In December 1997 our family joined the Adopt-a-Wolf Program at Wolf Park in Battleground,
Indiana. We chose Alyeska, who is pictured here. His official "bio" reads like this:Born in 1994 and "imported" from Minnesota, he is a week older than his artificial litter mates, Karin and Orca. He is a very laid back, almost lazy, wolf with a very cute expression on his face. He would rather lie in the shade than waste too much energy - except when it comes to food. He is very friendly with people and really likes to get scratched - as long as he is in the shade. If Orca and Karin decided to get involved in social play, they usually chased him - which he did not seem to mind.
It was during Wolf Moon of 1998 (January) that my family and I went to Wolf Park to see Alyeska at a gathering known as "Howl Night."
Aly, when we adopted him, was the beta male of the pack. By the time we went to see him, he was the Omega male, and had retreated to the island, away from the pack. It was difficult to see him that night, and we only got to glimpse him from afar.
During Howl Night, we were treated to a lecture on wolves, wolf behavior, and were given a
lesson on how to howl. We were visited by Dr. Erich Klinghammer, the research director of the
park. He was accompanied by a little chihuahua, Cassie ("pocket wolf"), who had also learned how to howl. What a
treat!
After the lecture and howl lesson, we went outside (temp. around 30 degrees that night). We got to see the workers handle the wolves, talk to them, and receive their licks. Then the human pack got to howl! We howled at the moon, and within 30 seconds, the wolves joined us. It was magnificent. I'll never forget it.
Aly is now retired from the pack. He lives in happy bachelorhood in a pen of his own.
Wolf Park is a nonprofit research and education
facility dedicated to the understanding and conservation of
the wolf. Located in Battleground,
Indiana, the Park was established in 1972 by Dr. Erich
Klinghammer and is home to 17 wolves (plus 4 new pups!), a small herd of
bison, three foxes and a coyote.
Photos by Monty Sloan
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