Wyatt the Gray Wolf Wants More Respect

Zoey, our roving rodent reporter, and Zeke, mouse photographer extraordinaire, stay up late to talk with Canis lupus. He reveals a lot about survival and family life.

Zeek: It’s good to be in an ordinary forest for a change.

Zoey: And we’re on the trail of everybody’s favorite furry, the gray wolf.

Zeek: The wolf is endangered?

Zoey: Yup!

Zeek: Well, I’m not surprised. The big bad wolf is bad news.

Zoey: See, Zeek, that’s exactly why the wolf has such a hard time. From the Big Bad Wolf to werewolves, wolves get a bad rap.

Wyatt: She’s right, pardner,

Zeek: Who said that?

Wyatt: The name’s Wolf. Wyatt Wolf.

Zoey: Why, hello, Mr. Wolf

Wyatt: Call me Wyatt, ma’am.

Zoey: Nice to meet you, Wyatt.

Zeek: Sorry about the “big bad wolf” crack”…uh…Wyatt.

Zoey: We were just wondering how you came to be endangered.

Zeek: Yeah, I thought wolves were everywhere.

Wyatt: We were. We drift here. We drift there. We’re drifters. Roamers. Loners.

Zeek: The “Lone Wolf,” so to speak.

Wyatt: I’m far from alone. I always run with my kin.

Zoey: That’s nice. I hear wolves are making a comeback, too!

Wyatt: Yup. There’s some folks that are doing right by us wolves and helping us survive.

Zoey: Yes! Like the Endangered Species Act! And wolf preserves and education! It’s all so important!

Wyatt: Yup.  We’re not the killers that some people accuse us of being. Land just keeps getting scarce for us and people worry about us causing trouble. We just need ourselves a little space to run with our pack.

Zoey: I understand.

Wyatt: Here, Let me call my kinfolk.

Zoey: Sure.

(Wyatt howls long and loud.)

Zoey: I love your howl.

Wyatt: Thank you kindly, little missy.

Zoey: It sounds so lovely here in the night, with the moon shining.

Wyatt: Yup, some folk think we howl at the moon. Well, maybe that’s true and maybe it ain’t. It sure is purty. But it’s mostly just ‘cause my kinfolk are up and about when the moon is so bright like this.

(More wolves arrive and gather round.)

Wilma: Hey, Wyatt.

Walt: Wyatt, what’s going on?

Wyatt: And here’s my kinfolk.

Will: Wyatt, who‘re they?

Wyatt: Will, this is Zoey and Zeek.

Will: Have you gone soft, Wyatt? They’re mice!

Wyatt: Yeah, so what if they are?

Walt: We’re just sayin’. I mean, they’re too scrawny to eat. Wouldn’t get more than a bite or two out of the both of ‘em.

Wilma: Yeah, Wyatt. What’re you doing with those things? You aren’t planning on bringing mice home, are you?

Wyatt: (Barking at the other wolves) Listen! Anyone has a problem with these two mice, they have a problem with me.

(The wolves back off.)

Will: Okay, Wyatt.

Walt: No problem!

Wilma: Nice mice. Nice mice.

Zeek: Wow that was fast.

Zoey: You sure garner their respect.

Wyatt: I’m the alpha around here. Nobody messes with me. They do what I say or else.

Zoey: Ah. Alpha! That means you lead this tribe.

Wyatt: Pack, if you please, ma’am. We run in a pack.

Zeek: Oh yeah! Wolf pack! It’s a family of sorts.

Zeek: A wolf is nothing without his family.

Wyatt: Yup. A wise man once wrote, “The strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.”

Zoey: Rudyard Kipling.

Wyatt: He’s one righteous dude.

Zoey: It’s a nice sentiment.

Zeek: What does it mean, though?

Wyatt: It means that without each other to help get food and watch out for each other, we’d surely die. Every member plays a vital role in the pack’s survival.

Zoey: Sounds like you’ve got a great family life.

Wyatt: I wouldn’t trade it for all the gold in the world. Now, if you’ll excuse me, ma’am, we have to go rustle us up some grub.

Zoey: Sure. It was nice meeting you.

Zeek: Give my regards to the rest of your family.

Wyatt: Say, would you like to join us on the hunt?

Zeek: You mean it?

Zoey: We’d love to.

Wyatt: Hop on!

(Zoey and Zeek climb up onto Wyatt’s neck.)

Wyatt: Hold on tight!

Zeek: This fur sure is comfy!

Zoey: Luxurious! And the colors really blend well together, too.

Zeek: Look, there’s another layer of fur down deeper. Didn’t we see this on the polar bears?

Zoey: Yes, Zeek, the outer layer are guard hairs to protect the inner layer from wet and cold. Let’s go, Wyatt!

(Zeek howls as loud as he can.)

Wyatt: That’s a nice sound you got there, little buddy.

(He howls; the rest of the wolves echo his howl in the distance as they run into the night.)