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November 27, 2006
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| California sanctuary provides home to threatened wolves |
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| Posted: November 27, 2006 |
| by: Scott
Essman / Today correspondent |
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Click to Enlarge |
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Photos by Scott Essman. Second and last photo courtesy Danna Lynn
Cruzan |
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LUCERNE
VALLEY, Calif. - Far east of the Los Angeles basin, north through an
enormous
mountain pass and deep into the high desert - commonly known as the
Mojave - a
little community called Lucerne Valley rests hard against the jagged rocks
that
surround southern California. On five acres off a highway that traverses this remote
part of the
desert, Tonya Littlewolf has set up a compound simply called Wolf Mountain
Sanctuary.
And it is here that she rescues, raises and protects endangered wolves and
other
animals.
Since she was 2 years old, Littlewolf, now 55, has interacted with wolves. She was
birthed by a
midwife at home in San Carlos, Ariz., and spent much time with her
maternal
grandfather, a full-blooded Apache. When she was very young, she helped
her mother
rescue and tend to cougars, bobcats, hawks and eagles on their parcel on
the San
Carlos Apache Reservation. Then, her grandfather told her the legend of the
Wolf Moon
that changed her life.
''When I was little, cougars and wolves were my favorite animals,'' she said. ''This is our
heritage.
The animals are our brothers and the wolf is my spirit brother. When I turned 6,
my mother
gave me a wolf cub - the runt. She said that I was going to be mom and take
care of the
cubs. When the cubs got older, I was to learn from the wolf and take care of
the wolves.
When you bottle feed, you are the parent,
so I was the alpha female.''
Though she reveled in her care for the animals, Littlewolf, who is Apache and Sicilian, had
a hard time
in school. ''My grandfather told us that it was a lesson to not be prejudiced,''
she
recalled. Eventually, she would not go to school, so her grandfather started teaching her
at home. ''I
was with animals more than I was with people,'' she recalled. ''My mother's
name is
Littlewolf, but my grandfather called me 'little one' or 'little wolf.' You know how the
wolf feels -
you go inside to feel what they feel,'' she was told. ''Grandfather once said that
I carry the
spirit of the wolf. This is a gift to me from Wakan Tanka [the Great Spirit]. I feel
the wolves
are my family - they are part of me and I am part of them. We are one.''
Because of her troubles in school, Littlewolf's mother sent her to live with a missionary woman.
''I would
have rather stayed with my grandfather; he taught me so much about love of people a
nd the love
of animals.'' Her grandfather passed away at 104, and Littlewolf left for California.
''I don't
know if my mother is still alive - I haven't seen her,'' she said.
Since 1985, Littlewolf has lived on the land that is now called Wolf Mountain. Her goal is ''to
protect and
save the few wolves that are left in captivity.'' She gets her animals from the movie
industry and
from breeders who over-breed. ''They would be destroyed if they didn't come here,
'' she said.
''All of the caretakers know me and they all know that if I can't take them [the wolves],
I'll find a
place for them and make sure that they are safe.''
At Wolf Mountain, visitors can observe and interact with many of Littlewolf's 16 wolves, which
are from a
variety of species and range in age from two through 10. In the wild, wolves generally
live 10 - 13
years, but in captivity they can live 20 - 24 years.
Another difference between wolves in the wild, versus those in captivity, is their weight.
Littlewolf's
wolves weigh
approximately 150 - 200 pounds, whereas wolves in the wild are slimmer because
they don't
eat every day. ''In the wild, they would nibble on berries, bark and eat rodents and food
that
were left over by other animals,'' she said. Her wolves eat red meat, chicken, rabbit, vegetables
and natural
herbs - if they are ill. ''I get pine trees from Big Bear [a nearby mountain area] so that
they can
chew on the bark,'' she explained. ''The meat man comes to give them raw sirloin roast -
that's
$1,400 per week.''
To offset the enormous costs of feeding, housing and caring for the wolves, Littlewolf accepts
donations
and admission money. These comprise her sole income.
Most
weekends, she admits 75 - 80 people to visit, photograph and pet the wolves; during the week, 10 -
15 people usually
arrive.
Littlewolf also goes to Big Bear, Las Vegas and Palm Springs to bless homes and perform prayers.
As visitors to Wolf Mountain soon find, Littlewolf's wolves are very alert and sensitive, as well as
docile, gentle and shy, contrary to popular myths.
''The wolves
think I'm the alpha female, and you're my hairless pack. They love people, so there has never been
an incident,'' Littlewolf said.
''They are
very shy animals in the wild. When it comes to food, they are very aggressive, but you feed my
wolves by hand. Europeans started the
myth that
wolves are evil.''
Littlewolf, whose 31 adopted children assist her in various ways, wants to move to Arizona or
Colorado so that the wolves could have more
land and can
get out of the desert heat. ''There is something out there for us,'' she claimed. ''In the new
location, I will have 500 - 600 acres,
and the
wolves will have two - five acres per pack with streams running through the enclosures. There will
be 20 compounds there, and I will
have over
100 wolves.''
When asked about her devotion to these canines, Littlewolf paused and simply stated, ''My
grandfather told me that I was different from other
people.''
For more information about Littlewolf's sanctuary wolves or to inquire about adopting a wolf, visit www.wolfmountain.com.
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Friday, August 12, 2005
Wolves at her door
Wolf sanctuary is looking to relocate
By LEROY STANDISH
LUCERNE VALLEY — With a little coaxing Tanya Little Wolf manages to get her family to their feet,
crane their necks forward and howl.
In a unsuspectingly loud voice Little Wolf produces a high pitched: "Yaaaa-toe," from her
five-foot, five-inch frame. Then, with hands cupped around her mouth she lets out a lonesome howl.
"They think I'm lost," she says.
A few more tries and the mountainside is filled with howling moans as the 17 wolves she keeps here
at Wolf Mountain Sanctuary answer her in song.
For 21 years she has kept the sanctuary here off Highway 18 alive, but now she wants to move on.
"I've been here 21 years too long," Little Wolf said. "I've been wanting to go to
Sedona (Ariz.) or the other side of the Rockies in Colorado."
Visitors are invited to visit with some of the 17 wolfs cared for at the Wolf Mountain Sanctuary in
Lucerne Valley. From left, John Worden, sanctuary helper, sits with Mark Thomas and his
sister-in-law, Jackie Defries, who traveled from Irvine to spend time with the sanctuary's wolves.
The flies are too numerous and her companions are too hot and too crowded here, she says. She wants
to find a place were the ground the wolves roam is as wide as the sky, the temperatures are more
hospitable and the surrounding area more accommodating to her desire to breed nearly extinct species
of wolves.
"It's not for me, it's for the wolves," she said. "It's just too hard here."
It costs $4,000 a month to feed the wolves a menu of rabbit, chicken, beef, vegetables, herbs,
vitamins and occasionally some Wolf Bison dog food. Another $3,000 a year is spent on federal, state
and county permits.
To escape the valley, Little Wolf, who is half Apache Indian and half Italian, feels she must
appease it. For the last several years she has held a pow-wow to vex the evil spirits, but the last
two, she said, were corrupted by "wasichu," the white man. Little Wolf is convinced she
must host two more successful pow-wows before she is able to leave for the promised land.
"When I move I will have cougars, bobcats, eagles, birds of prey — cats to coyotes, anything
in the United States," Little Wolf said.
For now she continues to struggle here in the valley. As a nonprofit, donations to her shelter are
tax deductible. Anyone visiting is encouraged to provide at least a $20 donation. For the money,
guests receive a
face-to-face encounter with these denizens of the night, which have traipsed their way through
European folklore with blood stained fangs and evil in their hearts.
The wolf through Indian eyes is a very different animal.
"The wolves are very spiritual because they are part of us," Little Wolf said. "Here
they get to feel you. Look inside the wolves' eyes and they see your soul."
She says three of her wolves are healers, with powers to see people's afflictions, draw them out and
cure them. To guests that enter here she happily tells how a woman's scarred legs were healed and
how another's chest wound was freed of disease.
"After all the healing is done they howl to say the healing is over," Little Wolf said.
"It's absolutely beautiful."
Guests are allowed to walk among the wolves, but the wolves decide who gets pet. They will squabble
amongst themselves to be first in line to lick a stranger's face and accept their touch in return.
The wolves are surprisingly gentle. Among her pack is one of the rarest of breeds, the Buffalo Wolf.
She said only 40 of the wolves are left in captivity and they are extinct in the wild.
Anyone who wishes to visit, donate or assist Wolf Mountain in its quest to move can call the
sanctuary at 248-7818.
LeRoy Standish may be reached at 951-6277 or leroy_standish@link.freedom.com.
WMS was mentioned
on "The Pet Scoop" a talk radio show by Warren Eckstein on KRLA
870.
Thanks
Warren!!!
Click here
to Listen
www.incard.com/department_article.asp?articleid=1417
Story from:
The hottest INtravel for INsiders.
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Visiting Wolf Mountain Sanctuary
By Rita Cook - 1-11-2005 |
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Rita Cook - 1/11/2005
I am a fan of wolves. Usually this statement will either lead to long dark stares from
wolf-haters or smiles of appreciation and understanding from people like me who have an affinity for
these amazing creatures.
After reading about a wolf massacre in Idaho perpetrated by our own government earlier in the summer
I decided to do a little research of my own to understand why the wolf is such a feared creature.
Two hours outside of Los Angeles, Calif. is a place that will make you feel either intimidated or
right at home. After an hour with the wolves however, the intimidation will turn to appreciation.
The Wolf Mountain Sanctuary is located in Lucerne Valley, Calif., on the southwestern edge of the
Mojave Desert (the high desert) and for me, when I arrived there I felt truly at peace among the
wolves.
The founder of the Wolf Mountain Sanctuary is Tonya Littlewolf and she was actually raised with
wolves since she was two years old. As Tonya took me into the various compounds to meet each of the
wolf packs it was obvious that she was comfortable and in charge of the 18 wolves that have come to
live with her.
In fact, Wolf Mountain Sanctuary is the only place in the United States where guests can go inside
the compounds with these animals accompanied by Tonya or one of her colleagues.
Tonya has saved these wolves from various situations and certain death from around the United
States. Apache, an 18-year-old male was the wolf in the final scene in the movie "Dances with
Wolves." Likewise, other Hollywood types have bought wolves, used them for film or television
and discarded them accordingly. If not for Wolf Mountain Sanctuary these wolves would have been
killed.
Many folks also breed wolves for various reasons. Tonya has saved her fair share of these wolves
too. She has three babies who were born in May of this year and would have been drowned by the
breeder if she had not saved them.
The wolves at Wolf Mountain Sanctuary include Alaskan Timber Greys, Mackenzie Tundra, British
Columbia Blacks, Canadian Tundra, Russian Grey, Montana Tundra, Arctic Grey and Mountain Mackenzie
Timber.
As for the 18 wolves at Wolf Mountain Sanctuary they all have special names such as Wanagi (Guiding
Spirit), Istas Pejuta (Medicine Eyes), Durango, Dakota and even Sedona. Each of them have their own
pack some with two per compound and some with up to five, as in the case of Apache, Istas and the
three youngest wolves.
I recently read a book written 20 years ago called "Never Cry Wolf," about a scientist who
studied the wolves in Canada for six months during a summer. While he did come to learn that it was
not actually the wolf that were annihilating the caribou, but the hunter, he also observed how the
mother wolf feeds her young. After the mother wolf hunts she returns to the den and regurgitates her
food for the babies. While I was at the compound Apache did the same thing with three young wolves
in his compound.
When you visit the Wolf sanctuary take some time to look around Lucerne Valley. It is at an
elevation of 3,000 feet and is often referred to as the Crossroads of the High Desert. It wasn’t
until the late 1800’s that the white man actually settled this area. Until that time the Paiute
Indians fought fiercely to keep this land sacred. Finally, in 1877 the Paiute were defeated and
driven to a place known as Chimney Rock, the battle being called Chimney Rock Battle. The history in
this area is abundant and both Barstow and Big Bear are not far away.
As for the wolves, Tonya is searching for a more natural place for them to live. Wolves are
generally more comfortable in a cooler climate, the high desert brings 100 degree plus temperatures
in the summer, which is not ideal.
For me, I will continue to hold a healthy respect for wolves however, I will never again be afraid
of these remarkable animals. Their energy and personalities only bespeak harmony. For me, visiting
the Wolf Mountain Sanctuary brought an understanding and peace I was glad I could find and I will
return again and again.
For more information about Wolf Mountain Sanctuary and to decide which wolf you will adopt, (but don’t
worry, you don’t have to take him/her home) check out www.wolfmountain.com. |
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Article from "The
Coastline Pilot"
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CITYSCAPE FOCUS
Wolfing down art at the Festival
By Suzie Harrison, Coastline Pilot
Back in the day, the average animal
aficionado was forced to tune into the TV program "Wild Kingdom" to get a close-up view of
untamed animals.
The Festival of Arts has taken that concept one step further, sans the blood and gore scenes. On
Saturday, people will have an opportunity to see first-hand a diverse menagerie of exotic and wild
animals during the "Walk on the Wild Side" event with renowned wildlife artist Chris Hoy.
Hoy will show off at least 20 animals. It's the festival's third year putting on such a show, and
Hoy says there will be more animals than ever including a capuchin monkey, a kinkajou, a coati, a
Chinese deer, a serval cat, a kookaburra and a ring-tailed lemur.
"We'll have an albino python and a baby wallaby who will be 6 months old," Hoy said.
"He'll be here jumping around. And there will be a binturong from Indonesia, a baby, 6 weeks
old."
Special guest star, animal activist and actress Apache Tonya Littlewolf, and her wolf Apache, both
from the movie "Dances with Wolves," are attending along with Apache's three 10-week-old
cubs.
"They are so friendly," Hoy said. "They will go up and lick you,"
Littlewolf created Wolf Mountain Sanctuary, a nonprofit, educational organization dedicated to the
preservation, protection and proper management of wolves in the wild and in captivity.
"Our purpose and ultimate goal is to save these great, noble animals from extinction,"
Littlewolf said.
Littlewolf met Hoy when he began visiting the sanctuary, bringing others along to help the animals.
"I've dedicated my life to protect and save wolves that are going to be destroyed, rescuing
them from the movie industry, breeders who over breed and owners that realize four to six months
later they don't make good pets," Littlewolf said.
"The wolves in California, buffalo wolves, they roamed the Great Plains," she added.
"There are no more left since 1954."
She said there are a few in captivity in Montana that will be brought to the sanctuary to breed.
Littlewolf has been with wolves all her life, climbing into dens with them.
"The mom would clean me along with the babies," Littlewolf said.
Along with her personal stories, Littlewolf has tales passed on from her grandfather. She's happy to
share them, as well as her knowledge, with visitors to the sanctuary.
"They need to bring plenty of film," she said. "They get to touch them and feel the
spirit of the wolf — one out of 100 are healers. So far I've got six healers here."
It is this same love of animals that encouraged Hoy to bring "Walk on the Wild Side" to
the festival.
"It's just a thrill to see kids smile and even adults when they get to see these exotic and
rare animals up close," Hoy said. "I do this specifically for people to enjoy themselves.
It's such a neat thing to see people's expressions of joy."
During the show, Hoy will work on a painting of a baby wolf. There will be animals set up so
audience members can create their own art.
"Walk on the Wild Side" is from noon to 4 p.m. at the festival, 650 Laguna Canyon Road.
Admission is always free for Laguna Beach residents, $5 for adults and $3 for seniors and students.
For information about the event, call (949) 494-1145 or go to http://www.lagunafestivalof
arts.org. To find out more about Wolf Mountain Sanctuary, call (760) 248-7818 or visit http://www.wolfmountain.com
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The Desert Dispatch is a daily newspaper serving the communities of
Barstow, Dagget, Fort Irwin, Hinkley, Lenwood, Newberry Springs and Yermo.
Jump to navigation
Sunday, June 29, 2003
Spirit guides, healing souls
Tonya Littlewolf feels a kinship with the wolves she cares for at Wolf Mountain
By NIKKI COBB/Staff Writer
When Tonya Littlewolf was a child, small for her age and scorned by her peers for
her mixed Apache and Sicilian heritage, her mother gave her a wolf cub to raise.
"Take this little one, and teach it to respect you," Littlewolf said her
mother instructed her. "When it is grown, it will teach you."
It's a lesson Littlewolf has never forgotten. She said she feels a kinship with the
wolves she rescues at Wolf Mountain in Lucerne Valley, describing them as her pack, her family. She
knows each by name, and in a lifetime of caring for wild creatures she says she's never felt fear.
The sanctuary is home to 14 wolves, animals bred for the silver screen but no longer
useful or pets whose well-meaning owners couldn't handle a fully grown wild animal.
"They would have been destroyed," Littlewolf said sadly. "People
don't realize that you can't train a wolf. They eat for food, and if they love you, they
listen."
That respect and communication goes both ways. Littlewolf says she's a
"shape-changer," able to understand the workings of the wolves' minds. Some of her canine
comrades are healers, she believes, embodying spirits modern man has lost touch with.
Wolves mate for life and live in complex social networks. Each has its place in the
"pecking order," and the whole pack participates in caring for cubs and teaching them to
hunt.
Their bodies, too, are connected with nature and adapted for survival in ways people
aren't. Wolves have sleek coarse guard hairs to repel rain and snow, and a fine fuzzy undercoat for
warmth.
Their paws, enormous even in proportion to their 100-pound-plus frames, steady the
wolves' footing on ice or deep snow. They're out of their element in the desert heat, Littlewolf
explained, and she's looking for a more suitable site for her sanctuary, which has been at its
current location since 1985.
"I've got to get them out of here. It's not right," she said.
Each wolf eats three to five pounds of red meat daily, and a chicken. Once each week
they're fed a rabbit, as well as fruit, vegetables and potatoes.
The biggest misconception people harbor about wolves is that they're dangerous
killers, Littlewolf said. She cited the fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood as a source and an
example of European mistrust of the amber-eyed hunters.
"I want to educate people that the wolves aren't the bad guy, we're the bad
guys," Littlewolf said. "We're the ones ruining the earth."
Her goal for now is to find an expansive new site for her rescued wolves, and to
participate actively in breeding and conservation programs for rare species.
"They're just like people. Different colors, different personalities," she
said.
Nikki Cobb can be reached at nikki_cobb@link.freedom.com
or
951-6277.
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