Latvia calls for Wolf Man
THE “Wolf Man of Combe Martin” has come in from the cold as living with wolves gives way to more challenges in the wilds of Latvia.
Wolf behaviour expert Shaun Ellis has spent the best part of a year as “surrogate wolf,” living alongside timber wolves Tamaska, Yana and Matsi at Combe Martin Wildlife Park.
While he educated them in the ways of the pack, they taught him, too – but now the knowledge is to be taken into the wilds once more.
Shaun and business partner Angela Curtis are taking the skill and expertise of their company, Wolf Pack Management, to Latvia in the New Year, to work in an advisory role on a wolf research and release project. They were recruited by biologist Dr Nigel Miles, who contacted Shaun and Angela after becoming interested in their work. Together with Latvian and international biologists, in conjunction with the local branch of the World Wildlife Fund, they will be creating a new release and education programme.
“It is all about eco-tourism,” explained Shaun. “People out there are still poor and wolves are often hunted, but the notion of tourism is now being introduced. It’s about trying to introduce what we do here in North Devon to Latvia.”
Shaun and Angela will assist the project in many ways, including using their knowledge to influence the behaviour of the Latvian packs and minimise conflict with humans.
Angela continued: “We will be helping to establish an information centre, similar to what we have here. We’ll also be conducting seminars, guided walks and training people in wolf behaviour.”
The project is another example of how interest has grown since wolves arrived in Combe Martin. Shaun’s second book, Spirit of the Wolf, is being released in the new year and is an illustrated tome covering behaviour, pack structure, breeding, hunting and more.
Work with the three youngest members of the nine wolves at the park continues, but he has “demoted” himself to the rank of omega, traditionally thought of as the whipping boy of the pack, but an animal Shaun believes plays a specialist role.
“An omega can help to diffuse situations in a pack. We have seen how much calmer the wolves are when they have something to vent their tension on, but they don’t do it in a way which would cause injury and the omega is often left the choicer pieces of food. This role is opening up more avenues of research,” he said.
Following international recognition, more than one film documentary is in the pipeline, too. Angela and Shaun are set to join forces with Bristol-based Aquavita Films for a chronicle of both his work in Combe Martin and covering a trip to Poland where they hope to help a farmer experiencing problems with wolves. Although winter has closed the park, people can still see the wolves by signing up for a Wolf Encounter or even joining a canine behavioural course. The opportunity to “Shadow a Keeper” for a day could be an ideal gift, working alongside Shaun, Angela and the wolves! To find out more, contact Wolf Pack Management on 07958 525014.