Wolves Come To Smithsonian & Northern Virginia

(11/14/1996) - Defenders of Wildlife invites the public to meet Mission:Wolf's ambassador wolves, Sila and Merlin, as they come to the nation's capital. On Sunday, November 17, 1996 at 1:30 pm and at 3:30 pm, Sila and Merlin will be mingling with the public in the Baird Auditorium at the National Museum of Natural History at 10th Street and Constitution Avenue. On Thursday, November 21 at 7:00 pm, they will delight the audience in The Theater in the Richard J. Ernst Community Cultural Center at the Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale Campus. These are fantastic opportunities to meet the majestic gray wolf in person and to hear about Defenders' campaign to restore these beautiful creatures to their natural habitat -- the Adirondacks. Admission is free.

Once common from New England to Minnesota, the eastern timber wolf was systematically eradicated from its original range by bounty hunters in the 1800's. Missing from the Northeast since the turn of the century, the wolf is now being protected under the provisions of the Endangered Species Act. Based on preliminary examinations, the Adirondack wilderness seems to meet all of the requirements for wolf recovery, such as heavy forestation and a low human population density. Just as in the recent successful reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone made possible by Defenders of Wildlife, the Adirondack ecological health can only benefit from the return of the wolves, creating a win-win situation for all involved.

These Washington area events follow the Wolves of America conference scheduled for November 14-16 in Albany, NY. This conference, sponsored by Defenders of Wildlife, is a forum for discussion and strategy on returning the wolf to its original home in the Adirondacks. Scientists, activists and media from around the nation will gather to hear and learn about the possibility of restoring one of America's lost treasures to the Northeast.

###

Contact(s):

Ken Goldman, 202-682-9400 x221 (Media)