Wolf Awareness Week 2007 With Keynote Speaker, Ed Bangs, Wolf Recovery Coordinator for the US Fish & Wildlife Service
A Celebration of Rocky Mountain Wolf Recovery
October 20, 2007 - JULIAN, CA - California Wolf Center will be celebrating Wolf Awareness Week with 2 special programs featuring Ed Bangs, Rocky Mountain Wolf Recovery Coordinator. The day will consist of two SOLD OUT events including an afternoon program from 12 - 2:30 p.m. and an evening event from 4:30 - 8:30 p.m. The evening celebration features delicious catered fare, live music, an exciting live auction, and a tour of the California Wolf Center that includes a rare evening glimpse at the famous Denali pack.
Interviews Available
Ed Bangs, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Rocky Mountain Wolf Recovery Coordinator will be on-hand for both day and evening programs to answer questions and discuss the biological and political aspects of wolf recovery, including recent proposals to take wolves off the endangered species list in certain western states.
Special Viewing of “The Valley of The Wolves” Film
California Wolf Center visitors will have a chance to view never before seen footage of Thirteen/WNET New York’s Nature unadulterated view of battle for survival and supremacy in Yellowstone, entitled “In the Valley of the Wolves,” which makes its world premiere on Sunday, November 4 on PBS Television.
Shot In HD over three years by Emmy Award-Winning filmmaker Bob Landis, this documentary captures turf wars between rival wolf packs in the heart of the American wilderness.
The Druids are one of the largest wolf packs ever documented, once numbering 37 strong. But when their alpha female is killed by another pack and their patriarch is found dead, their reign over Yellowstone National Park’s Lamar Valley comes to a sudden end – at least for a time.
This film details the Druids’ dramatic fall from dominance, flight into exile and triumphant return to power amid the stunning beauty of Yellowstone when “In the Valley of the Wolves” premieres Sunday, November 4 at 8 p.m. (ET) on PBS (check local listings). It is available in High Definition. The film is produced and shot in HD by Emmy-winning filmmaker Bob Landis, and produced and written by NATURE series editor, Janet Hess. Academy Award-winning actor F. Murray Abraham is the series narrator.
“This is like West Side Story in the Wild,” says Fred Kaufman, executive producer of NATURE. “Rival gangs battle for territory, an outcast risks his life for romance, and a family saga spans tragedy and triumph.”
Scenes include the tumultuous and decisive battle in which the Druids are dethroned by a rival pack called the Sloughs. Elsewhere, a wolf boldly takes down an elk many times its size, while Lamar’s bears, coyotes and eagles must be careful – or clever – when trying to piggyback on the wolves’ kills.
About California Wolf Center
The California Wolf Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the return of wild wolves to their natural habitat and to the people who share the landscape with them. We foster communities coming together to ensure wolves, livestock, and people thrive in today’s world. Learn more at californiawolfcenter.org
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Media Contact
Michelle Carroll, Director of Education and Volunteers