The Wolf Conservation Center Elaphebolion 2014 cause

In a (to us) surprising turn of events, the Wolf Conservation Center won this round as Elaphebolion 2014 cause for Pandora's Kharis! The Wolf Conservation Center (WCC), founded in 1999 by Hélène Grimaud, is a private, not-for-profit environmental education organization located in South Salem, NY. The WCC’s mission is to promote wolf conservation by teaching about wolves, their relationship to the environment, and the human role in protecting their future. The WCC accomplishes this mission through onsite and offsite education programs emphasizing wolf biology, the ecological benefits of wolves and other large predators, and the current status of wolf recovery in the United States. The WCC won with 53% percent of the votes (International Mental Health Research Organization - 20%, International Rescue Committee - 13%, Wounded Warrior Project 7%, Metro CareRing 7%).

The WCC also participates in the Species Survival Plan (SSP) and Recovery Plan for two critically endangered wolf species, the Mexican gray wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) and the red wolf (Canis rufus). The Mexican gray wolf and the red wolf are among the rarest mammals in North America, both species at one time were completely extinct in the wild. Presently there are approximately 400 Mexican gray wolves and 300 red wolves remaining in the world, the majority living within the network of facilities like the WCC participating in the SSP. Every one of these endangered wolves in captivity is a part of something bigger than their pack and the facilities that house them. These special canids are integral parts of the recovery of their rare species.

Many of these wolves contribute as ambassadors, living on view at a variety of zoos throughout the United States to help people learn about the importance of their wild counterparts. The WCC's two SSP exhibits offers visitors to the Center an opportunity to behold these species and their eight WildEarthTV webcams extend four wolf families to a global audience. Some of these education wolves can also contribute to the revitalization of their species more directly as participants of the SSP Wolf Captive Breeding program.

A special faction of captive wolves, however, can have the most direct impact on the conservation of their species as well as their ancestral habitat in the wilds of North America. These wolves are candidates for release into the wild. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), under the Endangered Species Act, is re-introducing Mexican gray wolves and red wolves to portions of their historic range, and two wolves from the WCC have been given this greatest opportunity - a chance to bring an ecosystem back to balance.

Looking forward, the WCC aims to become the pre-eminent facility in the Eastern United States for the captive breeding and pre-release of endangered canid species, and to continue expanding our education and outreach programs to communities far beyond the gates of their facility.

The PayPal account is open to receiving your donations to this beautiful and worthy cause! The deadline for donations is 31 March, and I thank you in advance already for them. All PayPal costs will be covered by Elaion so your full donation will be transferred to the Wolf Conservation Center. These are going to be the ones that push us past €1000,- given, and that's very exciting to us! You are all wonderful, and I want to thank you for helping make this initiative such a huge success. Lets make this one count!

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