Howl-o-ween
Event a party for wolves, visitors

Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Helen Davis
Cibola County Bureau

RAMAH — Leaving the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary after having burgers and baked potatoes grilled in the sanctuary courtyard, visitors could see the glow of the campfire and a shimmering trail of luminaria winding off into the forest as they drove back to BIA Road 125 and civilization.

But those who stayed for Wild Spirit’s annual Howl-O-Ween party Saturday took a night tour among the luminaria and wolf enclosures and told tales around the campfire before retiring to tents or RVs on the sanctuary grounds after a day among about 60 wolf supporters, wildlife educators and, of course, wolves.

The sanctuary houses 59 wolves and one red fox, most of whom have sponsors, or “adoptive” parents who come to visit and help pay the upkeep for their wolves. Howl-O-Ween invited anyone who wanted to come carve pumpkins and take part in the other activities but many of the visitors were adoptive “parents” or part-time volunteers.

Lorenzo and Cheryl Maldonado walked along the curving uphill path watching Leyton Cougar and Angel Bennet toss pumpkins to hungry wolves. Lorenzo said they were the first sponsors for Riot, an Arctic wolf, who came to Wild Spirit in July and didn’t have a sponsor when they were ready to adopt.

Cheryl said, “ I retired on August 8 and we adopted Riot on August 9.” The Maldonados said they got interested in the wolves through a friend at work and had sponsored two wolves in the past.

Susan Kline, another walker on the trail for pumpkin toss action, lives in Southern California, but comes to the sanctuary to volunteer and get a “wolf fix” every two to three months. She said she sponsors Geronimo and Duchess, two Arctics and met the Wild Spirit staff when they were in California with some of the ambassador wolves.

Kline works in neuroscience with Parkinson’s disease patients, educators and researchers. She said that as an educator, she draws on her experience with wolves, particularly the concept of dispelling myths, in her writing and presentations. She noted that both Parkinson’s disease and wolves are wrapped in mistaken beliefs.

“I married the concepts. It is a beautiful marriage with the wolves,” she said.

For the most part, visitors and sponsors stayed on the outside of the fence watching while staff tossed the pumpkins inside wolf enclosures, but everyone had a chance to stuff the pumpkins with wolf-loaf, a special blend of meat and goodies. Bennet, a sanctuary educator and administrator, said that staff held off on dinner so the wolves would be nice and hungry for stuffed squash.

The challenge — and entertainment — was how a wolf would decide to open a pumpkin and dig the meaty treat out. At one point, handler and executive director Cougar offered a bit of help to Raven.

“I have thumbs,” Cougar stated, summing up the problem just as Raven succeeded in getting the top off his pumpkin and starting to dig out the goodies. Of course, someone else came along and shoved the slow eating Raven aside.

It turned out, as Cougar explained, Raven imprinted on cooked food and was not as enthusiastic as he could have been about raw meat.

Other animals had their day, as well.

New Mexico Raptors brought Solomon, a peregrine falcon in falconry gear and discussed injured birds as well as some of the ins and outs of hunting with birds. Laura Simons, who runs a “first responder” shelter for raptors, said people who find injured birds should not try to treat an injury themselves but should call a rescue facility, if they know of one, or contact New Mexico Game and Fish at (505) 476-8000 or any area office.

Hawks Aloft representatives brought owls and other birds of prey, but said they do not use names for the birds in public in order to avoid encouraging people thinking of wild birds as pets. They added that in the care facilities they have to be able to designate different animals, so they do use names among themselves.

Bob Carlton from the Albuquerque Biological Park’s Zoo to You program introduced visitors to his favorite hedgehog, just a handful of spines. Carlton said porcupines have quills, but a tiny hedgehog has spines and the two are not related. Zoo to You is an outreach program, formerly financed entirely by Phelps Dodge, but now receiving funds from Wells Fargo Bank, that takes small animals and articles of interest to areas where people may not have other chances to see a zoo at all. Carlton had an elephant ear, bear and cougar skins and a giraffe vertebra with him Saturday.

Prairie Dog Pals also brought some little critters to meet the public and help in education.

The day was a perfect outdoor autumn party.

Information: http://www.wildspiritwolfsanctuary.org/about_us.htm