We were contacted in 2005 to participate in Animal Planet’s “King of the Jungle” series filming in Florida.  They wanted to hire a pair of grey wolves to use in the “reward” segment in which contestants got to meet an exotic animal.  We sent photos and agreed to take Tehya and Kamots, a pair of rescued animals we regularly used as ambassadors.  As time drew near, we contacted them to confirm directions and shooting time.  They wanted their “trainer” to walk the animals out.  We explained that our animals are people oriented and used to going out, but they would be in a strange situation with cameras and lights and would need our volunteers (whom they trusted already) to be by their side.  Kamots was 165lbs and would not have followed a stranger in a strange situation.  We were told that Animal Planet couldn’t commit to a “shooting schedule” and we were no longer needed.

Fast forward 5 months and we get a call from a man named Tim Rivers.  He was very proud of the fact his animals were utilized in the shooting of “King of the Jungle”, bragging even.  He advised us he had purchased three females at three months of age to participate in the shooting.  His wife had bonded with one of them and he had tried to sell the other two, without success.  Now he wanted rescue to take the females…intact (unspayed) with no donations towards vet costs or fencing.  The animals were costing him money (food, vet, fencing) and had already outgrown the 4’ field fence he had them in at that time.  He told us that he would give them to the first person that came along and it was clear from his tone of voice he didn’t care if that person was licensed or not to have wolves (a requirement in Florida).  We contacted another person who was rescuing animals privately at the time as she had two neutered males and the room to accommodate the two girls.  She went and got them immediately. 

Julie wasn’t warming up to this woman, however, so it was decided that Shy Wolf would go and bring her down to Wenatchee, after his long time companion had died.  We felt we had more volunteers to work with her and that she would surely find someone to bond with here.  She did and has done quite well.  Julie’s always been more afraid of men due to her early life experiences.  If you watch the episode of “King of the Jungle” she was the pup in the pink leash and collar dragged out and forcibly passed from person to person.  We’ve also heard things that lead us to believe her treatment at Mr. Rivers’ facility was probably not conducive to trusting people, men in particular. 

Whatever the reason, Julie became so terrified of a male volunteer entering her enclosure to pick up a food dish that she literally jumped to the top of our 10’ fence!  She immediately tried to get back into the safety of her home.  For this reason, Julie can be in only one enclosure on the property that has 3’ lean-ins or in a topped enclosure.  Our new facility will take this ability into consideration and every enclosure will have 10’ sides and 3’ lean-ins.