From the Wolf Sanctuary of PA:
It is with heavy hearts that we share with you news of the passing of an esteemed member of the Big Pack. Frodo passed away naturally on Sunday evening, April 10. He was 15 years old.
Frodo was a strong and dignified member of the Big Pack. Though he never took up the role of an alpha, his pack-mates always treated him with a great deal of respect and admiration. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
I’m obsessed with protecting wolves these days. Sanctuaries can help protect their gene pool. They can also save wolves from horrendous conditions imposed by some “owners.” (Believe me, you do NOT want to know the details of how cruel humans can be to a defenseless animal in their care.)
The Wolf Sanctuary of PA has rescued wolves who have been physically and emotionally damaged by humans.
This is Sarge — another great older (15-years) wolf you could “adopt” from the Wolf Sanctuary of PA. Birthdate: Jan 21, 2006, Female Gray Wolf, born at Wolf Sanctuary of PA in the Big Pack, Sarge is a female and grew up with her 2 sisters in the pack. Her sisters Chomp and Trinity have since aged and passed on. Sarge is the last remaining female in the Big Pack. She is still very strong and enjoys spending time with her family members.
This is Frodo, who lives at the Wolf Sanctuary of PA (WolfSanctuaryPA.org). He’s 15 years old, which means he’s both wise and a survivor — which I respect. The Sanctuary tells me he’s on medication for his older joints (join the club!!) and they’re watching a cataract forming in his right eye.
How long can wolves live? In the wild in Yellowstone National Park, wolves live on average 5-7 years, with just a few hitting the 9-year mark. They die from hunters (if they roam outside the park), other wolves, disease and old age. At the Wolf Sanctuary, they’ve eliminated the first two causes of death, and they treat the wolves for many diseases. They tell me the oldest a wolf has lived with them is 19 years(!)
I “adopted” Frodo in February 2021. You can adopt a wolf of your own. It’s just $55, which helps the Sanctuary cover costs at a time when visitor revenues are so reduced. They’ve got quite a few choices so you can pick a wolf that speaks to you. You get an adoption certificate and a great photo of your new family member. (Photo used with their permission.)
It was about 40 years ago, for me.
I was stuck in a terrible Southwest town for a day (no names to protect the guilty!), so I decided to drop in at a small local zoo. The zoo was even worse.
They had one Mexican wolf by itself in a pen no bigger than the size of my house. There was a shelter in the center of it. And one measly tree. The wolf was pacing around and around the shelter. Looking for all the world like a human going crazy with boredom.
I stood there for quite a while as s/he paced. Appalled. Feeling complicit as a human in creating this prison. Trying and failing to think of anything I could do.
The wolf ignored me. Around and around and around it went. For 15-20 minutes. I wanted to make a connection, but I felt guilty. Was the wolf also supposed to entertain me? While in prison?
The next time the wolf’s pacing took it behind the enclosure — out of my sight — I hid behind a nearby rest room. I wasn’t sure the wolf would even notice. There’d been no eye contact at all.
The wolf came around into view. It didn’t stop its pacing, but its head jerked up to where I had been. I stuck my head out from behind the wall fully so it could see me. We made eye contact. I smiled. Then I jerked behind the wall entirely.
The wolf continued its pacing. The next time it came around I was standing where I’d been standing previously. Like I hadn’t moved. We made eye contact. It continued pacing. The next time it came around, I was hiding again — and poked out my head. The next time — I was standing in my original spot like I’d never moved.
I did this over and over and over. I got the feeling I was amusing the wolf. S/he never stopped pacing, but each time it came around the shelter it looked for where I’d be this time.
I continued the game until it was way past time I had to leave. And, of course, I felt guilty even then — leaving him to such a frustrating existence for a creature designed to traverse miles and miles every day.
The intelligence I saw in the wolf far surpassed anything I’d experienced in a non-human. It was certainly far beyond my pet dogs. The wolf imprinted my soul — and my life was richer from having made its acquaintance.
I took two pictures that day.
