Wild Wolf
Northern Grey Wolf
""The Wolf gave me an eerie smile, all fangs, and his eyes glinted in the shadows.
"I will be in this tale one way or another, little prince," he warned."
— Julie Kagawa - The Iron Knight
​
It seems the wolf has been part of mythology and stories since the beginning, symbolizing everything from evil and chaos to wisdom and loyalty. Norse mythology speaks of the wolf Fenrir who represents chaos and eventually eats Odin. Yet in the legends of the foundation of Rome, Romulus and Remus are raised by a Lupa Capitolina she-wolf. Modern tales speak of the big bad wolf in the woods, but also the caregiver of Mowgli in the jungle. This divide is even seen in a wolf's nature; while known as social animals forming tight packs, some will leave the pack choosing the independence of the lone wolf.
​
In the Tumbler Ridge and the South Peace area, the Grey Wolf, is the natural predictor of an ever diminishing population of Caribou, and as such has become the villain in the tale. According to the BC Government fact sheet on Mountain Caribou and Wolves, these canine hunters are responsible for 35% of adult deaths in the caribou herds in our area, and in 2016 were being flown out of the South Peace to new hunting grounds.
​
Lately I have been drawn in by the eyes of animals, they seem to look right through the camera at the photographer behind saying "I see you there, I could hurt you but choose not to. " These magnificent yet untamable animals we share our space with - the bear, the lynx, the wolf - such intensity in their eyes.
“The wolf exerts a powerful influence on the human imagination.
It takes your stare and turns it back on you.”
