International Wolf Center facts for kids
The International Wolf Center (IWC) is a special place in Ely, Minnesota, USA. It's a group that teaches people all about wolves. Their main goal is to help wolves survive and thrive in the wild. They do this by teaching about wolves, their homes in nature, and how humans can help their future.
The Wolf Center has a cool building in Ely that anyone can visit. Here, you can see "ambassador wolves" living in a natural area through big windows. You can also learn about wolves through fun exhibits and activities. This center is located inside the beautiful Superior National Forest. The center also helps with wolf research and offers programs away from Ely. They even publish a magazine called International Wolf and share wolf facts on their website.
The Wolf Center wants to give you the best and newest information about wolves. They don't tell people how wolves should be managed, like if they should be hunted. Instead, they want healthy wolf populations to continue. They let people learn the facts and then make their own choices.
Learning About Wolves
The International Wolf Center started in 1985. A group of scientists, including wolf expert Dr. L. David Mech, helped create it. The center first opened its doors in June 1993.
The main building in Ely, Minnesota, is quite large. It has big windows where you can watch Gray wolves (Canis lupus). You can see them talk to each other, hunt, eat, and play! Visitors can look into a large outdoor area where the "Exhibit Pack" of ambassador wolves lives. These wolves represent different types of North American wolves, like Arctic, Northwestern, and Great Plains wolves. The Center brings in new wolf pups every four years, which is exciting!
Besides seeing the wolves, the Center has many fun learning programs. These happen at the Ely center and at special wolf spots in northern Minnesota. You can join programs that last an afternoon, a weekend, or even a whole week. Some activities include howling trips, walking in snowshoes, learning how scientists track wolves, and family games. They also offer dog sledding, videos, talks, and nature hikes.
The Center has a new exhibit called Discover Wolves!. There's also a Little Wolf exhibit made just for kids aged three to nine. You can watch documentaries about wolves in their theater. And don't forget the "Wolf Den" store, where you can find wolf-themed items.
Wolf Publications and Games
The International Wolf Center publishes a magazine called International Wolf. It comes out four times a year. Members of the Wolf Center get the magazine for free. You can also find some articles from each issue online.
The Center helps teachers learn about wolves too. They have a program called "WolfLink." This program lets the center connect with hundreds of classrooms each year through online learning.
The center also supported a video game called WolfQuest. The Minnesota Zoo helped make this game. WolfQuest is a computer game that teaches kids and teens about what it's like to be a wild wolf. The game takes place in Yellowstone National Park. So far, two parts of the game have been released: WolfQuest: Amethyst Mountain and WolfQuest: Slough Creek.
