Wolves

I have always had a mild obsession with wolves; they have existed in my own personal mythology like a bright shade of yarn in a tapestry- the one that illuminates and ties together all the other colors. This article is not going to be about my personal feelings about wolves, but I would be remiss if I did not mention it, because part of Shaking the Hive is following your heart, and wolves occupy a huge space in mine.

Its a very known thing among my dear friends, and which is why my friend Bean invited me to a fundraising for the documentary, Medicine of the Wolf.  I met the director of the documentary, Julia Huffman, and instantly felt like I knew her already and would know her for a long time to come.  I wasn't able to stay at the event for very long (I had to get to see Marianne Williamson announce her bid to run for Congress), but it was long enough to forge a connection with Julia, and to meet the beautiful wolf, Waya.

Ashley Dane  with Waya the wolf at the Medicine of the Wolf fundraiser

When Julia asked me if I wanted to go with her to Wolf Connection up north, I leapt at the chance. We got to talk a bit on the way up, and I learned more about my new friend and wolf sister. Her connection to wolves began with her lifetime bond with dogs. All dogs are descended from wolves, and inherently contain a little wolf in them. (Even my little 3 pound Yorkie!) From there, she was placed in situations where she was drawn to the wolf and everything it stood for, until a time came that she heard about the plight of the wolf. It seems that as much as the wolf has been the villain in so many legends and stories, the real villain in the life of the wolf is modern man. She was called to bring this situation to public awareness, and is able to bring her experience as a director into this mission, Medicine of the Wolf, the film.

Julia Huffman and Ashley Dane at Wolf Connection

Here are some important bits about the history of wolves in the US, from the website Mission Wolf-

U.S. Wages a War Against Wolves

Over a hundred years ago, people around the world began waging a war against the wolf. The U.S. government implemented a nationwide policy of wolf control. Wolves were seen as pests that posed a threat to the continued safety and prosperity of the American people.  Their skulls and skins were piled high for victory photographs and to claim the bounties. The wolf is the only species to be deliberately driven to the brink of extinction by humans. By 1960, the once populous wolf was essentially extinct throughout its former range.

Slow Natural Recovery - 1970’s

Even though the official war against the wolf had ended in the rest of the US shortly after 1960, hunters still searched for the few elusive remnant wolves remaining in the Great Lakes' region. Despite hunters' best efforts, the northern timber wolves held their ground and actually began to make a slight comeback. . The last of America's wild wolves were starting to win some public interest and concern... and talk of the Endangered Species List had just begun. Wolves gained protection under the US Endangered Species Act (ESA) introduced in 1973, which was a landmark piece of legislation. Its purpose has been contentious ever since, but it is intended to save species “in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion” of their range.

 Northern Rockies Reintroduction - 1995 & 1996

Perhaps the most monumental move in gray wolf policy over the past century was the decision to reintroduce wolves to Yellowstone National Park. After years of political battles and local grassroots efforts to win over support from area ranchers, 31 Canadian gray wolves were released into Yellowstone National Park.

 Since wild wolves have returned to Yellowstone, the elk and deer are stronger, the aspens and willows are healthier and the grasses taller.  For example, when wolves chase elk during the hunt, the elk are forced to run faster and farther.  As the elk run, their hooves aerate the soil, allowing more grasses to grow.  Since the elk cannot remain stationary for too long, aspens and willows in one area are not heavily grazed, and therefore can fully recover between migrations.  As with the rest of the country, coyote populations were nearly out of control in Yellowstone before the wolves returned.

The Future For the Wolf

After decades of federal protection and re­introduction programs, the US Fish and Wildlife Service decided the wolves had recovered sufficiently to warrant removing ESA protection. (There are now about 4,000 wolves in the Great Lakes area and nearly 1,700 in the northern Rockies.) Wolves in these areas were ‘delisted’ between May 2011 and August 2012. (Currently there has been a proposal to delist the grey wolf as well.) This meant that hunting wolves was now allowed in certain states.

Said a comment on this picture on Facebook to someone protesting the wolf hunting-  you are a very uneducated individual along with the rest of you wolf advocates!! They are deadly and dangerous and don't belong in the States. Listen to yourselves making empty threats making yourselves look like idiots. Get over it and move on.

Disturbing images like this can be seen all over Facebook. Comments like "They are deadly and dangerous and don't belong in the States" are the exact myth that needs to be dispelled. There are humans in this world who take great pride in killing these animals. The vilification of wolves is still prevalent in the mentality of many Americans, who see them as vicious vermin. There is an effort to open more states up to hunting wolves, and this doesn't just mean men out there with guns- they are hunting from planes, they are trapping them with leg traps as well as neck traps that squeeze their necks until their brains turn to jelly from hemorrhaging. Over 800 wolves were killed last year- almost 1/7 of the total population.

Ashley Dane getting wolf kisses from Maya at Wolf Connection

Medicine of the Wolf and Wolf Connection

When we arrived, I was allowed to walk around while the kids that Wolf Connection were hosting fed the wolves and cleaned the poop from their pens. Most of the wolves are part dog, some more than others. All have been rescued from situations that ranged from serious abuse to flat out neglect. Wolf Connection says this about their Youth Program-

Wolf Connection is a youth education and empowerment program with wolfdogs as the centerpiece. With the help of these magnificent animals, young men and women from all walks of life learn about nature and conservation, work through the challenges in their lives, learn to be of service by responsibly caring for another living being, and work towards becoming the kind of person they want to be.

Kids from the Youth Program cleaning out a wolf pen

I got to see this in action, and it was impressive. These kids get such an incredible opportunity to be a part of this- something that will expand their awareness, take them out of their present circumstances to see a larger view of life. These animals are recovering from unfortunate situations, and working with them is visibly healing for these kids. Julia was going up to speak to these kids about her documentary and her love of wolves, and we all gathered in the gigantic teepee at the center of the ring of wolf pens to hear her story.



Julia Huffman, director of Medicine of the Wolf,  at Wolf Connection

 Julia spoke of her desire to raise awareness about wolves, to bring their plight into the consciousness of more people. I myself, an avid wolf lover, did NOT know that they had been delisted, and found both the fact of it, and my not knowing about it, shocking. There is a lot going on in politics about the fate of the wolf that most of us just don't really know about, people who would care, if we knew. She wants to reach us. We need to hear this message. Like the bee, the wolf is an important part of the ecosystem. Its not only important to protect the wolf, but for the wolf to protect our sacred places where the land is still wild and natural.

 Says the Medicine of the Wolf facebook page about the film-

 Julia Huffman, Filmmaker,  travels into “wolf country” to pursue the deep intrinsic value of brother wolf and our forgotten promise to him. After 40 years of protection, grey wolves were recently de-listed from the Endangered Species Act, and their fate was handed over to state legislatures. What ensued was a “push to hunt” them. The grey wolf, an American Icon, not only lost its federal protection, but was abandoned to politicians and special interest groups. Battle lines have been drawn as both advocates and Native American groups try desperately to save the wolf from its extinction.

 

Wolf Connection Slideshow

 

 

One teen asked Julia- "What can we do?" I love that kid!!! What can a person do? Raise awareness is a good start. Through all means possible. First, you have to learn about it, in order to speak about it. Then, spread the word. If you live where you can find local wolf rescues, donate money, and if you don't have money, donate time. Or both, if you can!! Go to the facebook pages that glorify wolf hunting and report them to facebook (do a search with kill wolf or hunt wolf or wolves and you'll find them). If you are a parent, take your kids to a wolf sanctuary, and educate them. Get your kids involved in spreading awareness- teens need to stand for something, or, as Winston Churchill says, they'll fall for anything.

 

Callan McAuliffe talks about Wolf Connection's Teen Program

 

 

Julia, and the great people at Wolf Connection, are the exact embodiment of everything that Shake the Hive stands for-  Find out what is missing the presence of which would make a difference, and BRING IT. This almost always requires an upset of the status quo- usually your own- because rarely is it convenient to BRING IT. Usually its confronting and challenging and requires that you question everything you think you know. And... so what. Just do it, its not as hard as it sounds. Its the bridge from an ordinary life to an epic one. Shake the Hive suggests that you call on your inner hero ASAP, because the world needs nothing less. So many things need rescuing, so many things need champions. Be that. You, reading this, right now. Unleash your inner revolutionary badass and SHAKE THE HIVE!!!

 

Meeting Maya the wolf for the first time at Wolf Connection

 

I told the folks at Wolf Connection I would like to volunteer my time. They said they are always in need of volunteers, so if you are in the LA area, drop them a line and see what you can do to help- WOLF CONNECTION website. If you can't donate time, then maybe try to donate money. Every little bit helps, and these animals are usually beset with a lot of medical issues when they arrive, so they need HELP!

 

To stay in the loop with Julia Huffman's documentary (she is still raising funds to complete it, so its a work in progress and a labor of extreme love.) and watch her progress, and learn more about wolves- like her MEDICINE OF THE WOLF FACEBOOK PAGE. Once she kicks off her fundraising campaign, I will post that as well.

 

Want to connect with SHAKE THE HIVE on facebook? I highly recommend it. Join the revolutionary banter on the daily at SHAKE THE HIVE ON FACEBOOK

 

 

 

 

Xoxo,

 

Ashley Dane

Shake the Hive