Electronic Green Journal

The mythology of the wolf vastly outstrips scientific knowledge of the species in the mind of the average citizen. The present article, based on research in the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem, redresses this imbalance by showing an “up close and personal” view of a classical den site. It shows first how to respect the security and privacy of the animals, and then how to recognize and interpret the basic elements of a site such as pathways, den openings, and tracks. This kind of look at the “material culture” of a typical pack can replace ideology and fantasy about the species with respect, awe, and intimacy, and so help to form a corresponding “pack” of knowledgeable stakeholders committed to its preservation.