Beyond 2000 Symposium

Program

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Beyond 2000:
Realities of Global Wolf Restoration

23-26 February 2000
Duluth, Minnesota USA

 

J. Henry Fair Paul Paquet of the Conservation Biology Institute discussed gray wolf reintroduction feasibility in Adirondack Park in New York.

So many rooms, so many views

In one room Paul Paquet is about to discuss the feasibility of reintroducing wolves to the Adirondack Park. Meanwhile, in another room, Brian Kelly is rising to describe the extraordinary challenges facing managers trying to save the red wolf from coyote hybridization. In yet another room, also at the same moment, Tom Stillday is telling stories about historical interactions between wolves and some indigenous peoples. And in a nearby room, at the very same time, Christoph Promberger is at the podium to give a fascinating talk on large predators in Romania.

So many intriguing presentations! So little time! And you can only be in one place at a time.

Beyond 2000 was a huge success. It attracted about 600 attendees, and those people were a remarkably diverse lot. Included were many of the world's pre-eminent wolf researchers, managers, and advocates. Others were simply outdoor-minded folk who find wolves cool.

Presenters were equally diverse. They came from all over the United States and from such countries as China, Sweden, Spain, Croatia, Mexico and Mongolia.

 
In all, 29 countries were represented. The symposium included more than 130 papers. The topics varied, but most presented either fresh perspectives on wolf management or the latest wolf research findings; some dealt with wolf advocacy or wolf education issues.

 

"...from famous researchers to average outdoors-minded folks with a special interest in wolves, all seemed to enjoy this special opportunity to meet and share their enthusiasm about wolves."

Larger than life
Virtually every attendee made time to see two remarkable wolf films. One was an Omnimax presentation of Wolves, a film by the National Wildlife Federation. Because of the unique Omnimax screen, viewers were treated to close-ups of wolves that appeared to be the size of bungalows, and if you looked closely you could see fleas the size of beagles squirming through their fur. The film included footage shot underground in a den as a wolf nursed her pups.

The other movie was the world premier screening of Return of the Wolf. Filmed in Yellowstone Park by Bob Landis for National Geographic, Return of the Wolf will air on public television sometime this fall. Wolf fans will definitely want to record it. As wolf researcher Dave Mech pointed out, this film sets a new standard for showing wolves interacting naturally with prey species and with other wolves. It simply wasn't possible to photograph such scenes until wolves were returned to the open vistas of Yellowstone Park and became accustomed to the presence of human observers.

 

J. Henry Fair Helen Grimaud and Nancy Gibson sign CDs and books for enthusiastic fans.

"Return of the Wolf" presents unforgettable sequences of wolves hunting elk. Many researchers have studied wolves for a lifetime without witnessing an entire chase and kill, so they joined other attendees in rapt attention as dramas of life-and-death contests played out on the screen. A major figure in the film is the wolf Landis called 'Cinderella', a low-ranking female who was barely tolerated by other wolves in her pack. In one gripping sequence, a careless coyote pays the ultimate price for trying to filch a meal from one of the packs' elk kills.

Scenes never before seen
In any symposium, a buzz goes out about which presentations are must-see events. At this symposium, some informed attendees told friends that Dan MacNulty's research on wolf-elk interactions was a talk they didn't dare miss.

MacNulty, working with raw footage shot by Bob Landis, analyzed the ways healthy elk signal to wolves that they aren't worth chasing. It is not in the interest of either species for wolves to expend energy chasing elk that are so fit they cannot be caught.

By studying film of chases, MacNulty proposed that healthy elk adopt a highly stylized head-high trot when closely pursued by wolves. This is actually an inefficient way for elk to run, and that is exactly the point. The message these elk might be sending to wolves is clear: You might as well look somewhere else for your next meal because you're never going to catch me!

 

J. Henry Fair Jhala Yadvendradev of the Wildlife Institute of India discussed conflicts between wolves and humans in India.

Conversely, unfit or injured elk didn't seem capable of running with the stylized trot of vigorous elk. They kept their heads more level and galloped as fast as they could. Wolves in the film clearly spotted this sign of weakness and targeted these elk, often successfully.

In an evening session, researcher Christoph Promberger entertained attendees with footage of the nocturnal activities of a wolf pack in Romania. The film was shot by a BBC crew using special night vision cameras. Although this pack lived in mountainous terrain most of the year, each summer, it established a den close to a sizable city so pack members could conduct nightly raids for food in town. The special cameras used light from the night sky to follow wolves trotting by shopping malls, crossing highways by using overhead bridges, and waiting for trains to roll by so they could cross the tracks. The wolves typically checked a sheep pen in town to see if the guard dogs were alert and then, if all other options failed, they foraged for offal in the town dump. Promberger's witty commentary kept the audience laughing throughout his presentation.

It is difficult to convey the energy and level of audience interest in these presentations.

Ed Bangs, a charismatic speaker and the team leader for the federal effort to restore wolves in the northern Rockies, had to give his talk earlier than the program indicated. When a crowd showed up on schedule to hear Bangs' speech and found him just finishing instead, they were so disappointed they staged a noisy protest. Bangs jumped back on the podium and delivered his presentation again, flashing slides on the screen with stroboscopic speed.

 

"Wolf advocates drew energy from each other, scientists shared cutting edge research results and everyone came away with new perspectives on one of the world's most interesting and complex animals."

Howling participants and cookie jars
A multi-day wolf symposium like this is a large, complex event. This one offered a great variety of experiences, assuring that there was something fun to do for all attendees at any given moment.

At an auction, wolf fans bid on such rare items as a radio collar from a Yellowstone wolf and a spiked guard dog collar, or Carlanca, from Spain. Spirited bidding on these and a few humorous objects raised funds to support International Wolf Center programs.

Wolf-related merchandise from the Center's store was offered for sale. Attendees could buy wolf sweatshirts, books, videos, stuffed toys and art. A popular item was a wolf cookie jar that howled when opened. Wolf authors made themselves available one evening to sign their books for wolf fans.

One large room was mostly filled with poster presentations of wolf research and political activities. Wildlife photographer and renowned bear researcher Lynn Rogers sold his photos there. Several nearby booths demonstrated the activities of advocacy groups and wolf centers.

A panel of participants in the Minnesota Roundtable wolf management plan discussed their positions and accepted questions from the audience. Representatives from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (including Commissioner Allen Garber), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Minnesota Legislature talked about prospects for achieving consensus on a Minnesota wolf management plan.

J. Henry Fair Mike Phillips presents Dave Parsons with an award in recognition of Parsons' exemplary work in Mexican wolf recovery.

The main points of agreement were that compromise on a plan will be difficult, but most participants recognize the urgency of creating a plan that is acceptable to the legislature and federal administrators.

The last day was devoted to educators. Teachers and community outreach specialists discussed the most effective ways of communicating facts about wolves to youngsters and concerned citizens.

After the regularly scheduled events, participants had a chance to take part in field trips. Some went to Ely to visit the International Wolf Center, where they took part in a variety of adventures and enjoyed a sumptuous wild game dinner. Others viewed wolf habitat in northwestern Wisconsin and howled to wolves with researcher Adrian Wydeven.

The people attending the symposium, from famous researchers to average outdoors-minded folks with a special interest in wolves, all seemed to enjoy this special opportunity to meet and share their enthusiasm about wolves. Wolf advocates drew energy from each other, scientists shared cutting edge research results, and everyone came away with new perspectives on one of the world's most interesting and complex animals.

Since a symposium like this only happens every five years, it isn't too early to begin anticipating the next one.

Cornelia Hutt is a wolf advocate, educator, and International Wolf Center board member who lives in Purcelville, Virginia. Steve Grooms, a writer living in St. Paul, has recently revised his book, The Return of the Wolf.

Our special thanks to the following contributors and sponsors who made possible the International Wolf Center's Beyond 2000: Realities of Global Wolf Restoration symposium:

Contributors include:
Target Stores
The Wirtanen Family Fund of the Duluth-Superior Area Community Foundation
Elmer L. and Eleanor J. Andersen Foundation
Ballantine Family Fund
The Beim Foundation
Harold W. Sweatt Foundation
The Casey Albert T. O'Neil Foundation

In addition to the International Wolf Center, sponsors include:
University College at the University of Minnesota Duluth
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
U.S. Forest Service
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

We extend a heartfelt thank-you to the Center's volunteers, and those who spontaneously helped where needed. In addition, we thank the many generous organizations and individuals who donated items for the silent and live auctions.

For abstracts describing what each expert presented at the symposium, please see the Symposium section.