Photo courtesy of Dr. Randolph Krohmer
On April 16th, the Tri-Beta Biological Honor Society hosted an educational wildlife show put on by the Big Run Wolf Ranch.
The “Big Run Wolf Ranch is a non-profit, federally licensed, educational facility which specializes in the education and conservation of North American wildlife.” (bigrunwolfranch.org)
It is located at 14857 Farrell Rd. in Lockport, IL. The facility is run by John Basile, who also gave the presentation this past Thursday.
They have animals ranging from skunks and wolves to bears and tigers. Most of the animals were rescued, with the only other alternative being euthanasia. According to their website, their primary objective is education.
I had my first experience with Big Run Wolf Ranch when I was in grammar school. It was unlike any experience you get at the zoo because you get a presentation about all of the animals and their personal characteristics.
This format allows you to learn about the species itself, as well as certain personality traits that will make you rethink the misunderstandings that the general public has with animals such as: bears, tigers, wolves, and coyotes.
As a very young student, I found the field trip fascinating. Not only did we get out of school, but also we were also able to enjoy the outdoors and the animals that call North America home. At the time, I did not understand biology and the ecosystem as much as I do today.
This led me to take out a different message rather than my grammar school thoughts that simply: “these animals are cool.”
The presentation was given in the Student Lounge, which was overflowing with students, faculty, and children. In fact, the event was so crowded that I had to stand with others in the doorway.
After learning about the history of Big Run Wolf Ranch, which stretches back 30 years, unique North American animals were brought out one by one. John Basile gave the crowd a lesson and the background of each animal that was introduced.
We were first introduced to a groundhog, skunk, and porcupine. Followed by a coyote and a large wolf. With the background to these species, it became evident that misunderstandings and prejudices by the general public have endangered a lot of these animals.
The wolf and coyote were two stories that stood out to me, especially since we are currently studying them in my evolution class this semester.
Wolves travel in packs through the wilderness and are the oldest and largest ancestor of domestic dogs. They once ranged from coast to coast and from Alaska to Mexico. However, due to prejudice since their early encounters with humans, they have been poisoned, trapped, and shot by bounty hunters since the early 1900’s.
The government placed bounties for their pelts, and by the 1970’s, wolves only remained in remote areas untouched by man. This began to turn around when Congress enacted the Endangered Species Act in 1973 and protected the wolf as an endangered species that same year.
Although populations of gray wolves have largely rebounded, they still face the dangers of habitat loss, unregulated hunting, and the negative stereotypes that perpetuate both. In certain states, Congress has taken gray wolves off the endangered species list, which can put them at risk yet again.
Therefore, Big Run Wolf Ranch is vital to educating the public about these misunderstood animals and protecting them from the mistakes of the past that resulted from said stereotypes.
Wolves are very important to the balance of the food chain and environment, as they select out weak and sick animals to keep the populations of deer and elk healthy and in check.
The coyote, an animal seen more in our area, is another misunderstood animal that we learned about. Contrary to popular beliefs, coyotes are shy and will most likely run away from you if encountered in the wild. This was certainly seen in the presentation, as the coyote seemed more scared than anyone else in the room.
Although mostly considered to be a varmint in the area, the coyote is actually very important to the ecological balance of the Midwest by controlling populations of rabbits and rodents.
This presentation truly makes you appreciate the importance that these animals have not only in our local ecosystem, but the entire continent of North America.
It also makes you think about other misunderstood animals in our society such as snakes, pit bulls, and sharks, just to name a few. We need more people like John Basile and the Big Run Wolf Ranch to educate the public about other endangered and misunderstood animals throughout the world.
If you missed the event, I highly recommend you check out Big Run Wolf Ranch in Lockport, or make a donation at their website, bigrunwolfranch.org. To find out about different events you can email them at bigrunwolf@aol.com or call (815)588-0044.
Zach Heppner
Viewpoints Editor
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