The Wolves of Haliburton Forest
View PDF | Print View
by: DaveBouskill | Total views: 129 | Word Count: 818
Just three hours north of Toronto way up in Central Ontario is one of the most unique and beautiful destinations in the province. Haliburton Forest is a nature lovers dream. A place for hiking, mountain biking and canoeing in the summer and cross country skiing, ice fishing and dog sledding in the winter. But it is the Haliburton Forest Wild Life and Reserve that makes it so special.
Treat yourself to a rare view of a pack of wolves that live on a 15 acre reserve. The Haliburtan Forest is 70,000 acres of protected forest and its inhabitant. This pack of wolves has 15 km all to themselves free to live out their lives with as little human interaction as possible. There are wild packs of wolves Haliburton as well, but this pack are descendants from two captive wolves dating back to 1977.
The wolves are from photographer Jim Wuepper. He bought and raised two wolf cubs which eventually grew into a small pack. Not being able to take care of them any longer, the pack was transferred to Haliburton Forest in 1992, where their descendants have lived on in a natural environment.
Even during the cold Canadian Winters the sanctuary is alive and well. It is a magical experience to see the wolves play and roll in the snow with their thick winter coats keeping them warm. In the summer, you have a good chance of catching the napping in the sunlight on a hill in front of the viewing platform. The building is located at a place on the reserve that achieves optimal sunlight. The wolves are drawn to here and while seeing them is not guaranteed, there is a good chance since this is their favorite spot. The wolves won't see you as their is a glass barrier between you and them, but you will be able to hear them through speakers and they can probably sense your presence.
Every few days the wolves are fed and you can watch this from the platform as well. See the staff bring out beaver or deer for the wolves to feast upon. The animals are road kill or brought in by local hunters and never fear, they are never fed live animals. However, the wolves tear them apart as if they were fresh kill.
You will learn a great deal about the hierarchy of the pack, ask as many questions as you like. The Alpha Male runs the clan along with his chosen Alpha female. They are followed by the Beta male which is second in command and then the rest fill out the list until the poor Omega wolf. It is difficult as a human to watch the Omega. It is the weakest of the pack and it is severely bullied by the other wolves. It is the last to eat and it stays to itself while the rest of the pack sleeps and plays together.
The sanctuary does not intervene as this is the way of the wolf and it is not for we humans to decide how they should live. Eventually, the Omega will be killed by the pack or it will go off by itself to die, sometimes they become so sick that they need to be euthanized by staff veterinarians. It is difficult to witness, but to take the omega away will only make room for another Omega to be chosen and it would disrupt the whole system of a wolf pack. Eventually, one of the younger Beta Males and Females will overtake the Alpha's and the cycle will continue.
The centre is trying to educate the public about wolves as well. People have hunted wolves for decades out of fear and yet there is now concrete evidence of a healthy wolf killing a human being. In folklore the notion of the big bad wold has been perpetuated, but in actual fact, the wolf is more afraid of a human than we are of them. They avoid us at all costs. If there ever has been attacks it has usually been from a rabid wolf or a hybrid wolf dog mix.
The cost of visiting the wolf centre at Haliburton is $9.00 and you can stay for as long as you like looking at the displays and learning about the wolves. Haliburton is located right next to the famous Algonquin Park and you can spend days exploring the wilderness and surrounding area. If you are lucky you may spot a moose or bear and you are bound to see many loons, deer and great blue herons. There are several options for accommodations, bring your own tent and camp or stay in one of the many northern resorts or B&B's. So take the time to explore central Ontario, there is a great beauty waiting to be explored.
About the Author
Deb Corbeil and Dave Bouskill are an adventure couple from Canada. They have trekked, hiked, biked and climbed to around30 countries all aroundthe world. Learn moreon their website ThePlanetd.com for more tips, advice and information on travel and adventure locations. To see their photo gallery check out PicturethePlanet.com
Rating: Not yet rated
Login to vote
