Wolf Maidens Greeting

I am a young woman, whom lives, treks, dances and sings with pure wolves. Due to where I live not only do I have the opportunity to have viewed, studied, and experienced living, surrounded by wild born wolves, right on my own land even! But I have also forged a friendship with some captive born pure wolves at my licensed wolf outreach and eco education center in Northern Canada. They have been but one teacher in my life, and I have humbly grown over time with them. It consists of various journeys with various wildlife, and pure wolves as they be, and all their glory. Nothing is ever as great as viewing the wild in the wild, such moments never fail to bring me to my knees in awe, wonder and humble honor. To meet another sentient being on their own hallowed grounds where they belong, brings tears to my eyes. I have an undying love affair and romance with the greatest show on earth...LIFE! and wish to say Namaste' to all fellow earth aliens :0) I hope you feel most welcome here and come back to visit from time to time, perhaps leave your own thoughts and mark to remember you by. It seems that so many are in a hurry these days, and don't just sit back enough and simply BE, I provide a lot of music choices here (Just scroll through them if yee like ) I hope you enjoy your stay no matter how long. I LOVE to meet people and hear their own story. I do feel with my every being, that every morning the sun rises to refresh our souls, and every sunset is honored as a gift, for we are not granted a tomorrow. I have the now to share, and hope you catch the same wild disease. Remember in the words of Dr. Seuss Be who you are, say what you feel, because those who mind dont matter, and those who matter don't mind.

Be Most Welcome Here

Be Most Welcome Here
Please enjoy your visit! My user name is skynymph http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nymph

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Island Of The Wolves

Namaste' all, it has always been accepted and taught , that wolf pups that have been hand reared, without wild parents teaching them all the ins and outs of being truly wild, (including hunting large game) cannot be released back into the wild.

In Russia there has been a study occurring on an island. The documentary is called "Island Of The Wolves" Three pups, taken from a zoo and released into the wild, surviving without parental support, having not been taught to do so by wild parents.

I am viewing this with great scepticism for now, as I see nothing that states they learned how to hunt big game on their own successfully, it only takes you through their first year, so I have not been able to garner enough info. still to judge the results.

I know have taken some of mine out for hikes, and they even so much as see a cow, horse or wild buck, they are dragging me home, let alone viewing such scary monsters as lunch. It talks about already being successful in hand rearing and release with great success on this page, http://www.russiatoday.com/wolves/pack

I am left wondering why I have not heard of such a thing until now? I also wonder if the pups bought from hunters were old enough or had already learned necessary skills to survive on their own already, and were not thoroughly socialized to humans. I cannot find where they state age ranges here of attained pups for wild release?

But then I found this footnote on this page http://www.russiatoday.com/wolves/pack ****The Centre has 19 animals spread out among three enclosures.***** Thus my scepticism that the majority are actually are returned to the WILD, to be WILD wolves again.

Seems more like a fun documentary of baby wolf growing up in captivity still, and three zoo wolves being the stars of this *show* but having a bit more adventures along the way within reason of the human handlers, I mean an island? talk about FUN!
http://www.russiatoday.com/wolves/pack


The video footage is cute! and now that I know about it, will be looking into this *study* more closely.
http://www.russiatoday.com/wolves

Looking more through this site's pages carefully http://www.russiatoday.com/wolves/island and watching the videos, I can see that this is a captive wolf facility that are studying, and trying different things with them.

But truly *wild* they are not, not anymore than my own are. I see quite a few wolves still within confines of metal bars.

If someone attains wolf pups at an older age, where they have learned enough basics of hunting large game via their family, and the pup has the natural fear of man, then there is good chance for re-release back into the wild. Injured older wolf pups, needing true rehab comes to mind, where there is no contact with humans at all, as they are nursed back to health to be released.

I think however, until I see actual paper scientific proof that very young pups hand reared, and socialized to humans are safely released, without them possibly causing trouble in the future, due to their habituation to those humans, I will remain a little doubtful, that the pups won't still rely on those humans that reared them to some degree. Now, this is not to say that wolves even if not raised by wild parents, cannot hunt. The instinct to give chase and kill is hardwired within wolves, this instinct will come out all on it's own, whether captive or wild reared. A wolf will grow up naturally testing those around them, (other pack members, and prey animals in their environment,) Those hardwired instincts growing stronger as the animal ages. But typically a wolf that has not learned the precise hunting skills, to be utilized in the *wild,* by wild parents, will not have as clean as kills, and be as *successful in their hunts. Wolves are on average only succesful one out of ten hunts as it is. So if a farmer calls me up and I find the cow has multiple injuries throughout, and the kill is an absolute mess, there is pretty much the entire carcass still there, or the animal is still alive, but simply tortured to near death, I tend to lean more towards a feral dog or dog pack) having done the deed.

I enjoyed seeing the footage of the wolves in another country, so far away, and their approach, and the why's to this facility. (Would love to visit!) However taking young pups pulled from their moms, that were already in a zoo as is stated, not out of the wild as in wild orphans quote: from http://www.russiatoday.com/wolves/pack ((((four pups from Tambov zoo and three pups from St-Petersburg zoo. )))) does not save them from poachers, these particular pups were/ are captive wolf pups taken in by another captive facility, and reared as such. That is the meat and potatoes of it.

But what this Program does regardless, is bring attention to the plight of poaching

TV series exposes brutality of wild animal trade

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2007/09/25/eapoach125.xml

Poachers threaten ecology of Russia's Far East

http://articles.latimes.com/2003/jun/29/news/adfg-poachers29

New penalties for paoching in Russia

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0710/S00341.htm

Poaching occurs worldwide, and keeping with this blog, occurring at an alarming rate in Russia! Any program that has such good intent, is also helping to bring about awareness and hopefully change.

Also for fun, here is a picture taken by Judy Wood of my arctic wolf pup eco soul journey, this was taken in our past spring when she was ten months old *yup there was still snow when spring hit up here*




10 comments:

Walt said...

As you said: "Poaching occurs worldwide," In these hard times we are facing it will only get worse.
Keep up the good work.

It may take you a while to make a post, but when you do, you sure make up for it. Girl, you should write a book.
I hope you never change, you have all the beauty one could ever ask for.

Anonymous said...

hey sky

thanks for your generous comments on my blog last nite.

i too really enjoyed your site, but haven't yet given it the justice it deserves. i'll be looking for a quiet evening somewhere, big glass of wine, then i'll give it some focus.

i too have added your site to my blogroll.

keep well
batman

Anonymous said...

Wolf poaching is a serious problem in Europe and Russia. Apparently killing adults then stealing wolf pups to sell or to keep as "pets" is common, then the animal is abandoned or killed when the "owner" can no longer cope. Hunters from Germany and Italy will pay a lot of money to a Polish or Russian guide who can lead them to wolves who have become accustomed to taking bait. It's not sport, it's shooting fish in a barrel.

Anonymous said...

hey sky

i was just wondering what Namaste' means - it looks like a greeting, but what does it mean, and what language/dialect is it from?

i could just google it, but that's the problem with the world today - too impersonal.

kind regards
b

PS - Dharma is absolutely gorgeous!!!

Anonymous said...

hey sky

i see you start off with Namaste' - i guess it's some kind of greeting, but what exactly does it mean, and what language/dialect is it?

i guess i could've simply googled it, but that's just the problem with the world today - too impersonal.

BTW - Dharma is absolutely gorgeous!!

Anonymous said...

Namaste' B~Man. Well to make it really short and sweet as is possible, but still giving it honor it means basically the divine energy (spirit) within me, meeting and acknowledging the same within you. :0)

It is more than a simply hello , how are you? many people have said that to me without really wondering how I am TRULY, it has such hollow meaning that word hello to ME and my experiences with it anyways. When I say this it is not so much as the word itself as the word representing the meaning, and feeling behind it.

Not to diss the word hello cause, well some people simply wish to say well...hello hahaha. But I really like to *connect* with anothers spirit and life even if it is but for a moment, it means something to me and I want the other person to know this and feel this. As everyone is special and sacred. I don't shake hands I place my hands in a pray position over my heart and bow slightly when I meet someone, and when we depart. Now how's that? ha ha. ;0)

As far as Miss Dharma! oh oh she is a deviant little wolf that one, she has some demons I think within her hahahaha, she certainly could eat bowling balls for lunch. She really is a tough little wolf and has been one of my biggest challenges over time. But I am sure she knows how pretty she is too. I'll let her know you said that.

Anonymous said...

hey sky

thank you for your response. and yes, i know exactly what you mean. one of my pet hates in the office, walking past someone - "good morning", followed by a "good morning, how are you", followed by a "i'm fine thank you, and how are you", bla bla bla. it seems so insincere and artificial - for once i'd like to reply with a "its actually going terribly with me, because.... and thank you for asking".

keep well up there, and regards to the little creatures

b

Love Works said...

I laughed, I cried, I saw life through your eyes and I am better for it. Thanks and Namaste' to you girl. Enjoy!! -- jb

Carol said...

Namaste' Sky, wonderful to catch up with your long and fascinating posts, full of wisdom and generosity. Your photos of Dharma were stunning and told a great story. You're a true educator.

Walt said...

I'm cold Sky! It's getting a wee bit drafty down here in Kentucky. Would you please go an close that window up there.

Do you and the wolves, have everything you need to make it through the Winter?
What does it cost to feed all those hungry wolves?