by Pam Roberts
As part of the International Wolf Symposium held in Duluth, events were held at the International Wolf Center. One event was a Wild Lands meeting to gather representatives from different groups in the Arrowhead Region that represent habitat or wild land organizations that promote preservation, education and some activism. A goal was to find ways to spread the word about the habitat needs of wolves as well as other wildlife, as well as create some collaboration for potential projects in the future. This initial meeting will help get to know each other and see what each person or group has to offer.
The other event was a bus tour that began in Duluth at 7 a.m., first stop was the North American Bear Center, box lunches at the Ely Community Center and then the International Wolf Center, then back to Duluth by way of Highway 1. Each person received a 19 page pamphlet with points of interest and bits of history of the Iron Range and Arrowhead area cultural and natural history.
The conference was composed of international biologists representing several countries, wolf enthusiasts and professionals for information sharing and gathering. There were 122 people who came up in three buses representing Canada, Mexico, European countries to see what is in northeastern Minnesota.
Caribou taxidermy display at the North American Bear Center will be heading to the new addition Northwoods Ecology Exhibit hall. It will have all the animals that a black bear comes in contact with here in the Ely area. For example there will be a whitetail deer, fox, otter, beaver, plus mountain lion and a variety of other animals to show people what a bear will find in a day in the woods. Caribou used to be in Ely but no longer live in this area.