Wolf family arrives early
Parents, five pups move to more comfy climate
CHESTER ALLEN
THE OLYMPIAN
How to help
People who are interested in helping Wolf Haven International can call
360-264-4695 or go to www.wolfhaven.org.
TENINO — Wolf Haven’s newest wolves are quickly settling into their new
homes, and visitors might get a chance to see the pack within a few weeks.
The wolves — two parents and five pups — were scheduled to arrive at
Wolf Haven International’s sanctuary Tuesday, but they arrived Monday
evening.
“They seem to be settling down really, really well,” said Julie Palmquist,
Wolf Haven communications director. “There is evidence that they explored
their enclosure during the night, and they buried some bones.”
The wolves, which were born in captivity, were the property of a Southern
California family that could no longer care for them.
Wolf Haven staff, including Palmquist and Wendy Spencer-Armestar, animal
care specialist, made a fast round-trip journey to Southern California
last weekend to get the wolves.
Wolf Haven built a new 2.5-acre enclosure for the pack.
Their enclosure in San Bernardino was much smaller and didn’t have the
natural ground cover that is part of their new home, Spencer-Armestar
said.
Temperatures reached 100 degrees at times, which is uncomfortable for gray
wolves, Spencer-Armestar said.
“It’s just paradise for them here,” Spencer-Armestar said.
“They had their first beef today, but they didn’t know whether they should
roll around in it or eat it.”
The new pack joins Wolf Haven’s 28 gray wolves and two red wolves. Wolf
Haven also has five Mexican gray wolves, but they are not on display, as
they are slated to be released into the wilds of Arizona or New Mexico as
part of an effort to restore them to the Southwestern United States.
Wolf Haven, a nonprofit organization, provides sanctuary to wolves that
were born in captivity and cannot be released to the wild.
The pack will probably be kept together, as the parents will teach the
pups proper wolf manners, Spencer-Armestar said.
Wolf Haven volunteers will visit the wolves this weekend as part of the
process to get the pack used to visitors, Spencer-Armestar said.
The wolves will be sterilized to make sure they don’t reproduce. Wolf
Haven believes captive wolves should not be bred.
“We’re not sure if we’ll have a special event when they’re ready for the
public,” Spencer-Armestar said. “We may show them to small groups soon.”