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 As I am heading back to my tent for the night listening to the still night air, all around me are the calls of the local coyote packs, and the occasional bark of a town dog. As I reach my tent the night is filled with the beautiful sounds of Piyip and Motoki of the Sawtooth Pack: Wolves of the Nez Perce howling, when suddenly the night is filled with even more beautiful howls as the members of the Owyhee Pack responds. As I sit on my deck and listen to the beautifully comforting sounds of the packs howling I start to reflect on the gracious fortune I have had for the past few months being an intern here at the Wolf Education and Research Center (WERC).
My name is Brittany Moe, I am a Minnesota native and I have been an intern here at WERC since early August. When it will finally be time for me to go I will have been here for 3 seasons and I am thoroughly grateful for the opportunity to be here for so long. I am still in awe of how each season can be so different from each other here in the mountains; from the scorching heat of summer working at the Visitor Center to the freezing cold of winter as I perform e-walks, to everything in between. I have learned so many wonderful things during my time here that I am amazed I have been able to retain it all. Being under the guidance of my fellow staff members has broadened and deepened my knowledge in ways that have exceeded my greatest expectations. And I will always be thoroughly grateful for the opportunities and knowledge that they have graciously passed on to me.
I have been fascinated by wolves from a very early age when I saw my first picture of a wolf. Ever since that time I have known that I would do everything in my power to work with these extraordinary animals. My life has been filled with absorbing any and all information I could attain about these wonderful creatures. I came into this internship thinking I had a pretty good idea about what makes a wolf a wolf and I'm here to tell you that almost everything I knew went out the window. I have learned so much more than I ever could from reading books and watching videos of my childhood to being taught everyday through my interactions with the members of our two packs. You may have all the knowledge in the world about a particular animal but, being face to face interacting with them on a daily basis, creating a bond of friendship and trust, will teach you that you don't know everything. This only goes to show that you never stop learning, there is always something new for you to learn. Never stop reaching for the stars, I know I never will.
To Piyip, Motoki, A, B, C, D, and E, thank you so much for teaching me to be a better person and helping me understand that it's ok not to know everything and that you will always be my friends and trusted companions. Again thank you everyone for the gracious opportunity to learn under your guidance.
Brittany Moe, Fall 2008 - Winter 2009 Intern
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This area is devoted to the memoirs of those dedicated, and slightly crazy, individuals who live in Wolf Camp. A rustic setting devoid of electricity, plumbing, and phone service, camp is located just outside the pack's enclosure and residents live in tents year round. The Wolf Center's resident biologist and typically 2-4 interns inhabit the remote camp to ensure the welfare and security of the pack every day and night, regardless of the weather or danger. Such a life provides a deep insight into the pack's life and essentially causes the Wolf Camp residents to live in harmony with the other forest inhabitants. Life in Wolf Camp is nothing less than an adventure. These are our words. 