Our Wolf Journey
I have consistently observed that wolves are often portrayed negatively in fiction. The classic tale of “The Big Bad Wolf” is deeply ingrained in our cultural fabric, as are stories like Little Red Riding Hood and contemporary folk mythology.
We have concluded that wolves are not as they have been portrayed and that we are coexisting with wolves to demonstrate this.
Our wolf program commenced in 2009 with the introduction of Kody, a Timber wolf hybrid crossbred with a Northern Inuit. Kody has served as an exceptional ambassador wolf dog for The Little Zoo, effectively dispelling the common misconception that wolves pose a threat. Kody holds a cherished place in our hearts. Regrettably, Kody passed away in 2024 at the age of 15. Her memory will forever be etched in our hearts, as she brought immense joy to countless individuals.
We raised Kody with a Labrador puppy named Kela, and they were inseparable throughout their early years.
In 2014, we welcomed Lupa, a female European wolf, into our home from a private zoo. Our enclosure was prepared to accommodate her arrival. We believed that Kody would be an ideal companion for Lupa, despite Lupa’s pure wolf nature.
They quickly formed a strong bond, and we were delighted by their seamless adaptation to each other. Kody assumed the role of the alpha in their relationship, while Lupa, being a reserved wolf, complemented Kody’s confident demeanor. Their unique personalities made them an exceptional pair.
After several years of searching for a male wolf companion, we were fortunate enough to find Ragnar in 2018. His temperament and behavior were significantly different from that of Lupa, who had been hand-raised. At the age of eight months, Ragnar lacked human interaction, whereas Lupa had been raised by humans.
Ragnar has been an extraordinary experience that has profoundly impacted our understanding of wolf behavior. Lupa and Ragnar developed a strong bond, although there was occasional rivalry between Kody and Lupa, which ultimately led to Kody’s removal from the pack.
At the beginning of 2019 the pack produced their first litter of cubs, the mother Lupa was struggling to care for them all so we made the difficult decision to remove all but one of the 4 cubs from the pack and hand rear them.
The first few days were concerning, once all the cubs had started to take the bottle it was the next few weeks of round the clock feeding and sleepless nights and as the cubs grew, weening them onto solid food and taking the role of a parent.
The by product of this process was the formation of an amazing and heart warming bond between the cubs and us.
The bond presented a great opportunity for The Little Zoo to start educating the public about wolves, their ecology and behaviours and provide first hand experience of these wonderful animals which are by most people held in equal measure of fear and fascination.
Through our enthusiasm and passion the widely held myths about wolves are dispelled and everyone who leaves The Little Zoo does so with full appreciation of not only the loving family bonds that exist within a wolf pack but also their need for protection and that of their habitats.
