The Big Bad Wolf? Time To Change the Big Bad Perception

For generations the wolf has been a creature feared and misunderstood. They are the icon for fierce and savage. The big bad wolf will get you, say the legends, books and stories of wolves. Because they are secretive and shy creatures there really wasn't really refutable evidence as to their behavior.

However, the Indians respected wolves as brothers. The Indians and the wolves used the same methods of hunting, a group that each knew their place and what they were to during a hunt. Each one having a job and fulfilling it for the good of the pack or tribe.

Wolves are actually noble creatures whose lives can teach us much about family and loyalty. This was proven in part by the Discovery Channel film, "Wolves at Our Door".

This was a long-term project led by Jim and Jamie Dutcher, who got special permits to build an enclosure in the Sawtooth mountains of Idaho.

This enclosure was acres and acres where wolves could live free, yet be contained within an area that made observing them without disturbing them possible. A group of pups was chosen; they were hand fed at the age of two months. The Dutchers wanted them to be familiar and comfortable with people. In the wild wolves avoid the scent of man, hiding out until people are gone.

In no way did any of the crew encourage the wolves to become pets. Their only human contact was to make them familiar with the crew. The rest of their lives were allowed to happen as naturally as if in the wild.

Wolves are intelligent creatures. They live in a family hierarchy that ensures peace and survival of the pack. There is the alpha male and female, whose decisions are final and all the other members of the pack work to support the alphas. The alpha male is similar to a king who rules compassionately and lovingly.

Each pack also has an omega, or the guy at the bottom of the pack who has no status, is last to feed, and only with the permission of the alpha. While at first this may seem cruel, it is actually part of human society as well. The scapegoat, the guy we blame for everything.

Dominance is understood and accepted by the members of the pack. While displays of dominance often can seem cruel or vicious, there is no harm to it. It is a ritual of behavior much like paying homage to someone respected. Approaching an alpha wolf, other wolves will keep their tails lower than his and lick his face to show respect. The alpha will often pretend to bite another wolf, but this is just gesture to remind his pack that is the boss.

Wolves mate for life and are totally loyal to each other and the pack. Pups are adored by all the members of a wolf pack and every wolf helps raise the pups. It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a pack to raise the pups. There is often a lone wolf female who will act as auntie and relieve the mother of her charges so the female can hunt and recover from the birthing. Even the male members of the pack become involved in raising the pups, and are very playful with the little ones.

Loyalty is everywhere in the pack. If a pack member is injured during a hunt, it is not unusual to find the pack feeding the injured one and taking care of its pack-mate. Every member of this group has a place in the hunt. Each wolf knows its place and the others know the strengths and weaknesses of each.

Wolves are beautiful and magnificent creatures and it would be a shame to see them disappear from the earth. They have much to teach us about survival and family.