Victoria student dances with wolves
A Victoria University science student spent her mid-trimester break in North America getting close with one of the world’s most fearsome predators.
A Victoria University science student spent her mid-trimester break in North America getting close with one of the world’s most fearsome predators.
For a month in June and July, third-year student Dina Wuest completed a volunteer internship at the Wolf Conservation Center (WCC) in New York, helping out with the Center’s ambassador wolves and critically endangered wolf species.
Founded in 1999, the WCC is a private not-for-profit environmental education organisation in South Salem focused on promoting wolf conservation through education programmes. The Center’s 26-acre property is home to 28 wolves, most of which will one day be released back into the wild.
“The trip was absolutely incredible. During my internship I mainly assisted with grounds maintenance, the collection and preparation of food for the wolves (roadkill deer), and helping with the education programme. I wish I’d had time to stay longer and help”, says Dina.
“I also got the chance to visit a rescue facility in New Jersey and get up close with some wolves, which was amazing.”
The WCC also participates in a Species Survival Plan and Recovery Plan in association with the federal government for two critically endangered wolf species—the Mexican Gray Wolf and the Red Wolf.
“I was lucky enough to help with the Red Wolf puppies 8 week vet check, and an examination of an injured yearling female,” says Dina. “These wolves and a number of Mexican Grey Wolves are off-exhibit to the public, so this was a rare opportunity.”
Dina, who studies Marine Biology and Ecology and Diversity, hopes to use her knowledge from the trip for further study.
“I am interested in predator and prey interactions and population dynamics and I’m keen to pursue this in a Master’s project. I gained a lot of useful knowledge on the key structures of wolf pack behaviour, their language, how to behave around them.”
Dina says she has always been passionate about wolves and wolf conservation, and jumped at the chance to volunteer.
“It was great to learn so much about wolf conservation in North America. I really enjoyed meeting a whole bunch of carnivore conservationists. They all had a different story about how they managed to find jobs in this field—it’s a career path I most definitely want to pursue.”