Not far from the salt marshes surrounding Crane Beach and the quaint antiques of Essex, there is a unique opportunity to see and learn about the life and behavior of the now nearly-extinct Gray Wolf.

At Wolf Hollow, headquarters of the North American Wolf Foundation, you can see 17 wolves: a 15-wolf pack enclosed in a large meadow and 2 other wolves located in a separate one-acre pen. Both wolf groups and a few wolf/dog hybrids can be observed on weekend afternoons year-round. One-hour presentations behind a protected viewing area are given twice a day (once a day in winter).

A Word of Warning
Before beginning the tour, visitors are cautioned not to make prolonged eye contact with the animals (which is considered an aggressive act) and not to make sudden movements or noises (which might bring about a defensive posture from the pack).

Meeting the Wolves
After walking the short distance along a fenced-in path through the meadow, we came to the observation area. At first sight most people are shocked to see the wolves up close, but have no fear -- security is top-notch. The wolves are in an enclosure surrounded by a 12-foot tall chain-link fence. Surrounding that, there is an additional fence about 4 feet away from the first enclosure. This is where the presenter stands and only she can make contact with the animals. We stood behind a long bench overlooking the meadow (only the first 30 or so people in line have seats, and the rest stand, so arrive early, especially in summer. Children are allowed to sit up front as long as they keep their hands away from the fence. Note that this precaution is not out of any potential danger, but to show respect to the pack.

The purpose of the presentation is to foster an understanding of and respect for the highly-structured social order of the wolf pack, which is the basic living unit of all wolves. The guide used apt and often humorous comparisons to human families to illustrate her points, which was a compelling technique, especially with younger members of the group.

Wolf packs are headed by the dominant, or "alpha," male and his mate, the "alpha" female, who are paired for life. They are the only ones in the pack to produce offspring; other wolves help to tend the young, prowl and hunt down prey, and do other chores in the pack. The hierarchical nature of the pack was clear even in the wolves' playful interactions.

The wolf pack we observed is captive and ill-equipped to returned to the wild. These wolves have bonded with their caretakers, overcoming their natural fear of man, wolves' only predator. To overcome this natural aversion, wolves must bond with humans at a very early age. Within the first ten days of life the pups are brought in to live with people for a short while. They eat, sleep and play with humans for several weeks, until they rejoin the pack.

During the presentation, we saw the guides interact with the wolves to try to demonstrate their various behaviors. They seem to come when called (helped along by a little cheese), and our guide was able to prompt them into a howling frenzy, but she was quick to point out that they will do these things only if they want to. These are wild animals, not trained dogs, and what we saw were rituals and behaviors, not tricks.

We learned that wolves and Native Americans lived together in relative harmony, but that with the colonization of North America came Europeans who believed that wolves were to be feared and reviled. They were hunted nearly to extinction. Thanks to federal and state protection, their numbers have begun to rise in recent years. Our guide spoke passionately about wolves' shy nature and the need to protect them from the ravages of man.

When to Go
The wolves are most active in the cooler months when, happily, tours are least crowded. Wolf Hollow is open every Saturday and Sunday from 1 PM to 5 PM. The one-hour presentation is offered at 1:30 PM year-round and also at 3:30 PM March through November. We recommend comfortable shoes and clothes suitable for sitting still outdoors. Call ahead to confirm times, since the presentation may be cancelled in unseasonable weather.

How to Get There
Take Route 128 north to Exit 15 (School Street, Manchester and Essex). Follow School Street north about 3 miles to the junction with Route 133. Follow Route 133 north through Essex; Wolf Hollow is on the right about 3 miles from downtown Essex.

To learn more, visit the Wolf Hollow web site.

By Judith Otto

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