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Ecology|
Running
with the Pack at The Sanctum
By
Julia Griffin
Waking
to the mist of the North Carolina mountains at The
Sanctum, the long howl of wolves pierces through the
morning. I feel restored, transformed by the magic
of the eighteen wolves of the wolf sanctuary. It is
a straight walk up the mountain to the wolves, but
I am greeted by their howls before I reach their pens.
Many of the wolves are old friends. There is Rennie,
the one hundred and eighty pound gentle giant who
rode my son on his back when they were both younger.
There is Wleasel, the alpha and house-wolf who favors
oriental rugs for napping; Sheba, the friendly extrovert
who attends social events; Vpetti who touches everyone
with his simple magnificence.
Wolves
are powerful, beautiful creatures, and it is impossible
not to be touched by their presence. They are highly
affectionate and intelligent animals with a complex
pack structure that is dominated by an alpha female
and male. The
wolf has two species, red, (canis rufus), and gray
(canis lupus), with nineteen recognized subspecies.
Males normally range from 90-130 lbs, females from
75-90 lb. Litters range from two
to twelve cubs or pups. Wolves are predators with
a diet ranging from mainly rodents to deer or moose.
Their territory ranges from five to twenty square
miles. Once one of the more geographically widespread
mammals, they are now an endangered species.
An
ancient animal, the wolf is heavily entwined in myth.
Carl Jung thought the value of the wolf in myth lay
in its ability to “bite through” to the
truth. Roman mythology proudly tells of Romulus and
Remus, the founders of Rome, who were suckled by a
female wolf. The Greeks associated the wolf with light;
its name “lykos” was derived from the word
“lux” meaning light. The Native Americans
called the wolf a teacher and
thought the wolf sent spirit messages to the world
beyond. The wolf is a part of the earth and part of
our selves. Understanding the wolf gives insight into
all parts of nature. Chief Seattle said, “If
all the beasts were gone, man would die from a great
loneliness of spirit.”
Liz
Mahaffey, owner and founder of The Sanctum, is the
keeper of the wolves. She became involved with wolves
ten years ago and recently moved to Bakersville, North
Carolina to establish the thirty-nine acre wolf sanctuary.
She says of her decision, “For eighteen years
I tried to help as a law enforcement officer, now
I've turned my attention to something more
worthy.”
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