What is an ambassador wolf ?

An ambassador wolf is a wolf which represents its species to ours.

In the wild, wolves are defending their last strongholds against the ecological vandalism, greed and selfishness which have destroyed both the animals themselves and their environment and reduced their status from that of the most populous mammalian predator on the planet to an endangered species. It is only by making people aware of the nature of the animal itself that public opinion can be shifted in favour of relieving the inhumane and environmentally dangerous pressure on their species. Unfortunately, most human beings only value what they understand and they only understand what they know; to know wolves you have to meet wolves.

Fortunately, apart from their great stamina, intelligence and adaptability in surviving where humans cannot easily destroy them, wolves have one final resource with which to fight their corner against human persecution; they are among the few wild animals who's natural behaviour allows them to adapt easily and successfully to life in captivity and in association with humans. Wolves, left to their own devices, have an affinity with - and curiosity about - humans and when fully socialised in captivity to human beings are easily their own best ambassadors to our species. The best educators on matters related to wolves are the wolves themselves. Their grace, gentleness and dignity are the best weapons with which to undermine and eliminate the many fears and misconceptions which have been deliberately fostered about their species.

The job of rehabilitating the image of the wolf is, for several reasons, much easier in Britain than in many other countries.

Firstly, here, we have had no wild wolves for centuries, the old fears and superstitions are beginning to lose their potency for lack of an object to focus them on. This process of rehabilitation is also being reinforced by the generally elevated levels of education and intelligence in Britain today compared with many other countries. There are few people in Britain now who would believe any folk tales without question - especially those which vilify animals of any species. Suspicion and contempt have been replaced to a large extent with curiosity and a willingness to find the truth.

Secondly, in recent times the public has lost touch with the agricultural world and its priorities. No matter how much of an enemy farmers perceive wolves as, the majority of the public do not. With increasing urbanisation, public sympathy has swung away from farmers and hunters in favour of many of the species that have been agricultural outcasts. In many urban parts of the western world there is an increasing sympathy with the wolf along with many other persecuted and endangered species. For some people this sympathy brings with it a degree of curiosity and some measure of collective bad conscience which, together, motivate a desire for reconciliation and contact with such animals.

Historically, wild wolves have been subjected to some of the most cruel and horrific methods of persecution ever to have surfaced from the depths of the most depraved minds. Today, wolves and their plight are a powerful symbol of the continuing loss of our planet's biodiversity. To ensure the long term survival of their species it is essential to change public attitudes to them and the best way to achieve this is to arrange for people to meet wolves and to know wolves.