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Dancing with wolves
Jun. 30th, 2005 11:12 pmToday, I received a graduation present from my sister, and it was a present of a rather spectacular nature. She took me to the zoo.
That, by itself, is not particularly spectacular. The zoo of Kolmården, being the largest in the Norse countries and possibly in Scandinavia, is rather nifty, but I've been there before. I have not, however, before this day, been on the guided wolf tour.
The wolf tour is designed to teach people about wolves; how they are not, in fact, vicious and dangerous animals. To do this, they offer visitors close contact with the wolves. Really close contact. In fact, once my sister gets her digital camera and cable here, you will see pictures of a wolf licking my face. (In fact, all five of the wolves they had in that particular enclosure came up and licked everyone's faces. It is how they greet other individuals: By licking the corners of their mouths, according to the guide, though the wolves seemed to prefer licking the entire face.)
On the one hand, it was to a degree like being surrounded by a pack of playful, hundred-pound dogs. On the other, there is something about the bearing and demeanour of a wolf that makes it an entirely different, and entirely wonderful experience. They were their own creatures in a way that dogs are not. They were constantly bickering amongst themselves—wolves are always testing the boundaries of their hierarchy, and always defending their position. Every couple of minutes one of the wolves would bound after another with a growl and a snarl on his face—and a snarling wolf does look frightful. Take it from someone who has been within arm's length of one ... (Yet even if one wolf would have its head resting on a human when a fight broke out, no fight would ever touch a human save if a wolf accidentally bumped into one—we visitors were not part of the pack, and so were not included in fights for status within it. As for our guide, she was already the pack leader, and had only to snap at the wolves—or, on one memorable occasion, growl—to bring them to heel.)
These wolves were beautiful animals. Large, lean, sleek, strong, gentle, playful and noble animals. It was an experience unlike any other.
Pictures soon to follow.
That, by itself, is not particularly spectacular. The zoo of Kolmården, being the largest in the Norse countries and possibly in Scandinavia, is rather nifty, but I've been there before. I have not, however, before this day, been on the guided wolf tour.
The wolf tour is designed to teach people about wolves; how they are not, in fact, vicious and dangerous animals. To do this, they offer visitors close contact with the wolves. Really close contact. In fact, once my sister gets her digital camera and cable here, you will see pictures of a wolf licking my face. (In fact, all five of the wolves they had in that particular enclosure came up and licked everyone's faces. It is how they greet other individuals: By licking the corners of their mouths, according to the guide, though the wolves seemed to prefer licking the entire face.)
On the one hand, it was to a degree like being surrounded by a pack of playful, hundred-pound dogs. On the other, there is something about the bearing and demeanour of a wolf that makes it an entirely different, and entirely wonderful experience. They were their own creatures in a way that dogs are not. They were constantly bickering amongst themselves—wolves are always testing the boundaries of their hierarchy, and always defending their position. Every couple of minutes one of the wolves would bound after another with a growl and a snarl on his face—and a snarling wolf does look frightful. Take it from someone who has been within arm's length of one ... (Yet even if one wolf would have its head resting on a human when a fight broke out, no fight would ever touch a human save if a wolf accidentally bumped into one—we visitors were not part of the pack, and so were not included in fights for status within it. As for our guide, she was already the pack leader, and had only to snap at the wolves—or, on one memorable occasion, growl—to bring them to heel.)
These wolves were beautiful animals. Large, lean, sleek, strong, gentle, playful and noble animals. It was an experience unlike any other.
Pictures soon to follow.
