If you have an animal lover in your house, a visit to the Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem is not to be missed. The Center offers an unparalleled opportunity to observe and interact with these misunderstood and often maligned creatures. You’ve probably told your children the stories of the Three Little Pigs and Little Red Riding Hood, but the reality is far from those fairytale portrayals. Wolves aren’t big; they’re actually about the size of a large dog. They aren’t especially bad either. They are predators, and they do have to kill other animals to survive, but they are not dangerous to people. In fact, Barry Braden, Wolf Conservation Center general manager, says there has never been a case of a healthy wolf killing a person in North America. At the Center, you’ll learn that when wolves kill their prey, they are performing an important role in maintaining the environment. Wolves kill large animals, such as deer, moose and elk, which prevents their overpopulation, which in turn, prevents overgrazing. Also, smaller animals often feed off carcasses left by wolves. You’ll also learn that throughout North American history, the wolf has been feared and people were often rewarded for killing them. So many wolves were killed that by the 1970s, it was estimated that fewer than 1,000 wolves remained in the lower 48 U.S. states. Conservation efforts have helped, and wolves have been successfully reintroduced in Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, North Carolina and Arizona. Unfortunately, many areas of the country are simply too developed to support wolves in the wild. Braden says there are no longer any wild wolves in the Northeast. But you have your chance to see four gray specimens at the Wolf Conservation Center, thanks to renowned pianist, Helene Grimaud, and wildlife photographer, Henry Fair, who co-founded the Center in 1999. I took my 9-year-old daughter there recently, and weeks later, she’s still talking about the trip. As we began our visit, Braden stopped to howl, so the wolves would know we were coming. We were delighted when we heard several howls in return. As we approached the two-acre, fenced-in habitat, we saw a wolf running to the fence, while another hurried away. We later learned the one who scurried off was Kaila, the pack’s only female, shy around people. Atka, the center’s ambassador wolf, who joins Braden on school trips and workshops, was the one who came to greet us; Atka is only a year-and-a-half, and is currently the lowest wolf in the pack. Apache, the pack’s leader, was sunning himself atop the wolves’ den. Lukas, the number two wolf, was lazing in the habitat’s currently dried-up pond. Braden brought food treats and we got to witness many wolf behaviors, including seeing Atka challenging Lukas for the number two spot in the pack. The center is also home to three Mexican gray wolves, a highly endangered species. These wolves or their offspring are going to be reintroduced into the wild, so they are not part of the tour. But if you’re lucky, you may catch a glimpse of them. The Center is open to visitors older than 6 years, from 9-11am on Saturdays from March through December. Donations of $7 per child and $10 per adults are encouraged to defray the costs of running the Center and caring for the wolves. Groups can arrange visits during the week. For more information or to schedule a visit, call (914) 763-2373 or visit www.nywolf.org.
The Center also offers workshops for the public on Saturday afternoons; all workshops held at the center are $20 per person. Following is the upcoming schedule: • The Truth About Predators, April 3 & July 24, 1-3pm. For adults and children 9 and over who want to learn about how genetics and evolution influence a predatory animal’s physical characteristics. Create your own creature with traits that help it survive in its world. At the Wolf Conservation Center.
• Myths and Realities, April 17, 1-3pm. This workshop, for families with younger children ages 5 and up, includes ‘Project Double Take’, where participants can create a two-faced wall hanging; and ‘Predators in the Media Game’ which pits family against family in a friendly competition to test their knowledge of predators. At the Wolf Conservation Center.
• Atka at Teatown, April 25, 10am-noon and 2-4pm. In each workshop, participants will learn about the important role wolves play in the environment. Children must be at least 8 years old. $30 per person; $20 for Teatown members. For more information or to register, call Teatown at (914) 762-2912, ext. 10. At Teatown, Ossining.
• Hello Wolves, May 8 & August 28, 1-2:30pm. For families with children 4-8. Participants will discuss the portrayal of wolves in literature. Later, they’ll make wolf “pizzas” using a dough that will appeal to the wolves, and then feed the wolves their creations. At the Wolf Conservation Center.
• Wolf Behavior Field Study, May 15 & July 31, 1-3pm. For adults and children over 8, this hands-on workshop provides an opportunity to interact with the wolves in ways that professional animal behavior specialists do. At the Wolf Conservation Center.
