International Wolf magazine is our quarterly publication highlighting all aspects of the wolf story, from ranchers’ concerns to the spiritual thrill of meeting a wolf in the wild to in-depth articles by leading wolf biologists.
Our magazine archives contain a comprehensive collection of past editions of International Wolf magazine; however, issues from the last two years are only available to our members as an exclusive benefit.
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Fall 2025
Features
Colorado’s plan to compensate ranchers for depredations comes under scrutiny
By Chad Richardson
Colorado’s wolf compensation plan has raised concerns about sustainability and effectiveness, says retired U.S. Fish and Wildlife wolf recovery coordinator Carter Niemeyer. Citing a recent $340,000 payout for two wolves’ alleged predation, Niemeyer argues for improved communication, prevention measures and realistic compensation standards to balance rancher needs, taxpayer funds and wolf recovery.
Foraging in coastal regions gives wolves a leg up Coastal Alaska
By Gretchen Roffler
Coastal Alaska wolves, typically deer-dependent, are adapting their diets. Researchers found wolves on Pleasant Island shifted from scarce deer to abundant sea otters after deer extirpation. This marine diet sustains wolf populations and is becoming more widespread as sea otter numbers rebound, demonstrating wolf dietary flexibility.
In the company of wolves: Domestication of wolves to dogs
By Debra Mitts-Smith
Wolves, ancestors of dogs, were first domesticated 15,000-30,000 years ago, possibly in Asia. Two main theories explain this process: pup adoption by humans or wolves self-domesticating near human settlements. A revised theory emphasizes humans feeding and bonding with young pups, fostering dependency and selective breeding. Food, social interaction, and selective care were pivotal in transforming wolves into dogs.
Do more wolves equal more predation?
By Peter David
More wolves don’t always mean more conflicts, as Peter David considers in Wisconsin. While early recolonizing wolves face challenges and may initially cause depredations, evidence from Wisconsin shows established populations can stabilize conflict levels. David highlights the importance of adaptation by wolves and humans, suggesting that coexistence is possible through understanding, non-lethal methods, and shared landscapes.
Departments
From the Executive Director
‘Dire Straits’
by Grant Spickelmier
In late spring 2025, the media exploded with news that a Texas company had claimed to have successfully produced two “dire wolf” pups. The story, which is examined in more detail later this issue, immediately sparked strong reactions from the wolf community. Some were skeptical, others intrigued and many outraged. Debates quickly arose about the ethics of re-creating an extinct species as well as discussions on the technology’s conservation benefits. The media hype far outpaced the actual scientific achievement, with much of the controversy focused on whether the sensational headlines were accurate or exaggerated. And of course, politicians unsurprisingly seized the opportunity to offer their own views on what this should mean for endangered species management and policies.
Tracking the Pack
Introducing a new generation
By Giselle M . Narváez Rivera
Observing wolves in the wild is a rare privilege that involves a lot of patience, but mostly being in the right place at the right time. However, thanks to our Exhibit Pack of ambassador wolves, visitors can see daily wolf activity, get to know individuals’ personalities as they grow and mature, and observe their fascinating social dynamics. To maintain a cohesive pack, we aim to adopt two wolf pups and introduce them into the Exhibit Pack about every four years. Last May, we adopted Cedar and Rowan from a USDA-licensed educational organization in Wisconsin.
Wolves of the World
By Denise Hughett
EUROPE
Europe’s wolf population has rebounded significantly, with a recent study estimating approximately 21,500 wolves across the continent. This healthy comeback marks a notable increase from roughly 12,000 wolves a decade ago.
However, the story isn’t entirely rosy, as coexistence with humans remains a challenge.
Wolf populations have been counted in many European countries, with some exceeding 100 wolves. Germany has seen the most noteworthy population growth. In 2000, only one wolf pack was believed to exist in Germany; by 2022, an
BELGIUM
The population of wolves in Belgium is estimated to be approximately 20 individuals. In 2024, no wolves were born in Flanders, and in Wallonia, only 11 pups were born. A wildlife organization (Welkom Wolf) states that the region is suitable for wolves, and the low population levels are cause to implement protection measures. A request to build a traffic mitigant (for example, a wildlife corridor) is being met with resistance. The local government, while sympathetic, states that its priorities lie elsewhere.
ITALY
With the reduction of protection levels for wolves in Europe, scientists and environmentalists worry that vigilantes will feel more empowered to take matters into their own hands. This concern was realized in 2023 when an entire wolf pack was poisoned.
FRANCE
A gray wolf may have recently been spotted in northern France. If the picture captured is confirmed to be a wolf, it would be the first sighting in the Normandy region in more than a century.
PAKISTAN
A call for conservation is being heard in Pakistan, where wolf populations have seen a dramatic decline in recent decades. An already endangered species, the Indian wolf and Tibetan wolf populations are dwindling at an alarming rate, risking extinction if action is not taken. Human factors, including habitat destruction, retaliatory killings and diminishing prey populations, are the main causes of the decline.
SCOTLAND
Researchers in Scotland are examining the potential impacts of wolf reintroduction for the environment. Wolves were eradicated in Scotland about 250 years ago. One result of their removal was the unchecked growth of red deer populations, which now number around 400,000. Their over browsing of woodland growth, combined with human clearing of forests, means native tree populations now cover less than 4% of Scotland, one of Europe’s lowest levels.
Personal Encounter
Elllesmere Island, revisited
By Dean Cluff
Psychologists tell us that we often return to places where we feel a sense of connection.
I have a connection to Ellesmere Island that began in 1984. I was a summer student with the Canadian Wildlife Service then. Although that summer I only saw the southern coast of Ellesmere and Grise Fiord, Canada’s most northern community, I was awe-struck seeing the land starkly rise 300m (985 feet) up from the ocean, with barely a skirting of walkable coastline, itself composed of fractured layers of rock. Rugged and barren, for sure, but beautiful in its grandeur.
I didn’t have to wait long to get back to Ellesmere. In 1986, I got to Grise Fiord again, this time with Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans to sample beluga whales for population monitoring. Seven years later, in 1994, I returned to Grise Fiord and northwards up along the eastern coast of Ellesmere Island to radio-collar polar bears for the territorial government. Wolves came next in 2004, and I visited again four more times to study wolves with Dr. David L. Mech near Eureka, a weather station along the west coast. The BBC brought me up to Eureka in 2014, and I worked with it, Dan MacNulty from Utah State University and Morgan Anderson with the government of Nunavut to radio-collar wolves for a collaborative study on wolves, muskoxen, and Peary caribou. I was hooked.
A Look Beyond
Can a species really be ‘de-extincted?’
By Chad Richardson
Anyone who follows news about wolves won’t soon forget April 7, 2025.
News broke that day that shocked the wolf community: A Texas-based company had reproduced dire wolves, and two were now running around a top-secret enclosure somewhere. Their arrival was heralded as the world’s first de-extinction event.
Slowly, though, the varnish has come off the furniture.
The big question at hand is, are they really dire wolves? The short answer to that complicated question is, well, no. They aren’t.
International Wolf Magazine Archives
Our International Wolf magazine archives contain a comprehensive collection of past editions of International Wolf magazine; however, issues from the last two years are only available to our members as an exclusive benefit.
