Home Page / Wolf Centre / Adopt-a-Wolf Membership / WWUK Wolves / Join Wolf Watch UK / Visiting The Sanctuary / Payments & Donations / Contact Us / Wolf Videos / Q&A / History / Wilderness Goods For Sale / Notice Board / Meet The Team / What People Have Said / Photography Days / Links / Wolf News / Loopy Files / Notes From Tony / Wolf Learning Course WWUK has been home to many wolves since it was founded, below are just a few of the past residents whom we've been proud to have had in our care. Obituary to Nouska It's with sadness to announce, that almost a year to the day after Luna, her partner Nouska has died. Sixteen and half years old is an extraordinarily good age for any canid, although I learnt the same day from the manager of Port Lympne Zoo that her mother had lived to an incredible eighteen and half years, having died only a few weeks before. It appears that she had been drinking from the stream in her enclosure and simply collapsed into the water. Like all wolves Nouska had a character of her own. Having had no early socialisation to humans she had learned from Luna that member visits on a Sunday meant extra food treats and quickly lost much of her 'flight instinct' in order to accept them. Again like all of our wolves which have passed on she will be sadly missed but kept alive in our minds and preserved on film and photograph. Thank you Nouska for the great pleasure you gave to so many of us. Tony, Wolf Centre Director Nouska was a beautiful black Canadian Timber Wolf. She was born at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park in Kent and reared by her natural parents in a large enclosure. Early in 1997, aged 4 years, Nouska was involved in a dominance fight with another member of her pack. As a result, she was temporarily separated and shared an enclosure with an African Wild Dog. It was relatively soon after this point that she was re-homed with Wolf Watch. Although strongly built and in superb condition, she was a shy animal and made the best use of cover in her new enclosure if many people were close by. Regardless of her previous set backs however; she had firmly settled herself in amongst the lower valley pack as the beta female, when Luna and Saskia were alive. Despite being an older wolf, she continued to appear most active, right until the end and even seemed to gain confidence in respect of human contact. Visitors to the Wolf Centre had remarked that she would approach and even sniff their hands, usually after the bolder alpha wolf at the time, Luna had done the same. This boldness was unusual in a wolf not socialised to people at an early age. But Nouska was obviously a wolf of some stature, having been an Alpha female previously, she continued to demonstrate strength of character wherever she was. Obituary to Luna It is with sadness I have to report the loss of Luna on Sunday 24th August 2008. It was early morning when I found her curled up in the usual sleeping spot. She hadn’t heard my approach, which was unusual. Nouska was pacing nearby and was agitated. The truth was soon obvious, a fly had settled on the tip of her ear and there was a stillness which seemed to grasp the moment whilst my mind caught up from the anticipation of her greeting, to the registration of sadness. Luna was one of our most popular Wolves, second to none in her attractive appearance and in character the most diplomatic Wolf we have had since Wolf Watch was founded. Having been originally rescued and reared from six hours old by Julia Noble of Nature Quest in the New Forest, Luna had enjoyed a number of different pack mates in her lifetime of approaching 12 years. During which, apart from brief intervals had always maintained Alpha status. From time to time disputes of varied seriousness had taken place. Luna’s quick intervention usually involving distraction bore an irresistible invitation to play which brought about an early resolution to the problem thus avoiding injury and prolonged antagonism. Our Luna will be much missed and remembered. Thank you to everyone who helped support her and in particular to Julia who saved her life in the first instance and later gave us the opportunity to enjoy sharing her life at Wolf Watch in her remaining years. Tony Haighway, Wolf Centre Director Former alpha female of the lower valley pack, Luna was a remarkably mature and self assured young wolf. She demonstrated leadership qualities long before she became alpha following the sad death of the previous top wolf, Anuke. A Canadian Timber Wolf (canis lupus), Luna was named after the mythological association with the moon, but she was also very serene and calm by nature. Luna and her sister were the surviving pups of a pack inherited by Longleat after the Windsor Safari Park closed down. From just six hours old Luna and Saskia were hand-reared by Julia Noble of Nature Quest, a very experienced member of the wildlife centre based in the New Forest. Even so caring for two wolves was to prove more demanding than the centre could have foreseen, and thus the girls found themselves being placed with Wolf Watch UK. The sisters’ first bed consisted of a plastic aquarium with a hot water bottle under a piece of vet bed. With two-hourly feeds both day and night, Julia did not get too much sleep to begin with. At five days old feeding had become extended to three–four hours during the day and every six hours at night. The furry little bundles began to quickly gain weight. During the puppy days it was Saskia who demonstrated independent inclinations and daring acts of exploration. However, at some point during adolescence, the sisters seemed to swap certain characteristics, with Luna becoming the confident animal and Saskia rather more timid. In fact Luna became a bold, inquisitive and highly intelligent wolf, exhibiting behaviour which is mature beyond her years, such as her protective strategies concerning her sister. She would often intervene on behalf of Saskia for instance, by physically placing herself between Saskia and the aggressor, trying to illicit play behaviour in an attempt to diffuse any confrontation – a real wolf diplomat! A female Canadian Timber Wolf (canis lupus), Saskia formed part of the lower valley pack along with her sister Luna, and Nouska. The general story of Saskia closely mirrors that of her sibling Luna, although the sisters have very different characters. It’s these individual traits that set them apart, despite sharing the same path in life. When Longleat inherited a pack of twelve wolves after Windsor closed, the alpha pair had not bred for some time. The subordinate pair, however, managed to breed, only to find that all the pups died. In May 1997, five pups were produced, sadly three died, but two survived – Saskia and her sister Luna. Weighing only 13lbs 7oz each, the sisters were hand-reared by Julia Noble of Nature Quest, a wildlife centre based in the New Forest. An experienced carer for orphaned animals of many species, Julia became the surrogate mother of Saskia and Luna – her first wolf cubs – and began an experience like no other before or since! Even with there facilities and experience, caring for two wolves was to prove more demanding than the centre could have foreseen, and so the girls found themselves being placed with Wolf Watch UK. They were initially fed using a broad, plastic syringe using specialist replacement milk, which was gently skirted into their mouths. It was very hard to get them started and Saskia often clenched her mouth so tightly, it was impossible to open. They moved onto a baby bottle at about 2-3 weeks of age, at this time their intake was increasing at such a pace that a pair of baby feeding bottles was used so they could both feed simultaneously. Having a tendency to wriggle about and gulp in air, they were regularly ‘burped’, to prevent colic! The name Saskia came from a TV programme – such a pretty name suited her – as she was an attractive and rather cheeky animal. As a youngster she was very independent, tending to get into trouble, such as falling off the bed, or climbing the barricade at the top of the stairs and rolling down! The original ‘Wolf’ with his adopted daughter Ayla at Tony’s’ keepers cottage. Wolf lived until his 20th year, by which time he was a considerably calmer and happier animal than when he first arrived from Southam Zoo (now closed). Ayla, a Canadian Timber Wolf - aunt and friend to many. Anuke the original alpha of the lower valley pack, pictured with Luna at the Wolf Centre. Bubbles - one half of the Bubbles and Squeak duo!   Email WWUK Photography by Chris Cray / Tony Haighway © Wolf Watch UK Home Page / Wolf Centre / Adopt-a-Wolf Membership / WWUK Wolves / Join Wolf Watch UK / Visiting The Sanctuary / Payments & Donations / Contact Us / Wolf Videos / Q&A / History / Wilderness Goods For Sale / Notice Board / Meet The Team / What People Have Said / Photography Days / Links / Wolf News / Loopy Files / Notes From Tony / Wolf Learning Course