UK Wolf Conservation Trust
| Founded | May 1995 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Roger Palmer[1] |
| Type | Non-profit |
| Focus | Conservation |
| Location |
|
|
Area served
|
Europe |
| Method | Education, supporting conservation projects |
| Slogan | Working to keep wolves in the wild |
| Website | ukwct.org.uk |
The UK Wolf Conservation Trust is a non-profit organisation based in Berkshire, England. Its aims are to dispel the myths and misconceptions surrounding wolves, and to support wolves living in the wild elsewhere in Europe.
Contents
History
Businessman Roger Palmer visited Alaska in the 1970s where he encountered wolves for the first time. Upon his return to the UK he decided to acquire a wolf. Palmer kept wolves into the mid 1990s[2] and, encouraged by ethologist Erich Klinghammer, founded the UK Wolf Conservation Trust (UKWCT) in 1995.[3]
Activities of the UKWCT
The UKWCT has 10 ambassador wolves, 9 of which are socialised wolves split into four packs.[4] The wolves are taken for walks most weekends in the open farmland around the Trust,[5] accompanied by members of the public and UKWCT. The idea is to allow people to see wolves in a different light to the experience seen at most zoos, which generally don't socialise their animals.
Education is a major part of the UKWCT's ethos and they hold regular seminars, with biologists and other speakers giving talks about wolves and current conservation work. The UKWCT's magazine,[6] WolfPrint, attracts contributions from those involved with wolf conservation and reports on current events in the wolf world.
The UKWCT's achievements
In 1998 the UKWCT imported three European wolves from eastern Europe and in 1999 they gave birth to six pups. This was reported[7] to be the first birth of European wolves in the UK since they were driven to extinction in the 18th century. After their relocation to Wildwood in Kent, the imported wolves had several further litters.
Projects supported by the UKWCT include helping to buy livestock guardian dogs for Bulgarian shepherds, as well as supporting wolf research and education in the Tver region of Russia and also in Croatia. Support has also been provided for the Ethiopian wolf, for other European projects, and for the Red and Mexican wolves in the Americas. To date, the Trust has donated over £150,000 to wolf conservation projects worldwide.[8]
References
- ↑ UKWCT website - about us section
- ↑ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/outdoors/7741761/Wolf-project-is-a-howling-success.html
- ↑ http://www.countrylife.co.uk/article/78452/A_Man_and_His_Wolves.html
- ↑ UKWCT website - wolves page
- ↑ BBC News website, Hikers go for walk with wolves
- ↑ Searching Wolf, wolf magazines page
- ↑ BBC News website, Wolf cubs born in Britain
- ↑ UKWCT website - home page
External links
- Pages with broken file links
- Pages using infobox organization with unsupported parameters
- Conservation in the United Kingdom
- Environmental organisations based in the United Kingdom
- Wolf organizations
- Organisations based in Berkshire
- Education in West Berkshire
- 1995 establishments in the United Kingdom
- Organizations established in 1995
- Animal conservation organizations
- Animal welfare organisations in the United Kingdom
