Adoption of Owyhee Pack Leads to New Goals for Education Outreach
IMAGES OF RESCUE (July 2008)
USDA Shuts Down Private Facility; Asks Wolf Center for Help Rescuing Wolves (April 2008)

by Joanna Hofer, Volunteer Contributor

The big news at the Wolf Center this summer is the addition of 5 new resident gray wolves. The Owyhee Pack, as they have come to be known, arrived late in April needing a good home. The pack consists of 3 females and 2 males. When animal care issues grew out of control in the private facility where they were born, the USDA contacted the Wolf Center to see if we could provide assistance. After assessing the situation, the Wolf Center committed to providing a lifelong home for five of the wolves that were being placed for adoption. We were fortunate to have the space and resources necessary to commit to caring for these beautiful animals for the rest of their lives. We invite you to join us as we get to know them.

The Owyhee Pack currently resides in a two-acre enclosure that can be seen from the Wolf Center’s parking lot. Until our staff biologist deems the wolves sufficiently comfortable and acclimated to their new environment, viewing the new pack is limited to what can be seen from this distance. Spring visitors to the Center have turned into tailgaters finding excellent views of the new pack while sitting in camp chairs and picnicking on their cars.

The Owyhee Pack displays a healthy curiosity as they explore their new home, and it shouldn’t be long before visitors can have a closer look. Close range viewing and classroom areas have been set up for future use and are expected to be accessible by Wolf Center visitors in the near future. Care is being taken not to advance this process too quickly, however, since the journey to their new home and subsequent adjustment to a new environment has put them under a great deal of stress.

Naming the Wolves
Named the Owyhee Pack, Owyhee from the county in Idaho where they were born, the individuals of the pack have yet to receive names. Great care is being taken to select just the right name for each wolf. The Wolf Center wishes to honor the Nez Perce Tribe on whose land we are located by naming the individual wolves using traditional Nez Perce titles. The goal is to choose Nez Perce titles that aptly describe each wolf’s unique physical and behavioral characteristics. We have enlisted the help of the Nez Perce Tribe’s Cultural Resources Department to find suitable choices for names. Until a decision has been reached, each wolf is known simply by an assigned letter of the alphabet: “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” and “E.”

A Trip to the Center - What to Expect
A trip to the Wolf Center offers an almost mystical wolf watching experience. The two-acre enclosure is the destination for the Owyhee Pack. The Center’s goal is to prepare the 20-acre site, in the eventual absence of the Sawtooth Pack, to become home to another pack, possibly, with member and contributor support, to rescue others in the same manner which we restored the Owyhee Pack. With ample vegetation ranging from mature trees, shrubs, and various grasses, both sites provide lots of dark shadowy places where wolves can find respite from their admiring public.

When visiting the Center, one may have to wait patiently for the wolves to show themselves. Wolf Center wolves live by their own clock. Unlike a traditional zoo, the Wolf Center offers a natural environment that allows them to hide from time to time. Far from being extroverts, wolves tend to be shy observers, content to watch from the shadows unseen. “Wolves are very good at hiding,” states Jeremy Heft, the Wolf Center’s staff wildlife biologist. “If they don’t want to be found - they don’t get found.”

One moment the observer may see an empty field. Are there any wolves out there? Then after some time of quiet waiting, a small gray wolf appears. Wolf “B” trots by. She stays focused on the path ahead, a sentinel patrolling the perimeter. “I tell my interns to always assume we’re being watched by the wolves,” says Jeremy who has served as the Center’s wildlife biologist for more than 10 years. Jeremy plays a major role in all activities at the Center and has been carefully monitoring the Owyhee Pack. He has made detailed observations, recording each wolf’s characteristics for their naming as well as monitoring their adjustment to their new surroundings.

Names under consideration for Wolf B include: “Gray Ghost,” “She who runs,” “Little gray girl,” and “She who greets/goes last.” Jeremy notes that she is the least social towards humans.

Ages and Lifespan
It is uncertain exactly how old the Owyhee wolves are. The Wolf Center’s estimates are based on examination of their teeth. Dental wear is a somewhat reliable method of determining age, although, in confined environments, there tends to be greater wear on wolves’ teeth. Because wolves are biologically programmed to traverse large territories up to 150 miles in a single day, when they are kept in confined spaces, explains Jeremy, they have to do something with all that energy. Wolves in captivity often wear down their teeth at much faster rates than do wolves in the wild. That makes guessing their age a little difficult. Jeremy’s guess is that the female wolves, Wolves “B,” “C,” and “D” are four years old, and the male wolves, “A and E,” are six.

It is uncertain how long these wolves might live, since we don’t know how they were fed as pups. If they received proper nutrition, they might live up to 15 years, however, if they were malnourished as pups, their life spans could be significantly shorter. In the wild, wolves live up to 10 years. In captivity, they have been known to live as long as 15 years.

Wolf “A” approaches to the fence. Wolf “A” is a solid black/brown color, with a pronounced gray area under his chin resembling a beard. He has a white patch on his tail and striking yellow eyes. He appears to be the alpha wolf, but, says Jeremy, “rules lightly.” Wolf “A” is curious from a distance, but does not regularly approach humans. He moves to watch every human that approaches the enclosure. His bright yellow eyes contrast against his dark fur creating a mystical appearance. Suggested names for Wolf “A” include “Diplomat” and “Mystical One.”

What the Wolves Eat
The Owyhee wolves are on the typical wolf diet of feast or famine. They are fed every 3 to 4 days in randomized amounts. Their diet consists of wild game, road kill (provided by local law enforcement), and some domestic animals such as goats, sheep, and cows. The wolves are also fed butcher scraps through an agreement with the local butcher shop in Winchester. The staff and interns at the Wolf Center are nearly always willing to assist in the removal of animal carcasses from area ranchers’ lands. Removal of ranchers’ deceased cattle saves ranchers the cost and effort of removing carcasses and incinerating them. The Wolf Center is able to assist in carcass removal within an hour’s drive of the Center. At greater distances, removal becomes too time intensive.

One question Jeremy often finds himself answering is, “Do you throw live prey in with the wolves?”

The answer is no. Not only would throwing live prey in with the wolves be a slow and cruel death, it is prohibited by law. Furthermore, since these wolves have spent their entire lives in captivity, they lack the knowledge of how to hunt. They weren’t taught how to hunt safely by their parents – so, for example, if deer were thrown in with them, the wolves would be at risk from the deer. Says Jeremy, “A good solid kick to the head by a deer would kill a wolf.”

Wolf Living Arrangements
A lot of thought has gone into deciding where the Owyhee Pack and the Sawtooth Pack will live on the property of the Wolf Center. After much deliberation, it was decided that the Sawtooth Pack would remain in the 20-acre enclosure for the remainder of their lives, and the new Owyhee Pack would live in the 2-acre enclosure, an area smaller than what wild wolves would need to be comfortable, but an area much larger than what the Owyhee Pack has been used to over the span of their lives.

This decision was made for a number of reasons. The Sawtooth Pack was brought in as pups, only 4 months old. The 20-acre enclosure is the only home they have ever known. They are 12 years old now, and in their old age, it would be far too stressful for them to move to a different space. The Wolf Center wants the maximum size for the animals, but must compromise when it comes to maintenance of the facility. In order to move the Sawtooth wolves, the Wolf Center staff would have to drug them. At their advanced age, this is risky. They might never wake up.

These living arrangements were made with the developing care of the Owyhee Pack in mind. The Owyhee Pack has had very limited exposure to humans and has never been socialized to humans. If immediately released into the 20-acre parcel, the concern is that the Owyhee Pack would likely run and hide, and would never develop a bond or become socialized with their handlers.

This would make their care very difficult going forward for a number of reasons. A handler must be able to find all the wolves at any time of the day or night. Unsocialized wolves hiding in 20 acres of treed landscape would prove difficult to track down. It would also be difficult to provide them with preventative medical care or respond if a medical emergency did arise. For these reasons, it was decided that a waiting period of a few years in the smaller 2-acre enclosure would be the best living arrangement, providing the most benefit and the least stress for all.

Safety
There are a number of precautions to take in order to stay safe when interacting with wild creatures. Wolf handlers must understand the wolves’ behavior, posture and communication almost before they do. “The biggest weapon a handler has is their brain,” states Jeremy as he points out the double anti-dig apron surrounding both the 20-acre and the 2-acre enclosures. “The wolves’ predatory instinct is stronger than the social bond they might form with humans.” Enclosures are walked and checked every morning.

An electric wire circles the top of both enclosures containing enough electric load to severely shock a wolf or kill a human. “It is protection for both wolves and humans,” says Jeremy pointing at the wire. Jeremy has not yet been inside the 2-acre enclosure with the Owyhee Pack. He plans to do this later this summer. The sooner they become socialized to him, the easier their care will be. Jeremy is giving the pack some time to adjust to their new situation but seems unconcerned that he will run any significant risk when he finally goes in. “This pack is relatively submissive. I chose them for their demeanor.” Jeremy almost always goes into the enclosures unarmed. He says the wolves sense it when he is armed and react differently to him. His goal is to develop a positive and trusting relationship.

Wolf Watching/Wolves Watching
Wolf “C” trots past. Jeremy calls her “The White Watcher.” She is a solid white color with pronounced dark brown eyes. She has a large build for a female. She is always watching humans from near and far, and is extremely curious. Wolf “C” is the most social toward humans and other pack members.

As we continue to watch the wolves, Wolf “D” comes out into the clearing, lays down and starts gnawing on a bone. Jeremy tells us this is interesting behavior since he had believed Wolf “D” to be the omega female. It is rare that the other wolves would let an omega female eat alone. Wolf “D” enjoys her bone as the others remain hidden in the surrounding trees and bushes.

Before long, the other members of the pack move in closer to the omega wolf and her bone, but they never challenge her. They keep an eye on us as the omega female chews on undisturbed. Jeremy has noted that Wolf “D” likes to walk along the stream and in the puddles. She is very gentle. Her coat is a pure white, and she exhibits alert behavior. On this writer’s visit, Wolf “D” seemed oblivious to us, the most relaxed of all, unaffected and quite content. Suggested names for “Wolf D” have been “Water Walker” and “White Sentry.”

As we sit and listen to the cracking of bones, Jeremy tells us stories of what it’s like to view the wolves by moonlight. On a full moon, listening to the cracking of bones is an experience not to be missed. Unfortunately, it’s an experience reserved for a select few. “All animals are more active during the full moon, not because of the pull of the moon,” smiles Jeremy as he works to dispel a myth, “but because there is more light to see by. If prey is more active, predators will be more active.”

The higher the temperature, the lower the activity of the wolves and vice versa. Winter is the best time to see active wolves. Unfortunately, it is difficult for visitors because of the cold and the snow. Wolves are built for cold weather.

Finally, Wolf “E” makes his appearance. His coat has diffused light gray coloration. His face is mostly white, and he has a white belly. He is independent in his wanderings. He makes slow, deliberate and confident movements. Jeremy has noticed that Wolf “E” often follows or tracks him and the interns. He is the largest of the pack. The suggested name for Wolf “E” is “He who Tracks.”

The wolves seemed to take turns appearing before us. They let us see them at first only individually. Feeling a presence, we turn to meet wolf eyes. The sensation is both startling and appealing. Within the protective enclosures the wolves move soundlessly, always watching. There is something uniquely beautiful in not being able to control how we see them, but letting them control when they present themselves to us.

Living with Wolves
Living at the camp is all about survival. The Wolf Center interns live in tents even in the winter. Cold, heat, mosquitoes, no electricity or running water are all part of daily existence. In the winter, temperatures dip down into the teens, making a run to the outhouse a chilling adventure. But living around wolves and studying the ancestors of man’s best friend, make it all worthwhile.

Best viewing times are early in the morning and late in the evening. Dress for the woods. Wear light clothing. Do not wear billed hats or dark sunglasses as it could spook the wolves. They like to see your eyes and read your expressions.

The Owyhee wolves are still curious enough about their new surroundings to be active up to the noon hour. As temperatures rise, they begin to slip back into the shadows, one presumes for an afternoon nap. The Sawtooth Pack is still on display for public viewing. They tend to keep normal wolf hours: late evening, early morning. The Sawtooth Pack are old wolves now and sleep a lot, enjoying the seclusion their 20 acres has to offer.

For a unique experience, visit the Wolf Center this summer. Enjoy the natural setting of Winchester, Idaho. Join us as we get to know the new Owyhee Pack and rejoice in the beauty of their new home. Feel what it’s like to be watched from the shadows.

Upon your departure, look back once more to see a white wolf, Wolf “D”, lounging out in the middle of the field, bathing in the warmth of the summer sun.

Click here to view Frequently Asked Questions about the Owyhee Pack.