Post by emily on Feb 25, 2008 11:28:33 GMT -5
this article is from the Times Democrat of Orangeburg, SC
www.thetandd.com/articles/2008/02/25/news/doc47c009d2931b6326719094.txt
not sure what he wants with these wolves, but note how much tranquilizer it takes to put a wolf to sleep!
LIVING WITH WOLVES - Learning lessons about very smart animals
By JIM ORR, Wildlife Rehabilitator | Monday, February 25, 2008
Leave a Comment | Default | Large
I brought home my first six wolves when I participated in a wolf rescue under the auspices of the USDA and ASPCA several years ago.The wolves were rescued from terrible living conditions after being abandoned by the owner.
Originally I simply offered the use of my trailer for transportation. As I got emotionally involved in the rescue effort, I offered to adopt two cubs.I figured I would have at least a one-year learning curve to understand how to care for wolves before they would be big enough to eat me. As it turned out, everybody wanted the cubs and in a moment of weakness I agreed to take the adults.I ended up coming home with six full-grown wolves. My survival learning curve suddenly went from a year to a few hours.
You have not lived until you try to load six wolves in a trailer and take them on a four-hour road trip. Three were socialized, which means they are use to people.Fortunately the Alpha male and the Alpha female are both very friendly. Wild wolves are naturally afraid of people, so the others run away and hide when approached.
We were able to load the three socialized wolves by administering a small dose of tranquilizer and assisting the staggering pack leaders walk into the trailer.Loading the other three turned into a major sporting event.
The rescue supervisors had a tranquilizer rifle, but I observed wolves have an uncanny ability to sense danger and evade numerous dart shots. Lesson one in my crash course of wolf training; Wolves seem to have extrasensory perceptions.
After many wasted darts, three of the wolves were successfully tranquilized and loaded with their Alpha leaders. This left only Warrior, a young male with a most appropriate name.
Warrior was darted three times with no apparent reaction to the tranquilizer.It turns out wolves have incredible endurance and in Warriors case the ability to neutralize the tranquilizer drugs with adrenaline. The vet ruled out additional tranquilizer for fear it might prove fatal, so a catch pole was used.It took four adult men to maneuver the tranquilized wolf into a travel cage even after they got the loop at the end of the pole over his head.Lesson two; Wolves have superhuman powers.
Once I had a trailer-full of adult wolves ready to travel, it occurred to me I did not have any place ready to house them once I got home.It is one thing to come home with two cubs in a cardboard box, quite another with six adults capable of taking down a moose.
I called ahead and told my brother I was bringing home a pack of wolves. I advised him that he had four hours before I got home to build a wolf enclosure. Lesson three: Make sure you have a brother that will do what he is asked.
The ride home was fairly uneventful other than the stop at the supermarket to purchase six cooked rotisserie chickens for my passengers.I was hesitant to leave a trailer-full of wolves unattended in a parking lot.It was an enclosed trailer other than a metal grill door for light and ventilation.You could not see what was traveling in the trailer unless you went right up to the door and peered into the dark interior. I asked a young kid to watch the trailer while I went into the store. Make sure nobody gets too close to the door, it is full of wolves.
When I came out of the store five minutes later it appeared everyone from three counties had gathered around the trailer to look at the wolves. Lesson four: It is hard to be discrete while traveling with a pack of wolves.
I arrived home at dusk to find my brother and a neighbor had succeeded in building a temporary pen out of cattle panels. The trailer could serve as a shelter by leaving it inside the enclosure with the door open until a permanent facility was built over the next few days.I had been advised that wolves could chew through chain-link fencing, so we had to use heavy-gauge welded steel panels. Lesson five: Wolves have very powerful jaws capable of chewing up even the largest bones.
The wolves have lived with me for many years since. I even ended up with the two wolf cubs bringing the pack population up to eight.Their social system was amazing. The Alpha male and female rule the pack and maintain order. Even though all the wolves get equal portions of food, nobody eats until the Alphas are finished.Even with food placed in font of them, they wait for permission from their leaders.
I tried to let the two cubs grow up as house pets, but when they learned to open doorknobs, thumb latches, refrigerators and turn on the gas stove, I abandoned that idea. Lesson six: Wolves are very smart.
HOW YOU CAN HELP: In the wild a single wolf can eat up to 22 pounds of meat in a day, gorging themselves after a hunt. They do not eat nearly as much in captivity but still manage to run up the food budget.All food and services we provide at the wildlife refuge caring for rescued animals are funded by donation. If you would like to help, donations should be made out to Witter Wildlife Refuge at P.O. Box 1118, Huntsville Ark. 72740.
FOR WILDLIFE EMERGENCIES: You can locate a wildlife rehabilitator on the Internet at: www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contactA.htm
Licensed wildlife rehabilitator James Orr rescues injured and orphaned wildlife. He and his wife Cyndi operate an 80-acre wildlife refuge where they rehabilitate rescued animals until they are ready to be released back to the wild. Animals too handicapped to be released are provided a permanent home at the refuge.
www.thetandd.com/articles/2008/02/25/news/doc47c009d2931b6326719094.txt
not sure what he wants with these wolves, but note how much tranquilizer it takes to put a wolf to sleep!
LIVING WITH WOLVES - Learning lessons about very smart animals
By JIM ORR, Wildlife Rehabilitator | Monday, February 25, 2008
Leave a Comment | Default | Large
I brought home my first six wolves when I participated in a wolf rescue under the auspices of the USDA and ASPCA several years ago.The wolves were rescued from terrible living conditions after being abandoned by the owner.
Originally I simply offered the use of my trailer for transportation. As I got emotionally involved in the rescue effort, I offered to adopt two cubs.I figured I would have at least a one-year learning curve to understand how to care for wolves before they would be big enough to eat me. As it turned out, everybody wanted the cubs and in a moment of weakness I agreed to take the adults.I ended up coming home with six full-grown wolves. My survival learning curve suddenly went from a year to a few hours.
You have not lived until you try to load six wolves in a trailer and take them on a four-hour road trip. Three were socialized, which means they are use to people.Fortunately the Alpha male and the Alpha female are both very friendly. Wild wolves are naturally afraid of people, so the others run away and hide when approached.
We were able to load the three socialized wolves by administering a small dose of tranquilizer and assisting the staggering pack leaders walk into the trailer.Loading the other three turned into a major sporting event.
The rescue supervisors had a tranquilizer rifle, but I observed wolves have an uncanny ability to sense danger and evade numerous dart shots. Lesson one in my crash course of wolf training; Wolves seem to have extrasensory perceptions.
After many wasted darts, three of the wolves were successfully tranquilized and loaded with their Alpha leaders. This left only Warrior, a young male with a most appropriate name.
Warrior was darted three times with no apparent reaction to the tranquilizer.It turns out wolves have incredible endurance and in Warriors case the ability to neutralize the tranquilizer drugs with adrenaline. The vet ruled out additional tranquilizer for fear it might prove fatal, so a catch pole was used.It took four adult men to maneuver the tranquilized wolf into a travel cage even after they got the loop at the end of the pole over his head.Lesson two; Wolves have superhuman powers.
Once I had a trailer-full of adult wolves ready to travel, it occurred to me I did not have any place ready to house them once I got home.It is one thing to come home with two cubs in a cardboard box, quite another with six adults capable of taking down a moose.
I called ahead and told my brother I was bringing home a pack of wolves. I advised him that he had four hours before I got home to build a wolf enclosure. Lesson three: Make sure you have a brother that will do what he is asked.
The ride home was fairly uneventful other than the stop at the supermarket to purchase six cooked rotisserie chickens for my passengers.I was hesitant to leave a trailer-full of wolves unattended in a parking lot.It was an enclosed trailer other than a metal grill door for light and ventilation.You could not see what was traveling in the trailer unless you went right up to the door and peered into the dark interior. I asked a young kid to watch the trailer while I went into the store. Make sure nobody gets too close to the door, it is full of wolves.
When I came out of the store five minutes later it appeared everyone from three counties had gathered around the trailer to look at the wolves. Lesson four: It is hard to be discrete while traveling with a pack of wolves.
I arrived home at dusk to find my brother and a neighbor had succeeded in building a temporary pen out of cattle panels. The trailer could serve as a shelter by leaving it inside the enclosure with the door open until a permanent facility was built over the next few days.I had been advised that wolves could chew through chain-link fencing, so we had to use heavy-gauge welded steel panels. Lesson five: Wolves have very powerful jaws capable of chewing up even the largest bones.
The wolves have lived with me for many years since. I even ended up with the two wolf cubs bringing the pack population up to eight.Their social system was amazing. The Alpha male and female rule the pack and maintain order. Even though all the wolves get equal portions of food, nobody eats until the Alphas are finished.Even with food placed in font of them, they wait for permission from their leaders.
I tried to let the two cubs grow up as house pets, but when they learned to open doorknobs, thumb latches, refrigerators and turn on the gas stove, I abandoned that idea. Lesson six: Wolves are very smart.
HOW YOU CAN HELP: In the wild a single wolf can eat up to 22 pounds of meat in a day, gorging themselves after a hunt. They do not eat nearly as much in captivity but still manage to run up the food budget.All food and services we provide at the wildlife refuge caring for rescued animals are funded by donation. If you would like to help, donations should be made out to Witter Wildlife Refuge at P.O. Box 1118, Huntsville Ark. 72740.
FOR WILDLIFE EMERGENCIES: You can locate a wildlife rehabilitator on the Internet at: www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contactA.htm
Licensed wildlife rehabilitator James Orr rescues injured and orphaned wildlife. He and his wife Cyndi operate an 80-acre wildlife refuge where they rehabilitate rescued animals until they are ready to be released back to the wild. Animals too handicapped to be released are provided a permanent home at the refuge.