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Since humans first drew petroglyphs to record their observations, wolves
have populated the art, literature and culture of our planet. The
howl of the wolf sends shivers of fascination and love, or fear
and distrust, up the backs of people around the world. Hardly anyone
treats the wolf with indifference.
In 1985, the wolf's relationships with other living creatures became
the topic of the celebrated "Wolves and Humans" exhibit at the Science
Museum of Minnesota. The 6,000-square-foot display won awards, set
attendance records and eventually went on tour in 19 cities around
the United States and Canada. More than 2.5 million people learned
about wolf behavior and wolf lore and viewed the animal artifacts
and masks, the wolf-kill diorama, and the research tools.
The wolf biologists who consulted in the creation of the exhibit
began planning for its return to Minnesota. Dr. L. David Mech gathered
representatives from private, public and professional groups to
form the Committee for an International Wolf Center. The goal: a
permanent home for the exhibit and an international center promoting
public education about the wolf. The site search for the nonprofit
center ended in the heart of the largest wolf population in the
lower 48 states, Ely, Minnesota. By 1989, a temporary facility was
established there, on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area
Wilderness.
 For
six decades, gray wolf research conducted near Ely has informed
the world about this dwindling species and has contributed to its
repopulation in the north woods. Sigurd Olson, a world renowned
naturalist, made the first noted studies in the 1930s. Milt Stenlund
conducted a second wolf research project from 1948-1952. The quality
and sophistication of wolf research in the area grew throughout
the years and continues today under the direction of Dr. Mech, who
has tracked and studied wolves there since 1966. The foremost international
expert in the field, Dr. Mech generously interprets his research
for the Center's educational programs and serves on the board of
directors.
The International Wolf Center opened the doors to its $3 million,
17,000-square-foot facility featuring the "Wolves and Humans" exhibit
in June 1993. State funding of $1.2 million and $400,000 in donations
from individuals and foundations paid for the expansion of the Voyageur
Visitor Center in Ely. A $125,000 grant for construction and promotion
of the Center was received from the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation
Board (IRRRB) in Eveleth, Minn. In 1998, a 3,260-square-foot addition
provided a 120-seat wolf-viewing theater and more classroom, storage
and laboratory space. The expansion was funded by a 1996 bonding
bill of the Minnesota State Legislature.
 The
Center's flagship facility features triangular windows designed
to represent wolf eyes and ears. The observation windows look into
a 1.25-acre wolf enclosure and den site that is home for the resident
wolf pack. Three wolves born in April 1993, served as ambassadors
for the educational mission of the International Wolf Center. They
were joined by two arctic wolves in the summer of 2000.The Center's
Ely facility offers a variety of educational programs for adults
and families. Afternoon, weekend and week-long visits include howling
trips, radio tracking, snowshoe treks, family activities, dogsledding,
videos, presentations, flights over wolf country, demonstrations
and hikes. Programs are custom-designed for groups of all ages.
Since its inception, the Center has been a membership organization.
Membership in the International Wolf Center has grown to over 8,500
people in 50 states and 38 countries. Membership continues to grow
and provides funding for educational programs.
The Center accomplishes educational outreach beyond its Ely facility
through a comprehensive Web site at www.wolf.org, a quarterly magazine
and a Speakers Bureau in ten states. Hundreds of thousands of people
around the world are touched each year with educational messages
about the wolf. By teaching people about this mysterious predator,
the International Wolf Center aims to ensure a future wilderness
complete with the mournful howl of the wolf.
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