Okay the wolves never were in Hollywood as the television show was filmed on location in Minnesota but on a frigidly cold Saturday afternoon, a week or so before Christmas, my family and I took an opportunity and dropped by the Wildlife Science Center(WSC) to meet Truck and Growly Pants, stars of the Animal Planet special. We are fortunate to live quite close to this animal sanctuary and drive past its entrance just east of Lexington on Broadway daily. We made the stop after hearing that the center was struggling to make ends meet in the poor economy. They were having an open house to educate the public on their work as well as their plight.
According to the center's website, they currently have quite menagerie of animals that call the Wildlife Science Center home. These Minnesota Wild animals include:
- 43 gray wolves
- 10 red wolves
- 5 hybrids
- 2 Lynx
- 1 red fox
- 1 skunk
- 1 porcupine
- 7 birds of prey
- 3 bears
- 2 gray fox
- 3 raccoons
- 2 New Guinea Highland Dogs
On our visit we were told that the dogs had the job of running around the yard in an effort to provide exercise for the wolves.
We took bit of a self guided tour but also stopped and talked for awhile to one of the volunteers. She pointed out to us the wolves, Truck and Growly Pants, that were the stars of the Animal Planet special, "Growing Up Wolf". Another notorious wolf resident was relocated from up north to the WSC after attacking Minnesota Explorer, Will Steger's dogs. If not for the sanctuary, the wolf would have been most likely put down. We asked about the dogs and were told that they were resident to keep run around the outsides of the cages and exercise the wolves as they would chase them.
As we continued to walk around the center, we marveled at the differences in the wolf packs. Suddenly, we don't know what started it but all heck broke loose and all of the wolves started racing around their enclosures and howling. It went on for several minutes and was hilarious! I have heard this sound many times before in my front yard about 3-4 miles away but never was at the center of it all.
Every weekend there is an opportunity to stop by and tour the Wildlife Science Center and see the animals. About once a month there is a special event with fun names like the Canine Carnival and Howl-O-Ween. From school field trips to the summer Wolf Camp, the center serves as a wonderful scientific resource within our community. If you would like to learn more about the WSC and how you can help the wolves, visit the WSC website and donation wish list.
CLICK HERE to read an update on Truck and Growly Pants
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Copyright 2009 Teri Eckholm http://www.terieckholm.com/
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If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional REALTOR®, give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet, Homebuyers Success Packet or sign up for Listingbook Twin Cities Home Search. I specialize in acreage and lakeshore properties in the north and east Twin Cities metro area including Ham Lake, Lino Lakes and all communities in the Forest Lake School District! Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.
Buying a Home? Check out my HOME BUYER'S BLOG!
Copyright 2010 Teri Eckholm http://www.terieckholm.com/
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LIKE MY BLOG? Subscribe and let me email you an update!
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Teri, what beautiful animals! Sort of makes you want to lose the chain link fences, but I guess they need them.
Cool looking dogs/wolves Teri although I am sure I would not want to make them mad.
Teri, it's so much fun to see what other parts of our country have available to see. Beautiful! ;-)
Teri, I loved reading about this and seeing the pictures. I think wolves are beautiful although I don't know much about them. Some day I just might get to this wonderful place, thank you for writing about it.
Pat--If you saw how they were tearing into the deer carcasses (road kill not shot), you wouldn't second guess the fence but the wolf pups are pretty cute and cuddly! :)
Bill--We still don't know what made them all howl...but glad the fences were in place as they were pretty agitated for about 5-10 minutes.
Too bad they can't relocate them some where they can run free. More than likely they are too used to humans . They are beautiful animals.
Terry--Some have been rescued as they were doing bad things in the wild like attacking Will Steger's dogs. It was here or being euthanized. They do much research and breeding as the gray wolf was considered endangered for quite a long time. It was just recently removed from the endangered list but the WSC is trying to get it back on. (There are some wild ones that wander through for a visit now and again but according to the guide, this is too far south to see them often.)
Hi Teri,
Beautiful but still wild animals and no doubt the fence is best for all.
That's pretty neat. We have a wildlife sanctuary out in the boondocks here but it's not available for tours.
Cynthia--Agreed wild animals should be behind big fences when they are in sanctuarys like this.
Jim--The wildcat sanctuary in Sandstone MN does not allow tours either. This one does more research and tours are the fences are pretty tall to avoid any potential problems. (I don't think wolves can jump or climb like the wild cats can either.
Teri, The animals are fortunate to have this refuge just as you are fortunate to have it close at hand, Karen
Karen--We are both fortunate indeed!