FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – MEDIA IS INVITED – SEE INFORMATION BELOW TO ATTEND October 15, 2003

 Contact: California Wolf Center 760-765-0030 619-234-WOLF

ARE WOLVES RETURNING TO CALIFORNIA? SPECIAL BENEFIT EVENT AT THE CALIFORNIA WOLF CENTER

Special Benefit Fundraiser celebrating National Wolf Awareness Week will feature visit with a spectacular pack of gray wolves and guest speakers, Carter Neimeyer, US Fish & Wildlife, Rick Williamson, Wolf/Cattle Conflict Specialist and Nancy Weiss, Defenders of Wildlife San Diego and Julian, CA– Are wolves returning to California? Wolf populations in Idaho continue to grow, and wolves are dispersing to neighboring states. Wolves once roamed the mountain forests of California. Eradicated by the late 1920s from government sponsored predator control programs, today the gray wolf may be making a comeback to the Golden State. This fundraising event marks the beginning of National Wolf Awareness Week, which was established as an important medium for educating the public about the critical role of wolves in our nation's ecosystems. Special guest speakers Carter Niemeyer, Coordinator of the Idaho Wolf Recovery Team for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Rick Williamson, Wolf Specialist for the USDA's Wildlife Services agency and Nancy Weiss, Western Species Director for Defenders of Wildlife will discuss the ecology, conflicts, challenges and political controversy surrounding the recovery of gray wolves in the western United States. Although today there are no free-ranging or wild wolves living in California, scientists believe more than 400 wolves could survive very well in the Klamath Siskiyou region of Northern California. However, for wolves to return to California, there must be both acceptance by the general public and laws in place protecting migrating wolves. Visitors to this event will hear first hand about dispersing wolves and legal challenges.

Guests will have the rare opportunity to view the world famous Denali pack, residing at the California Wolf Center. This pack of 12 Alaskan gray wolves has been fascinating visitors for years. Evening attendees may witness social interactions of this dynamic pack, something very difficult to view in the wild. Additional evening program features include live entertainment from Carlos Reynosa and Evran Ozan, two talented Native American musicians and a silent auction. The events are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday from 12:30-3:30 p.m., and Saturday evening from 4:30-8:30 p.m., at the California Wolf Center in Julian, California. Proceeds from all three events will go directly to the California Wolf Center's Education Fund. The fund was established this year to assist the California Wolf Center in providing world-class educational programs about the role of predators in our ecosystems. In addition the Center hopes to educate Californians about the conflicts that can be anticipated when wolves return to their former habitat in Northern California About the California Wolf Center http://www.californiawolfcenter.org/WAW2003.pdf

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