Wolf Haven International
Wolf Haven International, formerly known as Wolf Haven America and Wolf Haven Country, is a wildlife rehabilitation and non-profit organization that focuses on wolves. Founded in 1982 the group provides educational programs on wolves, engages in wolf-related activism, and operates a sanctuary that houses primarily captive-born wolves.
I learned about Wolf Haven while reading through the Tourist Information magazine provided at one of my first stops entering Washington. I knew I would be passing nearby no matter my plans, so I made sure that it was on my ‘todo map’. Luckily, I did visit their web site before visiting as it was there that I learned that they only offered the guided tours on Saturday and Sunday. Easy enough… so I went on Sunday.
The $12 fee for the guided tour was well worth it. I didn’t feel like my money was being wasted on a commercialized zoo, but instead was going to be directly helping the wolves who are crucial to the ecosystem of much of the USA. The tour was one full hour with an informative guide talking us through each wolf’s history as well as the history of Wolf Haven.
Each enclosure housed two wolves, and male and a female, which in turn had 1/2 to 1 full acre to call home. I was fearful that all the wolves would be hiding, or napping, and I would not get any photos of them. The opposite proved to be true as the wolves were very curious about us as we stopped at the fence of each enclosure. They would come out of the bush at the rear and glide that ghostly walk that wolves have right up to the fence, just out of arm’s reach. They would sniff and peer at each of us as if *we* were the ones on display for them.
They were not only supremely graceful in all their motions, they conveyed a lot of intelligence in their body language and eyes. It is easy to see why humans have feared wolves all our lives as it is easy to feel inferior to them with only a look.
Fantastic creatures and time well spent to see them up close like this… and I got some great pictures too!
