LOCALadk Magazine

Summer 2016 LOCALadk Magazine 48 LOCALadk From chatting with the Halls, visitors learn that wolves are the number one natural controller of beaver, deer, elk, moose, and caribou populations. Through the years, a decline in North Amer- ican wolf populations allowed for the boom of these prey ani- mals. With no predator to hunt them, elk herds in Yellowstone exploded and were decimating the park. In the mid 90s the gov- ernment decided to reintroduce wolves, and the impact was clear: wolves kept the elk population in check. Visitors to the Adirondack Wildlife Refuge will also learn that, in terms of competitor control, animals are not discretionary. If there is a threat to their food source, a predator will do what it takes to keep from starving. Coyotes present the biggest com- petition for food. With the decline in wolf populations, especial- ly those out west, many more coyote pups were surviving. With increasing populations, the western coyote's territories were getting smaller, so they began to move east. They moved either south of the Great Lakes or north, through Canada. Here they encountered the eastern Canadian wolves. Because of the lim- ited wolf populations, it was not uncommon for wolves to mate with the western coyotes. Those populations began to spill across the border into the Ad- irondack Park in the 1930s and 1940s. These coywolves are the coyotes that we see in the Adirondacks today. Understanding the history and function of wolves in their natu- ral habitat gives visitors a context for the environment in which these animals live – one in which people can start to appreciate the challenges the species faces and how wolves can act as natu- ral balances, keeping key populations in check. Alex Hall has a special relationship with the wolves at the Ad- irondack Wildlife Refuge, a connection that seems to run deep- er than a typical human/animal bond. Having grown up at the refuge with education in the foreground, Alex understands the natural history of wolves and he understands how they act in the wild. And, even though he can't speak with the wolves at the refuge like he can with another human, Alex grew up with the animals, raised them, and truly bonded with them. Over time, this personal connection with the wolves has evolved into trust and mutual respect, to the point where he feels that every time he is with the wolves, he becomes one of them. The wolves are kindred spirits; Alex calls them a brotherhood. While Alex is their trainer and he maintains his position at the top of their hierarchy, Visitors to the wildlife refuge will often witness this very person- al interaction between wolf and man. From walking with them, to roughhousing, to just lying together and enjoying an Adiron- dack sunset, Alex is able to interact with the wolves in a way that leaves many people in awe. The Halls, especially Alex, hope that seeing his bond with the wolves will help educate visitors and allow them to sympathize with wolves. Alex wants to help make people more aware of their surroundings; help them become more conscious of the natural world and wildlife that surrounds them. People tend to be very wary of wolves, and think that wolves pose a threat to humans. They are actually much more beneficial to the environment than many often know. As visitors begin to understand how wolves truly act in nature – learning that wolves do not exist to be resentful and create havoc in the world – they will be able to leave the refuge with a more realistic image of wolves in the wild, instead of the overly dramatized ver- sion of wolves that is so often portrayed in movies. Just as the wolves continually learn from Alex, Alex has also taken lessons from the time he has spent with his wolves. Liv- ing at the refuge and working with the animals has made Alex more aware of the impact that humans have on the environment. While animals are not vengeful creatures, they deserve to have a voice. It is people like Alex who are speakers for the animals, and he has learned that while we are here on Earth, it is important to get more people thinking like caretakers and less like temporary inhabitants. The brotherhood Alex shares with his wolves has put him more in tune and respectful of nature, allowing his pas- sion for being a guardian of the wild to shine through. Zeebie

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