Wolves get a bad rap. From Little Red Riding Hood to True Blood, there's a suspicious and sneaky aura surrounding wolves. In reality though wolves and other predators are an extremely important part of the ecosystem fabric. Despite this fact predators have been hunted for game and precautionary reasons for years and wolves have all but dissappeared from the northwest. But the fascinating creature is slowly repopulating its home. I heard on the radio this morning that a gray wolf, called OR7, in Oregon broke away from the Imnaha pack and has been on the move since September. Although it's not uncommon for wolves to break away this one's garnering national attention for his trek. He's travelled over 500 miles looking for a mate and a new place to roam. If you're interested in OR7's journey you can find out more info from Oregon Wild here. You can even propose a name for him by e-mailing wolves@oregonwild.org!
I love the photos above of gray wolves (top photo is a Mexican gray wolf) from photographer Joel Sartore, they capture the mystique of the wolf created by folktales, but they seem so brave and curious, more king of the forest than grandma eater.
Map from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife of OR7's journey so far, even if his story comes to hault the smell he left on his path may send other wolves that way.
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