf advocates andpolitical activists. Many of thesites will open windows on theworld of wolves and other speciesand to endangered habitats aswell. Some of the Web sites listedare “wolf specific,” while othersdeal with biodiversity, speciesconservation and other environ-mental issues. Some containteacher guides and activities.

www.wolf.org. International Wolf Center. A greatresource for students and teachers,this site includes online wolf tracking! Its site also includes accessto hundreds of scientific articles about wolves. Be sure to check out thecurriculum Gray Wolves, Gray Matter.

www.projectwild.org. An interdisciplinary conservationeducation site.

www.kidsplanet.org. Defenders of Wildlife’s online wolfcurriculum.

www.fieldtripearth.org. The North Carolina Zoo’s interactiveWeb site. Click on “All Field Trips”on the home page. This will take youto “Red Wolves of Alligator River.”

www.searchingwolf.org. Contains a comprehensive list ofvideos, books, articles, wolf educationmaterials and more.

www.sinapu.org. Native Carnivores in the Southern Rockies.

www.forwolves.org. The Wolf Recovery Foundation.

www.northland.edu/soei/timber_wolf.asp. Timber Wolf Alliance.

www.timberwolfinformation.org/kidsonly/kidsonly.htm. Timber Wolf Information Networkkids’ site.

www.wolfsongalaska.org.Wolf Song of Alaska.

www.redwolves.com. The Red Wolf Coalition.

www.californiawolfcenter.org. California Wolf Center.

www.defenders.org. Defenders of Wildlife.

www.nywolf.org. Wolf Conservation Center.

www.usgs.gov/education. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) education page.

www.fws.gov. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service(USFWS). Click on “Kids/Educators”for activities and a comprehensive list oflinks to environmental education sites.

http://endangered.fws.gov/kids/heyteach.htm. USFWS endangered species activities.

http://mexicanwolf.fws.gov. Mexican Wolf Recovery Programreports.

www.r6.fws.gov. Western gray wolf status reports.

www.yellowstone-natl-park.com/wolf.htm. Yellowstone Wolf Report Page.

www.nps.gov/yell/nature/animals/wolf/wolfup.html. Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem WolfPack Territories. Click on “Kids’Stuff” for activities.

http://www.windowsintowonder-land.org. Electronic field trips in YellowstoneNational Park. �

Neil Hutt is an educator andInternational Wolf Centerboard member who lives inPurcellville, Virginia.

Was That a Wolf? Produced by Bruce Weide and PatriciaTucker, Lonewolf Productions, 1992.

Wolves, IMAX, 2000.

Wild Wolves with David Attenborough, PBS Home Video, 1997.

Following the Tundra Wolf, narrated by Robert Redford, Peace River Films, 1975.

White Wolf, National Geographic, 1988.

Wolves in Yellowstone, an animated tale for children based on the book by Randy Houk,Alan Weiss Productions, 1995.

Overview: Students calculate wolf population predic-tions.

Directions: Instruct students to imagine a hypotheticalsituation in which 10 wolves are intro-duced to a large island with 1,000 deer.For both species, students can assume a50/50 split male and female.

Assuming no reproduction or deaths fromother causes, how long would it take for thewolves to eat all the deer? (Students willneed to research average kill rates.)

Assuming average reproduction rates andno deaths, predict the number of wolves onthe island in three years? The number ofdeer? (Students will need to research averagereproduction rates.) Accounting for bothaverage kill rates and average reproduction

rates, predict the total population numbers forboth species after 10 years.

Discuss: Brainstorm the many factors that could influence the wolf and deer numbers on thehypothetical island. How can you measurethose influences to factor them into thecalculations? In what ways could humansinfluence the populations if they also livedon the island?

Crunch the Numbers

www.wolf.org the world’s best

resource for wolf information

I n t e r n a t i o n a l W o l f F a l l 2 0 0 4 25

Distribution: Wolves historicallyinhabited much of the northernhemisphere but today inhabitsome two-thirds of their formerrange. In the 48 states where most wolves were eradicated wolf populations are recovering in several areas.

• the wolf’s place in the ecosystem

Habitat needs: Wolves can live in a wide variety of habitats; theirprimary requirements are a sufficient prey base and toleranceby humans.

Relationships with other species:Several species are closely affectedby wolves, especially prey, scav-engers and other carnivores.

Relationship to wild lands: Wolvesconflict less with humans in wild lands; large-scale biologicalcorridors and networks of inter-connected preserves are mosteffective for wolf conservation.

• the nature of the wolf’s interac-tions with humans

Cultural: Cultural values colorhow humans understand, valueand treat wolves; wolves areviewed differently in differentcultural traditions.

Geographic: Conflicts often arisein areas where wolves and humansboth live; habitat fragmentationand loss are causing ideal wolfhabitat (wild lands) to disappear.

Historical: Intentional poisoningand eradication efforts caused thewolf population to drop in manyparts of the world; both wolf range

and population numbers weresignificantly affected by humans.

Economic: Economic realitiesaffect human decision-makingabout wolves; wolves affecthuman economic realities mainlythrough predation on livestock,pets and game animals.

Political/social: Wolf survivaldepends on political decision-making processes; wolf issuesmagnify existing political andsocial issues. As wolf populationsincrease in the United States,federal protection will be liftedand management returned to thestates, raising new questionsabout population sustainablilty,habitat, conflict with humans, andthe nature of recovery.

Recommended EmotionalObjectivesStudents should feel ...

• informed about wolves, their environment and their relationship to humans;

• inspired to learn more aboutwolves and wild lands;

• awed by the complexity of the environment;

• respect for the wolf as a wild animal and for its place inthe environment;

• optimistic about coexistencebetween wolves and humans;

• reassured that the wolf is rarelya threat to human safety.

Wolf education encom-passes an enormousnumber of topics, only aportion of which can be included intime-limited educational programs.The International Wolf Center hasdeveloped a list of priority learningobjectives to ensure that all studentslearn the basics about a few keytopics. Complementary emotionaland behavioral objectives outline theway we would like our students tofeel and behave as a result of oureducational programming.

This reference guide was devel-oped by the International WolfCenter education staff and boardeducation committee in collabora-tion with teachers, researchers andother education experts. Givenlimited time and resources, wolfeducators may wish to select subsetsof these points to create meaningfullearning experiences for their audi-ences. Keep these objectives handy,and refer to them when designingactivities for various audiences.

Recommended LearningObjectivesStudents should know...

• the wolf’s natural history

Adaptations: Wolves possess anarray of physical and behavioraladaptations that help them survivein a variety of habitats.

Behavior: Wolves are social animalswith distinctive behavior patterns.

What Should We Teach About Wolves?

continued on next page

26 F a l l 2 0 0 4 w w w . w o l f . o r g

Recommended BehavioralObjectives Students should act by...

• learning more about wolves andtheir relationship to wild lands;

• communicating about wolves andtheir relationship to wild lands;

• building conflict-resolutionskills to objectively participatein the survival of wolf popula-tions and wild lands;

• taking a broader interest in environmental issues;

• using talents, resources andskills to support agencies andorganizations whose activitiesalign with their values.

A balanced approach to wolfeducation ideally creates studentswho develop a deep understanding ofboth the biological and social dimen-sions of the wolf’s life and future.Audiences will come to believe thatas individuals and collectively, theyare responsible for helping to ensurelong-term survival of wolf popula-tions and wild lands. By modelingrespect for diverse opinions andvoices, objective education portraysthe wolf as a salient, intriguinganimal, neither good nor bad. Becausewe cannot fully understand wolveswithout understanding their role inthe environment, wolf educationmust address the preservation of wildlands as an important component towolf survival. �

Wolves engage learners of all levels like few other subjects can. The International Wolf Center’s Gray Wolves, Gray Matter work-shops help classroom teachers, naturalists, curriculum specialistsand youth leaders gain new knowledge, skills and resources for teachingabout wolves effectively and objectively.

In a recent workshop, for example, the International Wolf Center partnered with the Leopold Education Project to offer three days ofcurriculum training, wolf experiences and reflections on the classic writingsof Aldo Leopold. The workshop was sponsored by the Kenosha Chapter ofPheasant’s Forever with a generous donation.

Gray Wolves, Gray Matter workshops focus on teaching ideas and back-ground information for presenting wolf management controversies to studentsin grades 6 through 12. The workshop materials help teachers develop theirstudents’ understanding of stakeholder perspectives, the ecological impacts ofwolf recovery and the role of human values in public policy decision making.Participants experience a variety of teaching techniques as well as opportuni-ties for discussion and reflection. Graduate credits are usually available, too!

Workshops are being scheduled around the country. Sign up for ourRendezvous e-Newsletter for educators to receive the latest updates on workshops and teacher resources: http://www.wolf.org/wolves/learn/educator/edu_main.asp. �

What Should WeTeach About Wolves?continued from page 25

www.wolf.org the world’s best

resource for wolf information

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A recent educator workshop offered participants three days of curriculum training, wolfexperiences and reflections on the classic writings of Aldo Leopold.

I n t e r n a t i o n a l W o l f F a l l 2 0 0 4 27

Overview: Students examine their perceptions, thoughts and feelingsabout wolves and the origins of their knowledge aboutwolves.

Directions: Have students draw a picture of a wolf in the center of asheet of paper. Say the word “wolf,” and give studentsthree to five minutes to write any words or phrases thatcome to mind. Discuss with students the meanings of thewords fact, fiction and opinion. Have students divide anothersheet of paper into three columns headed by these words.Ask them to place their “brainstorm” words in one of thesethree categories. Students then total the responses in each category to get an idea of the basis of their knowledge andbeliefs about wolves. Divide the class into groups, or “packs,” to discuss their concept maps and compare them. Discuss the

basis of personal beliefs and how they influence our perceptionof information as fact or fiction.

Discuss: On what do we base our beliefs and perceptions? How mightknowledge and the acquisition of information changesomeone’s beliefs? Canyou think of some oncefirmly held beliefs thathave been proven wrong?

Will the Real Wolf Please Stand Up?

Two new additions to theMexican Wolf population!

On May 13, 2004,Mexican wolf pupswere born at theMinnesota Zoo. This isthe second year in arow the MinnesotaZoo has hadsuccessful breeding ofthis endangered

species.The pups have joined their parents and sevenbrothers and sisters (last year’s litter) in the exhibit,making for exciting viewing. Be sure to stop by theWolf Gazebo on the Northern Trail next time you visitthe Minnesota Zoo!

Join us for Autumn Howl at the Minnesota Zoo

October 21–24, 2004 • 9–4 daily

Learn about the Zoo’s conservation efforts with theMexican Wolf Program. Talk to the Zoo keepers whocare for the wolves. Costumed characters from theInternational Wolf Center and other kids’ activities makethis a fun, educational event for all ages.

For more information aboutAutumn Howl, Family ZooAdventure classes andevent schedules, please visitus at www.mnzoo.org orcall 952.431.9200.

Presented by

28 F a l l 2 0 0 4 w w w . w o l f . o r g

attitudes as the wolf’s biggest barrierto survival, but perhaps those withpositive attitudes toward wolves and wilderness who build theranchettes or second homes and usethe increased networks of roadscreate just as much of a barrier towolf survival.

Unless every citizen makes theconnection between their actions andthe environment, wolf populationswill grow into a shrinking wild landscape that leaves little room forthem or other wildlife. The choicesour society makes about land use—collectively and as individuals—affect wolves on every level. Insteadof focusing on preserving individualwolves, wolf education should focuson the need for preserving enoughwild lands to allow wolf populationsa place of their own to function natu-rally without being forced to competeand conflict with humans. �

Of Wolves and Wild Landsb y A n d r e a L o r e k S t r a u s s , N a t i o n a l I n f o r m a t i o n a n d E d u c a t i o n D i r e c t o r , I n t e r n a t i o n a l W o l f C e n t e r

two are on a collision course. Live-stock and pet damage by wolves iswell documented, and research isnow confirming the displacement of wildlife by roads and human-built structures. Imagine being an elk spending your summer inYellowstone National Park, thenmigrating to a nearby valley for the winter only to find that where last year’s trees and grasses grew now stands a three-bedroom homeon a fenced-in, 20-acre “ranchette”!

With human land-use patternsrapidly changing, wolf educationmust also be land-use education. Oneof the primary reasons that speciesbecome endangered is habitat lossand fragmentation. For the present,there is enough wild land to prevent endangerment of wolves.However, the increasing rate ofurbanization and suburbanization of large tracts of undeveloped wildlands creates fewer and fewer placeswhere wolves can live and travelwithout conflict with humans. Wolfadvocates often cite negative human

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The wild lands surroundingYellowstone National Park,k n o w n a s t h e G r e a t e rYellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), arerapidly being changed by residentialpopulation growth and commercialdevelopment. In fact, the twentycounties in the GYE are growingfaster than any state in the country,faster even than Arizona and Florida. Commercial development of land for ski areas and oil and gas extraction continues to changethe landscape for wolves, their prey and other wildlife.

Northeastern Minnesota is anotherarea where wolves have a strong presence, and the Ely area—the heartof wolf country — has been named in MSN Money magazine as one ofthe top 10 emerging second-homemarkets in the United States. Thiswill no doubt spur even furtherinterest in home building and all theassociated infrastructure.

As humans spread deeper intowolf country, and wolves expanddeeper into developed areas, the

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