Ninemile Pack Member has
been killed in Northern Idaho. Please help catch the killer(s)
The Ninemile Pack
She was a shadowy gray adult female, born in 1991 in the Ninemile valley near Missoula,
Montana. Her family, the Ninemile pack, was made famous by wilderness author Rick
Bass in his bestseller, "The Ninemile Wolves," published by Ballantine Books,
1993. The Ninemile pack was one the first packs to settle in Northwestern Montana.
Their story was one of troubles because they were among the first wolves to return
to an area where many people feared and opposed the return of the wolf. Several
pioneer wolves died, but enough lived to give birth to pups and carve their niche of new
wolf territory. Rick's book chronicles their re-establishment with the help of Mike
Jimenez, a dedicated wolf researcher who has been the guardian of this pack since
they first settled the Ninemile valley.
The wolf called "Auntie."
This adult gray female was the daughter of one of the original settlers. She was
nicknamed "Auntie" by biologist Mike Jimenez as she took over the role of
primary caregiver for the pups of the pack. While the alpha female (the mother)
would hunt for food to feed her pups, Auntie would stay at the densite and stand guard
over the youngsters. Wolf "babysitters" also serve as teachers for the pups who
must quickly learn the essential skills for survival.
Mike Jimenez holds
tranquilized Auntie. She dispersed from the famous Ninemile Pack of NW Montana into
northern Idaho, only to be illegal killed.
Please contribute to the Wild
Wolf Fund to help catch these wolf killers!
Auntie and several pups move to Idaho.
By February 1997, the pups-of-the-year were nearly grown, and the Ninemile Pack had grown
to 12 members. Last February Auntie and several pups she had helped raise left the
Ninemile valley. Because only one female (the alpha) typically breeds and produces
pups, perhaps Auntie was searching for a mate to begin her own family.
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The same old story -- Auntie is
illegally killed near Moscow
Tragically, before the mating season, Auntie was illegally killed in late 1997 near the
northern Idaho city of Moscow. There is no evidence to suggest she had been involved in
the death of any livestock, so it looks like her death was another act of random act of
violence against a species long misunderstood in the region. The old
"joke" among wolf opponents is "Shoot, Shovel and Shut Up."
Often law enforcement officers find little evidence to convict wolf killers. Yet,
this time they discovered the crime and, with our help, this wolf's killer may yet be
brought to justice.The Wild Wolf Fund has been created to help you bring
wolf killers to justice!
The Wolf Recovery Foundation and the North American Wolf
Association have pledged to assist the US Fish & Wildlife Service Law
Enforcement officers with our help. Together we are building the Wild Wolf Fund to
directly aid in the recovery and protection of wolves. Donations raised through this fund
will help us post a reward for Auntie's killer. In the long term, these funds will
advance the recovery of wolves by funding rewards for wolf killers, public education,
protection of recolonizing wild wolves, research, and increased efforts to restore wolves
where they rightfully belong.
The time to help is now. Too many wolves have been killed, and very few killers are
brought to justice. It takes donations for rewards, protection, and education. The
government program is being deliberately starved in Congress by the enemies of the wolf
and the natural world. If you can afford to help us, please act today. If you know
others who understand the importance of our mission and want to help, please contact them
or send us their names. Every donation is important as together each of us
strengthens the circle of support for the wolves. The Wolf Recovery Foundation and
the North American Wolf Association are well known for their
important roles in wolf restoration. Their union in this effort flags the critical
need for a fund that can serve to protect and advance the recovery of wild wolves now and
for future generations. Please send your support to:
The Wild Wolf Fund
C/O The Wolf Recovery Foundation (a 501.C.3 Non-profit organization)
P.O. Box 44236
Boise, ID 83711-0236
For the wolves, we thank you.
Suzanne Laverty, Director
Wolf Recovery Foundation (208) 321-0755
P.O. Box 44236
Boise, ID 83711-0236
Email to Wolf Recovery Foundation
Rae Henderson Ott, Director
North American Wolf Association (281) 821-4884
23214 Tree Bright
Houston, Texas 77373
Email to NAWA |