Where Wolves Howl….

I chose to live where wolves howl. To be close to these amazing animals is where I want to be.

One particular incident illustrates the love I have for wolf country.  My dog and I were hiking at twilight near a stream several years ago. I won’t say where, because I  live a private life but it was not too far from my home.  My dog was on high alert and I knew wolves were afoot. I could feel their presence before the howling began.  A lone howl rang out across the stream bed, joined very quickly by another, then another. Very soon we were surrounded by howls. My dog joined in, connecting with his primal self. Soon I decided to join the fray. It was my idea of wolf heaven.

The wolves were communicating with each other the way they’ve done for thousands of years and my dog and I were allowed  to be part of it.  The wolves did not show themselves physically.  They are shy animals due to persecution by man. All the bold wolves have been selected out. The ones that remain usually want nothing to do with the two-legged creature who walks upright and kills them and their families. But on this particular twilight I like to think they knew we meant them no harm and were willing to share a little part of themselves with us.  I will always remember that evening, even though I’ve had other encounters with wolves over the years. I don’t own a spotting scope and wolves are notoriously hard to spot without one, except of course in Yellowstone, where they are habituated to humans, making them doubly vulnerable should there be another wolf hunt this fall. The mighty Yellowstone Cottonwood pack fell to hunter’s bullets precisely because they did not view humans as a threat. Big mistake.

I  think about what will happen if the wolf hunts proceed this fall.  We are once again facing the loss of hundreds of wolves to human blood lust. I want to tell my wolf friends to run for cover to the national parks and stay there until the shooting stops but wolves have territories and they will defend them. They don’t understand the danger they’re  in. Right now they’re raising their pups, being the best parents and family members they can possibly be. Many of those pups will never live to adulthood.

The people that are bent on wolves’ destruction are robbing me and others of the joy of hearing and seeing wild wolves. If they are allowed to kill off  wolves in the Northern Rockies, we may never hear the howl of a wolf again. The thought makes me sad beyond measure. I treasure my encounters with wolves. I want to have many more, as I know other wolf advocates, conservationists and wildlife advocates do as well.

Where wolves howl we can feel truly free!

=======

Photo: Courtesy kewlwallpapers

Posted in: gray wolf, biodiversity

Tags: wolf howl, howl for freedom, where wolves howl, Howl Across America