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Wildlife and Environmental Disasters: Surviving Wind, Flood and Fire in Red Wolf Country PAGE 4 Wildlife and Environmental Disasters: Surviving Wind, Flood and Fire in Red Wolf Country PAGE 4 ALSO Wolf 258’s Long Trek Across Alaska and the Yukon PAGE 8 Recovered Collar Details Canadian Wolf’s Journey Through Minnesota PAGE 11 Montana Wolf Hunt Report PAGE 13 THE QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTER VOLUME 22, NO. 1 SPRING 2012 Features Departments 3 From the Executive Director 15 Tracking the Pack 17 Wolves of the World 4 Greg Koch 8 Map courtesy John Burch 13 Dwight Andrews 20 Personal Encounter Wildlife and Wandering Wolves Montana Wolf 22 Wild Kids Environmental Wolves are intrepid travelers, Hunt Report Disasters: especially those dispersing Montana’s wolf management 24 A Look Beyond Surviving Wind, to new areas. In this issue plan allows for an annual Flood and Fire in of International Wolf, we harvest of 220 wolves. present the journeys of Red Wolf Country The wolf harvest— two dispersing wolves. originally slated to run On the Cover Gray wolves exist in com- from September 3, 2011, Photo by Greg Koch. paratively large numbers Wolf 258’s Long to December 31, 2011— throughout the Northern Trek Across Alaska was extended through Hemisphere, but coastal and the Yukon February 15, 2012, North Carolina is the only John Burch because hunters had not region in the red wolf’s yet reached their quota. Did you know... historical range where Recovered Collar Details Canadian Jess Edberg one easy way for you approximately 130 of these to help us conserve wild, rare predators live. Wolf ’s Journey natural resources is to make Imperiled species like red Through Minnesota sure we have your email address. wolves are especially Tim Davis Simply email your address to: vulnerable to the effects of [email protected] natural disasters, and small, isolated populations stand the chance of being wiped out in a single event. Cornelia Hutt Isaac Babcock 20112011 Publications Director Tom Myrick Biologist/Journalist Receives Graphics Coordinator 2011 Who Speaks for Wolf Award Carissa L. Winter he International Wolf Center Board of Directors has announced Hank Consulting Editor Fischer of the National Wildlife Federation as the recipient of its 2011 Fran Howard TWho Speaks for Wolf award. The annual award is given to an individual who has made exceptional contri- Technical Editor butions to education about the wolf, placing the wolf in the broader context of L. David Mech humankind’s relationship to nature. “Hank Fischer has combined his Graphic Designer Tricia Austin expertise on wolves with a meaning- ful plan for the long-term survival of the species,” said Nancy Gibson, International Wolf (1089-683X) is published International Wolf Center board mem- quarterly and copyrighted, 2012, by the ber. “He has guided the public debate International Wolf Center, 3410 Winnetka Ave. N., Minneapolis, MN 55427, USA. to the understanding that healthy email: [email protected]. wolf populations need wildlands for All rights reserved. long-term survival.” Fischer’s work with the National Publications agreement no. 1536338 Wildlife Federation has focused on a Membership in the International Wolf Center new tactic for wolf population sur- includes a subscription to International Wolf vival—a market approach to buy magazine, free admission to the Center, and discounts on programs and merchandise. grazing allotments, which has turned • Lone Wolf memberships are U.S. $35 opponents into partners and helped • Wolf Pack $60 • Wolf Associate $125 relieve wolf and livestock conflicts. (To • Wolf Sponsor $500 • Alpha Wolf $1,000. read more about Fischer’s conservation Canada and other countries, add U.S. $15 efforts, download the winter 2009 issue per year for airmail postage, $7 for surface of International Wolf at wolf.org/wolves/ postage. Contact the International Wolf Center, 1396 Highway 169, Ely, MN 55731-8129, USA; news/pdf/winter2009.pdf.) email: [email protected]; “As a result, nearly 600,000 acres of phone: 800-ELY-WOLF former grazing lands are now desig- International Wolf is a forum for airing facts, ideas nated as habitat for wolves, grizzly bears and attitudes about wolf-related issues. Articles and other wildlife,” says Gibson. “Fischer and materials printed in International Wolf do has skillfully used his degrees in wild- not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of the life biology and journalism to accurately International Wolf Center or its board of directors. reveal the struggle facing predators. International Wolf welcomes submissions of With radio commentary, numerous pre- personal adventures with wolves and wolf sentations, collaborative efforts, and his pho to graphs. Prior to submission of other book Wolf Wars, he has earned respect types of manu scripts, address queries to from all sides that debate the controver- Tom Myrick, magazine coordinator. sies surrounding wolves.” PHOTOS: Unless otherwise noted, or obvious Other award winners since 2000 from the caption or article text, photos are of include: Ron Refsnider, U.S. Fish and captive wolves. Wildlife Service; John Virr, philanthro- International Wolf is printed entirely with pist; Red Wolf Coalition Executive soy ink on FSC® Director Kim Wheeler; and Dr. Chip certified paper. Hanson, a wolf veterinarian in Ely. We encourage FSC logo here Photo courtesy of Hank Fischer Current Center board and staff mem- you to recycle this magazine. bers are not eligible for the award. n 2 Spring 2012 www.wolf.org From the Executive Director INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTER BOARD OF DIRECTORS Nancy jo Tubbs “We’re here to put a dent in the universe.” Chair Dr. L. David Mech —Steve Jobs, entrepreneur and inventor (1955-2011) Vice Chair Cree Bradley fter 25 years of helping the Center teach the world about wolves, I likely have Secretary left “dents” in the wolf universe—most of them good, I hope. It is time for me Paul B. Anderson to retire and spend much more time with my husband, Gene, my family and Treasurer Afriends. You can still find me searching for animal tracks with my grandkids and heading Debbie Hinchcliffe out any dark night to howl for wolves. I hope to spend many days of my Nancy Gibson retirement outdoors, where my world feels whole and in balance. Hélène Grimaud Life is change. Some wolf populations have gained a healthy foothold Dr. Rolf O. Peterson over the past 25 years. Yet, the survival of wolves still sits in tentative bal- Mike Phillips ance in many places around the world. Debbie Reynolds Education is a powerful tool for facilitating change and advancing the Jerry Sanders survival of wolf populations. Purposely, we are reaching out to children Paul Schurke Mary Ortiz in this issue by the returning the Wild Kids pages (pages 22-23) to our Ted Spaulding magazine. The future of wolves, all wildlife, wildlands and even humanity Deb Wells is in our children’s hands. Let’s continue to teach them well. Ray Wells New life is coming to the Center with the arrival of pups, just as I retire in May 2012. Teri Williams What a fitting time to move on! My first week of retirement will be spent bottle-feeding these young ambassadors, just as I have for every wolf in our pack. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Mary Ortiz I am proud to have been a part of the Center’s important work, and I look forward to keeping in touch with the dedicated board and brilliant staff who will carry the torch MISSION forward. They will always find challenges in this work—it is the way of the wolf. But the The International Wolf future holds promise, as the Center continues “teaching the world about wolves” in new Center advances the survival of wolf populations by and better ways. teaching about wolves, their As Winston Churchill said, “Never, never, never, never give up.” Our members, relationship to wildlands and the human role in their future. donors, volunteers and friends of the wolf must keep working to make the landscape Educational services and sustainable for wolves and humans. Our human connection with our wild counterparts informational resources is just too important to lose. Please take the time to make your very own dents in the are available at: universe of wolves. You and others you teach will make a difference. n 1396 Highway 169 Ely, MN 55731-8129, USA 800-ELY-WOLF 218-365-4695 email address: [email protected] Web site: www.wolf.org Mary Ortiz, executive director International Wolf Spring 2012 3 Wildlife and iStockphoto Environmental Disasters: Surviving Wind, Flood and Fire by CORNELIA HUTT The Winds of August— Hurricane Irene, 2011 eminders and memories of Hurricane Isabel (2003) linger Rin coastal northeastern North Carolina, and so last summer, the region braced for the worst as Hurricane Irene churned through the Atlantic on its way to making landfall along the famous Outer Banks beaches. Wildlife managers reviewed their detailed disaster plans and dared to hope the storm bearing down on red wolf country would not leave behind an ecocatastrophe. As the surf began to build and the sky flattened to gunmetal gray, residents boarded up houses. Tourists, under a mandatory evacua- tion order, took to the crowded high- ways and headed inland. In the red wolf restoration region, a short dis- tance west of the Outer Banks, local folks pondered what to do as they gazed out over the low-lying wetlands and the soybean and cotton fields. Should they stick it out or play it safe? In the picturesque town of Columbia on the banks of the scenic Scuppernong River, business owners and residents studied the normally lazy, meandering stream and cast worried glances at the Ken Hupila - Snotty Moose Studio Pagami Creek fire, massive smoke plume from burnout operation on June 4, 2011, east of Stomper Road. 4 Spring 2012 www.wolf.org Lauren Green “Water, water everywhere…” —Samuel Taylor Coleridge, in Red Wolf Country The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Red wolf, Canis rufus.
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