About this item
Detailing the emotional and social lives of the Sawtooth Pack, the authors recount wolf behavior rarely documented: grief at the death a pack mate; exuberant play and friendships; excitement over the birth of pups; and the shared role of raising young pack members, teaching them needed skills. They describe the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park and the cascade of positive results that followed. The return of wolves has helped revitalize the park's ecosystem, influencing elk, birds of prey, pronghorn, aspen trees, and trout. But the demonization of wolves continues as they struggle to reestablish their foothold in the American West. Ranchers, hunters, and biologists work to adapt to innovative solutions that encourage coexistence and reduce conflict.
About the Author
After an award-winning filmmaking career, Jim Dutcher turned his energies to a life-altering focus: the wolf. Armed with a Forest Service permit, he and his wife Jamie lived in a tented camp bordering Idaho's Sawtooth Wilderness. For six years, they documented the social hierarchy and behavior of the Sawtooth Pack, wolves they bottle-fed as pups. The Dutchers' extraordinary experiences with what they discovered to be intelligent and compassionate animals led to three Emmy Award-winning documentaries. Yet with wolves still persecuted by a mostly fearful and misinformed public, the Dutchers knew they needed to do more. In 2005, they founded Living With Wolves. A nonprofit that addresses the complex issues surrounding the historical eradication and Endangered Species reintroduction of wolves, Living With Wolves battles laws that allow the brutal hunting of these beautiful animals.
