Issue 42 Spring 2011 Compassionate Conservation by Camilla Fox Life in the Puppy Lane at Wolf Park USA
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WolfThe UK Wolf Conservation Trust PrintIssue 42 Spring 2011 Compassionate Conservation by Camilla Fox Life in the puppy lane at Wolf Park USA The Trust's new resident: MOTOMO ■ NEWS ■ EVENTS ■ MEDIA AND ARTS ■ REVIEWS Wolf Print Editor Vicky Allison-Hughes Tel: 0118 971 3330 Email: [email protected] Assistant Editor Julia Bohanna Editorial Team Angela Barrow, Sandra Benson, Tsa Palmer, Denise Taylor Published by The UK Wolf Conservation Trust Butlers Farm, Beenham, Reading, RG7 5NT Editor's Letter Tel: 0118 971 3330 Fax: 0118 971 0522 Email: [email protected] Patrons irst of all, let me take this opportunity to wish you Cornelia 'Neil' Hutt all a Happy New Year. You'll notice that there is Erich Klinghammer Desmond Morris a new face introducing Wolf Print this time. My Marco Musiani F Michelle Paver name is Vicky Hughes and I have been involved with the Trust for the last five years and for the last two and a The UK Wolf Conservation Trust Directors half years as assistant education officer. Last August I Nigel Bulmer Anne Carter took over from Toni Shelborne as education officer at Charles Hicks the Trust. This is my first issue of Wolf Print as editor; Sue Hull I've been on the editorial team for the last two and a Tsa Palmer half years and am relishing the new challenge. I hope Specialist Advisors you enjoy reading it as much as I've enjoyed putting it Alistair Bath Claudio Sillero together. Denise Taylor The UK Wolf Conservation Trust is a company The format remains unchanged: there are still articles limited by guarantee. Registered in England & Wales. from around the world, including this time two articles Company No. 3686061. appropriate to the time of year, covering both the The opinions expressed in this magazine are not breeding season and the hand-rearing of pups at Wolf necessarily those of the publishers or The UK Wolf Conservation Trust. Park in the United States. The old favourites are still here, including the book and artist reviews under All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in any manner, in whole or in part, in English or other languages, is Making Tracks, details of the donations we have made prohibited. The work may not be photocopied or otherwise produced within the terms of any licence granted by the Copyright supporting wolf projects, and up-to-date information Licensing Agency Ltd or the Publishers Licensing Society Ltd. on what our wolves have been up to with all the details of the new wolf at the Trust! Aims of the UK Wolf Conservation Trust · To increase public awareness and knowledge of wild wolves and their place in the ecosystem. There are loads of events planned over the next few months including Wolf Keeper Days for children and · To provide opportunities for ethological and other research that may improve the lives of wolves both in adults, and lots of Easter holiday fun, as well as special captivity and in the wild. events planned to celebrate all those mums and dads · To provide wolf-related education programmes for who deserve an extra treat. Included in this issue are young people and adults. the dates for our 2011 open days and a couple of dates · To raise money to help fund wolf-related conservation to go in your diary for later in the year. projects around the world. Download Wolf Print, including back issues, Vicky Allison-Hughes from www.ukwolf.org Education Officer / Wolf Handler / Wolf Print Editor Design and artwork: Business Pluspoint www.businesspluspoint.co.uk Tel: 0118 988 5530 email: [email protected] Printed by: Pensord, NP12 2YA. www.pensord.co.uk Printed on FSC paper from sustainable forest sources. This magazine is fully recyclable. By recycling magazines you can help to reduce waste and add to the millions of tonnes of paper already recycled every year by the UK paper industry. You can recycle paper through your home recycling collection scheme or at your local recycling centre. Visit www.recyclenow.com and enter your postcode to find your nearest site. Cover photo: Motomo, by Joan Paddick 2 UKWCT WOLF PRINT 4 6 14 contents REGULARS 2 Editor's Letter 16 Life and Behaviour of Wolves Breeding Behaviour and Processes 20 Making Tracks Artist and book reviews 23 Wolves of the World 26 Merchandise 22 Wolf gifts and souvenirs NEWS FROM THE TRUST 4 Wolf Awareness Week 6 Director's Letter, Donations & World Animal Day 8 Update on the Trust Wolves FEATURES 10 Wolf Sister: meeting Michelle Paver Julia Bohanna interviews the award-winning author 12 Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? Laurel Walker explores the myths surrounding wolves 14 Life in the Puppy Lane Pat Goodmann reports from Wolf Park, USA 18 The Mexican Gray Wolf: saving a subspecies Angela Barrow reports 30 Compassionate Conservation Camilla Fox blogs from a recent conservation symposium WHAT'S COMING UP 27 31 Special Events at the Trust Open days, holiday activities, howl nights and more ISSUE 42 SPRING 2011 3 Slovakia and surrounding countries from imports of working lines from Italy Sunday October 17th saw the Robin Rigg of the Slovak Wildlife Society. It provided by Janet Atkins were immensely most glorious weather for the is amazing to think of these places, so close popular and really looked the part. The start of Wolf Awareness Week. to home, that still hold all those iconic sheep, courtesy of a local farmer on the The red kites wheeled overhead species that once graced our own country. other hand were a bit more of a challenge. We will probably never see them back here Repeated attempts failed to get the small in the brilliant autumn sunshine but it means a lot to know that they are flock into the pen and the "bear proof" and the wolves were howling still roaming the forests of Eastern Europe electric fencing and fladry turned out to be particularly melodiously. thanks to the hard work of people like no match for them. After they had broken Robin. out for the umpteenth time, smashing one of the posts in the process, it was decided The final event enough was enough whereupon the little of the day was flock glared balefully at the dogs and us a real first for from the far corner of the field. this country: Richard Undeterred by recalcitrant sheep, Richard Morley of the gave a very interesting and informative talk Wolves and on the use of various devices to prevent Humans predation by the wolves. The UKWCT Foundation, wishes "Wolves and Humans" every luck an old Wolf with its fantastic "White Dog" project and Society hopes to become more closely involved in colleague of the future as this is such a mine, gave a huge and important part of talk and enabling people to live demonstration alongside large carnivores; Lunca and Latea prepare for a walk on the various not just wolves, but bears means of and lynx as well. The day started with a walk through the preventing predation by wolves on fields with Lunca and Latea, our two domestic livestock. This really led to some All in all, a really enjoyable European females. After an initially slightly fun and games! Richard had brought day with plenty of interest spooky start the two girls thoroughly electric fencing and fladry and had for everyone. enjoyed themselves. Back in the warmth of arranged for some livestock guarding dogs the education room, and after a hot drink, and sheep as part of the launch of the After Sunday's activities the everybody settled down to the first of the group's "White Dog project" aimed at rest of Wolf Awareness four talks of the day. This was given by promoting the use of canine livestock Week continued in the same Kirsty Peake and was an update on the guardians to prevent wolf predation. The vein. The main aim was to Fladry demonstration Yellowstone packs. Although a little two beautiful Maremma dogs, both educate visitors about traumatic in parts, this was a fascinating wolves and some of the insight into the behaviour of truly wild many problems the animals wolves in a near pristine wilderness, albeit face in the wild. We were one where a degree of management takes open for members of the public and Trust place. members to visit us on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. This set a Following a delicious lunch we were precedent for the Trust and we received treated to another update, this time on a some good feedback from those able to real favourite of mine, the Ethiopian wolf, attend. by a true expert in the field, Claudio Sillero. There is just something about those wolves On the Monday we hosted both Robin and their beautiful environment that Riggs from the Slovak Wildlife Society and makes me melt. One day I really do plan to Richard Morley from Wolves and Humans. go out there and see them for myself. I am Both groups appeared for a second day, just so proud that the UKWCT has been jointly talking about the newly launched able, at least in a small way, to help in their White Dog Fund and the different methods long term survival. of livestock protection. We then learned something about the Left: One of the five Maremma livestock current situation for large carnivores in guarding dogs that visited the Trust; two on the Sunday and three on the Monday. 4 UKWCT WOLF PRINT Wolf willow scupture by Caroline Gregson On the The final three days of the week were taken up with private Tuesday events so were not included in our activities for Wolf Awareness Open Day we Week this year.