SHE'S GROWING UP WITH WOLVES!

My five year old daughter Lakota has had the rare opportunity to grow up in the woods with a mom and dad that works with wolves.
Seeing wolves since she was just days old and being around them ever since she can remember must offer some amazing memories as she grows up.
How cool must it be to live around wildlife since you were born? Of course being her Dad I would love it if she grows up to be a Veterinarian or a wildlife biologist. What ever she does when she grows up I will stand behind her decisions…I hope! But for now I enjoy every minute of her growth and discovery and I hope she will cherish the unique moments with nature that she experiences so often and knows that indeed she has a life like so few other kids around the world. Here is my "Little Red Riding Hood"......

Wolves with jobs

Raven has been our star education ambassador Wolf for nearly a decade. Notoriously known as the kissing wolf he has schmoozed the public by the thousands and left the message there’s no such thing as the big bad wolf. Raven’s girlfriend Cheyenne in spite of her eternal sweetness, will be seen as a not so nice wolf in her movie (oops Richard Gere’s movie) “The Flock” coming in 2007.
Not to be up staged, while enjoying his quiet days of semi-retirement Raven took a drive up to Val Kilmer’s ranch in Pecos NM. To play the part of a “wild” wolf in a new movie called “Hunted” (it’s not about hunting wolves). After ten years of hard work, Raven is winding down. He doesn’t mind a job now and then, a school here, and a public appearance there. But for the most part he’s done working; it’s time to pass the bone so to speak.
So move over Raven, lookout Cheyenne ‘cause here comes the brat pack!
Our 5 month old Forest, found himself on channel 4 with weather man Steve Stucker, on one of his already many trips to meet, greet and teach the public. Already working that camera, go Forest! Then here comes Savannah and Storm taking the public by storm with loads of wolf kisses and happy greetings at our most recent big events Weems Artfest and Festival of the Cranes. Already these three young wolves while doing their job have met over three thousand people. Most of them up close and personal.
What’s their job?
Why to look cute, lay around, kiss lots of faces and get smooched on by me all day of course!
I wish it were that easy.
Part of our mission is to educate the public. Dispel old myth; teach about the environment and the keystone species that it depends on, like the wolf. To give people, especially our children the opportunity to see, first hand, up close and personal a live wolf.
To understand we need the wolf but they need to be free and not our pets.
Raven has worked the room like a pro for a long time. Our new kids have a hard act to follow. Raven might go out on an education outing with one of the pups from time to time, just to keep an eye on them, but his hard working days are over.
People have already begun asking about him when they meet the pups.
No worries he is doing fine.

I just had an idea!

Maybe we should have a retirement party for the old man!

Raven eating Cheyenne's face! >>>>>>>>>

They grow up to be wolves

Each year hundreds of wolf pups are born to breeders and sold to be pets and all year long year after year people call us to rescue their wolf or wolves when they become adults. Primarily due to the fact, that most people know nothing about raising captive bred wolves.
This year were turned the table, so to speak. Raven our one of a kind ambassador is getting on in years and we all felt that it was time to see if we could get a replacement ambassador animal. Of course there will never be another Raven, but we need to see if we can raise a Raven quality wolf to be our spokes person.
So this year it was me that started making phone calls to see if we could get two pups or more to raise as an ambassador.
In just a few weeks we got a call about two wolf pups we could get for free if we drove to Oregon to get them.
To our surprise just two days before we left we found out that we were not getting two but six little Artic wolf cubs.
So my wife Georgia and our Daughter Lakota and I with two small pet carriers and six baby bottles hit the road.
Traveling with six adorable and hungry wolf kids was quite a challenge. We had to stop every few hours find an outlet to plug in the blender to make baby formula and a microwave to heat the bottles. Then feed hungry babies two at a time, then clean their furry faces wipe there little butts, then clean up all their poo, then wash out the blender and bottles, then get back in the car and drive a few more hours.
After getting the puppies home the work just got more challenging. The cute little buggers grew bigger each day.
Two weeks later we got a call that five Timber wolf pups just a week older that the Artic pups were in need of a place to go.
So volunteers Mary and Sean drove to Phoenix AZ. to pick them up.
Now we really have our hands full. Today all the pups eat around 80 pounds of ground meat a day. Our volunteers are grinding chicken, turkey and beef nearly all day just to feed all those hungry tummies. Speaking of tummies those pups have soft warm ones that are irresistible to us wolf freaks. Not just tummies but puppy breath and puppy kisses are the best. I can’t even describe how fun it is to have half a dozen or more furry little land sharks in your lap lovin’ on ya the second you walk in and sit down in their pen.
They are so fun, cuddly and cute it’s so hard to believe they grow up to be wolves!
Having all these new mouths to feed is costing a small fortune along with so many new potential vet bills so please keep us in the forefront of your mind and in your prayers.
With eleven wolf pups and lots of love and patients we should be able to find a good ambassador out of the bunch.
Come see the kids before they get huge let us share their growing up experience with you!
If you haven’t been out to the sanctuary in a while we have just given
You a good reason for the trip, puppies!

Crocodile Tears

In my short 45 years of life I have never been so moved by the death of someone I have never met, let alone a celebrity.
All my life I have been in love with nature and fascinated by its diversity, beauty, mystery and splendor.
I remember when I was nine and ten years old we lived in the suburbs of Los Angeles yet we still had cats, rabbits, ducks, hamsters and fish for pets. Every chance we could get me and my best friend Scott would go out to the field behind our block and go lizard hunting. While other kids would through rocks at them and use them for target practice with their BB gun or sling shots. Scott and I had our own little catch, admire, enjoy their company and release program.
I thought that I was the only “animal nut” out there.
In my teens years I got the privilege to live in the woods in the pacific northwest. I am certain that I was the only kid with thirteen fish tanks, a parakeet, a white rat, a chipmunk, a tarantula, a piranha, hermit crabs, a cat and an incubator hatching chickens, just in my bedroom alone. Not to mention the rabbits, chickens, cows, pigs, a dog named Clarence and a billy goat named Icabod.
Today I am surrounded by animals and have an amazing job. I get to hang out with wolves. (if only it were that easy)
Not long ago speaking to a few hundred boy scouts, a man in the back raised his hand and asked the question “why are you so passionate about these animals”? My initial response was. Why?
Does it show?
I am crazy about wild life and am thrilled and even get the chills sometimes when I see a hawk soaring in the wind a giant bull elk crossing the road or wild turkey in a field.
I get to live and work in the woods and go to the city with a wild animal and teach people about wolves. A dream job, the way I see it!
But Steve Erwin, that guy had passion. Passion and love of nature like no other!
When he was nine years old he wasn’t catching lizards with his best friend. He was catching crocodiles with his dad and best friend.
He was providing safety and sanctuary for the hated and unwanted.
I, like so many other people around the world, was stunned and deeply saddened by his sudden death. It’s hard to believe that someone that possessed so much energy and was so vibrant with life and love, could go so easily and so young. Life does that to us sometimes.
My wife Georgia and I spent some very restless nights over the loss of the crocodile hunter. We talked about how it was affecting us and shared how and why his passing moved us so much. One of the conclusions we came to was that a man with such lust for life and deep compassion for all thing living. A guy that; with sincere bliss would gladly and lovingly kiss a crock, a snake a toad or any of Gods gorgeous (yet deemed ugly horrid or gross by the general public) creatures and see their true beauty. A guy like that could only have the same passion and love for his family.
I can only imagine how devastated his family is right now. I fight back my tears when I think of his children ages eight and two, who are not going to have that loving and passionate dad to raise them.
Perhaps also I am saddened by the thought that I will now never get to meet the guy who is more “nuts” about wildlife then I am. Or maybe there are just too few animal advocates and wildlife warriors like the charismatic crusader for conservation Steve Erwin for the loss of one, is the loss for many!
The Crocodile Hunter got people worked up, he was full force in your face education about wildlife that got people engaged. Whether you liked him or not he is a house hold name that you know, trust and know what he stands for. How many of those people can you name in the wild life education and conservation world?
The world needs more Steve Erwins.
He will be sorely missed by millions of people and billions of animals too.

I guess, in closing I must admit, I am also saddened for myself. I really wish I could have met Steve Erwin so perhaps some of his passion and energy could have rubbed off on me when I shook his hand. Now I will never get that opportunity. I now only hope I can be more like him some day!!

Thanks Steve!!

Terri, Bindi, Robert I am so, so sorry!!

God bless

Miss you Man

Here I am with my ol' pal Cody.
He was a huge Artic Wolf.
It took some time to get him to warm up to me. Once he did we were pals forever!

He died last year.
Cody was definitely one of a kind.

I miss him dearly!

Canned Hunts? Banned Hunts!! (Jan Ravenwolf - 2/9/06)
Leyton's "Daddy, I Want a Wallaroo" (Howling Reporter, Winter 2005) dredged up memories of my first exposure to another dark destiny for exotic animals in the U.S.In 1992, World News Tonight showed a Bengal tiger relaxing beneath a tree. As the camera panned out on the fenced enclosure, I froze in disbelief at the man aiming a rifle at that tiger. This "hunter's" first shot did not kill. It was a heart-wrenching ending for such a magnificent being. Next we saw a small black leopard forced out of its cage to face 8 or 9 hyper-excited dogs. There was no place to hide. The dogs, as big as the cat itself, surrounded it. I left the room when this former pet, who had never known a moment of fighting for survival--till now--began spinning around on its back, flailing futilely at its tormentors with clawless paws. The "great white hunter" finally stopped the mauling melee by shooting the helpless victim.Welcome to "Canned Hunts!" Set inside a fenced area, the animal, a cast away exotic pet or discarded zoo animal, has no concept of defending itself, and no chance to escape. Typically, the canned "hunter," unexperienced with weapons, enters the pen. Getting as close as he dares to the unsuspecting animal, he then tortures it to death, wound by wound, with his ineptitude.Since 1994 animal organizations have been working to get state and national legislation passed outlawing this depraved practice. True hunters scorn this activity as being totally devoid of skill, sportsmanship or ethics. It's cause for wonder what prevents the banning of canned hunts.The Humane Society Legislative Fund estimates at least 1000 canned hunting businesses, which charge thousands of dollars per "trophy hunt," in at least 25 states. This group has also exposed the latest, even more diabolical, electronic "upgrade": Computer-assisted remote hunting.Yes folks. Now a mouse really can kill an elephant. Sitting at your computer in your PJs, your fingerclick can fire a loaded, mounted rifle aimed at a trained exotic animal herded into position at its habituated feeding area, hundreds or thousands of miles away! How sick is that?Fair? Sporting? Ethical? What kind of mindset accepts torturing and blasting a defenseless, unsuspecting victim as an achievement?These sad, sad human beings maim and murder lions and tigers and bears, and giraffes, gazelles, cape buffalo, jaguars.... A recent CSI episode depicted a rhino, all but suspended from a tree in a harness of chains, crumpling as yet another great white "hunter" acted out some pathetic internal dysfunction with an elephant gun.
I tremble with the terrified Corsican ram in another video, pleadingly pressed against a fence, 6 arrows sticking out of him, more to come because the "marksman" 10 feet away didn't want to
end the torture with a gunshot and ruin his trophy. My heart aches for the tortured animals, and the tortured souls of the human perpetrators.
Although canned hunts have yet to be banned hunts, there's hope! 13 states have banned Internet hunting, with 7 more considering similar bills. The Computer-Assisted Remote Hunting Act introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, with pressure to introduce a companion bill in the Senate, would make Internet hunting a felony.
As of 2/21/06, a bill to ban "Cyber Hunting" in New Mexico awaits Governor Richardson's signature in a mountain of proposed bills on his desk. While the Governor is generally a friend to animals, it wouldn't hurt to encourage him to sign this one:
phone: 1-505-476-2200.
email web page: www.governor.state.nm.us/email.php?mm=6&type=opinion
or by letter: Office of the Governor,
490 Old Santa Fe Trail, Room 400,
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501.
Contact Info for U.S Government:

The President President@WhiteHouse.gov
The White House
Washington, DC 20500

Honorable Jeff Bingaman
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Honorable Heather Wilson ask.heather@mail.house.gov
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515


Honorable Pete Domenici
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510

senator_domenici@domenici.senate.gov;

Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121.
Ask the switchboard operator for each of your Senators. Your zip code identifies your Congressperson. It takes three phone calls, although someone out there is probably smarter than me and has discovered how to do in with one call.

Google "canned hunts" for more information.

"When one tugs at a single thing in nature,he finds it attached to the rest of the world." -John Muir

PEOPLE I SLEEP WITH By: Jill Fineberg

My friend Jill Fineberg, created this wonderful book called People I Sleep With. The book features people sleeping with people that are close to them in special ways. No, this is not about sex! It's about relationship between humans and animals. Animals are an important part of the lives of humans. Yet so many people disregard them or never consider anything out side of their own species as being relevant in any way. I will be the first to admit animal lovers are freaks and I am one of them! I consider myself the Voice of the Wild because there are not enough intelligent people speaking up for the animal world and the wild! Yes, there are some extreme left wing nut cases out there screaming there heads off about nature and animal rights or what have you. I don't believe we need to go over board by protesting in front of butcher shops or throwing paint on people that wear fur. That's not necessary or smart. I believe in education, primarily through first hand experience of nature and the wild. It's my belief that rational, logical and good natured education will win over nonsensical protest any day of the week! I am very fortunate and thankful for the unique relationship that I have with wolves. Enjoy the photos of the love session with me and Raven.
There are more great photo's to come.
Leyton

WILD ANIMALS ARE NOT PETS!!

Daddy I want a Wallaroo!

Walaroo? Instantly my mind begins to conjure images of some tusked fat furry animal bounding along the beach and surf. Then my thought suddenly shifts to the more likely a wallaby and a kangaroo. Well if I can’t have a Walaroo then can I have a Kinkajous? A kinka-what?

Today with the internet marketplace it is extremely simple to find almost any animal you might imagine and purchase it on line. Having access to such a diverse and dangerous assortment of animals that are so unsuited to life as pets has created a huge upsurge in the exotic animal trade. It is estimated that the exotic and wild animal pet business worldwide is over $15 billion dollars a year.
Today online if you have a spare $50,000.00 you can get a baby Chimpanzee. How about an Albino Sugar Glider for $6000.00? A six week old African lion will go for a measly $1,200.00 bucks. The older they get the cheaper they become. Babies are so darn cute!
Are they glamorized on television and other media sources? Paris Hilton. has one and Michael Jackson. has some why shouldn’t I?

It is estimated that captive tigers living in the United States is around 5,000 to 7,000.Only about 10% of the tigers are kept in professionally run zoos and sanctuaries. The rest of these unfortunates live their lives out in roadside attractions, circuses, traveling shows, big cat rescues, and backyards, basements and garages where people attempt to keep them as pets.

"In a retail store, a rural property, a basement breeding room, or a suburban split level bedroom, you can meet the monkey of your dreams, dressed in a doll's clothes and wearing a diaper. Or you can bottle feed a cougar cub, so preciously spotted, and then see his mother and dad in the chain-link 8x8 pen in the back" . Richard Farinato

With the sudden surge of exotic sales what will ultimately have to happen?

Let’s just quickly follow the most likely outcome of the exotic pet. In many cases the animal is bred by a rather inexperienced hobbyist in poor financial condition living in virtual squander. The breeder raises the animal for the shortest length of time possible then sells the animal to pet shop or dealer. Where the animal is kept for who knows how long in very small cage so not to take up any more room than necessary. Then the unfortunate critter is sold to an even less experienced person. Who then takes it home and enjoys his or her fun little baby.

Then it grows up and is not as fun or cute and cuddly. The novelty has worn out, so it gets sequestered to an out of site out of mind place until the hopeful helpful good natured friend or relative “rescues" it from it’s emanate demise. Soon the hopeful rescuer discovers the difficulty the last owner experienced and must look for help themselves.

But is there a Walaroo rescue? Why yes there is! As well as elephant rescue, tiger, lion and liger rescues. I believe humans should get some better sense about them. There should be no need in the USA for us to have so many animal rescues and sanctuaries. We should be smarter then that, don’t you think? Or am I just ranting?

There are probably many reasons not to buy, sell and own wild animals. What about diease?

The Monkeypox outbreak originated with a shipment of imported African rodents, and then spread to American rodents (prairie dogs), all in the pet trade. Shouldn’t we all become a little better informed? Shouldn’t we choose our pets more wisely and appropriately?
Wild animal are intriguing, exciting and adventuring. There is a definite allure to the idea of owning a piece of the wild.
How about this? Just buy a big chunk of land and enjoy the wild life that lives there!