Just three hours north of Toronto way up in Central Ontario is one of the most unique and beautiful destinations in the province. Haliburton Forest is a nature lovers dream. A place for hiking, mountain biking and canoeing in the summer and cross country skiing, ice fishing and dog sledding in the winter. But it is the Haliburton Forest Wild Life and Reserve that makes it so special.
Treat yourself to a rare view of a pack of wolves that live on a 15 acre reserve. The Haliburtan Forest is 70,000 acres of protected forest and its inhabitant. This pack of wolves has 15 km all to themselves free to live out their lives with as little human interaction as possible. There are wild packs of wolves Haliburton as well, but this pack are descendants from two captive wolves dating back to 1977.
Originally in Michigan, a photographer raised two wolf pups to photograph and study. As the years past the pack grew and eventually he could not take care of the wolves alone. Haliburton was scouted and chosen as a home for the semi-domesticated wolf pack and in 1992 they were moved to live on as a protected pack in as close to their natural environment as possible.
You can visit the centre year round and it is worth it to take a couple of trips to see them roll in the snow during the winter season or to see them bask in the sun during the summer. Viewings are not guaranteed as the wolves are free to roam wherever they choose. Tourists can only view the wolves from inside a glass enclosure overlooking the feeding area, but the viewing platform is built in an ideal location where the wolves receive optimal sunlight for sunbathing. You are asked to remain quiet as you observe the wolves go on with their day. Their daily lives are disrupted as little as possible.
It is also a good location because the wolves are fed from this point. Their diet consists of mainly beaver, but sometimes they are fed deer as well. The wolves are never fed live animals, most come to the centre as victims of being hit by traffic or by local hunters bringing them in. The wolves treat the meat as a kill however and they tear at the animals with wild fury.
You will learn a great deal about the hierarchy of the pack, ask as many questions as you like. The Alpha Male runs the clan along with his chosen Alpha female. They are followed by the Beta male which is second in command and then the rest fill out the list until the poor Omega wolf. It is difficult as a human to watch the Omega. It is the weakest of the pack and it is severely bullied by the other wolves. It is the last to eat and it stays to itself while the rest of the pack sleeps and plays together.
The sanctuary does not intervene as this is the way of the wolf and it is not for we humans to decide how they should live. Eventually, the Omega will be killed by the pack or it will go off by itself to die, sometimes they become so sick that they need to be euthanized by staff veterinarians. It is difficult to witness, but to take the omega away will only make room for another Omega to be chosen and it would disrupt the whole system of a wolf pack. Eventually, one of the younger Beta Males and Females will overtake the Alpha's and the cycle will continue.
Visiting the wolf centre in Haliburton is an important step in helping people to understand the wolf. For centuries the human race has feared the wolf and unapologetically hunted it almost to extinction. Wolves are not the evil creature that we have been led to believe. They are more afraid of humans and are more likely to flee than attack and there has actually never been a confirmed report of a healthy wolf attacking a human. The only cases of wolf attacks have come from either rabid wolves or a wolf/dog mixed race. Truthfully there have been more dog attacks than wolf attacks.
It is only $9.00 to visit the Wolf Centre. It is worth it to take a day or two and stay up in Central Ontario. It is a beautiful location consisting of 60 lakes and thousands of acres of forest. It is a wild country where moose and bears roam freely and you will see otters, deer, porcupine, grouse and great blue herons and many more. Stay in rustic cabins, pitch a tent or find a nearby resort. You can find something for everyone in Ontario.
Treat yourself to a rare view of a pack of wolves that live on a 15 acre reserve. The Haliburtan Forest is 70,000 acres of protected forest and its inhabitant. This pack of wolves has 15 km all to themselves free to live out their lives with as little human interaction as possible. There are wild packs of wolves Haliburton as well, but this pack are descendants from two captive wolves dating back to 1977.
Originally in Michigan, a photographer raised two wolf pups to photograph and study. As the years past the pack grew and eventually he could not take care of the wolves alone. Haliburton was scouted and chosen as a home for the semi-domesticated wolf pack and in 1992 they were moved to live on as a protected pack in as close to their natural environment as possible.
You can visit the centre year round and it is worth it to take a couple of trips to see them roll in the snow during the winter season or to see them bask in the sun during the summer. Viewings are not guaranteed as the wolves are free to roam wherever they choose. Tourists can only view the wolves from inside a glass enclosure overlooking the feeding area, but the viewing platform is built in an ideal location where the wolves receive optimal sunlight for sunbathing. You are asked to remain quiet as you observe the wolves go on with their day. Their daily lives are disrupted as little as possible.
It is also a good location because the wolves are fed from this point. Their diet consists of mainly beaver, but sometimes they are fed deer as well. The wolves are never fed live animals, most come to the centre as victims of being hit by traffic or by local hunters bringing them in. The wolves treat the meat as a kill however and they tear at the animals with wild fury.
You will learn a great deal about the hierarchy of the pack, ask as many questions as you like. The Alpha Male runs the clan along with his chosen Alpha female. They are followed by the Beta male which is second in command and then the rest fill out the list until the poor Omega wolf. It is difficult as a human to watch the Omega. It is the weakest of the pack and it is severely bullied by the other wolves. It is the last to eat and it stays to itself while the rest of the pack sleeps and plays together.
The sanctuary does not intervene as this is the way of the wolf and it is not for we humans to decide how they should live. Eventually, the Omega will be killed by the pack or it will go off by itself to die, sometimes they become so sick that they need to be euthanized by staff veterinarians. It is difficult to witness, but to take the omega away will only make room for another Omega to be chosen and it would disrupt the whole system of a wolf pack. Eventually, one of the younger Beta Males and Females will overtake the Alpha's and the cycle will continue.
Visiting the wolf centre in Haliburton is an important step in helping people to understand the wolf. For centuries the human race has feared the wolf and unapologetically hunted it almost to extinction. Wolves are not the evil creature that we have been led to believe. They are more afraid of humans and are more likely to flee than attack and there has actually never been a confirmed report of a healthy wolf attacking a human. The only cases of wolf attacks have come from either rabid wolves or a wolf/dog mixed race. Truthfully there have been more dog attacks than wolf attacks.
It is only $9.00 to visit the Wolf Centre. It is worth it to take a day or two and stay up in Central Ontario. It is a beautiful location consisting of 60 lakes and thousands of acres of forest. It is a wild country where moose and bears roam freely and you will see otters, deer, porcupine, grouse and great blue herons and many more. Stay in rustic cabins, pitch a tent or find a nearby resort. You can find something for everyone in Ontario.
About the Author:
Deb Corbeil and Dave Bouskill are a travel couple from Canada. They have trekked, hiked, biked and climbed to around30 countries all aroundthe planet. Click on their website ThePlanetd.com for more tips, advice and information on travel and adventure locations. To see their photo gallery visit PicturethePlanet.com
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