 Wolf People
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
We are truly happy when visitors take an interest in Wolf People and our wolf pack. Over the years we have been asked dozens of questions so we decided to set up this page to share some of the more popular ones along with the answers we provide. If you have a question that you don’t see answered here, please give us a call or send us an email.
Why did you start Wolf People?
Nancy Taylor has lived with wolves for over twenty years now. Nancy started Wolf People in 1993 as a way to share her love of wolves with all people. The Wolf People logo, the paw in the palm, symbolizes the promise we made to our wolves to care for them and to help others understand the vital role wolves play in ecosystems around the world.
Where did you get your wolves?
We brought Wolf People’s first purebred timber wolves, King Cyrus and Cherish, here from Montana. A year later they were joined by Cochise. The pack’s arctic wolves come from northern Minnesota. The timber wolves and arctic wolves have mated and blessed us with timber/arctic "crosses" as we refer to them. Over the years we have taken in “foster wolves” but most of the wolves in the pack today were born and raised right here at Wolf People.
How many wolves are in the Wolf People pack?
Currently, the pack has fifteen adults and five cubs. There are eleven, including our cubs, who visit the Wolf People store. We usually bring two or three wolves with us to the visitor center and store each work day. They also accompany us when we go to schools and campground talks. The other nine members are content to stay in their comfortable enclosures at the compound.
Are the Wolf People wolves wild?
While our wolves aren’t wild, they aren’t domesticated like house pets. They live outside in large enclosures 365 days a year. They enjoy regular feedings and they receive the best veterinary care available to them.
Do you ever let them go back into the forest?
No. The Wolf People wolves spend their entire lives living comfortably in captivity. In programs where injured wolves are rescued then allowed to rehabilitate, the wolves often have very limited direct contact with people during their stay. By contrast, our program affords people the opportunity to get very close, even touch and pet, our wolves. Many of the wolves in our pack have grown up around people and are accustomed to regular interaction with them.
How long do your wolves live?
Twelve to fifteen years. We have five wolves, currently who are over ten years old and Cochise, who passed away in January, 2007, lived to be almost sixteen years old.
What do you feed your wolves?
As adults, the Wolf People wolves eat a diet of raw meat and bone. We feed them three days each week; usually Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. At each feeding each wolf receives about fifteen pounds of a mix of turkey, chicken, lamb and beef. Occasionally we can substitute venison and bison. We buy most of the meat but we also receive donations of trimmings from local meat processors.
How much do your wolves weigh?
At around 80 lbs., Mohawk is the among the smallest of our wolves but he's just a year and a half old and he's growing very fast. The largest member of the pack is the noble Teddy. He tops out around 140 lbs. In between those two we have female wolves weighing around 75 to 110 lbs. and male wolves who weigh 120 to 135 pounds. Casper, our alpha male, weighs 135 lbs. During summer, the wolves lose 10 to 15 lbs. to help them cope with the Idaho heat.
Where are your wolves when they aren't at the store?
The Wolf People habitat is close to the store in the mountains south of Lake Cocolalla. We have ten large enclosures. Each is 5,000 square feet in size. The enclosures are fabricated from chain-link fencing. They're 8 ft. above ground level and 3 ft. below it. Adjacent to the enclosures is an area we refer to as the Picture Pen. This enclosed 5-acre area is where we do all of the still photography and filming of the wolves. We also have a small cemetary on the grounds.
I have more questions. Where can I get more answers?
We're happy to answer any questions you have. Feel free to send your questions to our email address, btaylor@televar.com. If our answer to your question would help others, we'll add it to our FAQ page.
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