Wolves

Jan 8th, 2025: I’m officially obsessed with wolves. (Moreso than before.) Using this note to track links to wonderful resources I’ve found about wolves.

May 14th, 2025: I published an essay about my experience going eye-to-eye with a wolf named Keyni, and the history and current state of wolf wildlife. Read it here: I looked a wolf in the eyes.

Films & Documentaries

• The Snow Wolf – This film is a must-watch for anyone interested in wolves. It follows many animals but focuses on She-wolf, a mother who is trying to raise her cubs in the wilds of British Columbia. Moving, beautiful, and a must-watch.
• Takaya: Lone Wolf – A moving tale about a wolf thay crossed the currents to live in an island off the coast of British Columbia.
• Kingdom of the White Wolf – Beautiful 3-part National Geographic series about the wolf packs in remote Ellsmere Island, as photography Ronan Donovan seeks out the only pack of wolves that are not afraid of humans, because they’ve never been hunte.
• Wolves: A Legend Returns to Yellowstone – The OG wolf story. A documentary by Bob Landis about the return of wolves to Yellowstone National Park.
• Dances with Wolves – A heart-wrenching (fictional) film starring Kevin Costner, about the indigenous Sioux tribe and a lieutenant’s journey into their camp. There he discovered that they weren’t the villainous enemies he was told they were. Instead he found them to be a peaceful people. The wolf only has a brief cameo in this movie, but I believe wolves are meant to also be a reference to the native people, in that they are villainized unfairly.
• Wonders of the Wolf – Upcoming documentary by Angie Ruiz about the Lamar Valley wolf packs. Listen to her podcast interview on Wolf Connection.
• Mollie’s Pack – Upcoming documentary about the first Canadian born wolf, Alpha Female Wolf No. 5. Coming 2025 to IMAX.

Books

• Wild Animals I Have Known by Ernest Seton — This book is outstanding, and one of the tales about the king wolf Lobo really struck me. In a way, this book is what sparked my wildlife journey.
• American Wolf: A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West by Nate Blakeslee – a gripping story of the wolves of Yellowstone and the people who love them. It reads like a thriller, and tells the tales of many packs in Yellowstone, along with the policital turmoil of state and federal lawmakers.
• The Philosopher and the Wolf — A wonderful book about a man who adopted a wolf, Brenin, and his adventures in raising him. Over time, he saw his wolf more as an elder brother, and found that wolves have much to teach us.
• The Rise of Wolf 8: Witnessing the Triumph of Yellowstone’s Underdog by Rick McIntyre (the first in a long series of wonderful books he’s written about wolves)
• The Hidden Life of Wolves by Jim and Jamie Dutcher – a gorgeous National Geographic photography book with backstory on the wolves of Yellowstone.

Podcasts

• The Wolf Connection – Excellent podcast with really great guests, often the filmmakers and photographers who have spent years following wolves.

Courses

• Raincoast Wolf School – A series of online videos about the wolves of British Columbia, and their struggle for survival.

Excursions

• Yellowstone Institute - Winter Wolf Discovery – I’ve booked my spot for this excursion in February 2025! I’m so excited.